The World Series of Poker (WSOP) has been booming in recent years, especially following its move to the Strip at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas in 2022. After a challenging period during the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance numbers came roaring back, with record-breaking fields year after year. However, that trend might be about to change.
International Participation Under Threat
With the recent political tensions in the world, there is a high chance that the WSOP attendance numbers could drop compared to previous years due to the U.S. policies towards other countries. U.S. President Donald Trump has made a few controversial decisions that didn’t resonate well with the governments of Canada, China, and the EU.
Besides raising tariffs, Trump also said that he wants to make Canada the 51st state of the U.S., take Greenland from Denmark, and enter a dangerous trade war with China. The U.S. also made it harder to get a visa, which may also impact the WSOP numbers.
The boycott of the U.S. is already in action, and there is no sign that it may stop even if the U.S. reverses all the policies. However, the tension and unpredictability of Trump’s decision will still be in people’s minds. When asked about his comments about stopping the war in Ukraine in one day, Trump recently said he was joking about that. So, things may get worse in terms of international visits to the US before they get better again.
At the forefront of the growing anti-U.S. sentiment are Canadians, who appear more united than ever. According to a report by Retail Insider, 67% of Canadians have reduced their purchases of U.S.-made goods, with nearly three-quarters stating they intend to continue supporting Canadian-made products even if U.S. tariffs are eventually lifted.
The sentiment has gained further momentum online, with massive communities like r/BuyCanadian on Reddit springing up and growing rapidly to over 360,000 members. Canadians are sharing images of sold-out Canadian products, while U.S. imports sit untouched on store shelves. Internationally, large communities like r/Europe (with over 10 million members) and global subreddits like r/BoycottUnitedStates are also joining the action, sharing resources and compiling lists of alternatives to U.S. products. This trend will almost surely extend beyond shopping habits into other areas like travel and entertainment, and it could have real consequences for events like the WSOP that rely on international visitors as well.
Las Vegas Already Feeling the Effects?
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, MGM Resorts International is shutting down in-person concierge services at six of its Las Vegas Strip properties, including MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, and New York-New York. The move, which the company describes as “streamlining,” will impact 34 employees and reflects what MGM calls evolving guest preferences toward digital self-service options.
MGM insists the decision is not related to budget cuts or declining visitor numbers. However, some prominent Vegas influencers like VegasStarfish have voiced skepticism, suggesting the cuts reflect broader concerns about a slowdown in tourism.
After the pandemic, WSOP has been breaking record after record, and there was no sign of stopping, but here we are; this is going to be the year where we can confidently say the numbers will fall. Last year’s WSOP Main Event broke a record with 10,112 entrants, beating the previous year by 69 entries.
Last month, Travel Weekly reported a staggering 70% decline in advanced air bookings between Canada and the U.S. for the upcoming summer, according to aviation data firm OAG. The 2025 World Series of Poker will be held from May 27 to July 16, and we can only speculate what kind of impact this drop in travel might have on the series.
- Read more: 2025 World Series of Poker Schedule Released
Canadians account for nearly 30% of all international visitors to Las Vegas, with Mexico following at 23%. Judging by the sentiment in online communities, Canadians don’t support current U.S. policies, and that discontent could lead to a much steeper drop in WSOP entries than many expect.
Top Pros Still Expected to Play
While Phil Hellmuth has announced he won’t be attending the 2025 WSOP Main Event, it has nothing to do with the Canadian boycott or political tensions. Instead, the 17-time bracelet winner admitted he’s simply “too old” for the seven-day marathon that the Main Event has become.
Still, while Hellmuth may be sitting this one out, we can expect to see top Canadian pros like Alex Foxen and Kristen Foxen chasing records and big prize money. However, it’s the absence of the average poker players — those who once treated the WSOP as a poker-filled vacation — that could have a much greater impact on attendance. After all, casual players make up a much larger portion of the field than elite pros.
While there are no exact figures for international versus U.S. participation across all WSOP events, we can get a good idea by looking at last year’s biggest tournament, the 2024 Main Event. Out of the 1,517 players who cashed, 917 were listed as representing the United States, meaning non-U.S. players accounted for nearly 40% of the field, with Canadians making up about a third of those international entries.
One player who certainly won’t miss the WSOP is Daniel Negreanu. The Canadian superstar has been living in Las Vegas for decades and practically lives for the World Series of Poker. Negreanu, a GGPoker ambassador, will be a key figure this summer as the biggest online poker operator in the world steps into a new role — this will be the first WSOP in Las Vegas under GGPoker’s ownership, after the company purchased the rights from Caesars Entertainment last August for a reported $500 million.
It’s not exactly ideal timing with international travel uncertainty looming, but GGPoker is doing everything it can to attract as many players as possible, both domestic and international. Through their “Road to Vegas” promotion, GGPoker plans to send more than 1,000 players to the WSOP Main Event this year. As an added incentive, any player who wins the Main Event after qualifying through GGPoker will receive an extra $1,000,000 bonus on top of the WSOP prize pool.
While the poker world eagerly anticipates another massive summer at the WSOP, it’s clear that external factors could play a bigger role than at any point since the pandemic. Political tensions, travel restrictions, and shifting global attitudes might put a dent in the festival’s international presence, but only time will tell how much.
poker.pro will closely follow every development, both on and off the tables, as the 2025 World Series of Poker gets underway.
