When ClubWPT Gold announced it was removing Gold Coin free-to-play games from its site, leaving only Sweeps Coin games with payouts with real cash value, the industry knew some sort of pivot was coming.
On Sept. 24, the website unveiled the new look and approach, which has integrated training into the offering in lieu of social free-play poker.
Instead of buying Gold Coins to use on free-play tables, users now buy the ability for a poker training tool to analyze hands the user has played on the site. Each hand analyzed costs users $0.50 and for every dollar spent on hand analysis, users earn a dollar in chips that can be used in ring games and poker tournaments, where users can win prizes with cash value.
Existing Sweeps Coins on user accounts have been converted to chips.
Can this move keep ClubWPT in CA?
The move comes amidst the passage of a bill in California that would expressly prohibit dual-currency sweepstakes gaming sites in which a dual-currency model based on free-to-play casino games is utilized.
The language of the bill, AB831, does not immediately suggest that the elimination of the free-to-play gaming element of the site and the new training program would change how the bill would view the legality of the site if it passes into law.
Late in the process, the bill was amended to clarify that for-profit institutions could use sweepstakes promotions on a limited and occasional basis so long as they are “not intended to provide a vehicle for the establishment of ongoing gambling or gaming.”
According to its website, ClubWPT Gold currently does not operate in Washington, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey and Idaho. These states either have stricter-than-average laws around social gaming or, in the case of Montana and New Jersey, signed laws into effect prohibiting sweepstakes gaming this year.
Nevada and Connecticut have also passed anti-sweepstakes legislation, but those laws are not set to go into effect until Oct.1. Like California, New York also has a pending sweepstakes ban that is awaiting Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signature.
Does poker training have more value than free play?
Many critics of sweepstakes gaming suggest the free-to-play version of the games on these sites does not amount to a real product that has value and is merely a vehicle to fund real-money gambling, although the social casino gaming industry is a multi-billion-dollar vertical.
The poker training industry may not be quite as booming as social casino, but there are a number of companies out there that charge money for hand analysis and poker training, be it through apps or subscription sites. There is also a clear appetite from players for tools, particularly those teaching game theory optimal (GTO) play, to help improve their game.
The World Poker Tour acquired just such a company last month when it purchased poker pro Doug Polk’s Upswing Poker for an undisclosed amount.
The hand analysis for ClubWPT Gold is only available for hands played on the ClubWPT Gold site. Hands from other games cannot be imported for interpretation.
