Nick Vertucci, co-owner of Hustler Casino Live (HCL), has exited the popular poker stream in the wake of serious accusations of sexual harassment and intimidation.
Julia McBride, a lawyer and former regular on HCL, came forward with accusations that Vertucci made repeated, unsolicited advances toward her. McBride shared screenshots of text messages on X (formerly Twitter), allegedly from Vertucci, where he made inappropriate remarks about her appearance and relationship status.
🚨🚨🚨Time to break the silence over @NickVertucciNV using his control over @HCLPokerShow to harass women and keep witnesses from speaking up. I’m posting some receipts. Poker world, please share your stories about #IckVertucci. Let’s stop the harassment! pic.twitter.com/iK6y6lODmr
— Julia from Palmdale (@JuliaInPalmdale) October 5, 2024
Although McBride initially brushed off these messages, she claims Vertucci’s behavior persisted over time. She explained that she tried to tolerate the harassment to maintain her spot on the popular poker stream but eventually found herself banned from the show.
Accusations of Intimidation and Ongoing Misconduct
McBride’s last appearance on HCL was in June 2023. Soon after, she discovered she was banned from participating. Although no reason was provided, McBride believes the ban was linked to her rejection of Vertucci’s advances.
According to McBride, the toxic dynamics on the stream were well-known, but many participants stayed silent to protect their standing within the high-profile poker community. “Everybody wants to be on the stream,” McBride noted. “And I wanted to be on it too.”
After coming forward, McBride expressed hope that sharing her experience would encourage others who may have faced similar situations to speak up.
More Allegations Against Vertucci
Following McBride’s revelations, other stories about inappropriate behavior by Vertucci began to emerge. Kitty Kuo, a well-known poker pro, confirmed an incident from 2019 where Vertucci allegedly showed her explicit photos during a cash game broadcast. Social media users also resurfaced clips showing another player, known as Sashimi, accusing Vertucci of physical contact without permission during a live stream.
Well, it was a true story
Before Covid 19, I played Latb many many times
And this guy was totally right
When nick showed me his dick pics at poker table( live stream), I was very strong and said “ u had a pencil dick”
And he was so mad
I don’t give a shit if I can’t play at… https://t.co/EgIxGYqinK— kitty kuo (@kittykuopoker) October 7, 2024
These new allegations have intensified the backlash, with players and fans demanding accountability. Many have criticized the poker industry for fostering an environment where harassment is normalized or overlooked.
Fallout Within the Poker Community
McBride’s public allegations have sparked intense debate, with numerous players and poker personalities weighing in on the accusations. High-stakes player Garrett Adelstein — who has his own history of clashes with HCL — expressed support for McBride, saying that the revelations highlighted the need for change within the poker world.
Adelstein also warned that others who may have ignored or enabled Vertucci’s behavior should face scrutiny.
It’s been pretty amazing hearing several brave women come forward and seeing Karma quickly take shape. By doing so, they have protected countless others from future harassment or worse.
Many are asking me if I’ll play on HCL now that they have supposedly “cleaned house” by…
— Garrett Adelstein (@GmanPoker) October 9, 2024
Nik Airball, a polarizing figure on the poker circuit, added his voice to the chorus of criticism, calling for Vertucci to step away from his role at HCL. Airball acknowledged his friendship with HCL’s other co-founder, Ryan Feldman, but made it clear he would not continue supporting the show unless meaningful action was taken.
Poker professional Doug Polk echoed these sentiments, accusing Vertucci of abusing his position of power to make unwanted advances. Polk stressed that anything short of Vertucci’s complete removal from HCL would be unacceptable.
On the recent @NickVertucciNV story, using a place of power to make unwanted sexual advances on women is horrific. This isn’t just being a creepy dude.
Anything less than removing him from the show entirely is completely unacceptable.
— Doug Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 8, 2024
However, the response to the scandal has not been unanimous, with some poker figures offering nuanced perspectives. Nadya Magnus, a former player on PokerStars’ Big Game, shared her opinion on X, stating,
“I don’t see a victim in this situation. We all make choices about personal or business relationships… Julia playing along with an uncomfortable situation for over a year perpetuates the idea that women in the industry need to accept harassment in exchange for success.”
Magnus added that while she doesn’t condone Vertucci’s behavior, she believes both parties’ actions were harmful to women in poker.
Photo Credit: PokerGO
HCL Co-Founder Steps Down
In response to the growing scandal, Vertucci announced that he would no longer be involved with Hustler Casino Live. HSL and its co-founder Ryan Feldman later confirmed that Vertucci’s departure was effective immediately, emphasizing the stream’s commitment to providing high-quality poker content moving forward.
Effective immediately, Nick Vertucci will no longer be involved with High Stakes Poker Productions. We look forward to continuing to deliver the best high stakes poker content to the community.
— Hustler Casino Live (@HCLPokerShow) October 9, 2024
While the decision to step down has been met with approval by many in the poker community, some believe that further steps are necessary to address systemic issues. Adelstein, among others, pointed out that more transparency is needed, particularly from those within the organization who may have known about the misconduct.
Moving Forward
The scandal surrounding Vertucci’s departure has prompted broader conversations about harassment, power dynamics, and accountability within the poker industry. As the fallout continues, many players and fans hope this moment will lead to meaningful change.
Hustler Casino Live, one of the most-watched poker streams, now faces the challenge of rebuilding trust with its audience and participants. Some players have expressed optimism that the scandal will result in a safer and more respectful environment, while others remain skeptical, arguing that deeper cultural issues within the poker scene still need to be addressed.
With more individuals now sharing their experiences, the focus has shifted toward ensuring that incidents of misconduct are no longer tolerated, and that poker remains a space where all participants can compete fairly and safely.
English