Gossip Column: Nacho Barbero in the Hot Seat – ACR Poker’s Verdict and the RTA Rumble

Poker superstar and ACR ambassador Nacho Barbero was recently caught in a whirlwind of controversy when a snapshot of him playing online went viral. The image, shared by Barbero himself on Instagram, showed him playing in ACR Poker’s Venom tournament with a very suspicious window lurking in the background: GTO Wizard, a real-time assistance (RTA) tool strictly forbidden on most poker platforms, including ACR Poker!

Yooo @ACR_POKER

Can we use GTOWizard while playing on your site? pic.twitter.com/HmzUbBslTJ

— Ghilley (@Ghilleyyy) January 31, 2025

The poker world exploded. A fellow player posted the image on X, which quickly racked up over 300,000 views, sparking a heated debate. Big names like Patrick Leonard jumped into the fray, questioning whether Barbero was playing fair.

Barbero quickly addressed the controversy, claiming he was using GTO Wizard to coach players on a Discord call, not for his own game. However, his explanation did little to quell the backlash.

hey, i was coaching 4 of my horses on a discord call. i dont play online, they dont have the gto wizard pro so i was looking at some spots for them. My bad. i emailed gto wizard game integrity and they gonna send all the spots i searched yesterday and gonna publish em.

— Jose Ignacio Barbero (@nacho_barbero) January 31, 2025

One of the most critical responses came from the original poster, who noted that the optics of the situation were extremely damaging: “Weirdly worded post in that case, as it isn’t clear if you’re playing here or not. It also sets a very bad example for the many followers you have on socials to see ACR open with an active GTO Wizard window. I’d make sure to be very careful with these softwares next time.”

The perception of Barbero’s actions—whether intentional or not—sparked a larger debate about the usage of RTA tools in online poker.

ACR’s Initial Response and Community Backlash

ACR Poker’s initial response didn’t help matters. They issued a statement on X but then, in a move that baffled many, disabled comments. This only fueled the fire, with the community criticizing the lack of transparency.

Nacho Barbero is a goofball and we love him. Anyone who’s played with, against or around him knows he’s not a GTO-style player and likely never will be.

We’re confident he was not using GTO Wizard to gain any advantage for himself @nacho_barbero.

— ACR Poker (@ACR_POKER) January 31, 2025

High-stakes pro Patrick Leonard added his two cents, suggesting that GTO Wizard should have a built-in delay to prevent real-time use, and voiced a growing concern among players: are RTA tools driving people away from online tournaments?

https://t.co/DYqecPhLC8 pic.twitter.com/JkQEd25fR9

— Patrick Leonard 🫡 (@padspoker) February 1, 2025

His initial response stated: “Obviously, all of Nacho’s friends (including me) will defend him, the haters will hate. Nobody will actually know so no point arguing about that.”

ACR Investigation Clears Barbero of RTA Use

Under pressure, ACR Poker launched a formal investigation. After a thorough review of Barbero’s hands in the Venom tournament, they announced their verdict: no evidence of RTA use. Barbero, they declared, was in the clear.

At ACR Poker, we are committed to maintaining the integrity of our games and upholding the highest standards of fair play.
Recently, a screenshot surfaced showing one of our sponsored PROs, @nacho_barbero, with GTO Wizard open in the background while playing on our platform. We…

— ACR Poker (@ACR_POKER) February 3, 2025

Their official statement read: “Following a thorough internal investigation of all hands played in the tournaments Nacho participated in, we have concluded that at no point did he use real-time assistance (RTA) to aid his or any other player’s decision-making during live hands. We understand that independent parties are conducting their own reviews, and we are confident that they will come to the same conclusion.”

Despite the good news, Barbero acknowledged the shadow his actions had cast on the game and voluntarily forfeited his remaining chips in the tournament. He expressed his love for poker and emphasized his commitment to fair play, regretting the negative perception his actions had created, stating: “I am very happy that the ACR investigation verifies what I have said previously: I did not cheat, and I have never cheated. I love this game too much to ever do anything that would compromise my integrity or my reputation.”

Barbero further acknowledged that as an ambassador for both ACR Poker and the broader poker community, he should have been more mindful of how his actions might be perceived.

pic.twitter.com/K1JssAdkiu

— Jose Ignacio Barbero (@nacho_barbero) February 3, 2025

Industry Reaction: Is ACR’s Response Enough?

The poker community remains divided on whether ACR Poker’s response is sufficient. Some argue that Barbero’s actions, while not outright cheating, still violated ACR’s terms of service. Another high-stakes pro, Sam Greenwood, pointed out, “Barbero did break the rules, even if what he did wasn’t the most serious of infractions.”

I believe Nacho’s defense, but I also dont think it matters. Rules are rules and when players aren’t punished for breaking them game integrity collapses. Benign intentions matter, but shouldn’t lead to absolution

— Sam Greenwood (@SamGreenwoodRIO) February 1, 2025

Others believe that ACR Poker handled the situation better than expected, especially after its initial misstep on X. By conducting an internal investigation and making the results public, ACR aimed to restore trust among its players.

Meanwhile, Patrick Leonard, not content to take anyone’s word for it, launched his independent investigation into Barbero’s GTO Wizard history from the past 48 hours. So far, his findings align with ACR Poker’s conclusions.

I spent this weekend doing an investigation into the Nacho Barbero GTOW/ACR/Venom scandal. I tried to provide as much information/data/actual hands to give a representation of his game play on that day. I went over 1300 hands (652 in detail) analysed his GTOW history and used the… https://t.co/omQeYGLNIM pic.twitter.com/AU2ZziYb7B

— Patrick Leonard 🫡 (@padspoker) February 3, 2025

The Bigger Debate: RTA Tools and the Future of Online Poker

This incident goes beyond just one player. It has reignited a crucial debate about the role of RTA tools in online poker. Many, including Leonard, are calling for stricter measures to prevent real-time exploitation. As online poker evolves, platforms will need to adapt, implementing stronger policies and better detection methods to guarantee a level playing field.

Barbero’s misstep, though not a fatal blow to his reputation, has highlighted the responsibilities of poker ambassadors and the ongoing struggle to maintain fairness in the digital age. ACR Poker may have weathered this storm, but the larger conversation about RTA tools and transparency in online poker is far from over.

The industry now waits with bated breath for updates from independent investigations and potential changes in RTA regulations across major poker sites. Even Indian poker platforms need to sit up and take notice!