Poker bots have been wreaking havoc on the Swedish online poker scene after allegedly making a collective SEK$1,800,000 (US$281.5k). The problem has gotten so bad that Sweden's national gaming company, Svenska Spel, has suspended 14 online poker accounts until they get to the bottom of this matter. Below you can see how far this investigation has come along with why poker bots are so hated.

Fraudulent Gains

The investigation into Swedish poker bots is fairly new because Svenska Spel got a late start. The company admitted that they should've acted sooner after receiving tip-offs about the problem months ago. Now there is only SEK$108k left in the 14 suspended accounts.

This matter is being treated as a fraud case because online poker bots are considered cheating. Because of the fraud designation, both the Swedish Gaming Board and police are conducting investigations as well. Svenska Spel admitted that they're having a "hard time answering detailed questions" from the Swedish police.

Why are Poker Bots such a Big Deal?

In the past, bots weren't so heavily frowned upon in the online poker world because they normally didn't earn profits. After all, these computer programs aren't complex enough to 'read' opponents, and only make moves based on statistical information.

However, it appears as if bots have advanced greatly in recent years because, in the Svenska Spel case, they were able to consistently beat stakes ranging from NL50 to NL500. And because poker bots can play continuously without rest, this creates an unfair advantage if people can use them profitably.

Since bots are considered cheating, Svenska Spel has promised to pay back affected players if the ongoing investigation deems that fraud has indeed occurred. And if they have to do this, you can bet that any bot user who's convicted of fraud will have a hefty fine to pay in the future.