Short version. Global Poker's sister sites, Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots, are slot sites with no poker. The closest matches are the other sweepstakes poker rooms: Clubs Poker, Stake.us Poker and ClubWPT Gold. If your state has banned sweepstakes sites, none of those will take you either, and your choices are licensed rooms, live poker or offshore rooms.
Global Poker's sister sites
Global Poker is run by VGW, an Australian-founded company, and has dealt sweepstakes poker in the US since February 2016. VGW has two other US brands:
- Chumba Casino. Slots and casino-style games. No poker.
- LuckyLand Slots. Slots. No poker.
All three use the same two-coin system and you can hold an account at each. But if you came for ring games and tournaments against other people, the sister sites are no substitute. You need another poker room.
Sweepstakes poker sites like Global Poker
These work the same way: you play with one kind of coin for fun and another that can be redeemed for prizes. We have no commercial relationship with any of them and do not link to them.
| Site | What it is | Stands out for | Know before you join |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clubs Poker | A dedicated sweepstakes poker room, based in Philadelphia | The widest choice of games, including Omaha variants and mixed games | Runs in the browser with no download, and has casino-style games alongside the poker |
| Stake.us Poker | A poker room inside the Stake.us sweepstakes casino | Prizes are redeemed in cryptocurrency | Hold'em and Pot-Limit Omaha only. It has pulled out of more states than its rivals |
| ClubWPT Gold | The World Poker Tour's sweepstakes room, and the newest of the group | Reported to block the fewest states of the group | Uses its own credits-and-chips system, not the usual two coins |
| ClubWPT | The older WPT product: a monthly subscription that enters you in prize tournaments | Fixed monthly cost | Tournaments only. No cash-style ring games |
Each one keeps its own list of blocked states, and the lists have changed many times this year. Counts published by review sites disagree with each other, so check the site's own terms on the day you sign up.
Why people leave Global Poker
- It closed in their state. This is the big one. See the next section.
- The redemption rules. You need at least 50 Sweeps Coins to cash out, and only coins won in play count.
- Game choice. Players who want mixed games tend to move to Clubs Poker.
Where Global Poker has shut down
VGW has been pulling out of states since 2025 as legislatures and attorneys general moved against sweepstakes sites. As of August 2026, Global Poker was restricted in 14 states:
California, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia.
Indiana, Maine and Oklahoma have banned sweepstakes sites since then, so count them out as well. VGW also left Canada completely in October 2025 and has since agreed an $8 million settlement with New York. The full list of state bans and dates is on our sweepstakes poker page.
If sweepstakes poker is gone where you live
1. Licensed rooms
Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia have state-licensed online poker with a regulator behind it. If you are in one of them, that is the safest real-money option by a distance. Your state page lists the rooms.
2. Live poker
Card rooms and casinos were not touched by the sweepstakes laws. See poker rooms near you.
3. Offshore rooms
These are the sites that take real-money deposits from most states without a US licence. They are a different thing from a sweepstakes site, and a riskier one. You deposit real money, mostly by crypto, and you have nobody to complain to if it goes wrong.
Tournament players and regular grinders. Winning Poker Network. Rakeback: 27% flat, or Elite Benefits.
Visit ACRACR's tables with a smaller site's promotions. Winning Poker Network. Rakeback: 27% flat, or Elite Benefits.
Visit Black ChipSofter cash games; sports bettors. Chico Poker Network. Rakeback: Races and leaderboards.
Visit BetOnlineCasual players who want anonymous tables. PaiWangLuo. Rakeback: None; anonymous tables.
Visit IgnitionPlayers who also bet sports. PaiWangLuo. Rakeback: None; anonymous tables.
Visit BovadaHow they differ, and what can go wrong, is on the offshore poker sites page.
Free alternatives
If you only want to play and do not care about prizes, play-money poker is everywhere and legal everywhere. The WSOP app and Replay Poker are the usual picks.
Common questions
What are Global Poker's sister sites?
Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots. All three are run by VGW. The sister sites are slot and casino-style sites and do not offer poker.
What is the best site like Global Poker?
For the same kind of sweepstakes poker, Clubs Poker has the widest choice of games, ClubWPT Gold is available in the most states, and Stake.us Poker pays prizes in crypto.
Is Global Poker still available in my state?
As of August 2026 it was restricted in 14 states, including California, New York, New Jersey, Nevada and Michigan, and more states have passed bans since. Check Global Poker's own terms for today's list.
Is Global Poker real money?
Not directly. You play with Sweeps Coins, which can be redeemed for cash prizes once you have at least 50 that were won in play.
Are offshore poker sites the same as sweepstakes sites?
No. Offshore sites take real-money deposits and are not licensed in the US. They carry more risk, and some states treat playing on them as an offence.