Major poker organizations like the WPT and WSOP have worked hard to curb the profanity-laced games of old into more family-friendly events. And the way they’ve done this is by punishing those who can’t control their language with time outs where people often have to sit for 10 minutes while blinds are taken from their stacks. Players like Mike Matusow and Todd Brunson have found out that poker big whigs don’t take the rules lightly either.
However, as looked down upon as cussing in poker is, there are plenty of people who think that swearing is good for the game - or at least the players. An article I recently saw on the subject featured a Massachusetts College psychologist by the name of Timothy Jay. Jay went on to note that cursing is actually good for people - especially poker players who’ve lost a significant amount of money.
When a person swears, they are releasing tension and frustrations that those who hold these emotions inside would otherwise not. So, according to Jay, being a holy roller who turns the other cheek when they suffer a bad beat isn’t good for one’s health. Another advantage of releasing your frustrations through cussing is that you’re less likely to resort to violence. Perhaps this is a reason why you don’t see poker players brawling at the table after getting in a major verbal dispute (that and the fact that major money and sponsorships are on the line).
So really it’s in the best interests of the WSOP, WPT, and similar organizations to let poker players release their emotions through swearing. And, in reality, even the WSOP understands this since they say non-excessive cursing that isn’t pointed at an individual is alright. It’s only when things get out of control (a la Matusow) that they bring the hammer down.