UPDATE: Poker Player Dan Bilzerian Criticized By ADL After Bashing Israel, Pro-Israel Lobby in Post

Posted on: June 23, 2024, 08:07h. 

Last updated on: June 25, 2024, 01:39h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

UPDATE: The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Tuesday warned poker player Dan Bilzerian to stop spreading “dangerous” conspiratorial theories when it comes to Israel and the role its supporters play in the US.

“Dan Bilzerian seems to have been using his online presence to spread conspiracy theories of all kinds, including the classic anti-Semitic trope that Israel controls the media and the United States government,” an ADL spokesperson told Casino.org.

“At a time when antisemitism is already at historic levels, this is dangerous behavior from an influencer. We hope he will take the time to educate himself about the history of these tropes in spreading hate and reconsider his words.”

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EARLIER: Controversial poker player Dan Bilzerian criticized Israel and the AIPAC lobbying group in a social media post this weekend, which generated more than 2.2M views.

Poker player Dan Bilzerian
Dan Bilzerian, pictured above, posted anti-Israel comments over the weekend. (Image: Poker News)

Invoking conspiracy theories, Bilzerian claimed on X, formerly known as Twitter, that AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, “makes our government put Israel’s interests before ours.”

“[Jeffery] Epstein[‘s] island was an Israeli Mossad op[eration] to blackmail US politicians,” Bilzerian added.

Epstein was a convicted sex offender of Jewish heritage who had owned Little Saint James, an island in the US Virgin Islands.

In addition, Bilzerian alleged, “Covid[-19] was a scam, and we got poisoned while Israeli big pharma made billions, and our Israeli-controlled government and media forced it. The US is an occupied nation.”

Many anti-Jewish and anti-Israel posts from hundreds of individuals were placed under Bilzerian’s comments.

Israeli Media Covering

Bilzerian’s statements were the focus of an article in Israel’s leading news outlet, the Jerusalem Post.

On June 10, Bilzerian made similar online comments against AIPAC.

“Until AIPAC registers as a foreign agent, we will remain a puppet of Israel,” he posted on social media.

On May 28, Bilzerian commented online, “In case y’all were confused on where I stand, let me be clear, F**k Israel,” the Jerusalem Post reported.

Casino.org reached out to AIPAC for comment. No immediate statements were available on Sunday.

Who is Dan Bilzerian?

Bilzerian, 43, is sometimes called the “King of Instagram” and has a reputation as a playboy.

He was born in Tampa, Fla. and once lived in Las Vegas.

He took part in the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event where he finished 180th. He also claims to have won $10.8M during one night of poker.

Bilzerian founded Toronto-based Ignite International Brands Ltd. Among its products are CBD oils, electronic cigarettes, vodka, and water bottles. He also attempted to run for US president in 2016.

In 2015, he avoided a jail sentence but was ordered to pay a fine after negligently failing to extinguish a fire on federal land near Las Vegas.

In January, Casino.org ranked Bilzerian as the game’s wealthiest poker player with a net worth reported to be $200M.

He claims his money comes from wins on high-stakes poker games, but news reports counter it’s mostly from a trust fund set up by his financially successful father who’s known for many corporate takeovers.