Cheating in Pokemon GO can get you permanently banned

Pokemon GO players using bots, GPS spoofing, and other cheats can now be permanently banned.

Niantic has begun issuing permanent bans to players for a number of Terms of Service violations, including GPS spoofing and other software techniques aimed at manipulating the base game.

The company has posted a statement on its website which outlines its new stance on cheating and the violation of its Terms of Service.

“Our goal is to provide a fair, fun and legitimate game experience for everyone,” said Niantic.

“We will continue to work with all of you to improve the quality of the gameplay, including ongoing optimization and fine tuning of our anti-cheat system.”

Although it is unclear how Niantic will enforce its rules and police the use of external software, it has also cracked down on third-party Pokemon GO APIs, issuing them Cease and Desist notices.

Currently, it is not certain exactly what behaviour could result in a permanent ban, although we recommend not using any external software, including GPS spoofing and third-party APIs.