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Play Two Major Tournament Series at WSOP Online This February

WSOP Online Circuit and WSOP Online Championships offer a combined $3.3 million in guaranteed prizes this February, while all existing WSOP Online players have a chance to claim a $400 reload bonus.
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Pokerfuse Shorts
Latest on The Rail Updated 4 hours, 27 minutes ago

Regulated poker in New Zealand is about a year away.

That’s according to the latest reports on Fuse and PRO. The current timeline has the first licenses being issued in December 2026, so the go-live will likely be a couple of months later.

What we expect from regulated online poker in NZ: international player pools, nothing too restrictive in terms of min/max bets, and taxes that are fairly reasonable. The big negative: a limited number of licenses. With only 12 up for grabs, we can expect maybe half a dozen total poker sites. Still, all major networks should hopefully get coverage: I’d expect licensing attempts from PokerStars, GG (or through a third party), one or two iPoker skins, probably 888, and maybe PartyPoker.

What’s the Future of Online Poker in Ireland?

Ireland’s push to regulate its online gambling market could have major implications for online poker and not necessarily good ones.

As we reported last year, the proposed framework includes a maximum €10 stake and a €3,000 win cap. Applied to online poker, those limits would effectively kill the game overnight.

The big question, though, is whether poker will even fall under those rules. There’s still a chance it could be classified separately, which would change everything.

We should start getting clarity soon. License applications open on Monday, February 9, and how operators respond could give the first real clues about poker’s future in Ireland.

Is WSOP About to Tweak the 2026 Main Event?

Something feels a little… weird with the 2026 WSOP. We still don’t have dates for the Main Event, which is unusual at this point in the calendar. On top of that, online satellites haven’t started yet either and by now, they usually would have. Put the two together and it raises an eyebrow.

So what’s going on?

Are we looking at more Day 1 flights, an earlier kickoff, or some kind of structural tweak to the Main Event? It wouldn’t be the first time WSOP tried to quietly adjust the format.

And then there’s Phil Hellmuth.

Last year, Phil made a very public “boycott” threat, saying he wouldn’t play the Main Event unless WSOP addressed what he called an unfair structure for older players, specifically the long days, late finishes, and physical grind. He wanted shorter days or better pacing.

Of course, Phil did end up playing anyway and WSOP didn’t make any change. But the point landed.

So now, with delayed announcements and no satellites in sight, you can’t help but wonder:
👉 Is WSOP cooking up a change?
👉 Is this just admin drag… or something more deliberate?

Either way, it’s unusually quiet and WSOP quiet rarely stays that way for long. We should find out soon enough.

WSOP is likely to reveal the full 2026 schedule next week, potentially as early as February 9 or February 10.

Feb promos over on GG are going to be massive.

GGPoker is promising over $18 million in prizes across a variety of promotions, including its returning HongBao rewards for the Chinese New Year, and a Valentine’s Day cash drop.

Oooh this is fun. Who’s ever seen a WPT plug-and-play game before?

I am not sure they made it as far as the UK, but it looks like an awesome bit of retro kit.

Hidden within Hellmuth’s Home Game it seems a special ladies event might be coming soon.

As I was fast forwarding through some of the action, I happened upon Hellmuth saying he is putting $25K of his own money into a Women in Poker event that may be taking place in Texas later this year. Interesting. Watch this space.

Andrew Robl’s testimony at the Tom Goldstein trial reads like a pitch for the next poker movie.

According to PokerNews, Robl told a federal jury that he coached Goldstein for heads-up matches starting in 2016, leading to around $50 million in profits for Goldstein, Robl, and other pros in on the deal. The matches included showdowns against billionaire Alec Gores and mysterious opponents known only as 'Tango’ and 'Chairman.’

Robl wasn’t the only one involved. Poker pro Keith Gipson and heads-up specialist Phil Galfond also helped prep Goldstein for the games. Robl summed up their coaching as 'just kind of teaching him the basics’ and adapting to different opponents.

Goldstein faces charges for tax evasion, falsifying tax returns, and making false statements to mortgage lenders. PokerNews notes that Robl declined to comment after his testimony.

Mateos ' answer is EVERYTHING.

Watch the clip to find out how much profit Adrian Mateos has made from his $54 million in tournament winnings. 👏

Phil Hellmuth is all set to take on cash games in 2026.

The 17-time WSOP bracelet winner seems to have his mind set on cash games in 2026, announcing that he’s set aside a $1.5 million bankroll to play a bunch of sessions throughout the year.

Despite his undeniable achievements in tournaments, Hellmuth’s cash game skills have often been questioned by his peers. It seems that Poker Brat has made a decision to set the record straight and show the world that he’s not afraid to mix it up in ring games.

Looking forward to it!

Never congratulate your opponent until the cards are all face up.

Nothing says confidence like a premature handshake. Cary Katz tried to bow out gracefully, but the deck had other plans. Josh Arieh probably wishes he had just taken the handshake and run.
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