The ban is bad news for the popular player and coach’s roughly 63,000 subscribers
Professional poker player and coach Fernando “JNandez” Habegger has had his long-standing YouTube channel shut down after the platform issued a third strike against him. The removal ends more than a decade of content creation that focused primarily on Pot-Limit Omaha strategy and education, where Habegger built a community of roughly 63,000 subscribers.
Hi @TeamYouTube, my channel "JNandez87" has just been permanently removed from YouTube for promoting unregulated goods despite the poker site I am playing on being approved. My appeal was instantly denied.
I stopped uploading for the last two months, after my second strike, to…
— JNandez (@JNandezPoker) September 4, 2025
Habegger, the founder of the PLO Mastermind training program, revealed the news on social media, saying he had not uploaded new material for over two months in an effort to avoid further violations. Despite this precaution, YouTube flagged an older video, which ultimately triggered the strike that led to the channel’s removal.
He expressed frustration, pointing out that his videos featured regulated poker sites, including CoinPoker, where he also serves as an ambassador.
The takedown comes during a period of heightened uncertainty for gambling-related creators on the platform. YouTube introduced updated rules earlier this year that tightened restrictions on poker and gaming content, particularly when it comes to monetization and audience access.
Videos related to online poker are now automatically classified as age-restricted, meaning viewers must be logged in and 18 or older to watch. This change has made it more difficult for creators to gain traction, as the algorithm is less likely to recommend age-gated videos.
Other figures in the poker community have voiced similar concerns. Kevin Martin, a poker streamer and ambassador, said the new policies essentially cripple creators’ ability to grow their channels. Meanwhile, chess and poker hybrid creator Alexandra Botez reported that some of her short-form videos were also flagged with age restrictions.
While JNandez has received messages of support and suggestions on how to appeal, it remains uncertain if his channel can be restored. His case underscores the growing challenges poker content creators face on mainstream platforms, raising questions about whether YouTube remains a reliable space for this type of content.
