The World Series of Poker (WSOP) have unveiled a brand-new system that will allow players to rate the dealers during the seven-week summer spectacle. Players will have their ratings shared with internal tournament staff, and the dealers who earn the highest ratings will earn “rewards” throughout the series.
The dealers at the World Series of Poker have often been subjected to harsh criticism. With an event of such size and magnitude, a good percentage of dealers have never pitched a card before the flagship series.
WSOP’s Jeff Platt details the new “Dealer Rating System” in the video below.
While the World Series of Poker certainly means well, players and fans were quick to point out several potential major flaws in the system.
While Jeremy Ausmus praised the idea, Matt Salsberg said:
“This seems particularly insane to me and actually cruel. Dealer makes a blunder, 8 people whip their phone out, shaming/embarrassing someone already very stressed. This is the worst idea I’ve ever heard unless we get to rate their body and face too then I’m ok with it.”
Dylan Linde also mirrored Salsberg’s statements: “Honestly seems like a cruel idea. So many new dealers and so many unkind players.”
PartyPoker Team Pro and triple crown winner Niall Farrell chimed in: “1 starring the dealer cos my AJ lost to KK.”
PokerStars Team Pro David Lappin countered: “If players are gonna uber-rate their dealers, the dealers should definitely get to rate the players. The lowest ten-rated players get auto-eliminated at the end of the day.”
Barry Carter also pointed out how non-dealer traits could affect the rating system: “Congrats in advance to attractive female dealers.”
Other controversial WSOP rule changes
Online sleuth and WSOP czar Kevin Mathers highlighted a trio of major WSOP rule changes that got the poker community talking.
WSOP Rule 45 states that if players register prior to an event’s start time, their chips will now be in play from Level 1. This is a major change from last year, where a player would be allocated a seat whenever they decided to jump in.
“Participants that register before the start of the Event will have their chip stack put in play in blinded off. Once a chip stack goes into play for a Participant that has registered before the start of play, there are no refunds unless WSOP Tournament Management has been notified or determines that there are existing extenuating circumstances which will be determinded on a case by case in Host Property’s sole discretion.”
WSOP Rule 40e is clearly an attempt to keep ClubWPT Gold from infiltrating the WSOP as it did last year. During the 2025 WSOP $1,500 Millionaire Maker event, there was an obvious chip-dumping scandal that saw James Carroll dump his chips to Jesse Yaginuma in order for Yaginuma to win a ClubWPT Gold-sponsored contest, which saw him win an extra $1,000,000. It’s widely assumed that the two split the extra money.
As a result, Carroll and Yaginuma were indefinitely banned from WSOP and all Caesars properties. They were fortunate that WSOP allowed them to chop the first- and second-place prizes, and that ClubWPT Gold still honored the $1,000,000 giveaway.
“Such act includes, but is not limited to, the Participant accepting any payment or prize from a third-party person or entity (e.g., pursuant to a promotion, product, or service) based on the outcome of results of any WSOP Event, in which case Participant shall forfeit all of the WSOP prize money; if the prize money has already been paid to Participant, then the Host Properties shall have the right to the return of all the prize money plus interest.”
That hasn’t deterred ClubWPT Gold from teasing another wild summer promotion, hinting that their presence at the 2026 WSOP will somehow trump last year’s bombardment.
WSOP Rule 80 is the most controversial of all the rule changes, as the World Series of Poker seeks to determine how players use their time banks. It’s a common belief among poker players that players should be able to use their time banks however they see fit, regardless of the tactics.
“Participants unnecessarily calling the clock or stalling, including purposely depleting time banks to ladder up in the payout, may be subject to a reduced clock or incur a penalty in accordance with Rules 40, 113, and 114.”
