The online poker world was recently shaken by a scandal involving Dan “Jungleman” Cates, who admitted to ghosting—playing on another player’s account—in a high-stakes online poker game. The controversy, which started with Bill Perkins’ cryptic tweets, quickly escalated when Dan Bilzerian chimed in with accusations, prompting Cates to come forward and admit partial guilt.
Perkins originally tweeted about an unnamed poker pro ghosting in private high-stakes app games, calling the situation one of the “worst” breaches of trust he had seen. The situation took a turn when Bilzerian named Cates as the player in question, alleging that Cates had stolen from him by playing on another player’s account during a game meant for recreational players.
A Divided Poker Community
While many professional players have expressed some level of sympathy or support for Cates, the wider poker community has responded differently. A recent online poll gauging public opinion revealed:
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36% supported Bill Perkins
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11% supported Dan Cates
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30% selected “Who cares”
The results suggest that while Cates may still enjoy backing from fellow pros, recreational players and fans feel differently, particularly those who feel that integrity in online games is paramount.
Cates’ confession came with a disclaimer: he stated he only played “a few hands” and that he was told ghosting was common practice in the particular game. Despite this, he issued an apology to Perkins and the poker community.
Community Reaction
Not everyone is ready to forgive or forget. Poker player Daniel Shak voiced his concerns on social media:
“As a recreational player who has NEVER had anyone ghost my account, it is very disturbing to hear the #freejungle. He is not the problem and I like him very much, but to just say it’s ok because everyone’s doing it is a travesty for online poker and especially app playing. #cheating is not ok.”
The incident has once again brought into focus the ethical challenges facing private online poker games, especially those played on invitation-only apps with little oversight. Many argue that ghosting undermines the trust and fairness that make poker enjoyable and sustainable for casual and competitive players alike.
