ClubWPT Gold announced its return to New York after leaving the sweepstakes casino market in December.
The company made changes to its business model in hopes of operating legally in states that passed sweepstakes casino bans, including New York and California.
Last September, ClubWPT Gold eliminated its dual-currency system and rebranded as a poker training site. The rebrand came shortly after the company purchased the Upswing Poker training site from Doug Polk.
Instead of buying gold coins and receiving sweeps coins redeemable for cash, players purchase poker training credits. Then, players receive chips that they can play with. Players can review hands in the site’s training software and redeem chips for cash and prizes. The change came just before California banned sweepstakes casinos in October.
Last July, ClubWPT Gold announced it was exiting the New York market, in anticipation of the sweepstakes casino ban. However, after it made the changes to its business model, and opted not to leave the Golden State, the company reversed course.
The site announced its return to the Empire State via a video featuring ambassador Nikki Limo on X.
Welcome back, New York pic.twitter.com/X8YgZsHA3I
— ClubWPT Gold (@ClubWPTGold) January 12, 2026
ClubWPT Gold Stays Active In Two Of Largest US Markets
Returning to New York and staying in California allows the site to cater to players in two of the country’s largest markets. The Empire State has almost 20 million people, while California has nearly twice that with 39.5 million.
Company officials believe the new business model allows it to operate in states that have banned sweeps.
The platform hasn’t returned to some other states with bans in place, including Connecticut and New Jersey.
Expert Believes Company Still Violates Sweeps Bans
Despite the change in its business model, which included altering some rules for California players, some legal experts believe the platform may still be violating state sweeps bans.
“With respect to ClubWPT Gold, I don’t think its two changes make them compliant with California’s new law,” Bob Jarvis, a gambling law expert and professor at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, told Card Player recently.
“Rebranding itself as a ‘poker training site’ is just a meaningless nomenclature change that any court will easily see through. Ditto for the move from ‘dual currency’ to ‘hand analysis credits.’ As the old saying goes, I can call myself the King of Siam, but that does not make me the King of Siam.”
