William Kassouf, a polarizing presence at the table known as much for his verbal antics as his actual play, has been banned from all World Series of Poker events through the remainder of 2025.
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The ban was handed down Saturday following Kassouf's elimination from the No-limit Hold'Em World Championship at the Horseshoe Events Center in Las Vegas. Tournament director Dennis Jones informed the 43-year-old Londoner of the decision, and Kassouf was escorted out by security.
Kassouf, who gained notoriety for his incessant table talk and stalling tactics, was a lightning rod throughout the Main Event. Opponents repeatedly called the clock on him, accusing him of intentionally dragging out hands to gain an edge or simply get under their skin. WSOP officials eventually instituted a personal 10-second shot clock on Kassouf midway through the tournament — a rare measure not applied to any other player in the field.
Things boiled over on Day 7, when Kassouf was hit with a shot clock violation on the very first hand. He argued the decision and lashed out at tournament staff, resulting in a one-round penalty for verbal abuse. Officials warned that any further incidents could lead to expulsion.
The warning was not heeded. Kassouf continued to clash with senior vice president of poker operations Jack Effel and others at the table.
After busting out of the tournament, he unleashed a tirade: "Disgrace. You're all pathetic. I'll see you next year. All of you, I'll remember your faces. I'll see each one of you next year. I'm going to bang you all up."
Despite his behavior, Kassouf walked away with $300,000 in prize money. He later defended his approach to PokerGO, saying he had every right to "play my game my way."
Kassouf, who is also a trained lawyer, previously rose to fame during the 2016 Main Event, where his deliberate style and "speech play" drew criticism and admiration in equal measure.
The MOMENT @WilliamKassouf finds out he is being banned from 2025 WSOP events. pic.twitter.com/pY6daIQzr0
— Poker Org (@pokerorg) July 13, 2025
