17 -Month Review Permanent -- Ban Without Explanation NL100 -200 Reg

WHO I AM

Good day to everyone on the forum.

My name is Vlad. I’m from Kazakhstan, from a small town.
My PokerStars nickname is ImperialOxxx.

I have been playing on PokerStars since 2016, and I started taking poker seriously around 2021.
Between 2021 and 2023, I gradually moved up through the stakes, progressing from the lowest limits to NL100 and occasionally NL200 in cash games.

PokerStars was my main and favorite room due to the software quality and consistent game availability.

Poker became my primary source of income. I live in a small town where I heat my house with coal, so the ability to earn money remotely was extremely important to me.
The average salary in Kazakhstan is around $300-600 per month. I was earning somewhat more than that and was fully supporting myself through poker

But first, let me provide some context. I’ll start with my graph, taken from the well-known public tracking website:https://smarthand.pro/ps/#ImperialOxxx ,the results are not at the level of a top high-stakes regular, but those of a solid, average reg. However, shortly before my account was frozen for review, I went through a small downswing.

I was writing posts on a popular poker website, Cardmates.net, where you can follow my journey as a cash game player - the climb, the wins, and the downswings.
Here is my profile and some of my posts documenting my progress:

Profile:: https://cardmates.net/profile/vaarg
Some of my posts:
NL10 :https://cardmates.net/manuskript_keshevi...
NL25 : https://cardmates.net/manuskript_keshevi...
NL50:https://cardmates.net/manuskript_keshevi...
NL100 and others: https://cardmates.net/tri_goda_na_cardma...

FIRST REVIEW (2023)

On January 23, 2023, I received an email requesting documents, a Source of Funds form, and questions regarding possible connections with other players.

I provided all requested documents and answers.
The review was successfully completed.
After that, I continued playing without any issues.

Below is the email I received at that time, as well as the form I was asked to complete:

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THE BEGINNING OF THE PROBLEMS

On February 1, 2024, I was unable to log into my account - it had been frozen.

I was informed that a standard review was being conducted.

Over the following months, I was repeatedly asked to submit documents, which I provided every time.
I regularly requested status updates but mostly received template responses.

I remained in this uncertain state for more than a year.

Below are screenshots of the messages from PokerStars.

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PERMANENT BAN

On June 29, 2025 (16-17 months after the freeze), I received an email informing me that my account had been permanently closed, without any explanation of the reason.

In February 2025, my remaining balance was returned to me.
This happened after I made a post on TwoPlusTwo.

APPEAL

I filed an appeal.

The appeal was accepted for review.

About a month later, I received the final response — the ban was upheld.

PROOF
All emails from PokerStars, including responses, document requests, the freeze notification, the ban, and the appeal decision, have been uploaded to Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1...

There will also be screenshots of my numerous attempts to contact support.

CONCLUSION

I received a permanent ban without explanation, despite having previously passed an AML review successfully.

I did not use bots, did not work in a team, did not share my account, and did not engage in any fraudulent activity.
I simply played poker and gradually moved up the stakes.

Poker was my main source of income.

After the ban, I found myself in a state of uncertainty. I lost direction and, in many ways, part of my identity.

And when, after a year and a half, you are simply told “permanent ban,” without explanation, it is difficult not to feel lost and disoriented.

This post is not an attempt to accuse anyone.

It is an attempt to show that even a regular, honest player can end up in a situation like this.

And perhaps a small chance to be heard.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read this.

P.S
If any representative from PokerStars or anyone with experience in similar cases is willing to comment or provide insight, I would genuinely appreciate it.