WSOP Player Warned Over Sex Toy on Poker Table

A participant in a World Series of Poker (WSOP) tournament was given a warning over an object resembling a butt plug, PokerNews reported.

The warning was issued to British player Andrew Martin, who was playing on Day 2 of the $1,000 Super Seniors event. The tournament is open to older players, with entry open to poker players aged 60 and over.

According to Martin, WSOP staff asked him to remove the silver sex toy from the table, deeming it inappropriate for use during the tournament. The player was also told that using the item again could lead to a more serious penalty.

Martin was using the object as a card protector — a small accessory placed on top of a player’s face-down cards. It is used to prevent the dealer from accidentally moving them into the muck.

In poker, such items are often used as lucky charms or personal accessories at the table.

Martin said he could not find a specific ban in the WSOP rules on using such an object as a card protector.

Under WSOP rules, players are allowed to have no more than one such item at the table. It must be small: no more than 2 inches in diameter and no more than 1/2 inch thick — approximately 5 cm and 1.3 cm respectively. The rules also include a general requirement for participants to behave courteously and appropriately within the tournament area.

This may have been the provision WSOP staff may have relied on when deciding that the sex toy, even if used as a card protector, did not meet the tournament’s standards of conduct.

The warning does not mean the player was automatically removed from the tournament. However, if a similar incident occurs again, he could face tougher penalties, up to and including disqualification.