Can You Bring Your GoPro to a Poker Tournament?
Those who enjoy content creation and attending poker tournaments have probably wondered how they can better document the whole experience. A GoPro is probably one of the first cameras that would come to mind. It’s essentially a fully hands-free video capturing device, as Nick Woodman, the developer, intended it to be. As a surfer, skier, and motorsports enthusiast, he built the camera with the desire to capture life as you live it. And for many, poker is such an exciting and essential part of their life that they want to share with others.
That brings us to the question; can you bring your GoPro to a poker tournament? The quick answer is yes, most of the time. There are lots of professional poker players who often vlog their poker games and show off their techniques to their followers, or other starting poker players looking for advice. These vlogs usually last through 10-30 minutes of playing but you can also vlog as much of your trip, your games, and your experiences as you want. Some people do it regularly, or even as a full-time job. For instance, Andrew Neeme and Brad Owen are two of today’s most popular poker vloggers.
But here’s the tricky part: bigger casinos in most parts of the world usually don’t like it when people with cameras come in and start pointing to everyone. This is the case for huge tournaments like the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Since this is where some of the greatest poker players of all time gather, such as the likes of Daniel Negreanu and Phil Ivey, the rules and expectations for participants are much stricter.
For instance, the WSOP’s poker tournament rules state that those without an official media credential are prohibited from using any electronic device that can capture video or audio footage during tournament play, whether or not you’re involved in a hand. Violating this could subject you to penalties and potential disqualification. You also cannot use a cell phone while playing, so scratch off that option from your list of filming methods. No phones or electronic devices can be placed on a poker table, and answering a phone call requires you to step away from the game.
That said, you might have a better chance at filming during events and tournaments that are much smaller than the WSOP. The key is to ask for permission beforehand and to only use small, unobtrusive devices, such as your GoPro, a small vlogging camera, or your cell phone. You can lean your device on the poker table and set the camera angle so that your cards are properly seen. Just be sure to inform your tablemates that you’re only recording your gameplay. You could also opt for a GoPro head strap, which will allow for easier filming and playing.
So, in short, yes. You can bring your GoPro and use it to record your gameplay in some poker tournaments. Often, these are smaller competitions with a much laxer set of rules on the recording. But when it comes to big events, like the WSOP, you’re better off putting your cameras away.
We hope that our blog post was able to answer your query. And don’t forget to check out our travel archives for more on destinations, gadgets, and filming your experiences.
