With simply over a day remaining earlier than California’s sweepstakes ban comes into impact, ClubWPT Gold (CWG), which has vowed to proceed working within the state, has introduced modifications that may influence California-based gamers.
California gamers will nonetheless be capable of entry ClubWPT Gold, however starting within the new 12 months, the operator is introducing a brand new framework that it believes will enable it to proceed working sweepstakes poker legally within the state.
In accordance with the operator, these modifications are designed to adjust to AB 831, laws that bans on-line sweepstakes platforms utilizing a “dual-currency system of fee.” The brand new legislation takes impact on January 1, 2026.
Beginning January 1, 2026, CWG will introduce what it calls “California Sport Days.” Below this coverage, gamers positioned in California will solely be capable of win redeemable Chips in ring video games and tournaments for a most of 9 calendar days every month.
Any Chips gained exterior of this nine-day window will nonetheless be credited to a participant’s account, however can be labeled as unredeemable Chips. Nevertheless, unredeemable Chips can nonetheless be transformed to redeemable Chips.
This doesn’t imply California gamers are restricted to enjoying solely 9 days monthly. Gamers might proceed to play on the platform exterior of the designated Sport Days; nonetheless, any Chips gained throughout that interval won’t be redeemable till the next month.
CWG states that every one different platform options will stay unchanged and obtainable 24/7. Gamers will proceed to have unrestricted entry to instruments similar to Hand Evaluation. The modifications will apply completely to gamers positioned in California.
As for the way unredeemable Chips change into redeemable, the operator explains that they’ll convert within the following month as soon as a participant participates in a hoop sport or match. Unredeemable Chips will robotically be used earlier than any redeemable Chips.
California Bans Sweepstakes Gaming
These modifications comply with California Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of AB 831 on October 11. The invoice moved swiftly by means of the legislature and handed with unanimous help. Its scope instantly targets the trendy sweepstakes mannequin by which purchases award bonus tokens, sometimes called Sweeps Cash, that may later be redeemed. Below the legislation, associates, fee processors, and software program suppliers may face authorized threat in the event that they proceed supporting sweepstakes operations after the efficient date.
In response, various sweepstakes operators, together with these providing on-line poker, have introduced plans to exit the California market by the top of the 12 months. ClubWPT Gold, nonetheless, has chosen a markedly completely different method. Moderately than withdrawing, the operator beforehand signaled its intention to stay in California by adopting what it described as a training-first mannequin. This new mannequin eliminated gold cash, launched “hand evaluation tokens,” rebranded sweeps cash as Chips, and later added a month-to-month membership choice.
On the time, the operator acknowledged that its workforce had been “proactively making updates to the platform and creating new options to align with the upcoming legislative change,” including that it was “dedicated to persevering with to function in compliance with California legislation.”
These modifications have now been formally unveiled.
Compliance Workaround by ClubWPT Gold
The important thing query is how this revised construction permits ClubWPT Gold to proceed working, on condition that AB 831 explicitly bans sweepstakes gaming. Primarily based on the operator’s method, it seems the corporate could also be counting on particular carve-outs throughout the laws.
First, the operator has moved away from a conventional dual-currency sweepstakes mannequin, rebranding itself primarily as a poker coaching platform by eliminating gold cash, introducing hand evaluation tokens, and reclassifying sweeps cash as Chips.
The operator can be seemingly drawing on language present in Part 337o. (f), which states that the legislation doesn’t prohibit sport promotions or sweepstakes performed by for-profit industrial entities on a “restricted and occasional foundation” when used as an promoting or advertising software that’s incidental to bona fide gross sales of shopper services or products and never meant to facilitate ongoing playing or gaming.
ClubWPT Gold’s authorized workforce could also be arguing that limiting redeemable play to fewer than one-third of every month qualifies as “restricted and occasional,” whereas positioning its hand evaluation instruments and coaching options because the core shopper merchandise being promoted.
Whether or not this interpretation finally withstands authorized scrutiny can be as much as attorneys, regulators, and presumably the judiciary to find out. For now, nonetheless, ClubWPT Gold has outlined a path that enables it to proceed working in California, the most important market within the US.
The platform has additionally revealed an in depth FAQ outlining how the brand new system works and the way gamers can be affected.
In the meantime, a number of competing sweepstakes poker platforms have confirmed their exits from the California market. Golf equipment Poker withdrew on December 29, with redemptions ending the identical day. World Poker and Stake Poker US are each set to exit on December 30, with World Poker permitting redemptions by means of January 15, 2026. Stake US has but to announce a remaining date for Sweeps Coin redemptions.
