Blaise Bourgeois

Poker should not be considered gambling. It’s a game of skill. A number of important organizations, such as the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA) have been at the forefront of declaring poker as a skill game. This is vitally important when it comes to gambling legislation, as poker often gets wrapped up in the middle of bills it has no business being near. The tax implications are very real. In 2026, the OBBA reduced the amount of gambling losses Americans can deduct from 100 percent to 90 percent starting in 2026. Poker players are, unfortunately, included in that category. This change will create taxable income for players who are either small winners, breakeven, or even small losers. This will cause a lot of American tournament players, who operate on razor-thin margins as is, to retire from live poker.

I am, predictably, a sucker for Ultimate Texas Hold’em. I believe in a strict 3:1 ratio between my bet and the trips bonus. I once flopped a straight flush in Las Vegas, though the jackpot had recently reset and I “only” received a little north of $12,000. The jackpot is usually in mid-five figure to low-six figure territory, so it was quite bittersweet. It did put a dent in my horrendous WSOP downswing that summer.

Not understanding playthrough requirements before making large deposits. Some casinos will offer similar bonuses, but one has a 30:1 playthrough requirement, while the other one will have a 10:1 requirement.

Players don’t realize how difficult it actually is to play through 30x your money to realize the full bonus. If you deposit $1,000, you need to make $30,000 in wagers in order to fully capitalize on the bonus and get your extra $1,000. That’s an incredibly large amount of risk vs. $10,000 worth of bets.

Some players also don’t realize that some casinos only allow you a certain amount of time to go after your bonus. Say, for example, a casino has a 30:1 playthrough requirement, and the bonus money expires in seven days, you’re almost certainly not going to achieve the bonus requirements unless you go on an extreme heater or win a ton of low-risk bets.

This is an ethical conundrum that is only made easier by the fact that I mostly write about poker, which is less gambling and more a game of skill. I maintain a healthy balance by promoting absolute transparency in all of my reviews. Players should know exactly what the RTP is for every game they play, as well as the volatility. They should also know exactly what requirements are needed to fully realize a promotional bonus.

My advice to gamblers is exactly my advice to poker players: Never play with money you cannot afford to lose. Having fun and being responsible with your money should always be your top two priorities.

I start with the absolute fundamentals: Who operates it, where it’s licensed, how deposits and withdrawals work, and what methods are accepted. I also look at the promotions currently offered to new and existing users.

Finally, I do a deep dive into the fine print. I’m a researcher by nature, and I want to lift every stone and uncover any underlying questions that need answering or clarity. It doesn’t matter whether it takes investigating via emails or live chat with their help desk. I am somebody who wants clearly defined answers before slapping my name on a review.