Young Poker Prodigy to Confirmed Cheater: Ali's Story
"I ended up making a mistake, a really bad mistake, and began multi-accounting MTTs at that time. I did this for about 4-5 months before I stopped."
Ali Imsirovic's confession came in June 2023, long after the Bosnia-born-prodigy was ever accused of cheating. In the years before, he'd been hailed as the golden boy of the poker world, raked in awards, and seemingly-deserved praise of peers. In 2021, Ali was named Players Choice for Toughest Opponent, the PokerGO Tour Player of the Year, and the GPI Poker Player of the Year.
But as the poker world watched, Ali went from prodigy to persona non grata.
The first time his reputation took a nosedive was 2020, when GGPoker banned Ali and ~80 other players for supposed RTA violations. GG named no names, but internet sleuths showed that his activity abruptly stopped at exactly the same time. Years later, Ali would say that he "deserved" this action and the loss of $320,000 on his GGPoker account.
Nothing notable tarnished Ali further until 2022, when Alex Foxen publicly accused him of using Real-Time Assistance (RTA) during online games and colluding in live tournaments—two of the most serious poker violations. Foxen posted details and challenged the poker community to take a stand.
Though Imsirovic remained silent for months and initially said Foxen was having some sort of tantrum, he finally responded in 2023. In it his apology video, he admitted to multi-accounting during online tournaments, calling it a “really bad mistake” from his early 20s.
But, what was Ali Imsirovic's reason for multi-accounting in online tournaments? What were his motivations?
In his apology video, Ali said, "I had originally started doing this because I knew a lot of shady shit was happening in those games." In another instance, the cheating accusations made him feel like he may as well cheat. As Ali put it, "I lashed out. For a little under two months, I played online again, mostly Sundays, where I did multi-account again. I'm just being honest. It felt like I was being accused of so much s*** I wasn't doing."
However, his apology was only partial. While admitting to a form of wrongdoing, he denied collusion and RTA use. On top of this, the original video is now unavailable on YouTube.
Some appreciated the partially-guilty plea, but just assumed Ali was doing damage control. Not only was it too little and too late, many thought it lacked authenticity.
In poker, trust is everything—and once it’s gone, it rarely comes back. As Doug Polk put it back in 2023:
"Five years ago, no one knew who Ali Imsirovic even was, but today, he's known as a high stakes poker player who also occasionally cheats playing poker."
A Timeline of Consequences for Ali Imsirovic: Bans, Fallout, & Disgrace
The downfall of Ali Imsirovic rocked the poker world. A high-profile player was accused and caught—with accusations coming from the biggest stars, like Daniel Negreanu and Alex Foxen, along with GGPoker, the biggest online room. A picture was painted, showing a pattern of unethical behavior, for flimsy reasons.
Here's the full timeline of the various bans and accusations Ali Imsirovic faced:
- October 2020: GGPoker Ban
Ali Imsirovic loses his account amidst dozens of other players, along with $320,000. His ban is permanent. - April 2022: Public Accusations by Alex Foxen
Foxen alleged that Imsirovic used RTA tools online and engaged in chip dumping and soft playing in live tournaments. - April 2022: Public Accusations by Justin Bonomo
After losing over $1 million online against suspected RTA users, Bonomo indicated that Imsirovic was among the top offenders. - May 2022: Exclusion from EPT Monte Carlo
In May 2022, reports emerged that Imsirovic was excluded from the European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo events due to ongoing cheating allegations. - September 2022: PokerGO Tour Suspension
Pending further review, the PokerGO Tour announced Ali's indefinite suspension over cheating allegations. - March 2023: Daniel Negreanu Calls for Indefinite Ban
Early in the month, Kid Poker tweeted for a "proactive" and "indefinite ban" for Ali Imsirovic by all operators, both live and online. - June 2023: Admission of Multi-Accounting
Ali posts a video to YouTube (now unavailable) in which he admitted to multi-accounting, but not other forms of cheating like RTA. - February 2025: Ejection from Champions Club, Houston
After signing up for the $1,500 Main Event at the Champions Club in Houston, Texas, Ali was removed from the tournament and banned from the club. The club's president cited maintaining game integrity and protecting players. - May 2025: Removal from RunGood Poker Series, Florida
Despite building up a chip lead, Ali was removed from the $1,200 RunGood Poker Series Main Event. We can guess why, but no official reason was given.
Socially speaking, Imsirovic has become tainted and despised. Reddit users made this clear after his recent ejection from the RunGood Series in Florida.
— "Why was he allowed to register in the first place then? They let him in then kicked him out mid-tourney?"
— "Was he kicked out based on his reputation as a cheater or did he do something at this specific tournament? ...either way, zero sympathy for cheats."
— "Someone like this didn’t need to cheat and could have been successful. He did it to himself, I don't have sympathy for this."
— "Happy to see Champions Club taking a stand before he was dealt in. Safest place to play in Houston for sure."
Redemption or Lifetime Ban: What’s the Right Move?
It's safe to say that most players and onlookers have made up their mind. But we need to ask, should Ali Imsirovic ever be allowed back? To answer this, we need to look at the main points:
Has Ali Imsirovic paid for his poker sins?
Some (along with Ali himself) argue that a steep price has already been paid. He’s been banned from top tours, almost universally shunned by his community, and stripped of sponsorships and status. His 2023 apology video—though incomplete and subjectively honest—could be seen as a step toward accountability.
Will poker players feel comfortable and safe sitting with Ali Imsirovic?
Poker isn’t like other sports. It’s built on honor, hidden information, and fairness. Once a player like Ali breaks that trust, letting them return could set a precedent that cheating is ultimately forgivable if you wait long enough. If that happens, accused cheaters like Mike Postle could also hope for redemption in the future. This brings up another question.
Will forgiving Ali Imsirovic make cheating a less serious offence?
If there was ever a day when Ali Imsirovic was given a clean record, would that embolden other cheaters? Operators must consider the cost of this hypothetical second chance. It could signal to cheaters that punishments would be temporary, incentivizing their actions. Or, perhaps it is better to always take the hard stance against cheating, issuing lifetime bans for all who follow in Imsirovic's footsteps.
As a self-proclaimed repeat offender, a lifetime ban from major live and online events may be the only appropriate outcome for Ali. The poker world will definitely be watching to see what steps operators take in the future.
