Poker Writer
After a promising start to the 2026 WSOP’s new era of streaming, the critiques are now rolling in about the daily coverage. The multi-hour delays that have been applied to streams are high on the list of changes creating a negative experience for fans.
At the start of the WSOP, Jeff Platt unveiled the new “Mothership,” referring to the nickname for the featured table stage. That updated included a greatly expanded area of streaming tables in the Paris ballroom, moving from its old home in the Horseshoe. Expectations were raised, as people expected much more free coverage with the number of new tables.
However, it appears as though there are issues that have cropped up with the new setup. Darryll Fish was one of the first to voice concerns after the first week.
I’m not really one to complain, but the @WSOP final table viewing/streaming experience is a real disappointment, especially after such high expectations being set by the quality and magnitude of the production set.
Excessive Delays in Stream
One of the most common complaints that has emerged about the new coverage is the long delay applied between live action and its appearance on the stream. In the past, that was limited to a 30-minute delay, the minimum required by gaming regulations. However, the delays this year have been extended, sometimes up to three hours.
The reason for the additional delay is not enhanced security. Rather, the video is being sent to GGPoker editors in South Korea, who take at least 2 hours to edit and produce the content. Despite the complaints, it doesn’t look like GGPoker has any plans to adjust.
Fish expands:
The excessive delay on the live stream combined with the lack of live updates, means that the only way to keep track of a friend/horse at a final table is to be there live…. Where there is no practical seating, no one announcing all-in confrontations, and only a small screen display to see hands in play -without knowing who has what.
Live Sweating the Action No Longer Possible
For those who want to know what’s happening in real-time, the situation has been made worse by GGPoker’s efforts to avoid spoiling its stream. The WSOP app now hides all action from feature tables, simply showing “feature table player” on the updates rather than the player’s name or chip count. PokerNews has also agreed not to spoil the streams and no longer gives live updates on tables that are streaming.
It makes it impossible to follow the action. If someone is closely monitoring a friend’s progress, it is now impossible for them to learn about any updates unless they are there in person or wait hours.
Patrick Leonard raised the issue that the “live sweat” aspect of tournament poker has been damaged by the new freeze on spoilers. Michael Bohmerwald agreed with Leonard and said he could not feasibly sweat his buddy playing at the Monster Stack final table.
Had a buddy at FT of monster stack today and legit was impossible to sweat. No pokernews, no stream for a while, couldn’t even see who busted on WSOP live app. 4 hour delay is tough. I get not wanting to ruin stream but there needs to be live updates in some capacity.
The timing of the streams is also problematic for fans, as they do not start until late at night Eastern time, with most streams starting at 10 p.m.
Platt has promised to address the various concerns multiple times, but his hands may be somewhat tied when it comes to the length of the delays and the lack of live updates. Those decisions are likely being made at higher levels of GGPoker administration as it seeks to maximize the value of the free WSOP streams product on YouTube. GGPoker believes spoilers would hurt that value and hence the max effort to snuff them out.
Was the PokerGO Coverage Better?
While it is still early in the 2026 WSOP, several voices, like those on the TwoPlusTwo forums, have already said they preferred the PokerGO streaming from previous years, despite having to pay for it:
Some people greatly preferred prior year’s coverage which is no longer available so there is a definite cost. If someone is enjoying a $15 top notch steak burger you aren’t doing them any favors by snatching it away and handing them a free greasy pork sandwich served in a dirty ash tray.
In my opinion, the complaints are a bit excessive, given that there were always bound to be some growing pains in the early part of the series. The long streaming delay is definitely the biggest negative so far, but some of the complaints are petty.
People forget the issues that came with PokerGO coverage, like how often their streams were cut short or how limited the schedule was. This year’s commitment to streaming multiple events every day has been positive, and the smaller issues have plenty of time to be ironed out. But it is an entirely fluid situation that PokerScout will continue to monitor as the 2026 WSOP goes on.
Photo Credit: Tyler Abrams / WSOP
