WPT Enterprises, Inc. Settles Lawsuit with Poker Players

One of our all-time favorite moves by the WPT, second only to the hiring of Kimberly Lansing and Layla Kayleigh, was the atomic nuclear f’ you they gave to the poker player group who sued them.

Flash back to August 2006. Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, Greg Raymer, "Salty" Joe Hachem, and Howard Lederer (Raymer and Salty Joe eventually dropped out) claimed that the WPT was violating federal and state antitrust laws and that they improperly used their images (a player release issue).

The WPT came back dropping bombs in a scorned-lover-kind-of-way press release. It got ugly.

But like an unmarried woman in her late ’30’s desperately wanting a child, the WPT and the players settled. Hopefully they will make babies now.

Says WPT CEO Steve Lipscomb:

"WPTE continues to deny any liability or wrongdoing, but wants to settle its differences with the players so that the tour can focus on its continued growth rather than litigation…We are glad to put this dispute behind us, and we look forward to working with all players to grow the sport of poker."

It’s a good thing for poker that Lederer, Duke, Jesus, Gordon, and Bloch can rejoin the WPT, and it looks like this settlement could pave the way.

Read the WPT lawsuit settlement press release here.