The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) begins at the end of May and concludes on July 16. All the live bracelet events will take place at the Horseshoe Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas casinos on the Strip. Many poker players from outside the U.S. flock to the gambling capital of the world to participate in the WSOP.
This year, there are a record-breaking 100 live bracelet events in the main schedule. The $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship and $10,000 WSOP Main Event are included in this number. A series of online series events will run at the same time.
Do international poker players have reason to worry about entering the U.S. for the period the WSOP takes? In previous summers, there have been few instances, if any, of deportation or detention of poker players. However, this year, it would be wise for them to be aware of new laws that could cause issues.
Trump’s executive order
Trump believes that President Biden invited an unprecedented flood of illegal immigrants into the country during his presidency. In Trump’s 2024 campaign, his anti-illegal immigrant agenda was at the fore. He signed an executive order on his first day in office to deal with this problem. This executive order could have an impact on international poker players.
Many international poker players stay in the U.S. for extended periods to take part in in-person or online gambling competitions. They have a duty to register with the government under section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Applying for registration and fingerprinting is necessary if they plan to remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer and weren’t registered or fingerprinted when applying for a U.S. visa.
Those who have already gone through the process must always have proof of registration in their possession. Those who haven’t gone through the process and plan to stay for the whole length of the WSOP must do so.
Consequences of not complying
If poker players intend to stay in the U.S. for 30 days or longer and don’t apply for registration, they could face civil and even criminal penalties.
It will be interesting to see whether Trump’s executive order and overall economic and immigration policies will affect attendance at the WSOP and other tournaments. Many of the top professional poker players from countries all over the world like to spend the whole summer in Vegas. They exercise their digital skills playing online poker and in tournaments and cash games that take place all over the town at this time.
Negative and positive signs
Data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority shows that Las Vegas had almost 8% fewer visitors in March this year than in March 2024. This decline could be due to several factors, including costs and the economy. The CEO, Steve Hill, said it wasn’t significant enough to be seen as a trend or signs of an imminent recession.
This year could still see big attendance figures at the WSOP. With all Trump’s major actions since becoming president, it is hard to determine what the consequences will be. There are likely to be some non-U.S. citizens who will stay away from the WSOP this time, but the allure of competing is a strong one.
This year’s WSOP event
The organizers say that this year’s event is bigger and better than ever. There is something for everyone who loves the game. As a poker player, there is no other experience quite like the WSOP. Players who want to register for the event can do so either in person or online.
Early highlights on the schedule include the opening event and the $25,000 Heads-Up No-Limit Hold’em Championship. The Mystery Millions is another early highlight that offers a guaranteed $1 million first prize and a $1 million top bounty.
This year’s Main Event starts on July 2nd. It had a record 10,112 entries in 2024, with Daniel Weinman winning $12.1 million. Hopes are that it could exceed this in 2025. At the final table on July 16th this year, a new champion will be crowned. This will take place inside the Thunderdome at Horseshoe Las Vegas.
