Well, it happened again. Another major poker channel has vanished from YouTube, and this time it hits close to home for the Pot Limit Omaha community. Fernando “JNandez” Habegger, founder of the PLO training site PLO Mastermind, one of the most respected minds in Pot-Limit Omaha, had his long-standing YouTube channel permanently deleted.
This wasn’t a random event; it’s the latest and most alarming shot in YouTube’s confusing and inconsistent war on poker content. You’re probably seeing the chatter and wondering what’s going on. Is poker on YouTube dead? Are your favorite creators next? The problem is that nobody seems to have a clear answer, not even the creators themselves. My job here is to cut through the noise and give you the facts. We’ll look at what happened to JNandez, why it happened, and what this means for the future of poker on YouTube, which some of you rely on for education and entertainment.
Who is JNandez? Why This Ban Hits Hard
For those deep in the PLO world, JNandez needs no introduction. For everyone else, it’s important to understand that this wasn’t just some random streamer. Fernando “JNandez” Habegger is a pillar of the Pot-Limit Omaha community. He’s the author of the foundational book Mastering Small Stakes Pot-Limit Omaha and the founder of the PLO Mastermind coaching site.His YouTube channel, with approximately 63,000 subscribers, was a critical resource for players looking to improve.
It was packed with high-level strategy, hand breakdowns, and the kind of expert analysis that is incredibly hard to find. The loss of this channel isn’t just a blow to a single poker content creator; it’s a direct hit to the entire PLO educational ecosystem.
A Strike from the Past: How the Ban Happened
So, what actually happened? According to JNandez’s own posts on X (formerly Twitter), the ban was triggered by a third strike against his channel for “promoting unregulated goods”.
This is where things get frustratingly murky. Here are the key facts that have the community so concerned:
- The Strike was on an old video: The final strike wasn’t for new content. It was applied to an old video, making it impossible for creators to proactively clean up their libraries if they don’t even know which videos are suddenly in violation.
- He Tried to Be Proactive: JNandez hadn’t uploaded any new content for over two months, a deliberate move to try and protect his channel from the platform’s increasingly aggressive moderation. It didn’t work.
- He Believed He Was Compliant: JNandez maintains that he was following the rules, playing on regulated sites like CoinPoker, where he is an ambassador. Despite his efforts, the automated system still brought the hammer down.
This situation highlights the core problem for every poker content creator: you can try to follow the rules, but when the rules are enforced by an opaque algorithm without warning or clear explanation, you’re always at risk.
The Broader Context: YouTube’s Gambling Policy Problem
The JNandez YouTube ban didn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s the result of a platform-wide policy shift that has been squeezing poker creators for months. In March 2025, YouTube rolled out a significant update to its YouTube gambling policy.The new rules are strict. They prohibit any links to unapproved gambling sites and even ban the visual or verbal promotion of unapproved brands. While that sounds straightforward, the enforcement is anything but.
The “Age-Gating” Effect
The most damaging part of this new policy is the automated age-restriction applied to any content the algorithm flags as gambling-related.
Once a video is “age-gated” to viewers 18 and over, its reach is effectively killed. It’s removed from recommendations, suppressed by the algorithm, and becomes invisible to the majority of viewers who aren’t logged into a YouTube account.
This also severely limits or removes monetization, making it impossible for creators to earn a living.
“All Online Poker Content is Cooked”: The Community Reacts
The reaction from the poker community has been swift and bleak. Fellow poker content creator Kevin Martin summed up the mood perfectly, stating that because of the age-gating, “all online poker content is cooked“.
He’s not alone. Chess streamer and poker enthusiast Alexandra Botez has also reported her poker-related videos being hit with the same age-gating restrictions, confirming this is a platform-wide issue, not just an attack on one channel.
The central grievance is the complete lack of transparency. Creators are being punished by an automated system that provides no specific feedback on what they did wrong, leaving them to guess which invisible line they crossed. This uncertainty makes building a business on the platform feel like building on quicksand.
What’s Next? The Uncertain Future for Poker on YouTube
The immediate question is whether JNandez can get his channel back. He is trying to resolve the issue, but the outcome is completely uncertain.
YouTube’s appeals process is notoriously difficult, and reversals of permanent bans are rare. This incident has forced a serious conversation among creators about the viability of poker on YouTube. Many are now looking at alternatives like Twitch or Kick, platforms with more clearly defined and consistent rules regarding poker and gambling content.
For you, the player, this means the landscape is changing. The free, high-quality educational content you’ve come to rely on is under threat. It reinforces the mission we have here at PLO365: to be a stable, trusted destination for “all things Pot Limit Omaha” and guide you through a poker ecosystem that is getting more fragmented than ever.
Key Takeaways
- JNandez’s Channel Banned: The YouTube channel of respected PLO coach Fernando “JNandez” Habegger, with ~63,000 subscribers, was permanently banned due to a third strike on an old video.
- YouTube’s Policy is the Root Cause: A March 2025 update to YouTube’s gambling policy automatically age-restricts poker content, which kills its reach and monetization.
- Enforcement is Automated and Unclear: The ban was triggered by an algorithm, and creators are given little to no specific feedback on why a video is flagged, making compliance nearly impossible.
- Community is on Edge: Other creators report similar issues, leading to a widespread belief that building a poker content business on YouTube is no longer a viable path.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The channel was permanently banned after receiving a third strike for violating YouTube’s policies on promoting regulated goods. The strike was applied to an old video, despite JNandez’s efforts to remain compliant.
Yes. It stems from a March 2025 policy update that tightened restrictions on all gambling-related content, including poker. The enforcement of this YouTube gambling policy is largely automated.
Age-gating automatically restricts a video to viewers 18 and over. This removes it from YouTube’s recommendation algorithm and makes it invisible to anyone not logged in, drastically reducing its viewership and ad revenue.
The reaction has been one of frustration and fear. Many, like Kevin Martin, feel that the current policies make it impossible to succeed, while others, like Alexandra Botez, have experienced the same issues with their content being restricted.
It is currently uncertain. He is attempting to appeal the decision, but YouTube’s process for reversing permanent bans is difficult and often unsuccessful.
While the future of poker on YouTube is uncertain, many creators are still active on platforms like Twitch. Here at PLO365, our mission is to continue guiding you to the best tools, resources, and expert-curated content to help you achieve your poker goals.
As a PLO enthusiast with nearly 12 years of experience, I’m passionate about breaking down the complexities of Pot Limit Omaha, helping you sharpen your strategy and grow your bankroll – no matter your current level. I also share exclusive bonus and rakeback deals, along with discounts on poker courses and tools, so you can get an extra edge. When I’m not writing, you’ll usually find me online, playing PLO cash games and turbo MTTs.
