People have been experimenting with poker bots for years now. These computer programs are used in online poker games because they run on their own and make decisions based on statistical observations. Players often debate about exactly how successful these bots are against humans, who can think analytically. However, there’s no denying that poker bots have been successfully used in Sweden after making a collective $1.8 million.

Sweden’s state-owned gaming operator, Svenska Spel, recently shut down 14 poker accounts after it was discovered that they earned $1.8 million in profits. Most of the money was made in the past six months at stakes ranging between $0.25/$0.50 and $3/$6 NL Hold’em.

About four months ago, a player reported suspicious activity from certain players to Svenska Spel. However, the gambling company admits to being slow in turning the matter over to Swedish police. By the time Svenska did turn their findings into the police, only $108k of the original $1.8 million was left in the 14 accounts.

Since then, the authorities have lunched an investigation into the accounts in hopes of recovering the money. Furthermore, the Swedish Gaming Board has begun questioning Svenska Spel on what all they know about the poker bot incident.

The reason why this matter has become such a huge deal is because online poker rooms  have outlawed bots – at least when they’re profitable. These programs can run 24/7 and play millions of hands for users, which gives bots a distinct advantage over humans.

Up until recent years, poker bots were largely unprofitable because they can’t read other players. However, computer programmers are constantly advancing these programs, and it appears as if bots are now good enough to consistently beat lower-mid stakes. It may only be a matter of time before they’re able to beat $5/$10 Hold’em games and above.