System and method for detecting collusion in online gaming via conditional behavior

1. A method for detecting collusion in online poker involving a plurality of players, comprising the steps of:

collecting data on every action in every game for every player and sending the data to an online poker database;

storing hidden game information data on every action in every game for every player in the online poker database;

storing game action data on every action in every game for every player in the online poker database;

performing a player action analysis of correlated actions between a pair of online poker players and building a user action database with data obtained in the player action analysis;

creating two or more Bayesian Network graphical models including at least one collusional model to represent forms of collusional behavior and at least one non-collusional model to represent forms of non-collusional behavior;

employing the created Bayesian Network graphical models to determine a likelihood of conditional behavior between the pair of online poker players;

after determining the likelihood of conditional behavior, computing individual scores for the Bayesian Network graphical models using a Bayesian statistical technique;

comparing the computed score of a collusional model with that of a non-collusional model;

after comparing the computed scores, performing a collusion threshold analysis using a thresholding scheme to determine whether the collusional model indicates collusion for the pair of online poker players; and

notifying an appropriate party of unfair collusional play if it is determined that the collusional model is appropriate for the pair of online poker players.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of sending an analysis results alert to notify an appropriate online poker firm of the possibility of unfair collusional play.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of collecting data involves the collection of historical information that is used to construct and analyze models of behavior for the detection of collusion.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of collecting data involves the collection of streamed information that is used to construct and analyze models of behavior for the detection of collusion.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining a likelihood of fairness of a particular poker game.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of probabilistically evaluating the play of a particular online poker player.

7. A system for detecting collusion in online poker among a plurality of online poker players, comprising:

an online poker firm;

a collusion detection suite designed to discover collaboration among pairs of players in an online poker game;

an online poker server that controls the functionality of online games;

an online poker database that receives hidden game information and game action data from the online poker server;

a first Bayesian Network graphical models designed to represent forms of collusional behavior; and

a second Bayesian Network graphical models designed to represent forms of non-collusional behavior;

wherein the online poker firm collects and stores data on every action in every game for every player in the online poker database;

wherein the collusion detection suite examines the data in the online poker database to determine the likelihood that two or more online poker players are collaborating with one another;

wherein the collusion detection suite is employed to create one or more Bayesian Network graphical models to determine the likelihood of conditional behavior between a pair of online poker players;

wherein the collusion detection suite compares the scores of the collusional and non-collusional models; and

wherein the collusion detection suite uses a thresholding scheme to determine whether the collusional model is appropriate for the pair of online poker players

wherein an appropriate party is notified of unfair collusional play if it is determined that the collusional model is appropriate for the pair of online poker players.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the collusion detection suite examines data on every combination of pairs of players that are playing in the same poker game.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the collusion detection suite includes a user action database for storing information pertaining to correlated actions between two online poker players.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the system alerts the online poker firm of the possibility of unfair collusional play if the collusion detection suite determines that the collusional model is appropriate for the pair of online poker game players.