WSOP identification requirements: A conversation with Lee Jones

I wouldn't subject most people to the conversations I have via IM every day, but an issue has come up that PokerStars players will want to be aware of. If you're one of the thousands of people vying for a World Series of Poker seat, you need to be sure the name you have registered with PokerStars is the same name as is on your drivers license or passport. It may sound sort of obvious, but there are people who play on shared accounts.

Rather than try to fancy up the contents of a conversation I had with Poker Room Manager Lee Jones today, I thought I'd just post it here (with Lee's permission, of course).

Brad Willis says:
Lee, I had somebody ask me about what kind of ID they need to play in the WSOP. You know anything?

LeeJ says:
Hi Brad - yes, all of our players will have to produce government identification (driver's license or passport) at the WSOP to be seated.

LeeJ says:
But there's more...

LeeJ says:
When a player wins a WSOP satellite at PokerStars, we use the name on their account to register them with the WSOP.

LeeJ says:
It is *EXTREMELY* important that the name on the account matches the name on the driver's license.

LeeJ says:
If it doesn't, that person won't be playing in the WSOP

LeeJ says:
Furthermore, we will NOT be able to change the registered name once we send it to Harrahs' staff at the WSOP.

Brad Willis says:
Wow, that could cause a problem if, say, a guy was playing under his dad's registered name.

LeeJ says:
Right. This is exactly what we don't want to happen. Please tell your readers: if you win a seat in a WSOP satellite at PokerStars and the name on your account is not your name, you need to contact security@pokerstars.com immediately and get the problem straightened out.

LeeJ says:
If you wait until you get to the Rio, you won't be playing in the WSOP.

Brad Willis says:
So, you're saying if it has happened already, they can get it worked out, but it has to be worked out NOW.

LeeJ says:
We can usually work out something at this point. We have NO HOPE of working something out in Las Vegas.

Brad Willis says:
I suppose we should also let folks know that if they are playing in a qualifier, they should be doing it on their own account so they don't run into this problem.

LeeJ says:
That's an extremely good point - thank you for bringing it up. If you and your husband both play on an account, please contact support@pokerstars.com and arrange to get a second account. We're happy to do that, but we need each person to have his or her own account.

Brad Willis says:
Great. Anything else you can think of that people should know about this?

LeeJ says:
I think that's it - thank you for the chance to get this information out. We don't want any problems for anybody at the WSOP - we want them to concentrate on playing poker!

Brad Willis says:
I hear that. Thanks Lee. I'll let everybody know tonight.