Queries like does ggpoker allow huds, does coinpoker allow huds, and best hud for acr all share one problem: site policy changes faster than forum posts. This guide maps official rules for major rooms, flags what changed in mid-2026, and points to safe alternatives when third-party overlays are banned.

Each section links to primary operator sources checked on 2026-07-10. High-confidence entries (PokerStars, GGPoker, CoinPoker, ACR, WPT Global) cite explicit policy pages; 888poker and ClubGG are flagged where official third-party HUD rules are unclear. Online poker terms change without notice—always confirm the operator's current policy before running tracking software.

Quick Answer: HUD Policy by Site

Ready to pick software for an allowed room? See our PokerTracker 4 alternatives guide after confirming your site permits overlays.

How to Read Each Site Section

A yes/no table alone is not enough for YMYL-adjacent policy content. Every room below uses the same three-layer structure:

1. Official policy — quoted or paraphrased from the operator's terms, with a link to the source
2. Practical reality — what grinders report about enforcement (secondary sources, not legal advice)
3. Alternatives — built-in tools, post-session review, or browser practice when live HUDs are off limits

CoinPoker: HUD Ban Effective June 9, 2026

CoinPoker flipped from permissive third-party HUD use to a full ban on June 9, 2026 at 17:00 UTC. If you still see older guides listing CoinPoker as HUD-friendly, they are outdated.

A. Official policy

CoinPoker's Third-Party Tools Policy (last updated June 25, 2026) states that HUDs, tracking software, statistical overlays, and opponent analysis tools are prohibited in connection with gameplay. PokerTracker, Hold'em Manager, Hand2Note, and DriveHUD are named as examples. Only CoinPoker's integrated PokerIntel and built-in HUD are permitted during play.

Additional restrictions while the client is open:

• RTA tools, solvers, and training apps that give strategic guidance
• Mass Data Analysis (MDA) databases and shared population reports
• Virtual machines, emulators, and remote desktop environments

Intent does not matter — prohibited software must be fully closed before launching CoinPoker, even on a second monitor.

B. Practical reality

Affiliates were notified roughly one day before enforcement. Players who relied on Hand2Note or PT4 overlays need to migrate to PokerIntel or offline study workflows. Enforcement appears strict: the policy explicitly tells users to check Task Manager / Activity Monitor for running prohibited apps.

C. Alternatives

• Use PokerIntel for session stats and hand review inside the client
• Study with solvers and trackers only when CoinPoker is completely closed
• Learn HUD stat definitions on nlh.poker before rebuilding a CoinPoker workflow

GGPoker: Third-Party HUDs Banned, SmartHUD Allowed

A. Official policy

GGPoker's Security & Ecology Policy (current version dated March 13, 2026 on the policy page) prohibits auxiliary tools that influence gameplay decisions, including "RTA, bots, solvers, charts, or HUDs." Penalties include permanent ban and confiscation of funds.

RTA is defined broadly: any external assistance that influences real-time decisions or provides an unfair edge, including charts and reference materials during play. Data mining — accumulating hand histories beyond your own — is also prohibited.

Tools that do not interact with GGPoker during gameplay are not flagged, which is why post-session review of exported anonymized hands in offline software is generally tolerated, as long as nothing overlays the live client.

B. Practical reality

GGPoker runs client-side scans for prohibited software. Remote access tools (TeamViewer, AnyDesk), VMs, and seating scripts are also blocked. SmartHUD shows session-based VPIP, PFR, and related stats to all players at the table — it is the intended replacement for external trackers.

C. Alternatives

• SmartHUD during play; PokerCraft for post-session review
• Export anonymized hand histories for offline leak finding (no live overlay)
• Build stat-reading habits on nlh.poker GTO HUD practice before playing on GG

ACR (Americas Cardroom): Conditional HUD Permission

ACR is the most nuanced major room — HUDs are allowed, but only within strict External Assistance Tool (EAT) specs. This is the site behind queries like best hud for acr and does acr poker allow huds.

A. Official policy

ACR's Security and Game Integrity Policy (section 4.1.3) permits:

Hand trackers and Heads Up Display (HUD) type tools that gather and display numeric-based stats. The stats displayed must be based solely on your own hand history collected through the games you have personally participated in, and such displays must not include information from a current hand in play.

Prohibited EAT categories include:

• RTA and tools that suggest strategy for the live hand
• Seating scripts and table-selection automation
• Datamining and hole-card sharing
• Virtual machines used to bypass security checks

Section 10 of the same policy adds a critical caveat: ACR neither supports nor endorses any EAT and may deem any tool unfair at its sole discretion, even if it technically meets the section 4.1 specs.

B. Practical reality

PT4, HM3, and Hand2Note are widely used on the Winning Poker Network. Hand histories write incrementally, so HUD stats can lag 10–30 seconds on early-street decisions. ACR also runs a Restricted Programs Exclusion that blocks the client if prohibited EAT software is detected.

C. Alternatives

If you play ACR, a standard PT4/HM3 HUD configured for WPN compliance is the normal path. Compare options in our PT4 alternatives guide. For stat definitions before buying, see poker stats for beginners.

PokerStars: HUD Allowed With Display Restrictions

A. Official policy

PokerStars' Third Party Tools and Services Policy (verified 2026-07-10) permits tools that "monitor and display numerical-based statistics in-game" using only information you accumulated through your own play. The same page lists qualitative limits: stats must not split based on card values, and tools must not automatically change displayed statistics based on game state or opponent tendencies (no dynamic HUD). Restrictions also include:

• No real-time strategic advice or automation
• Datamining and shared player databases prohibited at all times
• Solvers and advanced equity tools prohibited while PokerStars software is open (permitted for offline study only)

PokerStars links a Reference Guide (PDF) with additional display rules. Vendor setup guides for PokerTracker 4, Hold'em Manager 3, and Hand2Note describe PokerStars-compliant HUD profiles.

B. Practical reality

Hand2Note auto-enables PokerStars restrictions in recent versions. Running Range Research during active play can cause HUD lag and is discouraged. Spin & Go and anonymous pools have additional tool restrictions.

C. Alternatives

PokerStars is the reference room for desktop tracker users. Pair a compliant HUD with GTO benchmark stat review to spot leaks beyond raw VPIP/PFR numbers.

888poker: Likely HUD-Friendly, Verify Official Policy

A. Official policy

888poker publishes a built-in HUD guide but does not host a standalone third-party-tools page as clear as PokerStars. Industry sources and tracker vendors report PT4, HM3, and Hand2Note compatibility on standard tables.We could not find an official English page explicitly listing permitted third-party HUDs— treat this as medium-confidence and confirm with 888 support before relying on overlays.

888's native HUD shows VPIP, PFR, 3-bet, and hands played to all players. Fast-fold SNAP pools may have different rules; third-party HUD use in SNAP is commonly reported as restricted.

B. Practical reality

Many grinders run standard trackers on 888 cash tables. Built-in and third-party HUDs can coexist, but overlapping stats may clutter the table — most serious players pick one system.

C. Alternatives

Use the free built-in HUD if you play casually. Upgrade to PT4/HM3 only after confirming current policy for your game type.

Global Poker: Tracking Tools Prohibited

A. Official policy

Global Poker's Card Room Rules (help center) prohibit third-party tools that:

• Use central databases of player profiles, hands, or private results
• Datamine hands you did not participate in
• Record or collate hand data through any program not provided by Global Poker
• Deliver real-time advice during live play

Global Poker's Terms and Conditions (PDF) also require that you not use software-assisted methods or techniques during participation in games. Global Poker's help center asks players to report third-party software used to assist decisions.

B. Practical reality

As a sweepstakes model, Global Poker provides limited hand-history export. Even if policy were silent, standard HUD pipelines barely function because PT4/HM3 cannot import hands the way they do on PokerStars or ACR.

C. Alternatives

Take manual notes in-client. For structured stat practice, use nlh.poker statistics during browser sessions instead of trying to force a tracker onto Global Poker.

WPT Global: All Third-Party Software Prohibited

A. Official policy

Under Fairness & Security on WPT Global's official FAQ, the question "Can I use a HUD or tracker while playing?" is answered:

No, HUDs are not permitted at WPT Global.

We believe deeply in fair games, and a big part of that is all players having access to equal amounts of information which they have gleaned directly from their own experience. HUDs break this foundational tenet and affect the decisions a player makes.

WPT Global's Terms and Conditions also list using or attempting to use HUDs as prohibited activity. WPT Global's 2026 RTA rules article discusses industry-wide third-party HUD restrictions and notes that WPT Global prohibits robots and external assistance programs that distort play. Only table-layout tools (organizing or resizing tables) are generally permitted per that article.

B. Practical reality

Hand histories are limited or unavailable for download. There is no built-in SmartHUD-style overlay. WPT Global targets recreational players and enforces integrity through prohibited activity scans.

C. Alternatives

In-client notes and tags. Post-session study on practice platforms rather than live overlays.

Ignition and Bovada: EPA Programs Banned

A. Official policy

Ignition's Terms of Use (section 13.3) prohibits External Player Assistance (EPA) programs — software or databases that gather opponent information beyond what you could learn through direct observation at the table. Violations can lead to account closure and forfeiture of winnings.

Bovada shares the same PaiWangLuo software stack and equivalent EPA language. Anonymous tables reset player IDs each hand in cash games, which defeats long-term opponent tracking even if a tool technically ran.

B. Practical reality

PokerTracker offers an Ignition Hand Grabber for Windows that some players use, but this operates in a gray zone relative to official EPA rules. Ignition's marketing explicitly promotes anonymous tables as an anti-HUD feature. Assume overlays are high-risk.

C. Alternatives

Download delayed hand histories through the official client for same-day review. Build exploitative reads within a single session rather than across thousands of hands.

ClubGG: Third-Party HUD Unclear, Smart HUD Built In

ClubGG is the weakest-confidence entry on this list — official Terms of Service do not explicitly mention HUDs, yet the app ships with a native Smart HUD and sits inside the broader GG Network ecosystem.

A. Official policy

ClubGG's Terms of Service restrict reverse-engineering the client and accessing the site through unauthorized interfaces. The Smart HUD product page confirms built-in VPIP, PFR, 3-bet, and session stats. The GGPoker Network Security & Ecology Policy explicitly bans external HUDs on GGPoker; ClubGG alignment is inferred from the shared network, not quoted verbatim in ClubGG ToS.

B. Practical reality

ClubGG does not write standard hand-history files to a local folder, so PokerTracker and Hand2Note cannot integrate the way they do on PokerStars. Some 2025 sources described club apps as HUD-permissive; 2026 community reports suggest tighter enforcement across mobile club platforms. Treat third-party overlays as high-risk until ClubGG support confirms otherwise.

C. Alternatives

Use Smart HUD in-client. For deeper analysis, export or review hands through club-specific workflows where available, or practice stat reading on nlh.poker.

What to Do When Your Site Bans HUDs

A ban does not mean you stop studying — it means you shift when and where you use numbers:

1. During play: use the site's built-in HUD (SmartHUD, PokerIntel, 888's overlay) if available
2. After sessions: import exported hand histories into PT4/HM3 for offline review only — client fully closed
3. For learning: play practice hands on nlh.poker where 40+ HUD-style stats update automatically — no install, works on Mac and mobile browsers
4. Before buying software: read PT4 and HM3 alternatives only after confirming your room allows overlays

nlh.poker does not bypass site rules or overlay stats on real-money clients. It is a separate practice environment for building the stat-reading habit that makes a paid tracker useful once you move to an HUD-allowed room.

Disclaimer

This article summarizes publicly available operator policies for educational purposes. It is not legal advice. Penalties for violations are determined solely by each poker site. We are not affiliated with GGPoker, CoinPoker, ACR, PokerStars, or any operator listed. If you find an inaccuracy after a policy update, please contact us so we can revise this page promptly.

FAQ

Summary

Which poker sites allow HUDs? PokerStars and ACR/WPN are the main HUD-friendly options among rooms covered here, each with specific restrictions. GGPoker, CoinPoker (since June 2026), Global Poker, WPT Global, and Ignition/Bovada prohibit third-party overlays. 888poker is likely permissive but lacks a clear official HUD page. ClubGG offers Smart HUD but third-party tracker status is uncertain.

Confirm policy before buying PokerTracker, Hold'em Manager, or Hand2Note. When overlays are banned, use built-in tools and offline review — or practice HUD stats free on nlh.poker while you decide your next room.