Culture Society, Identity and Belonging
Much like chess, poker has enthusiastically embraced streaming. Online tournaments mean top players can broadcast their point of view, comment on their strategy and take donations in the process.
It’s a great revenue stream for professionals, but it wasn’t open to them in 2000 at the start of the poker boom.
That year the World Series of Poker (WSOP) – the sport’s biggest event – started one of its most endearing traditions, a tournament solely for poker dealers to thank them for their work during the series.
It’s a rare opportunity to win a coveted WSOP bracelet. Over the years, the tournament expanded to include all casino staff, but this year it will be renamed the ‘Industry Employees’ event and be open to poker show hosts, bloggers, podcasters and streamers.
It means that professionals who stream could take part – making it much harder for amateur casino workers to win.
The poker star (and popular streamer) Doug Polk has stood up for them; more opportunistic players may not.
