Have the WSOP phone bans gone too far?
Is banning phones with three tables left as well as banning Vloggers from filming a step too far from the World Series of Poker?
The WSOP could look and feel different this year as smart devices will not be allowed on the final three tables and also Vloggers will not be allowed to film at the tables.
This is all in the aftermath of Laptopgate where laptops were consulted on the Main Event final table. Since last year, almost every tour has published rules on phone use, but the WSOP's rules might be the most decisive.
Some are unhappy with the decision, most notably content creators whose job has become a lot more difficult.
The right balance
Right out the gate I would like to say that I 100% agree with the new rules. To ban phones entirely would be too hard to police, especially in the first year of trying it.
Three tables remaining seems the right time to prohibit phones. It is realistically enforceable and is the point in the tournament where the money is starting to really matter, so exactly when you want to prohibit potential solver use.
At this stage the players should also be sufficiently locked in and sociable with their tablemates so that being deprived of their phone is no big issue. I have previously also written that I think this is easier to implement than people think.
A hard line against RTA
I don't see how the WSOP can take a hard stance against RTA without also stopping people filming at the tables. It's undeniable that Vlogs have played a role in growing the game, but you create such an obvious weak spot in your security by giving content creators special treatment.
The good content creators are, as their name suggests, creative. They'll find a way to make their videos entertaining without the real time footage of them playing.
These new measures strike me as appropriate and off-putting to would be cheats. Plus, maybe, just maybe, it's not the worst thing in the world to not be using your phone constantly, especially when gambling for thousands of dollars.
Do you agree with these changes? Let us know in the comments:
