PokerStars to ban seating sripts

On March 1 PokerStars will prohibit seating scripts across all their platforms, in line with a number of changes to third party software.

A seating script is a tool which allows players to find softer tables, based on observed tendencies by the players at those tables. In some cases they are at least used to stop two good regulars from being seated at the same table. Seating scripts do not include tools which simply make it easier to join tables faster.

A spokesperson confirmed to pokerfuse that:

In order to continue to protect our players and enhance the overall experience, in the coming months we will be introducing a range of changes to our Third Party Tools & Services policy, which we will communicate ahead of time. One such change is we will be prohibiting any tool or service for table selection efficiency that filters or sorts available games, or automates/semi-automates the process of joining available games based on opponent gameplay statistics or notes.

This move has been a long time coming for many poker players who believe seating scripts have a negative impact on the game. A number of operators have taken steps to make seating scripts obsolete, such as allowing screen name changes, anonymous tables and blind lobbies (which PokerStars themselves have experimented with). 

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