WPT Global Let Me Withdraw My Money… Then Permanently Banned Me Forever

Andrey32 · Saturday at 11:58 AM

Guys, I wanted to share my situation with my account on WPT Global and ask if anyone here has experienced something similar.

My account (nickname: Andrey926) was sent for a security/KYC review. I provided all the documents they requested multiple times: passport, identity verification, additional proof of residence, and documents confirming my legal stay in Vietnam. Every time I tried to submit everything correctly and in good quality.

After a long review process, I eventually received a response saying that my account would be permanently closed. At the same time, they did allow me to withdraw my remaining funds, and I received the money without any issues. However, the account itself was permanently banned with no possibility of using the platform again.

To be honest, I still don’t fully understand the exact reason behind this decision, because I did provide all the requested documents and never tried to hide or fake anything.

So my question to the forum is:

If your WPT Global account is permanently banned, does this affect your ability to participate in live/offline WPT tournaments? For example, tournaments held here in Vietnam or elsewhere in Asia.

Can organizers refuse live event registration because of an online account ban, or are those things completely separate?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation or knows how this works in practice.

Sunz of Beaches · Saturday at 1:38 PM

I would say its separate but afaik there is no general rule among providers and i recommend u to ask wpt directly. Im sure u already know their support mail.

Seems extremely weird to me that u are interested in using a brand that banned you without reason and justification but ok.

Andrey32 · Saturday at 1:48 PM

Sunz of Beaches said:
I would say its separate but afaik there is no general rule among providers and i recommend u to ask wpt directly. Im sure u already know their support mail.

Seems extremely weird to me that u are interested in using a brand that banned you without reason and justification but ok.

That’s exactly why I’m asking here.

I understand that companies like WPT Global are not always fully centralized when it comes to security reviews and KYC decisions. In many cases, these processes are outsourced or handled by different regional teams, and sometimes people reviewing accounts may not fully understand a specific situation and simply choose the safest option from their side.

So I’m not trying to attack WPT as a brand or create drama. They allowed me to withdraw my funds, which I respect. I’m just honestly trying to understand whether this kind of online account ban automatically affects live events as well.

The reason I’m asking is because WPT actively runs tournaments here in Asia, including Vietnam, and I realistically could participate in them. So I was curious if anyone had a similar experience before.

At the same time, you may be right — maybe it’s also a sign that I simply shouldn’t have any further involvement with the company. That’s partly why I wanted to hear other opinions.

fundiver199 · Saturday at 2:01 PM

Andrey32 said:
Can organizers refuse live event registration because of an online account ban, or are those things completely separate?

They can refuse registration for any reason, they like, since nobody are entitled to enter any tournament live or online. But if they actually will refuse you, might depend on, why they decided, that they no longer wanted you to play on their online platform.

Andrey32 · Saturday at 4:27 PM

fundiver199 said:
They can refuse registration for any reason, they like, since nobody are entitled to enter any tournament live or online. But if they actually will refuse you, might depend on, why they decided, that they no longer wanted you to play on their online platform.

Yeah, that’s the main issue — I was never given any clear explanation for the permanent ban.

They still allowed me to withdraw all my funds, and there were no accusations of fraud, collusion, or anything similar. So I honestly don’t know how serious this type of ban is internally.

I’m mostly just trying to understand whether this was an overly cautious KYC/security decision online, or something that could also affect live WPT events.

belladonna05 · Saturday at 5:55 PM

Andrey32 said:
Guys, I wanted to share my situation with my account on WPT Global and ask if anyone here has experienced something similar.

My account (nickname: Andrey926) was sent for a security/KYC review. I provided all the documents they requested multiple times: passport, identity verification, additional proof of residence, and documents confirming my legal stay in Vietnam. Every time I tried to submit everything correctly and in good quality.

After a long review process, I eventually received a response saying that my account would be permanently closed. At the same time, they did allow me to withdraw my remaining funds, and I received the money without any issues. However, the account itself was permanently banned with no possibility of using the platform again.

To be honest, I still don’t fully understand the exact reason behind this decision, because I did provide all the requested documents and never tried to hide or fake anything.

So my question to the forum is:

If your WPT Global account is permanently banned, does this affect your ability to participate in live/offline WPT tournaments? For example, tournaments held here in Vietnam or elsewhere in Asia.

Can organizers refuse live event registration because of an online account ban, or are those things completely separate?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation or knows how this works in practice.

That sucks, I am currently residing in Vietnam with a lease, I could provide all the documents legally and above board if asked. Vietnam is weird/ever changing on poker rules, but if you did all of the above-mentioned the least they could do is provide a review/appeal process ☹️

fundiver199 · Sunday at 1:23 AM

Andrey32 said:
I’m mostly just trying to understand whether this was an overly cautious KYC/security decision online, or something that could also affect live WPT events.

I googled you, and apparently you are a russian high stakes player, presumably a full time professional. With that in mind two possible explanations seem likely for the online ban:

1) They just dont like to have winning high stakes players on their platform other than their own site sponsored pros AKA shills. GG Poker is infamous for this kind of policy. And since WPT Global is also a "new" site, they might think along the same lines.

2) They are still not convinced, you actually live in Vietnam, and since they dont offer their service in Russia, they dont want to have you on their site.

The good news is, neither of the above should mean anything for live events, which are usually open to anyone, who can legally enter the country, where they are held. If for instance a live event is held in the Bahamas, you dont need to live in the Bahamas to take part in it.

By the way you are unlikely to find anyone here with a similar experience, since this is mostly a freeroll forum. And the few CC forum members, who are long time winners, are mostly low stakes grinders.

G0930 · Sunday at 3:37 AM

fundiver199 said:
1) They just dont like to have winning high stakes players on their platform other than their own site sponsored pros AKA shills. GG Poker is infamous for this kind of policy. And since WPT Global is also a "new" site, they might think along the same lines.

Sorry but that makes you sound like a conspiracy nutter. No offense 😅

By that logic pros like Benjamin Rolle who has no contract with GG therefore not a "shill" in your words.
He won the wsop online ME for over 3M.
By your logic He should have been banned a long time ago since he got mtt earnings in the millions

fundiver199 · Sunday at 4:32 AM

G0930 said:
By your logic He should have been banned a long time ago since he got mtt earnings in the millions

GG Poker is notoriously infamous for kicking winning high stakes cash game players out claiming they were "bum hunting", which is against the terms and conditions of GG Poker. They cant claim, MTT players were "bum hunting", because you can not table select in MTTs.

G0930 · Sunday at 4:43 AM

fundiver199 said:
GG Poker is notoriously infamous for kicking winning high stakes cash game players out claiming they were "bum hunting", which is against the terms and conditions of GG Poker. They cant claim, MTT players were "bum hunting", because you can not table select in MTTs.

gotcha. well it is within their rights . Any pro who doesn't follow the house rules can't be surprised to be banned.
This got nothing to do with "they don't want winning players" ....
In their eyes these players create an unfair edge for themselves hence why they implemented this policy

G0930 · Sunday at 4:56 AM

Andrey32 said:
Guys, I wanted to share my situation with my account on WPT Global and ask if anyone here has experienced something similar.

My account (nickname: Andrey926) was sent for a security/KYC review. I provided all the documents they requested multiple times: passport, identity verification, additional proof of residence, and documents confirming my legal stay in Vietnam. Every time I tried to submit everything correctly and in good quality.

After a long review process, I eventually received a response saying that my account would be permanently closed. At the same time, they did allow me to withdraw my remaining funds, and I received the money without any issues. However, the account itself was permanently banned with no possibility of using the platform again.

To be honest, I still don’t fully understand the exact reason behind this decision, because I did provide all the requested documents and never tried to hide or fake anything.

So my question to the forum is:

If your WPT Global account is permanently banned, does this affect your ability to participate in live/offline WPT tournaments? For example, tournaments held here in Vietnam or elsewhere in Asia.

Can organizers refuse live event registration because of an online account ban, or are those things completely separate?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation or knows how this works in practice.

In future, google's AI is really good for gaining info.
Thats what Gemini had to say

It is completely understandable why this player is confused. Navigating KYC (Know Your Customer) protocols can be incredibly opaque, especially when a user feels they have followed all the rules. As an AI, I don't have access to WPT Global's internal systems, but based on how online poker platforms and international gambling regulations operate, we can deduce what likely happened here.

The most crucial detail in this post is that WPT Global allowed the player to withdraw their remaining funds. When poker platforms suspect cheating, collusion, botting, or fraud, they almost always confiscate the bankroll. A permanent ban with a full refund strongly points to an administrative, regulatory, or compliance issue, rather than malicious behavior.

Here are the most probable reasons for the account closure:

Jurisdictional and Citizenship Policies: Even though the player provided documents confirming a "legal stay in Vietnam," their actual passport might be from a restricted region. WPT Global has strict blocks on several jurisdictions (such as the US, UK, parts of Europe, and Russia). If the user (whose nickname "Andrey" suggests he might be from a commonly restricted country like Russia) holds a restricted passport, the platform's licensing agreements might prohibit them from doing business with him, regardless of his physical location.
Strict Proof of Address (PoA) Requirements: Online gambling regulators require permanent, verifiable addresses. Documents proving a "legal stay" (like a tourist visa, digital nomad visa, or a short-term lease) often fail to satisfy strict PoA requirements. Poker sites typically require a traditional utility bill or bank statement tied to a permanent, long-term residence. The compliance team may have deemed his residency status in Vietnam too transient.
VPN Usage: Many expats and travelers routinely use VPNs. However, logging into a regulated poker site with a VPN is a severe Terms of Service violation. Even if the player wasn't trying to maliciously spoof their location, compliance systems will automatically flag and ban accounts using VPNs to ensure geofencing rules are met.
Shared IP or Device Association: If the player was logging in from a hotel, coworking space, or a shared expat apartment complex in Vietnam, their IP address or device MAC address might have linked to another player who was banned for a legitimate reason. Sites often issue blanket bans to associated accounts to prevent multi-accounting.
High-Risk AML (Anti-Money Laundering) Profile: A player holding a passport from Country A, living temporarily in Country B, and moving money via accounts from Country C can trigger automated AML risk algorithms. Sometimes, compliance departments simply decide the regulatory risk profile is too high to maintain the account.

Addressing the Player's Live Tournament Question

To answer the specific question the player posed to the forum: An online administrative ban for KYC or residency issues will almost certainly not affect their ability to play in live, offline WPT events.

Separate Entities: WPT Global (the online platform) operates under specific international online gambling licenses, whereas live WPT events are hosted by local brick-and-mortar casino partners governed by local laws.
Different Verification Protocols: Live venues handle their own physical ID checks and buy-ins. Unless a player is globally blacklisted for severe cheating or casino fraud—which is ruled out here since the online funds were returned—an online residency mismatch will not trigger a ban at a live tournament registration desk.

Do you happen to know if this player was routinely using a VPN, or if their primary passport was issued by a country on WPT Global's restricted list?

fundiver199 · Sunday at 5:42 AM

G0930 said:
gotcha. well it is within their rights . Any pro who doesn't follow the house rules can't be surprised to be banned.

Yes any site is within their rights to not allow someone to play for whatever reason. They dont even need to give a reason. This still does not change either of the following:

a) That the TOS of GG Poker are totally ridiculous, since its completely vaque, what "bum hunting" actually mean, and every single one of their own high stakes sponsored cash pros does it as well - without getting banned.

b) That something similar might have happened to OP on WPT Global, since he seem to be a winning high stakes cash game player. At least sharkscope list him with 0 tournaments played on the site, so apparently he did not play tournaments there.

G0930 said:
This got nothing to do with "they don't want winning players" ....

Yes it has everything to do with that, since any winning cash game player is per definition "bum hunting" (also known as table selecting), so they can use this as a carte blanche to ban any winning cash game player at their discretion. Which in fact they do, although you can probably fly under their radar, if you limit yourself to micro and low stakes games.

G0930 said:
In their eyes these players create an unfair edge for themselves hence why they implemented this policy

"In their eyes" they want there to be no long term winning cash game players other than their own site sponsered pros, who also get a massive rakeback and therefore compete on unfair terms. In this way they believe, that all deposited money will end up in their pockets as rake, or in the pocket of their affiliated sponsored players. This is the goal and has nothing to do with "fairness".

I dont know, why it is, that you feel this need to always defend GG Poker, when other forum members post very valid criticism, which frankly all poker players should be able to agree upon, unless they work as shills for the site. I dont remember anyone defending it, when for instance PokerStars has raised rake or cancelled freerolls. But apparently criticizing GG Poker for their greedy corporate policy is like insulting the pope

G0930 · Sunday at 6:18 AM

fundiver199 said:
Yes any site is within their rights to not allow someone to play for whatever reason. They dont even need to give a reason. This still does not change either of the following:

a) That the TOS of GG Poker are totally ridiculous, since its completely vaque, what "bum hunting" actually mean, and every single one of their own high stakes sponsored cash pros does it as well - without getting banned.

b) That something similar might have happened to OP on WPT Global, since he seem to be a winning high stakes cash game player. At least Sharkscope list him with 0 tournaments played on the site, so apparently he did not play tournaments there.

Yes it has everything to do with that, since any winning cash game player is per definition "bum hunting" (also known as table selecting), so they can use this as a carte blanche to ban any winning cash game player at their discretion. Which in fact they do, although you can probably fly under their radar, if you limit yourself to micro and low stakes games.

"In their eyes" they want there to be no long term winning cash game players other than their own site sponsered pros, who also get a massive rakeback and therefore compete on unfair terms. In this way they believe, that all deposited money will end up in their pockets as rake, or in the pocket of their affiliated sponsored players. This is the goal and has nothing to do with "fairness".

I dont know, why it is, that you feel this need to always defend GG Poker, when other forum members post very valid criticism, which frankly all poker players should be able to agree upon, unless they work as shills for the site. I dont remember anyone defending it, when for instance PokerStars has raised rake or cancelled freerolls. But apparently criticizing GG Poker for their greedy corporate policy is like insulting the pope

I have no need to defend GGPoker but you're very biased and Interpret a lot in their policies
I could as easily ask you why you shit on GG constantly xD everyone knows you hate it

fundiver199 · Monday at 5:02 AM

G0930 said:
I could as easily ask you why you shit on GG constantly xD everyone knows you hate it

I dont "hate" GG Poker. I just dont think, its a particularly good site for reasons, I have already told. I think, I look at the site in a very objective way. For instance I recently replied to someone asking, if its "legitimate", that his money should be pretty safe there, and that the game is likely also mostly fair. Of course you can never say 100% fair, since there is always some amount of cheating going on at any site.

And I also started a new thread telling, that GG Poker is finally going legal in Sweden, and by doing so bringing themselfes on level with other sites, that have already been operating legally here for many years. Which mean, GG Poker is now no worse but of course also no better than PokerStars, 888 Poker and Unibet in this respect.

Anyways we are kind of derailing this thread, since it was about someone being banned from WTP Global for reasons, that were not clearly stated by them. But if I had to guess, then your Gemini generated reply probably comes pretty close. Which is a little strange though, since other sites generally dont have problems with for instance US players living and playing outside the country.

Lodestone · 2026-05-28T01:21:59-0400

fundiver199 said:
GG Poker is notoriously infamous for kicking winning high stakes cash game players out claiming they were "bum hunting", which is against the terms and conditions of GG Poker. They cant claim, MTT players were "bum hunting", because you can not table select in MTTs.

You sort of can, there has been times when I've watched the tables while waiting to register to get a better table draw. Not really worth it though.

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WPT Global Let Me Withdraw My Money… Then Permanently Banned Me Forever

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