
Pokerstars is the single most popular online venue for online poker has some stringent rules on exactly which type of poker tools and odds calculators are allowed and approved for play at PokerStars.com
As a broad rule PokerStars allow tools and services provided that:
- Tools, services or hand charts that tell you odds and pre-flop starting hand recommendations.
- Tools and services that profile your opponents, but make only use the data which you have accumulated through your own play on the site.
- Macros and Hotkey programs are permitted provided they don’t have any bearing on game play logic. eg. AutoHotKey, MacroExpress or AutoIt3 may be used to ‘bet the pot’ when you pressing the ‘P’ key, but cannot be used to create an auto-fold program that folds starting hands, or that automates advice or actions from any other software.
- Tools and services that help you analyse your game but do not or cannot be setup to offer direct, real-time advice on the appropriate action to take.
PokerStars do not Allow and prohibit the following types of Poker Tools:
- Software that shares hole card data with other players or programs is colluding.
- Any program that works off of a centralized database of player profiles or hands played is prohibited.
- Any program that plays without human intervention aka ‘poker bot’ or reduces the requirement of a human playing. auto-folders are banned.
- Data-mining (watching hands without playing to build up a database of hand histories for future reference) is not allowed.
- Software that offers direct game play advice on the appropriate action to take is also not permitted.
PokerStars Allowed Poker Tools:
The following Poker Tools are on the approved list, PokerStars Allowed Poker Tools as at February 15, 2012. While the list of allowed tools and poker odds calculators varies from time to time this is a pretty comprehensive listing of which Tools PokerStars allow.
Auto HandPoster | BlazingStars^ | Calculatem Pro |
Coach Rounder | DoN Indicator | DonkeyTracker |
Draw Poker Source | FlopZilla | FlopZoom^ |
FPP Pro Plus | FreePokerDB (aka FPDB) | Gam Poker Analyzer |
GameTime+ | Hold’em Cockpit | Holdem Genius |
Holdem Helpem | Holdem Indicator | Holdem Manager (including Table Scanner) |
Hold’em Manager 2 (including Hold’em Manager Sync) | Holdem Partner | Hold’em Profiler (including Super HUD) |
Holdem Ranger (including RealTime HUD) | HoldemLuck | Holy Grail of Poker |
iToldem | KayTeEmPro’s Odds Calculator | LobbyHunter |
LongHUD | MagicHoldem | NoteCaddy |
NotesNL | Official Poker Rankings | Omaha Brain |
Omaha Indicator | Omaha Poker Coach | OpenTool |
Perfect Reads | PH_Stars | PlaceMint |
PlayerGPS | PlayerPeek | Poker Academy Prospector |
Poker Buddy | Poker Butler | Poker Calculator Pro by PokerProLabs |
Poker Copilot^ | Poker EV | Poker Evolver |
Poker Indicator | Poker Office | Poker Potjie |
Poker Pro Labs (including Super HUD) | Poker Sharpener | Poker Shortcuts |
Poker Sleuth | Poker Sniffer | Poker Stove |
Poker Vitals | Poker Weapon | Poker Wingman |
PokerAce HUD | PokerDebugger | PokerEval (Registered Version Only) |
Pokerface | PokerGrapher | PokerHands |
PokerObserver HUD | Poker-Spy | PokerStat |
PokerStrategy Elephant | PokerStrategy Equilator | PokerStrategy SideKick |
PokerStrategy Equilab | PokerTableStats | PokerTracker (including TableTracker) |
Pot Odd Rechner | PPA Poker Calculator | ProPokerTools Odds Oracle |
PS Hand Watcher | PS Mate | RankExplorer |
Sharktoolz Bankroll Manager | Sharktoolz Poker-Reader | Sharkystrator |
SitnGo Wizard (version 1.0.1.163 and newer) | SmartBuddy | StackAndTile |
Slice | Star Tracker | StoxPoker Combo |
Stud Indicator | Table of Interest | Table Shark |
TableDroid | TableNinja | TableScan Turbo |
Telescope by SpadeIt | Texas Calculatem | Texas Hold’em Hands v2.0 |
ThePokerDB | TiltBreaker | Tournament Indicator |
Tournament Shark | Tournament Updater | Tourney Manager |
PokerStars Banned Poker Tools:
The following Poker Tools are banned at PokerStars at all times as at February 15, 2012. The below list of poker tools are those making the prohibited list, players at PokerStars may not use any of the software listed below as they violate PokerStars Terms of Usage.
Advanced Poker Calculator | CardAnalyzer | FullAutoHoldem |
Gambot | Hand HQ | HH Repository |
HHCollector | HHdealer | hhSmithey |
HighStakesDB | Hold’em Watcher | Holdem Hawk |
Holdem Inspector a.k.a. Online Holdem Inspector | Holdem Pirate | Holdem Spy |
ICM-Bot | iHH Harvester | Mandraker |
MyPokerIntel | NoLimitFoldem | Online Omaha High Inspector |
Online Poker Bot | Online Tournament Inspector | Open Holdem Bot |
OPI Wizard | Paragon Poker Pal | Poker Android |
Poker Bloodhound | Poker Bot+ | Poker Crusher |
Poker Edge | Poker Inspector a.k.a. Online Poker Inspector | Poker Mate |
Poker Prophecy | Poker Sherlock | Poker Sidekick |
Poker Table Manager | Poker Usher | POKERobot |
Preflop Autofolder | Preflop Poker Bot | RatingViewer |
Seeker | Sense Mind | SharkMate |
Sit And Go Shark | Sit n’ Go Brain | Sixth Sense |
SmartCollector a.k.a. Mixed Harvesters | SpadeEye | Stars Hand History (SHH) |
StarSpy | StatsForPoker | Stud Inspector v1 |
Table Ratings aka Poker Table Ratings | Texas Auto Fold | WinHoldem |
PokerStars Banned Poker Tools:
Several poker tools and services listed below may be used offline, when not playing or running PokerStars software, their legitimate usage would be to analyse your game play. Eg. Both ICM (Independent Chip Model) and Nash Equilibrium tools may be used for post-game hand analysis of hands you have played.
Several web based poker databases accompany the listings below that are fine for usage when no running the Pokerstars game client.
The following list was updated February 15, 2012.
CardRunners EV calculator | CCrushing-HUSNG’s 3Bet-Tool | EVinTIme |
Holdem Advantage | Holdem Radar | Hold’em Signs |
ICM Explorer | ICM Poker | Insight Poker Hound* |
Limit Hold’em Pre-flop Hand Advisor by Intellipoker | Poker Player Database | NodeMind Poker Calculator |
PokerAnalytics | Pokerazor | Pokerbility |
PokerKant | PokerStrategy ICM Trainer | PokerZion No-limit Advisor |
Push Bot Poker | PushPot | SAGE Decision Calculator |
SharkScope (including SharkScope HUD) | Short Stacking Strategy Calculator | Sit n’Go End Game Tools |
SitnGo Wizard (v1.0.1.162 and older)** | SNG Power Tools | SNG Solver |
Spade ICM | STT Analyzer by PokerSoftware Tools |
* PH Stars (a compliant version of Insight Poker Hound) is permitted
** SitnGo Wizard version 1.0.1.163 and later is permitted.
What action can PokerStars take if you are caught using a banned tool?
PokerStars can confiscate your funds if they choose but they tend to take a more lenient approach by warning and educating players of their infringements yet they do warn that will confiscate a players funds if shown a consistent pattern of using prohibited tools and services after being warned, or if detection measures are bypassed.
Source: http://www.pokerstars.eu/poker/room/prohibited/
PokerStars regularly update their list of allowed Calculators and Odds Tools, to be sure that your chosen poker tool is on the PokerStars Allowed Poker Tools list always double check the lasted approved and banned lists directly from PokerStars. If your poker tool or service is not on the list you can always email their support and ask whether it is allowed or banned.
In general, what kind of tools and services are acceptable?
The following types of tools and services are generally acceptable:
Tools and services that simply report basic game state information, such as pot odds or absolute hand strength.
Tools and services that are static reference material and basic in nature, such as a single table-based starting hand chart.
Tools and services that monitor and display numerical based statistics in-game, but make use of only information which you have accumulated through your own play.
Macros and Hotkey programs that don’t have any bearing on gameplay logic. For example, you can use AutoHotKey, MacroExpress or AutoIt3 to make it such that you ‘bet the pot’ when you press the ‘P’ key, but you cannot use these or other utilities to create an autofolder that folds poor starting hands, or that automates advice or actions from any other tool or service.
11/11/2015 – Updated list of allowed poker tools at Pokerstars.
AdvancedPokerTraining
Auto HandPoster
CardHider
CardRunners EV
EasyStreet
FlopInspector
Flopzilla (version 1.7.9 and newer)
FreePokerDB (aka FPDB)
Gam Poker Analyzer
Hand2Note
Holdem Indicator
Hold’em Manager 2
Hold’em Profiler
HoldemBoss (version 24 and newer)
iHoldemIndicator
iOmahaIndicator
MacroPoker
NoteCaddy
Official Poker Rankings
Omaha Indicator
OpenTool
PioSolver
PlaceMint
PLO Ranger
Poker Copilot
Poker HoleCards
Poker Indicator
Poker Office
Poker Pro Labs
Poker Wizard
Poker4Tuna
PokerAnalytics
PokerAssistant ByPlayers
PokerSnowie
Poker-Spy
PokerStrategy SideKick
PokerTracker 4
PS Hand Watcher
PS Last Hand
PS Mate
PS Never SitOut
PS Play ByVoice
PS Wins Viewer
PSHandler (version 1.31 and newer)
RankExplorer
Selektor
SessionLord Multitabling
SessionLord SngAutoColoring
SharkScope (including Sharkscope HUD)
SimplePostflop
SitnGo Wizard (version 1.0.1.163 and newer)
SmartBuddy
StackAndTile
StarsHelper
Stud Indicator
Table Ninja II (version 2.6.13 and newer)
Table of Interest
Table Optimizer
TableDroid
ThePokerDB
TiltBreaker
TimeMojo
Tournament Indicator
Unfold Poker
Universal Poker Table Organizer
Xeester
PokerStars banned Tools
In general, what kinds of tools and services are prohibited?
The following types of tools and services are prohibited:
Any tool or service that shares hole card data with other players or services is colluding, and is prohibited.‡
Any tool or service that works off of a central database of player profiles, hands played or private results is prohibited.
Any tool or service that plays without human intervention (a ‘bot’) or reduces the requirement of a human playing. For instance, an ‘auto-folder’ is prohibited.
The practice of datamining (observing games without playing in order to build up a database of hand histories for future reference) is prohibited.
Any tool or service that offers real-time commentary or advice on the current game state that goes beyond reporting data and statistics.
Any tool or service that is targeted towards the manipulation of opponents in games in which you are unable to choose a specific table to play on, such as Spin & Go’s
‡ Hosting live streams on Twitch and other similar services is not considered as sharing hole card data.
List of Banned Tools at PokerStars: updated 11/20/2015
Advanced Poker Calculator
CardAnalyzer
Frogbot
FullAutoHoldem
Gambot
Hand HQ
HH Repository
HHCollector
HHdealer
hhSmithy
Hold’em Watcher
Holdem Hawk
Holdem Inspector a.k.a. Online Holdem Inspector
Holdem Pirate
Holdem Spy
Holdem Tournament Raider
ICM-Bot iHH Harvester
Mandraker
MyPokerIntel
NoLimitFoldem
Online Omaha High Inspector
Online Poker Bot
Online Tournament Inspector
Open Holdem Bot
OPI Wizard
Paragon Poker Pal
Poker Android
Poker Bloodhound
Poker Bot+
Poker Crusher
Poker Edge
Poker Inspector a.k.a. Online Poker Inspector
Poker Mate
Poker Prophecy
Poker Sherlock
Poker Sidekick
Poker Table Manager
Poker Usher
POKERobot
Preflop Autofolder
Preflop Poker Bot
RatingViewer
Seeker
Sense Mind
Shanky Bot
SharkMate
Sit And Go Shark
Sit n’ Go Brain
Sixth Sense
SmartCollector a.k.a. Mixed Harvesters
SpadeEye
Stars Hand History (SHH)
SpinWiz
StarSpy
StatsForPoker
Stud Inspector
Table Ratings aka Poker Table Ratings
Texas Auto Fold
WarBot
WinHoldem