[Update: On September 17 ClubWPT Gold edited the message on its support page, with the date for Gold Coins to be removed from the site now moved to September 24]
Earlier this month the sweepstakes-based poker site ClubWPT Gold announced an upcoming radical change in the way it operates, and with just one day left before the planned change takes effect one crucial question remains unanswered: What is it?
The following announcement was made on the operator’s player support page, September 3.
ClubWPT Gold is removing Gold Coins from the site and discontinuing GC ring games and tournaments on September 17th.
You can still play poker games for free on ClubWPT Gold! Look for the Daily Rewards Freerolls in the tournament lobby.
While we’re removing the Gold Coins, we’re adding a game-changing new feature to ClubWPT Gold. Stay tuned for more about that.
The message raised significant questions around how the site would continue to offer real-money gaming, given that the purchase of Gold Coins (GC) has always been fundamental to the acquisition of Sweeps Coins (SC), i.e. tokens that may be withdrawn and exchanged for cash.
Until now the site has awarded ‘free’ SC with the purchase of ‘play money’ GC, with the value of SC effectively tied 1-to-1 with the US dollar upon withdrawal. It’s a system that is widely regarded as a legal loophole, the existence of which has enabled the site to operate in many US states where online gaming is unregulated.
With GC gone from the equation, it would seem that particular loophole is no longer to be exploited. And with just one day before that happens, many players on the platform are understandably anxious as to the future viability of the site — not to mention the security of their on-site balances.
What is ClubWPT Gold?
The ClubWPT Gold brand — a separate, licensed entity distinct from the World Poker Tour (WPT) — has made such major waves in the industry that it’s easy to forget it’s less than a year old.
The brand was first announced towards the end of 2024, as part of the WPT’s end-of-year World Championships. In an interview with PokerOrg, WPT President Adam Pliska outlined the new platform, with the initial push oriented around the $5 million freeroll which took place at the Wynn last December.
To earn or win a seat in the freeroll, every player would need to be signed up to ClubWPT Gold, and a number of influencers, ambassadors and sponsorships were quickly lined up to help fill the 2,000 seats. In the end, around 25% of those seats were left empty in a tournament that saw Chase Bricker emerge victorious for the $1 million first prize.
A busy start was followed by a busy year, characterized by aggression: From the brand’s borderline hostile approach to social media, to its signing of one of poker’s loudest voices in Doug Polk, to its acquisition of Polk’s poker training site Upswing Poker, it has chiseled out a space for itself in the poker landscape through a singular effort to be as visible as possible.
And nowhere was that more evident than at the World Series of Poker (WSOP), the showcase event in the poker calendar and a series operated by ClubWPT Gold’s biggest corporate rival.
ClubWPT Gold ran the ‘Gold Rush’ promotion, promising a $1 million bonus to any of its qualifying players to win any of several specific WSOP events. This resulted in a situation where two players ended up heads-up for a WSOP bracelet— one of whom was eligible for the extra $1M — with alleged chip-dumping taking place to ensure the ‘right’ player won.
The WSOP reacted quickly: While both players were paid, no bracelet was awarded and both players were banned for their actions, which were considered to undermine the integrity of the contest. PokerOrg’s Lee Jones termed the ploy ‘industrial sabotage’ on the part of ClubWPT Gold.
As we approach the first anniversary of ClubWPT Gold’s unveiling it remains as visible as ever, but many have been questioning how long the show can go on.
The news that the GC/SC system, a foundation of sweepstakes sites, is being replaced will only increase the volume of those questions. And with no clear way forward announced just a day prior, answers are needed more than ever.
More doors shut in Louisiana, New Jersey and Connecticut
That the portents for sweepstakes poker in general are not good is only adding fuel to the fire.
Over the past week ClubWPT Gold has announced closures in the states of New Jersey, Connecticut and Louisiana, with players in the latter state given less than a week’s notice to clear their accounts.
Moreover, players in New Jersey are unable to submit withdrawal requests from within the state, for legal reasons, and are being advised to travel to neighboring states such as Pennsylvania or New York to submit their withdrawals.
Other states, including California, are also working towards closing the loophole that allows online sweepstakes sites to operate. Global Poker, another sweepstakes poker site which has been in operation significantly longer than ClubWPT Global, recently exited Canada — the latest in a long list of territories from which it has withdrawn. Global Poker’s parent company, Virtual Gaming Worlds, is currently being sued by the state of Louisiana for a reported $32.5M over unpaid tax.
So, what next for ClubWPT Gold? What form could the ‘game-changing new feature’ take?
Could shared ownership with Upswing Poker create a legal niche where ClubWPT Gold might position itself as some sort of training site spin-off?
Alternatively, a switch to a subscription model seems to be a possibility, but that would bring it into direct competition with the non-’Gold’ branded ClubWPT, with the naming similarities no doubt causing confusion for consumers and likely further legal wrangles.
Whatever route it pursues, the legal loopholes around unregulated poker sites look set to get tighter, not looser. In the meantime the lack of communication and clear next steps only serve to frustrate those who need the answers more than anyone: The players.
PokerOrg has reached out to ClubWPTGold for comment.
Additional images courtesy of ClubWPT Gold/WPT/Doug Polk.
