ClubWPT Gold Nevada Exit Marks Sweepstakes Poker Crackdown
ClubWPT Gold is winding down in Nevada after state regulatory action. Here's what PokerNews reports about deadlines and what it means for players.
The ClubWPT Gold Nevada exit is official after state regulatory action against sweepstakes-based poker sites. PokerNews reports the site told players it is winding down operations, cutting off new deposits immediately and setting a deadline to withdraw funds. The move leaves Nevada with only one licensed real-money option, WSOP Online.
- ClubWPT Gold now operates in 41 states, down from 42, according to PokerNews.
- Nevada players can no longer make deposits but can play until midnight on September 28.
- Players must withdraw remaining balances by October 2.
- ClubWPT Gold ran a $5 million Invitational Freeroll at the 2024 WPT World Championship.
- The site offered a $1 million bracelet bonus at the 2025 WSOP, tied to a chip-dumping scandal.
- A $3 million guaranteed Super Gold Million is planned for the 2026 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.
What is the ClubWPT Gold Nevada exit about?
The ClubWPT Gold Nevada exit means the sweepstakes poker site is shutting down operations in the state. PokerNews reports the company cited state regulatory action as the reason for the change.
The email sent to players said ClubWPT Gold would be winding down services in Nevada. New deposits stopped immediately, though existing players can still enter games for a short window before the site closes its doors there.
Why is ClubWPT Gold leaving Nevada?
ClubWPT Gold runs on a sweepstakes model rather than a traditional gaming license. Players technically buy poker hand analysis and receive free chips as part of that package, a setup that let the site operate in most states without going through state licensing.
Spadepoker's headline frames the move as part of a wider pattern of sweepstakes poker restrictions expanding across the country. Nevada regulators appear to be closing the loophole that let ClubWPT Gold compete directly with licensed operators inside state lines.
One chip on the site is worth one dollar when cashed out, which is why the sweepstakes structure has drawn scrutiny from regulators who treat it as functionally similar to real-money gambling.
How big was ClubWPT Gold's presence in Nevada?
ClubWPT Gold built a serious following in Nevada over the past couple of years. PokerNews reports the site had thousands of Nevada players, including some well-known professionals, competing against WSOP Online as the only other option in the state.
The site carries star power too, with ambassadors including Phil Ivey, Doug Polk, and Ethan 'Rampage' Yau. It also ran some of the largest daily tournament guarantees available in United States online poker, plus a recurring $218 buy-in event called the Gold Million that guaranteed $1 million.
ClubWPT Gold's history with the WPT and WSOP runs deep. The site hosted a $5 million Invitational Freeroll at the 2024 WPT World Championship and offered a $1 million bonus to any gold ticket winner who captured a WSOP bracelet in 2025.
What happened with the WSOP bracelet bonus controversy?
Two gold ticket winners actually did win WSOP bracelets in 2025, PokerNews reports: Jesse Yaginuma and Michael Lavin. But the promotion also led to a scandal when Yaginuma and James Carroll were found to have chip dumped during heads-up play at the Millionaire Maker final table.
Both players received lifetime bans from the WSOP over that incident. As a further consequence, players were barred from wearing any ClubWPT Gold patches at the 2026 WSOP, a sign of how closely the promotion had become tied to the live tournament series.
What are the deadlines for Nevada players?
Nevada players can keep playing poker games on ClubWPT Gold until midnight on September 28. After that point, no further play will be possible from inside the state.
The site is urging players to withdraw any remaining balances by October 2. Deposits are already unavailable, so funds left on the site past that deadline could become harder to recover.
Does this affect ClubWPT Gold's future live events?
The WPT still plans to run a $3 million guaranteed Super Gold Million at the 2026 WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas in December. PokerNews notes it remains unclear how the Nevada exit will affect that live event or the site's usual daily guarantees going forward.
For now, the practical fallout falls hardest on players physically located in Nevada. Those players can still legally play real-money poker through WSOP Online, or travel to a nearby state that still permits ClubWPT Gold, aside from Arizona.
What it means for players
Anyone playing on ClubWPT Gold in Nevada should withdraw funds before October 2 and stop counting on the site for daily play after September 28. Players elsewhere should watch for similar state action, since sweepstakes poker sites operate on a legal structure that regulators are increasingly testing. Nevada still has one licensed real-money option, WSOP Online, and players everywhere can keep sharpening their game for free with tools like our hand rankings and bankroll guide while the sweepstakes landscape shifts.
More on Lifes a Gambol: our WSOP 2026 preview · the free poker room.
Frequently asked
Can I still play on ClubWPT Gold if I live in Nevada?
You can play until midnight on September 28, but new deposits are no longer allowed. After that date, Nevada residents cannot access poker games on the site.
What happens to my money on ClubWPT Gold if I'm in Nevada?
PokerNews reports the site is asking Nevada players to withdraw any remaining balances by October 2. Chips are worth one dollar each when cashed out, so balances left past that date could be at risk.
Why did ClubWPT Gold pull out of Nevada?
The company pointed to state regulatory action against its sweepstakes-based operating model. Spadepoker's coverage places this within a broader trend of states restricting sweepstakes poker sites.
Is there a legal alternative for Nevada online poker players?
Yes. WSOP Online remains the only traditionally licensed real-money poker site operating in Nevada, and it is unaffected by this change.