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Home / News / Interviews / Retired LAPD detective and counterterrorism expert takes on Spin & Go Championship in Paris

Retired LAPD detective and counterterrorism expert takes on Spin & Go Championship in Paris

February 20, 2026

News

by Jack Stanton

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6 Minute Read

We’ve all felt pressure at the poker table, but that’s nothing compared with what this Spin & Go Championship Live Paris qualifier faced daily throughout his career as a LAPD detective and, later, counterterrorism expert…

The weight of a big decision. The knowledge that one move could change everything. High-stakes moments like this are common for poker players, but for Kevin Berman, they were a daily occurrence.

Berman is one of 81 players travelling to Paris this weekend to compete in the Spin & Go Championship and battle for a share of €300,000. He won an elusive seat simply by playing a live Spin & Go for fun while attending EPT Malta in October.

But before he retired and poker became his competitive outlet, Berman built a career in law enforcement and has a CV that reads like something out of a Hollywood action film. A former policeman turned detective, he worked protective detail for President Jimmy Carter during his visits to California. “I was impeccably trained by the best of the best,” Berman tells us.

Sadly, his career was cut short. “I was injured on the job a few too many times,” he says. “I was shot twice, and on another occasion, after returning to work, was involved in a vehicle pursuit of an armed bank robbery suspect.”

As the robber attempted a getaway, speeding his car towards an elementary school, Berman blockaded him using his police vehicle and managed to take him into custody. “The injuries I sustained ended my police career, and I was retired at an early age with a full pension.”

See what we mean? Players in the Spin & Go Championship–which kicks off in Paris on Monday–are going to have a tough time getting this guy out of his comfort zone.

A NEW CHALLENGE

And his career didn’t end there. He soon transitioned to the entertainment world as a security consultant and bodyguard, building a company that protected high-profile clients across music and film using his expertise in counterterrorism.

In 2008, he was asked by an ex-Vice President of the United States and a prominent music industry executive go to Mumbai, India, to advance their One World concert.

“When I arrived, and after doing my advance work and meetings with Local Military and law enforcement, I moved all of the staff to a single hotel from the other hotels they were staying in–both of which were subsequently attacked and almost destroyed, and in which a total of 164 victims were killed in the attacks,” he says. “All of the concert staff and talent were uninjured, and I was able to evacuate them to another country while the attacks were still in progress.”

Years later, working in Monte Carlo and Nice, Berman strongly advised clients to avoid public festivities on Bastille Day. His advice proved lifesaving when a terrorist attack claimed dozens of victims that evening.

The stakes of poker might be different, but Berman’s mindset is somewhat similar. He reads the room. He anticipates danger. He controls what he can and makes his move when the time is right.

It’s going to be a lot of fun seeing how he gets on when the Spin & Go Championship Live kicks off. Before that, we spoke with Berman to find out exactly how he won the package, his background in poker, and his ambitions for the future.

KEVIN BERMAN INTERVIEW

Staruniv Blog: Hey Kevin! Can we start with how you came to win the package?

Kevin Berman: Sure! I was in Malta to play the EPT, and I wasn’t playing well in the tournaments I entered. Then, at about 6 PM one night, I found the live Spin & Go’s in a corner. There were three tables, and I was hooked. It was a blast, and the only place I made any money, which also makes it fun and exciting. Great format, quick results, whether you win or lose. It’s sort of a head to head to head battle.

You later found out that all Spin & Go participants were entered into a draw for the package, right?

Yes. I received notification through an email while at the NAPT in Las Vegas that I had been selected to participate. When I read my email, I wasn’t sure exactly if it was real, but I was able to go down to the tournament and confirm that it was.

What was your reaction when you realised?

Obviously, I was thrilled at the prospect of going back to Paris to play. I had previously played EPT Paris in 2023, but the event was cancelled the following year [2025], so I’m looking forward to returning and playing.

The fact that this is an exclusive Spin & Go Championship event makes this even more exciting than a normal event. The fact that I was chosen as one of 81 out of hundreds of thousands is amazing, to say the least.

POKER BACKGROUND

Let’s rewind a little. How did your poker journey begin?

So I’m a neophyte in the realm of poker, but I love playing tournament poker. I have never played a cash game.

My first-ever Staruniv EPT was in Prague in December 2022. My wife is Czech, and we were visiting Prague and family, so I decided to play the EPT. Before that, I had played very little poker. Once in 2018, when one of my sons took me to the WSOP in Las Vegas, and then in 2019, while visiting Barcelona.

What happened after that first EPT?

In Prague, I participated in several live satellites and won entry into two tournaments: the Main Event, where I finished 183rd for €4,010, and the Senior Event, where I placed third for €7,670. That’s when I was actually hooked and felt comfortable playing poker.

Those are some great early results! Any standouts since then?

In 2023, I finished 37th in the Staruniv Summer Festival Malta Main Event for €3,390. I have played all over the world the last few years, but Staruniv events are close to my heart, and although I may not cash all the time, the experience and the talent I have played against is always fun. The Staruniv locations, formats, and the dealers and staff are always amazing, and that’s part of the attraction. Staruniv does it best!

What are your ambitions in poker going forward?

My main ambition in poker now is just to play the best I can and choose the locations and formats I like best. It‘s not necessarily quantity but more quality and fun that I appreciate, so that’s how I make my choices.