Unprecedented WSOP Main Event spectacle sees Hallaert surging ahead while Kassouf experiences a dramatic collapse
The 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event took an unexpected turn on Day 7, as player Will Kassouf was banned from the tournament due to disruptive behaviour.
Kassouf's run came to an end in 33rd place, earning him a prize money of $300,000. However, his exit was not just about poker. The incident that led to his ban has generated widespread discussion, with questions about whether it could have been avoided.
The confrontation between Kassouf and the WSOP floor staff started from the very first hand and required the intervention of top dog Jack Effel. Kassouf's behaviour escalated, with increased noise and accusations of bullying. His conduct was deemed inappropriate enough by the organisers that he was escorted off the WSOP premises and prohibited from further participation in the event.
Leo Margets, who was on a great run, managed to keep her hopes of a final table appearance alive with a big double. Her stack is just north of Kassouf's. Meanwhile, Michael Mizrachi's stack is around the 15-million mark, with 40 players left in the competition.
Eric Afriat, another contender, has a stack of 11 million. Adam Hendrix knocked out two players with kings, while Daniel Iachan hit a miracle queen on the river to crack Lautaro Guerra's aces in a 17 million pot.
Kenny Hallaert, who was on the same table as Kassouf, was keeping to himself and growing his stack during the same event. The field is now down to just 36 players, with everyone now guaranteed $240,000. Daehyung Lee has the largest stack with 30 million.
The exact details of the specific actions leading to Kassouf's ban have not been detailed, but the consensus is that his behaviour violated tournament rules or standards enough to warrant removal from the Main Event. After his elimination, Kassouf was banned from participating in the WSOP for the rest of 2025.
Nick Schulman, newly inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, expressed uncertainty about Kassouf's removal from the table. Despite the controversy, the 2025 WSOP Main Event continues to captivate the poker world, with the final table just around the corner.
Player Will Kassouf's casino-gambling career took an unpleasant turn during the Casino-and-Gambling event at the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP), as his behavior during the Main Event led to his ban from not only the tournament but also the WSOP for the remainder of the year. Despite his skills in poker games, Kassouf's inappropriate conduct during casino-games, resulting in escalated verbal altercations and disruptive behavior, landed him in hot water with the WSOP floor staff and ultimately led to his removal from the tournament, causing him to miss out on the final table and further opportunities to play various casino-games at the WSOP.
