Editor’s Note: The article has been updated to clarify how sales tax is being applied. While players may see sales tax added at checkout, per a player report, ClubWPT Gold appears to return the equivalent amount in bonus value. The exact implementation may vary by player and jurisdiction.
ClubWPT Gold (CWG), the popular sweepstakes poker platform catering to players across the US and Canada, has quietly begun applying sales tax to certain player purchases in select jurisdictions.
According to the platform’s FAQ, the new policy came into effect on April 1, although its official terms and conditions have yet to be updated to reflect the change.
As outlined in the Sales Tax FAQ, not all players will be impacted. Only those in specific regions will see sales tax added to eligible digital purchases, with the exact amount depending on a player’s physical location at the time of the transaction.
ClubWPT Gold operates on a sweepstakes-style model. While it claims not to follow a traditional dual-currency system, its structure is quite similar. Players can purchase access to a training feature called Hand Analysis, and in doing so, receive HA credits. Alongside these credits, players are also awarded a secondary token called “Chips,” which functions similarly to Sweeps Coins (SC) used on other platforms.
These Chips can be used to enter games and are redeemable for real money at a standard 1-to-1 rate. Players can also opt for Gold Subscriptions, which likewise include Chips as part of the package.
With the new policy, some players will now see sales tax applied to these purchases. The exact percentage varies and has not been publicly detailed, but the operator notes that the final amount will be clearly displayed before completing a transaction.
Addressing the change in its FAQ, CWG states: “ClubWPT Gold must begin collecting sales tax on certain digital products in taxable US and Canadian jurisdictions to comply with regulations and laws.”
Offsetting Tax With Bonuses
However, the added sales tax may not function as a pure extra cost. One player reported that while sales tax is charged at checkout, the equivalent amount is returned in the form of bonus value.
For example, a player in Pennsylvania purchasing 1,000 Hand Analysis credits priced at $495 was charged an additional 6% sales tax ($29.70), bringing the total to $524.70. However, the platform reportedly credited the player with 500 Chips plus an additional $29.70 worth of Chips, effectively matching the tax amount as a bonus.
If applied consistently, this would suggest that while sales tax is technically being collected, CWG may be offsetting the cost by returning the same value back to players in promotional form.
Following Global Poker’s Lead
With this move, ClubWPT Gold becomes the second sweepstakes poker operator to introduce sales tax on purchases. Global Poker was the first to do so, implementing the policy in July 2025. Its sister brands, LuckyLand Slots and Chumba Casino, followed suit. However, unlike ClubWPT Gold, those platforms pass the sales tax directly on to players.
Their parent company, VGW, likely made the move to demonstrate cooperation with lawmakers, particularly in California, where legislation targeting sweepstakes gaming was under consideration at the time (and has since been enacted). During a legislative hearing, VGW indicated it “would be happy to” collect and remit sales tax as a gesture of good faith, pointing to projections that the state could generate up to $149 million annually in tax revenue if proper frameworks were introduced.
CWG appears to be following a similar path, possibly to strengthen its standing with regulators and reinforce the legitimacy of its business model. Last year, Adam Pliska, President and CEO of the WPT, addressed lawmakers in New Jersey, advocating for regulation over prohibition. He noted that while New Jersey does not currently tax sweeps-based purchases, other states do and suggested that adopting a similar approach could be worth considering.
For now, key details remain unclear. The FAQ does not specify which states are affected or what exact tax rates are being applied.
In the US, most states impose sales tax, with a few exceptions—Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon. Base state rates typically range from 2.9% to 7.25%, and local taxes can push the total as high as 13% in some areas.
At present, only Global Poker and CWG are applying sales tax, while other sweepstakes platforms like Clubs Poker and Stake US have yet to follow.
Yet Another Cost for CWG Players?
At first glance, the introduction of sales tax appears to add another layer of cost for players. However, if the operator is consistently returning the equivalent amount as bonus value, the direct financial impact may not be as straightforward.
That said, CWG has already drawn criticism for monetizing features that are typically free elsewhere. In March 2025, it introduced a paid Time Bank feature, requiring players to spend a portion of their big blind—starting at 20%—to activate it.
Then, in August 2025, the platform rolled out a “Reveal Hands” feature, allowing players to view all hole cards after a hand concludes, again for a fee. More recently, in January 2026, it began charging for another commonly free feature: “Rabbit Hunt.”
While these features remain optional, the cumulative effect is clear. Even if sales tax is being offset through bonus value, players are still navigating a platform where multiple elements of the experience come at a price.
From the operator’s perspective, the move is tied to regulatory requirements, with taxes collected likely being remitted to state authorities. Whether offsetting that cost through bonuses is enough to ease player concerns or simply reframes the way value is delivered remains to be seen.
