New York has outlawed online dual-currency sweepstakes with immediate effect, forcing ClubWPT Gold to abruptly shut off access for anyone in the state.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill S5935A into law on December 5. The law empowers the New York State Gaming Commission to define and enforce what constitutes dual-currency sweepstakes poker and other sweepstakes gaming, and it outlines penalties of up to $100,000 per violation for operators and third parties.
ClubWPT Gold has locked New York players out of their accounts and is advising redemptions only from permitted neighboring states. The operator stated in an FAQ that any player, regardless of residency, physically located in New York cannot log in. It added that New York residents can still exchange chip balances if they log in from jurisdictions like Pennsylvania, Massachusetts or Vermont.
Earlier this summer, the operator warned of an imminent exit and set an August 2 deadline for redemptions. However, that deadline passed and the site remained open to players in the state, pokerfuse understands. But the new law’s immediate effect has now ended access.
The exit follows months of preparation by other sites that left New York well ahead of the Governor’s signature.
Senate Bill S5935A defines sweepstakes gaming broadly and explicitly includes poker as a table game. It bans operation, promotion, or support of dual-currency sweepstakes, and extends liability to media sites and affiliates.
The New York bill moved quickly through the legislature earlier this year. Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr., a long-time proponent of regulated online poker, introduced the measure in committee in May and it passed both chambers by wide margins in June. It was delivered to the Governor on December 1 and signed four days later.
Players face abrupt lockouts while rivals staged orderly exits
ClubWPT’s withdrawal was immediate. Players in New York are locked out and must cross state lines to initiate prize redemptions, according to the platform’s published guidance.
By contrast, other poker operators executed planned, staged departures from the Empire State. Clubs Poker and Global Poker withdrew in May, each implementing a phased wind-down that paused accrual of sweeps coins, then gameplay, with redemptions continuing for a period. Those earlier exits gave players time to clear balances.
ClubWPT’s action, triggered by the law’s immediate force, did not include a final in-state redemption window. The same occurred in New Jersey, when it abruptly exited there, making it difficult for players to redeem prizes.
ClubWPT’s training pivot did not prevent a New York shutdown
ClubWPT Gold overhauled its product this fall and rebranded as an educational platform. It removed Gold Coins, renamed Sweeps Coins as chips, and introduced Hand Analysis credits for an integrated GTO review tool linked to played hands. Players purchase Hand Analysis credits, and those purchases also award chips that function as sweepstakes entries with real money prize redemptions.
The pivot was positioned by the operator as a move to be on more sound footing amid new state laws targeting dual-currency models. The changes included acquiring Upswing Poker, integrating analysis, and reframing poker gameplay as a complement to training access.
However, the New York statute explicitly empowers the Commission to determine what constitutes a dual-currency system. The law covers any online game that utilizes a dual-currency system of payment where players can exchange currency for a cash prize and simulates casino-style gaming, with poker explicitly included. With that discretion codified, the training wrapper did not keep ClubWPT Gold available in New York once the measure took effect.
The company’s summer communication had warned New York players of a potential abrupt cutoff and advised early redemptions. Despite the platform’s later transition to a training-first model, New York logins are now blocked and prize exchanges require access from outside the state.
What the law says, who it covers, and what comes next in California
New York’s law bans operation, conduct, or promotion of online dual-currency sweepstakes gaming that simulates casino or table games, including poker. It extends liability to third parties such as affiliates, content providers, payment processors, geolocation companies, and individuals tied to those entities.
The bill’s broad definition states that sweepstakes gaming includes any internet contest or promotion that uses a dual-currency system and allows exchange for any cash prize or cash equivalent. It further states the NYSGC shall determine what constitutes a dual-currency system.
Looking ahead, California has enacted a similar prohibition on dual-currency sweepstakes. The statewide ban was signed and will take effect on January 1, 2026. Like the New York bill, it will impose stiff fines on anyone who violates the law. This includes companies and individuals involved in the business of running or promoting dual-currency sweepstakes in CA, and extends to media affiliates and ambassadors.
Stake US has already set a December 30 gameplay cutoff, leaving redemptions available after that date. Plans from other poker-focused operators, including Global Poker and Clubs Poker, are expected to follow in the coming days.
While it did not help in New York, ClubWPT Gold has indicated it intends to continue operating in California with its training-led model. This will be put to the test very soon.
