GGPoker is preparing to roll out a major overhaul of its rewards program, and early details suggest it could be a genuine game changer.
Beginning January 30, 2026, GGPoker’s existing Fish Buffet loyalty program will be replaced by Ocean Rewards, which the operator describes as “the next evolution of Fish Buffet.”
The revamped structure represents a massive upgrade over the current system and introduces materially higher cashback levels across the board.
Under Ocean Rewards, players will be eligible to earn up to 80% cashback, a notable increase from the current maximum of 60%. At that level, the new program would stand as the most generous rewards offering in the online poker industry by a considerable margin.
In addition to raising the ceiling, GGPoker is also increasing the floor, with minimum cashback rising from 15% to approximately 24%.
Ocean Rewards will also be implemented on GGPoker Ontario, the operator’s segregated platform serving Ontario online poker players.
Although the operator has not yet released every detail, enough information is available to provide a clear picture of how the new rewards system will function.
- Or get up to $100 worth of rewards
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- Great MTT schedule including WSOP events
- Exciting tournament action
- Quality software & mobile apps
- Online WSOP bracelet events
As with Fish Buffet, players will continue to earn points whenever they generate rake denominated in dollars. Previously known as Fish Buffet Points (FP), these will be rebranded as Tide Points (TP). Under the new structure, players will earn 100 Tide Points for every $1 in rake generated. Under Fish Buffet, points were awarded on an average basis influenced by PVI, depending on a player’s profile. It remains unclear whether that PVI-based adjustment will continue under Ocean Rewards.
The program will once again feature eight primary tiers, each containing multiple ranks. These tiers are Fish, Shrimp, Crab, Turtle, Octopus, Dolphin, Whale, and Shark, with Shark representing the highest status level. All tiers except the entry-level Fish require players to maintain a minimum number of Tide Points.
Fish carries no maintenance requirement, while Shrimp requires 10,000 TP and offers approximately 32% cashback. Crab follows at 50,000 TP for roughly 40% cashback, Turtle at 200,000 TP for about 48%, and Octopus at 750,000 TP for around 56%. Dolphin requires 2,000,000 TP for 64% cashback, Whale requires 5,000,000 TP for 72%, and Shark sits at the top with 10,000,000 TP and approximately 80% cashback.
Ocean Rewards Rank and Cashback Percentage
| Level | Tide Points (TP) Required | Rake Worth | Cashback % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | 0 | - | ~24% |
| Shrimp | 10,000 | $100 | ~32% |
| Crab | 50,000 | $500 | ~40% |
| Turtle | 200,000 | $2,000 | ~48% |
| Octopus | 750,000 | $7,500 | ~56% |
| Dolphin | 2,000,000 | $20,000 | ~64% |
| Whale | 5,000,000 | $50,000 | ~72% |
| Shark | 10,000,000 | $100,000 | ~80% |
In addition to Tide Points, players will also earn GEMs as part of Ocean Rewards. These GEMs scale in value as players move up the tiers, meaning higher-ranked players can exchange them for increasingly valuable rewards. The more GEMs a player accumulates, the greater the overall reward potential becomes.
Ocean Rewards will also introduce a twelve-month tier guarantee. Once a player reaches a tier such as Octopus, they will retain that status for a full year without needing to requalify or maintain it on a monthly basis. To facilitate the transition from Fish Buffet, all players will receive a complimentary tier upgrade when Ocean Rewards launches. This upgrade will be based on either a player’s Fish Buffet rank as of January 30, 2026, or their rank determined by Fish Points earned between January 1, 2026, and January 30, 2026, whichever is higher.
The new rewards program will be available to both existing Fish Buffet members and new players. All eligible accounts will be automatically enrolled into Ocean Rewards without any required action, although GGPoker notes that players in certain jurisdictions may need to manually opt in through the game client.
Any pending Fish Buffet rewards will be automatically paid out to players’ account balances ahead of the transition.
Generous, But Demanding
This marks GGPoker’s first major rewards overhaul in nearly six years. The last significant update came in 2020, when the operator reworked Fish Buffet and introduced the “Black” ranks with fixed weekly cashback levels capped at 60%.
With a potential 80% cashback rate, no other operator currently comes close in the dot-com market. PokerStars’ revamped rewards program, introduced in 2024, is considered competitive but remains capped at 60% rakeback.
That said, reaching the top tier will require substantial volume. To qualify for the Shark level, players must accumulate 10,000,000 Tide Points, which translates to generating $100,000 in rake to earn approximately $80,000 back in rewards. Even at the lower end, meaningful volume is required, as the Shrimp tier requires roughly $100 in rake to receive about 32% cashback.
Even so, the increase in rewards is significant, particularly when combined with GGPoker’s recurring monthly giveaways, which total millions of dollars and average around $15 million per month. While the operator is often noted for charging slightly higher rake, the improved rewards structure goes a long way toward offsetting that cost.
How competitors will respond to GGPoker’s revamped rewards offering remains to be seen.
