Additional reporting and interview: Matt Hansen.
Just as we thought the 2024 Paradise festival was going to complete without any sort of controversy, the WSOP has stirred up a potential hornet’s nest ahead of one of the biggest final tables of all time.
The $50 million guaranteed Super Main Event was down to the final 16 players when Justin Bonomo was asked to remove an item of clothing or face disqualification, a decision that he has called "shocking" in an interview with PokerOrg.
Bonomo has been wearing the Palestinian black-and-white keffiyeh while he's been playing at Paradise and had already announced that he will be donating some of his winnings to charities that support Palestinians.
And there’s big money all the way in this tournament. The final 16 players are guaranteed $295,000 and there’s $6 million up top, with the final eight players making a guaranteed $1 million minimum.
Video above courtesy of the WSOP.
Bonomo: Decision is shocking
It seems that the WSOP has decided to make its move before a big final table on Thursday. And it does have the rulebook on its side. Section 54d of the official rules states: “Host Properties reserve the right at all times to impose a ban on any apparel deemed objectionable by Host Properties, in its sole and absolute discretion. Host Properties reserve the right to refuse entry or continued participation in an Event to any Participant who does not comply with the aforementioned apparel rules.”
Bonomo was left with little choice but to remove the distinctive keffiyeh – used by non-Palestinians as a way of showing solidarity – but is not happy, as he told us when we spoke with him during a break from the action.
"I noticed that they were intentionally not putting me on the feature table, and that wasn't a surprise to me," Bonomo told us, "but it was a surprise that they threatened to disqualify me from the tournament.
"I haven't been causing any trouble; I haven't said anything to anyone. I've been following all the rules; it's literally just a nice scarf made in Palestine, so absolutely that was shocking to me that they threatened to disqualify me from the tournament for wearing it.
"If they want to have a policy that's absolutely no politics, I'm okay with that," he added. "But I think it's the worst possible decision that they've taken the other side and decided to endorse Israeli charities while banning Palestinian clothes. That is just so completely lopsided and unfair."
WSOP risk backlash on polarizing issue
The WSOP is seemingly within its rights to insist on the change of clothing, but it's risking a major backlash on a very polarizing issue. Bonomo has already pointed out in an X post that the WSOP supported a charity tournament earlier in the series that raised a big sum of money for the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization.
Barny Boatman also posted a personal statement about this, putting his first WSOP bracelet up for auction, with the proceeds going to the Palestinian Red Crescent. Bonomo responded to this, saying that if the winning bid reached $12,000, he would match it from his own pocket.
The WSOP has released a short statement that reads as follows: “The request for removal of Mr. Bonomo’s Keffiyeh once he reached the TV production table was simply a matter of broadcast clearance. Our future distribution platforms for Super Main Event do not allow garments deemed controversial or political in nature.”
This is a developing story and we’ll bring you the latest as we get it. Bonomo is still in the Super Main Event, which is now down to 11 players. The final eight will play for the $6 million first prize and the WSOP bracelet on Thursday night and we’ll bring you everything as it happens with our Instant coverage.
What do you make of the Bonomo situation? Head to Ask The Org and have your say.
