ClubWPT Gold, the World Poker Tour’s sweepstakes-based online poker platform, has officially launched in Canada, going live in beta mode across every province except Québec.
The company confirmed that play began on October 30, 2025, with the announcement following on social media the next day. The launch expands ClubWPT Gold’s footprint beyond its existing U.S. operations, where it is available in 44 states.
A New Model for Canadian Players
ClubWPT Gold is a free-to-join sweepstakes poker site allowing players to compete for real cash prizes through tournaments and games. Initially, the platform used a dual-currency system—combining Gold Coins for play and Sweeps Coins redeemable for cash—common across sweepstakes-style platforms in North America.
However, the company discontinued its dual-currency format in late September. Instead, players now purchase a poker hand analysis tool, earning an equivalent amount of in-game chips that can be used in ring games and tournaments for real-value prizes.
The change followed several U.S. state bans on dual-currency sweepstakes gaming earlier in 2025, including Connecticut, Montana, and New Jersey. ClubWPT Gold has since ceased operations in those jurisdictions, as well as in Louisiana, Michigan, and Washington, where regulators have actively restricted sweepstakes gaming. Although California also passed a ban in October, it was not listed among prohibited regions at the time of launch.
Canada’s Regulatory Environment
In contrast to many U.S. states, Canada permits sweepstakes gaming nationwide, classifying it as non-real-money entertainment rather than gambling. The only notable exception is Québec, which remains outside the scope of the ClubWPT Gold rollout.
Interestingly, the regulated province of Ontariois included in the launch despite its stringent licensing framework for real-money poker. ClubWPT Gold operates as a free-to-play sweepstakes platform, allowing Ontario players to compete alongside participants from other provinces and the United States.
The WPT Global real-money site continues to operate across Canada but remains unavailable in Ontario, where player pools must be ring-fenced under local iGaming Ontario (iGO) rules.
Filling the Void Left by Global Poker
The timing of ClubWPT Gold’s Canadian debut coincides with the exit of Global Poker, formerly the leading sweepstakes poker site in the country. Its parent company, VGW, completed its withdrawal from the Canadian market on October 23, also removing its Chumba Casino platform.
VGW stated the move was “a difficult but strategic, isolated decision” aimed at concentrating on its larger U.S. operations, emphasizing that the exit was not related to Canadian regulatory pressure.
Global Poker previously operated nationwide except in Québec—the same footprint now adopted by ClubWPT Gold. With the World Poker Tour’s global brand recognition and the withdrawal of its primary competitor, ClubWPT Gold effectively steps into the position of Canada’s new market leader in sweepstakes poker.
Source:
ClubWPT Gold sweepstakes poker goes all-in on Canada, canadiangamingbusiness.com, October 31, 2025.
