PokerStars Allowed Poker Tools

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:

1. Tools, services or hand charts that tell you odds and pre-flop starting hand recommendations.
2. Tools and services that profile your opponents, but make only use the data which you have accumulated through your own play on the site.
3. 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.
4. 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:

1. Software that shares hole card data with other players or programs is colluding.
2. Any program that works off of a centralized database of player profiles or hands played is prohibited.
3. Any program that plays without human intervention aka ‘poker bot’  or reduces the requirement of a human playing. auto-folders are banned.
4. Data-mining (watching hands without playing to build up a database of hand histories for future reference) is not allowed.
5. 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.

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.

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.

* 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.