Following his elimination Saturday evening from this yr’s World Sequence of Poker (WSOP) Major Occasion at Paris & Horseshoe Las Vegas, Will Kassouf was escorted off the premises and banned from the rest of the collection, which incorporates 5 extra tournaments. In accordance with officers, the controversial British poker professional trash-talked his opponents and slow-played so excessively, it violated WSOP guidelines governing participant conduct.
British poker professional Will Kassouf argues with match director Dennis Jones. Jones and WSOP VP Jack Effel determined to have Kassouf escorted from the premises and banned from the rest of the collection. (Picture: Poker.org)
Kassouf started Day 6 within the Prime 10 with practically 7 million chips, however his 2025 Major Occasion run shall be remembered just for his WWE-like desk speak, which included taunting opponents — one among whom he referred to as “a prick” — and making provocative feedback after eliminations.
Kassouf was additionally penalized a number of occasions for taking an inordinate period of time to behave (tanking). On Day 2, for instance, he took greater than 10 minutes to determine the best way to play a robust hand (king-high flush).
Rule 40 within the 2025 WSOP laws prohibits habits that disrupts the sport or creates an unfair benefit, and Rule 107 requires gamers to behave in a well timed method to take care of sport circulation.
On Friday, Kassouf acquired a one-round penalty for arguing with a participant that the clock was referred to as on him too rapidly. After play concluded, Kassouf argued with WSOP VP Jeck Effel, who instructed him to “take your one-round penalty and shut up,” including that if his disruptions continued, “I’ll have safety escort you out of right here and you may be disqualified.”
On Saturday, after his pocket sevens have been defeated by chip chief Kenny Hallaert’s king-five on the flip, Kassouf was eradicated in thirty third place with $300,000.
“He’s a PokerStars skilled sponsored participant,” Kassouf then introduced to the gang and livestream viewers. “King-five, properly performed. What an absolute shame — a fucking joke.”
As he proceeded to name everybody on the desk “little bitches,” a refrain of “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” erupted from the rails.
Kassouf was then knowledgeable of his ban and escorted to the payout desk by safety with two Las Vegas cops in tow.
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Kassouf’s play was each vilified and celebrated on social media. Supporters argued that it made the sport extra entertaining and uncovered the monotony of silent play, whereas detractors discovered it disruptive and unprofessional.
Sam Coe tweeted: “That is surely probably the most entertaining few days of poker I’ve ever watched. Will Kassouf must be cherished, however in fact the poker nerds are seething as a result of they’ll’t muster even 1% of the charisma. The WSOP is totally out of line with a few of these rulings.”
Poker professional Derek Kwan strongly disagreed, tweeting: “Anybody defending Kassouf proper now want to observe the stream. He will get dealt a hand, and as a substitute of appearing, he’s simply arguing with everybody, desk mates, flooring, anybody, although nobody is him or addressing him. He’s burning 30-40 secs pre with 85o simply yelling on the air. He’s been warned one million occasions, the ground has to spend all their time at his desk, desk mates are enjoying prob 20% much less arms and prob all enjoying worse *towards one another* due to this madness. It’s all simply approach approach out of line.”
Kassouf’s ban prevents him from getting into the $1,500 Pot-Restrict Omaha (Occasion #91), the $1,979 Poker Corridor of Fame Bounty (Occasion #92), the $10,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em 6-Handed Championship (Occasion #94) the $800 No-Restrict Maintain’em Deepstack (Occasion #95) and the $1,500 The Nearer (Occasion #97).
It’s unclear whether or not he shall be allowed to play within the WSOP Paradise, going down within the Bahamas from Dec. 4-18.
The WSOP Major Occasion is scheduled to finish on Wednesday.
