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ClubWPT Gold Launches Clever & Bold Scheme to Evade New Sweeps Laws

When ClubWPT Gold decided to end Gold Coins fun mode play, we were very curious to learn what they were up to at the time. Now we know. While many states have been attacking the dual currency model utilized by most sweepstakes casinos and poker sites, ClubWPT Gold was cooking up an entirely new model that is outside what the states have been outlawing. The result? A whole new model that will allow them to enter many markets others have abandoned.

Steve Lapinski
Steve Lapinski

Last updated: 2025-09-29

Chad Nagel

9 minutes read

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Apparently, ClubWPTGold was one step ahead of regulators and state legislatures seeking to ban the dual currency sweepstakes model.

ClubWPTGold appears to have "one-upped" regulators and state legislators by ditching the dual currency model in favor of a new model that may allow them to remain or re-enter many states in the USA.

Why Did ClubWPT Gold Ditch Gold Coins?

In recent months, many states have decided to take on sweepstakes casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks with new legislation and regulatory action including cease-and-desist orders. As a result, many social casinos have decided to cease operations in many states, fearing that they would come under legal scrutiny from attorneys general or consumer lawsuits.

Many of the laws passed, with California's AB 831 as a prime example, have (foolishly) zeroed in on the dual-currency model employed by sweepstakes casino, poker, and sports betting sites. Perhaps they were doing this to laser focus on the organizations that they want to put out of business; however, in doing so, they may have just opened another big loophole for operators to exploit and remain legal.

At least, that's what ClubWPT Gold is thinking.

Recently, ClubWPT Gold announced that they were scrapping Gold Coin (fun mode) play on their sites. That left a lot of us that are involved in the industry scratching our heads. Isn't the dual-currency model what made the sweepstakes games legal?

Not so fast, says ClubWPT Gold.

The team at ClubWPT Gold concocted an innovative way to ditch the presence of two currencies on their platform. As a result, there are certain state laws that have been passed that won't apply to their platform.

Effectively, with their new model, ClubWPT Gold has transformed to become any other product seller that has a sweepstakes offered on the side, much like when big companies like General Mills or Pepsi sponsor a huge sweepstakes giveaway.

How did ClubWPT Gold do it? You're about to find out.

How Did ClubWPT Gold Circumvent New Sweepstakes Laws?

To get around the new sweepstakes laws in the various states that have been specifically targeting the dual currency model, ClubWPT Gold creatively thought of a way they could change their model to one that more closely resembled the big brand sweepstakes that state legislators and regulatory agencies have been working to carve out exceptions for when drafting legislation.

ClubWPT Gold did this by doing two things. First, they scrapped the Gold Coins, or fun mode, of play. Without the fun mode play, the ClubWPT Gold product no longer had a dual currency system.

However, without the presence of Gold Coin packages to purchase, there wasn't any way to get free Sweepstakes Coins for the real money contests. If you are a seasoned sweepstakes casino player, you know that the sweepstakes sites can't (and don't) sell SC; they are merely given as a gift, either for purchasing another product or completing some sort of task.

With no Gold Coin packages to sell (that include free Sweeps Coins), what is a site going to do?

ClubWPT Gold's Clever Workaround

Instead of selling fun mode Gold Coin packages, ClubWPT Gold has removed themselves from the business of selling coin packages altogether. Instead, ClubWPT Gold has developed a new, non-game product to sell. When people purchase that product, they are given free Sweeps Coins they can use in real money poker games.

Back in August, ClubWPT Gold bought Doug Polk's Upswing Poker training site. They took this site and the tools in it to create a new product they could sell in place of the Gold Coin packages they previously offered.

ClubWPT Gold's new paid product is a Hand Analysis tool to help players improve their poker game. When players purchase hand analysis credits for the tool, their package comes with a "gift" of Sweeps Coins (SC) they can use in real money play.

And just like that...ClubWPT Gold is not a two currency site, which gets them past the obstacles of the new and proposed laws in many states.

Not only do they circumvent the letter of the law in many cases, but their new product may very well pass muster as respecting the spirit of the law too.

So, ClubWPT Gold is not a social poker site any more. Instead, they are a company that offers poker hand analysis, but with a sweepstakes poker game for real money to reward their loyal players.

We don't know if that should have a winking emoticon at the end of the previous sentence.

For now, it looks like a very clever workaround. We will be curious to see if any regulators or attorneys general have the guts to challenge this new model in court.

You can be sure that, if they do, SportsBoom will be among the first to report what happens.

 

Steve Lapinski
Steve LapinskiCasino Editor

Steve Lapinski specializes in just about everything related to slot machines and casino games, both online and in land-based casinos in the USA. With over 25 years experience in the online gaming industry and nearly 40 years as a recreational gambler, the breadth of his knowledge on these topics is matched by few. Steve is passionate about casinos, and he takes great pride in sharing his knowledge of the subject with his readers.

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