When President Trump’s OBBA Act quietly limited gambling loss deductions, it left many pros wondering if the game was still worth it. Titus explained to PokerNews that the provision was “added in the Senate, kind of in the dark of night,” and not even Nevada’s own senator caught it in time.
“We were going through it and found that provision and said, we got to get this out of here.”
The FAIR BET Act aims to restore the 100 percent deduction for gambling losses, so that, as Titus puts it, “bettors aren’t taxed on money they haven’t won.” This isn’t just about the pros either. “It’s like the casual bettor,” she says, noting the bill has bipartisan support and backing from key House committees.
With Congress involved, it’s anyone’s guess how long it’ll take, but Titus seems “optimistic we’ll get it done.”
Across the opening weekend, overlays have been the theme. Out of 13 completed events, 11 missed their guarantees, creating more than $200,000 in added value.
More overlays are expected as the series continues.
According to CNBC, Seidel says the new tax law changes have made the professional circuit far less appealing. Starting in 2026, professional gamblers can only deduct up to 90 percent of their losses against winnings.
Seidel told CNBC this is enough to make him cut down to just a quarter of the tournaments he used to play. He is not alone, either. Russ Fox, a tax expert who works with gamblers, says the margins are so thin now that several pros are walking away.
“For most professionals, the 90 percent loss limitation is going to have a major impact.”
For years, the French operator has worked hand-in-hand with WSOP, running online satellites, producing the “In the Mind of a Pro” series, and even hosting online WSOP events that mirror the live festival. Now, that collaboration is entering a whole new era.
For the very first time, French-speaking fans will be able to watch a free, near-live broadcast of the entire WSOP festival, streamed directly on Winamax’s YouTube channel in the local language.
đź“… From May 29 to July 15 (and slightly beyond), viewers can tune in every evening for around 10 hours of coverage, featuring the biggest moments and the most exciting final tables of the summer. The action will be brought to life by a team of expert commentators and special guest appearances in the French language.
After a short break, coverage resumes from August 3 to August 5 for the Main Event finale, once again available for free on Winamax’s YouTube channel.
While US audiences will catch the Main Event final table on ESPN, French fans now have their own front-row seat to the action, completely free.
That is a million more than last year’s event, as BetMGM tries to up the stakes for its summer centerpiece.
The main event runs from June 29 through July 4.
Online qualifiers over on BetMGM Poker in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey can win their way in for as little as $10. The final qualifiers run the weekend before the live event, for those who like to cut it close.
This year, the WSOP Express is the go-to path, with over 1,000 Main Event seats set to be distributed through a new four-step satellite system.
The four steps range from a $0.50 All-in or Fold game to a $150 multi-table tournament, giving players the option to grind their way up or buy in directly at any stage.
Ivan takes a close look at their tournament lineup, noting there’s a mix of daily and weekly tournaments in the $5 to $50 buy-in range, with guarantees starting at $3,000 and going up to $20,000.
For example, the $5 Daily Duel offers $3,000 GTD, and the $50 Mini Thrill on Thursdays puts up $20,000 GTD.
As Ivan points out that these guarantees are among the best for low buy-in events in the US market, putting FanDuel ahead of WSOP Online when it comes to cheap tournaments with solid promos. The schedule is still new and likely to evolve, but already it’s “one of the best options” for value-minded players.
According to Anuj most events are missing their guarantees, with players cashing in on over $200,000 in extra value in just two days.
It turns out, the only thing hotter than the series name is the amount of free money up for grabs.
Red Spade giant, PokerStars, has announced the third installment of its Mystery Bounty Series, bringing back the action-packed format players love.
Running from April 26 to May 4, the series boasts $3 million in guaranteed prize pools, promising plenty of high-stakes excitement and big bounty surprises along the way.
The dates for the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Korea have officially been announced! Sponsored by PokerStars, the series will run from September 3–14 at Paradise City in Incheon.
Players can look forward to a massive ₩2,000,000+ GTD (approx. $1.4M USD) prize pool. Even more exciting—APPT makes its long-awaited return to Korea after six years!
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Asian Poker Tour, and PokerOrg are jumping on board as their official media partner.
Their coverage starts in Taipei and will track the APT’s travels through Korea and back to Taipei for the big finale in November.
The highlight is the return of last year’s record-setting $5M GTD Main Event, which PokerOrg calls a clear signal that the APT wants to compete globally. Erik Seidel even went as far as dubbing it 'Asia’s Main Event.’
PokerStars Ontario is shaking things up, with the site is about to debut a new platform in partnership with FanDuel.
Our review highlights the brand’s world-class software, a wide range of tournaments and cash games, plus the safety and integrity that have made PokerStars a staple for years.
We dig into formats, tournament schedules, deposit methods, and more. Whether you’re a poker pro or just bluffing your way through, PokerStars Ontario seems ready to deal you in.
The buy-in remains at ÂŁ200, making it about as accessible as these things get.
Last year’s field hit nearly 13,000 entries, and organizers are expecting similar numbers this time around.
“The event has a remarkable record of growing each year since its inception in 2011 (with the exception of 2020 & 2021 COVID years), and entry remains affordable once again.”
PokerOrg recalls the tense final hand, immortalized by commentator James Hartigan’s voice cracking as he pleaded for any card but the ones Fundara needed.
“It’s a brick! It’s a brick! Vicky Coren has done it! She’s the first player in ten seasons of the European Poker Tour to win two Main Event titles.”
Coren Mitchell started out when poker was overwhelmingly male-dominated. Her first big win came at The Vic in London, netting her ÂŁ500,000 in 2006.
In her memoir, she wrote about the surreal feeling of winning, handing out money to friends and waitresses at the club. PokerOrg calls her a trailblazer for women in the game, and her double EPT triumph cements her place in poker history.
Aaron Barone, one of online poker’s true grinders, felt nostalgic for the old days when players would make wild volume bets just for fun.
So, as PokerStrategy reports, he set himself a challenge: play 150 multi-table tournaments in a day, and finish with a profit.
He ended up playing 156 MTTs, spent over $9,000 on buy-ins, and after 17 hours, walked away with $690 in profit. He even streamed the entire session, for anyone who wants to watch a man stare at a screen for nearly a full day.
“It took 17 hrs, 15 minutes but we did it. MTTs: 156 Buy-ins: $9,085 Cashes: $9,775 Profit/Loss: +$690”
Barry Carter at PokerStrategy notes that Barone has always been one of the most consistent winners at low and mid stakes.
It’s a polarizing topic, that’s for sure.
Matt Savage is going to raise it at the poker tournament directors summit this summer.
According to the show’s summary, fans can expect more episodes soon, though no timeline was given.
The first season of popular Hellmuth’s Home Game has wrapped up, but more is coming soon.
The poker world seems to have an endless appetite for Hellmuth’s antics and home game drama.