WSOP Introduces Controversial Dealer Rating System, Responses Mixed

^{A new five-star dealer rating system is dealing an unexpected hand to how the WSOP recognizes its best card handlers. (Photo: courtesy of WSOP)}

LAS VEGAS – The World Series of Poker officially opened its online registration for 2026 on Thursday, and the WSOP Live app featured a big surprise.

A new Dealer Rating System promises players the opportunity to rate their dealers on a five-star system similar to Uber or Amazon, according to WSOP hypeman and broadcaster Jeff Platt.

“We want to elevate our good dealers,” Platt explains, “to reward our good dealers, with bonuses perhaps.” He goes on to remind players that ratings should be based on dealer performance, not the cards they’re dealt.

Controversy Among Players

The immediate reaction from poker pros and recreational players on social media was mixed. Many applauded the concept, and others were seemingly horrified by it.

“This seems particularly insane to me and actually cruel,” Matt Salsberg wrote on X. “Dealer makes a blunder, 8 people whip their phone out, shaming/embarrassing someone already very stressed. This is the worst idea I've ever heard …”

But Johnnie “Vibes” Moreno saw it differently: “Surprised at all the backlash. I look at it like the Uber rating system. Seems fine. Reward dealers who consistently receive great feedback. Feels like a nice innovation.”

Other players suggested that poker players may not always be in a position to make a fair assessment. 

“The dealer rating system is about to expose how many players genuinely think the dealer controls the river,” wrote poker pro Angela Jordison.

Professional player Jeremy Ausmus, who called the Dealer Rating System on X “an idea to address one of the longest-standing issues at the WSOP," elaborated in a conversation with Casinos.com.

“It's an overdue innovation,” Ausmus said. “This might just be more of a system for rewarding the better dealers. But incentives can drive outcomes, so it should have an impact.”

The WSOP, which kicks off at the Horseshoe and Paris casinos on May 26,  usually hires about 2,000 dealers each summer, according to tournament officials. Since 2011, the WSOP has recognized card-pitching excellence by presenting a Dealer of the Year award decided by nominations from supervisors and players, with a focus on good attitude, technical skill in all games, and “professionalism under pressure.”

With 100 bracelet events scheduled for this summer, along with hundreds of non-bracelet tournaments and satellites needing dealers, the experience players find at the WSOP tables can vary widely.

“In high roller [events], we are lucky and get some of the better dealers, but outside of that they can be very inexperienced,” Ausmus said. “This doesn't solve all the problems suddenly, but it's a step in the right direction.”

Dealer Rewards?

In addition to Ausmus, we spoke to a couple of dealers to hear their take on the app-based innovation.

Ryan Hartman, a longtime Las Vegas dealer with WSOP experience who is now dealing at Texas Card House in Austin, told Casinos.com that he “would have come back to the [WSOP in Las Vegas] this year if [he] had known this rate-your-dealer feature was happening.” 

He said he thoroughly enjoyed dealing the WSOP Circuit event in Austin last month and would be thrilled if the rating feature was used in other poker rooms. 

“I love it because poker players finally get a voice in something that massively affects the experience at the table,” Hartman said. “I am hopeful that all rooms will implement this into deciding who gets full-time positions.”

However, a veteran dealer at the WSOP who spoke to Casinos.com anonymously (to talk without prior authorization), worried the new app feature could have a negative effect. 

“It could jeopardize game integrity,” the dealer said. “Some dealers may not feel comfortable enforcing rules if they think it could reflect poorly on them. New dealers already feel like they’re under a microscope.”  

But as Hartman sees it, the stakes and prizes in play at the WSOP and other tournaments merit such scrutiny. 

“Dealing is a skill,” he said. “Players risking hundreds of thousands of dollars deserve better. I am excited to see how it all plays out.”