Empty Chairs, Dozens of Screens
The released video offers a half-minute tour of two rooms filled with computers and monitors running online poker tables. The shocking fact is that no humans were making decisions; an automated software handled the gameplay. According to Zamani, these bots mainly operated on high-stakes tables, and the footage represents just a part of the entire operation.
Zamani stated he didn't shoot the video himself but obtained it from a third party and released it to raise awareness. In his post, he sharply criticized the poker rooms: “They've known about this for ages and done nothing. These are high-stakes games, and this isn’t the entire operation—they just don't care.”
The shocking footage can be viewed directly in Zamani's post on platform X:
Massive bot farm on Ignition/Bovada. They’ve known about for ages and done nothing. It’s highstakes and this isn’t the entire operation either and they just don’t care.
— Martin Zamani (@martin_zamani) January 17, 2026
Enough is enough of this shit.
(I didn’t create the bot or the video)
I don’t think this is happening on… pic.twitter.com/VeEKzLhVGv
Platform Reactions: From Denial to Refunds
Reactions to this revelation varied significantly between platforms. Ignition's representatives responded directly under Zamani's post, claiming the video is outdated from 2022. According to them, all the accounts shown, as well as related accounts, have long been banned. They insist that customer security and fair play are their priorities and actively monitor their network.
On the other hand, CoinPoker seized the opportunity to demonstrate its transparency. A day after Zamani's video was published, the platform announced it had identified and blocked 98 accounts linked to bots on its own network. More importantly, CoinPoker refunded affected players a total of $156,446.
Every operator faces challenges with bots on the platform, and the support of our community is essential in identifying and combating them. Thank you for that!
— CoinPoker (@CoinPoker_OFF) January 18, 2026
This week, $156,446 is being refunded to players following the ban of 98 bot accounts and the confiscation of their…
Other giants like PokerStars and ClubWPT also commented, with Zamini indirectly defending them, stating: “I don’t think this is happening on other major sites.”
Large and regulated American sites like PokerStars and WSOP Online undergo strict regulatory oversight, and failure to protect players could even lead to losing their licenses. This naturally boosts motivation for platforms to continuously enhance security against such practices.
PokerStars emphasized having a team of 60 specialists including data scientists and former professionals using specialized software to detect collusion and prohibited software.
ClubWPT Gold humorously but clearly stated on X that their goal is to ensure players won’t get “fleeced by a group of greasy nerds running a bot farm out of their stepdad’s garage.”
As much as we mess around on here, we care A LOT about security and preventing our players from ever having to deal with shit like this.
— ClubWPT Gold (@ClubWPTGold) January 17, 2026
To get technical: we have a state-of-the-art bot detection system that leverages deep learning to classify AI-generated strategy & behavior… https://t.co/HRegdBxoA9
This whole incident reopens crucial discussions about the integrity of online poker and the ongoing battle against fraud. It is currently impossible to definitively verify whether the issue is simply an unpleasant echo from the past or a part of today's reality. However, it serves as a warning for all players to evaluate the bot protection on platforms they choose to play on.
Who is Martin Zamani?
This American pro is a staple of the high-stakes scene with live tournament winnings exceeding $8 million. He's also a two-time WSOP bracelet holder and a winner of three PGT events. Known for his straightforwardness and fearlessness in exposing illicit practices, Zamani sparked massive controversy in 2022 by publicly accusing Bryn Kenney of running a collusion ring and using prohibited real-time assistance. Zamani remains one of the most vocal and prominent figures in modern poker, unafraid to openly fight for the game's integrity.
Sources: X, Flickr
