When the dust had settled on the 2025 WSOP $500 Industry Employees event, a poker dealer from SoCal, Phovieng Keokham, had captured the gold bracelet and preserved the spirit with which the event was originally created.
The bracelet event was mired in controversy last year when established poker pros Mike Holtz and Lukas Robinson finished 11th and 9th, respectively. To be fair, both players are established content creators as well as professional players, but it didn't sit right with a lot of people.
The WSOP changed the name to the Industry Employees event this year, and some feared the worst, with entry requirements being so relaxed that it seemed almost anyone could enter.
In comparison, this year’s tournament had very few notable pros spotted in the field, likely influenced by social media backlash against their participation.
Industry personnel speak out
The newly crowned WSOP Czar of Information, Kevin Mathers, gave PokerOrg his take on the event. “I talked to a few people manning the sign-up cages at Paris Las Vegas," Mathers said. "They had been asking for industry IDs. There had been concerns that a huge influx of people who were not industry employees would occur. For the most part, it didn’t appear to be the case after all.”
PokerOrg's Jeremy Geist was one of the live reporters to go deep, and he said there "was a lot of discussion at the tables."
“People were bringing up where they worked," Geist said. "I felt the spirit of the event was upheld and present. The conversation that happened online helped a lot, as the field was smaller than last year.”
Fellow journalist Connor Richards agreed, saying, “I don't think you saw that many pros in the event this year,” shared Richards. “And I haven't seen anyone complain about it at all.”
Richards would eventually finish seventh for $8,301 and post his largest Hendon Mob cash. Geist got $2,514 for finishing 12th.
Industry Employees: Spirit shines through
Pedro Green is a traveling dealer who will be dealing at the WSOP this summer. He finished sixth in the event and was genuinely excited to reach the final table with a chance to win his first bracelet.
“I had a blast,” exclaimed Green. “It's a great opportunity for dealers. I love this tournament. I did see a couple of people who I didn't feel should be here because they're not officially part of the industry. But personally, I'm not opposed to it. I'm very competitive, so bring it on.”
Phovieng Keokham might have ended up with the bracelet, but the true winners were the dedicated industry employees — including the tireless WSOP reporters — who showed up to battle.
They ensured the spirit of the tournament shone through in the end. Was it perfect? No. But it showed the poker community is capable of self-regulation when it truly counts.
