An Irish poker player and streamer was caught for allegedly cheating, but there’s more to the story
WPT Global has taken swift action to remove a player from its platform after concerns were raised about the use of real-time assistance (RTA) during online play. The player, known online as AlanFPoker, was seen with an Excel chart open on his stream while participating in a low-stakes tournament on the site. Though the spreadsheet wasn’t linked to any automated software, WPT Global considered it a violation of its rules and banned the user within minutes of the incident being flagged.
We don't tolerate RTA.
AlanFPoker has been banned with immediate effect. https://t.co/eP91Psztwo
— WPT Global (@wpt_global) May 7, 2025
Well-known poker pro Patrick Leonard drew attention to the situation on social media. His initial tweet, which included a screen capture of the stream, was later deleted. Leonard explained he didn’t want to expose the player to unnecessary public backlash and added that WPT Global’s quick response was punishment enough.
In a statement on X, WPT Global confirmed the ban, stating clearly: “We don’t tolerate RTA. AlanFPoker has been banned with immediate effect.” The company later added a message encouraging fair play: “Let’s keep the game alive, pls guys.”
AlanFPoker, an Irish streamer with thousands of followers across YouTube and Twitch, has not issued any public comments since the ban. While the charts he used were not from advanced software like GTO solvers, WPT Global maintains a strict policy. Its rules prohibit any tools or references that aid decision-making in real time, including charts, strategy plots, and range matrices.
This move by WPT Global is part of a broader effort to maintain integrity in online poker. While some players have argued that using spreadsheets is less serious than running full-scale software, WPT Global is drawing a firm line. Publicly naming a banned player is uncommon in the industry, but it reflects growing pressure for transparency in the fight against unfair play.
