IS GLOBAL POKER LEGAL?

Of course! Global Poker is a social poker site that offers its players a thrilling poker experience, with ring games, tournaments, and other poker and casino-style social games.

Global Poker’s standard play allows customers to play its games using virtual currency called Gold Coins (Standard Play). In addition, players residing in the United States (excluding outlying Territories and the State of Washington) and Canada (excluding Quebec) have the opportunity to enter Global Poker’s sweepstakes promotions via free sweepstakes tokens called Sweeps Coins to participate in its games. This is called Promotional Play. Sweeps Coins are given away free of charge by Global Poker as a promotion for the sale of some of its Gold Coin packages and via numerous non-purchase "alternative methods of entry". Sweeps Coins won from Promotional Play are redeemable for gift cards and cash.

WHO IS GLOBAL POKER?

Global Poker is operated by VGW GP Limited. Promotional Play (involving sweepstakes promotions) is sponsored by VGW Games Limited. Both VGW GP and VGW Games are subsidiaries of VGW Holdings Limited, a public company incorporated in Australia in 2010.

WHAT ARE “SWEEPSTAKES”?

Sweepstakes are trade promotions. They promote the sale of a retailer's products through free prize giveaways and have been used around the world for decades.

IS GLOBAL POKER THE ONLY GAMING COMPANY TO USE SWEEPSTAKES PRIZES?

No, gaming companies offering sweepstakes promotions is nothing new. There have been, and still are, many companies offering sweepstakes promotions.

WHICH OTHER COMPANIES USE SWEEPSTAKES?

Many companies worldwide use sweepstakes to promote and sell their products. Sweepstakes promotions have been running for decades in the United States and other countries around the world.

Companies such as McDonalds, Publishers Clearing House (PCH) Reader’s Digest, Pepsi and Proctor & Gamble all regularly use widely known, and often global, sweepstakes promotions.

HOW CAN I PLAY ON GLOBAL POKER?

In Global Poker’s Standard Play, games are played using a form of virtual currency called “Gold Coins”. Players can accumulate and play with Gold Coins. Gold Coins cannot be redeemed for anything of value nor can they be transferred or traded.

Like many other social gaming operators, Global Poker uses a play-for-fun “freemium” model where players can play with Gold Coins obtained free or opt to extend or enhance their gaming experience by buying additional Gold Coins.

Global Poker uses sweepstakes to promote the sale of some of its Gold Coins packages. Entry into Global Poker’s sweepstakes promotions is via free entry tokens called Sweeps Coins. Global Poker’s unique offering allows players residing in the United States (excluding outlying Territories and the State of Washington) and Canada (excluding Quebec) (Permitted Jurisdictions) to participate in the promotional sweepstakes by using their free Sweeps Coins to play games in Global Poker’s Promotional Play, including tournaments, ring games, and casino-style games.

Eligible Global Poker players residing in the Permitted Jurisdictions can obtain free Sweeps Coins for Promotional Play in four ways:

(a) as a free bonus with the purchase of certain packages of Gold Coins;
(b) when entering Sweeps Coins no-cost giveaway contests on the Global Poker social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter;
(c) by logging into their account and claiming the bonus Sweeps Coins available daily by clicking “Get Coins” and then clicking “Claim your FREE daily Bonus”; and
(d) by sending a request via post in accordance with the Sweeps Rules.

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN SWEEPS COINS.

Once a player’s account is verified, Sweeps Coins won from Promotional Play are redeemable for gift cards and cash.

I AM CURRENTLY OUTSIDE THE PERMITTED JURISDICTIONS. CAN I STILL PARTICIPATE IN THE GLOBAL POKER SWEEPSTAKES PROMOTION?

No. As set out in Global Poker’s T&Cs and Sweeps Rules, players outside of the United States (excluding outlying Territories and the State of Washington) and Canada (excluding Quebec) (“Permitted Jurisdictions”) cannot participate in Promotional Play (i.e. the Global Poker sweepstakes promotion). Players must be a legal resident of and physically located in the Permitted Jurisdictions.

A player who is a legal resident of a Permitted Jurisdiction but travels outside of the Permitted Jurisdiction is not permitted to engage in Promotional Play on the Global Poker platform using Sweeps Coins or to redeem Sweeps Coins for prizes during their time away from the Permitted Jurisdiction. They may only resume Promotional Play upon returning to the Permitted Jurisdiction.

The fun and entertainment of Global Poker’s Standard Play games may, on the other hand, be experienced by almost all players, provided it is legal in the jurisdiction where they are situated and excluding those who reside in or attempt to access the Global Poker platform from the State of Washington.

Under the Global Poker T&Cs and Sweeps Rules, players who participate in Promotional Play but cannot satisfy Global Poker that they are a legal resident of a Permitted Jurisdiction and/or are suspected of, or found to be, engaging in Promotional Play while outside of the Permitted Jurisdiction will have their Global Poker account deactivated and any Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins in their account voided.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A LEGAL RESIDENT OF A PERMITTED JURISDICTION?

To qualify as a ‘legal resident’ of a Permitted Jurisdiction for the purpose of participating in Global Poker’s Promotional Play, a player must prove to Global Poker’s satisfaction that they reside in and have a current residential address in a Permitted Jurisdiction.

HOW DOES GLOBAL POKER DETERMINE IF I’M A LEGAL RESIDENT OF AND / OR PHYSCIALLY LOCATED IN A PERMITTED JURISDICITON?

Global Poker requires players to provide documents and information proving that they are a legal resident of a Permitted Jurisdiction. Global Poker may also request documents or information at any time to assist in verifying a player’s eligibility and prove a player is, or was during a specified period, physically located in a Permitted Jurisdiction.

The information requested may include a valid identification document (e.g. passport or driver’s license), proof of residential address (e.g. recent bank statement, utility bill or lease agreement) and proof of travel (e.g. flight itinerary). Global Poker may, in its sole discretion, require players to provide additional information and/or documents.

Global Poker also undertakes random checks and investigations in relation to the above requirements.

WHEN IS VERIFICATION REQUIRED?

You can verify your account at any time.

If not already verified, Global Poker requires verification to be completed when a player requests their first Sweeps Coins prize redemption. This is to make sure that entrants are eligible to claim prizes (including meeting the legal resident requirement) and to ensure prizes are sent to the correct account holder.

If prizes are to be paid to a joint bank account, Global Poker requires that all account holders, and not just the prize winner, are verified.

For redemption purposes, the verification requirement generally only applies to a player’s first Sweeps Coins prize redemption. Future Sweeps Coins prize redemptions usually do not require further verification.

However, Global Poker may also require verification or additional verification when a player’s purchase and/or prize redemption levels reach certain thresholds or if Global Poker considers, at its sole discretion, that additional verification checks are required.

HOW RANDOM IS THE CARD SHUFFLE USED BY GLOBAL POKER?

The RNG used by Global Poker to shuffle the cards utilises a Mersenne Twister with background cycling. This was certified by iTechLabs on 15 February 2017 who confirmed that it uses a well-known algorithm to generate random numbers. The numbers generated by this RNG have passed Marsaglia’s “diehard” tests for statistical randomness. iTech Labs has found that number sequences are unpredictable, non-repeatable and uniformly distributed.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOLD COINS AND SWEEPS COINS?

Gold Coins are the virtual social gaming currency used in Standard Play on Global Poker’s gaming platform. Sweeps Coins are free entry tokens used in Promotional Play to participate in Global Poker’s sweepstakes promotion. It is easy to switch between Standard Play and Promotional Play on the Global Poker platform.

WHAT IS “SC”?

“SC” is an abbreviation for Sweeps Coins, which are free sweepstakes entry tokens used to participate in Promotional Play on Global Poker’s platform.

HOW DO I DEPOSIT MONEY INTO MY GLOBAL POKER ACCOUNT?

A player CANNOT deposit money into their Global Poker Account. Global Poker does not provide real money gaming where participants can deposit money and use it to play games. Global Poker is a social poker site which allows participants to engage in Standard Play using Gold Coins obtained for free or purchased by players to extend or enhance their gaming experience.

To enjoy the fun of Global Poker’s Standard Play games just set up an account, claim free Gold Coins and hit the tables.

ARE THERE PURCHASE LIMITS AT GLOBAL POKER?

Global Poker may, at its sole discretion, apply purchase limits to any account. Purchase limits can usually be increased by completing account verification.

Im just confused in one portion where it is stated that the only company to try this model is global and it has a patent. I understand the sweepstakes process as I have played on many a subscription theme poker site. Why have other companies not used your model specifically with ring games. All the sub sites I have played on only had mtts. Not one offered ring games that were actually raked. I believe this is the most concerning point in your model that we would like explained.

I understand that ring games are exchanged for gold coins premise. Not one site that was subscription based could offer actual ring games and you are raking the ring games. Thank you for your detailed response it is good to know that the player funds are segregated you seem like a legitimate company that has done its research , just seems too good to be true and simple leading us to wonder why it could have not been implemented previously.

Seals with clubs did something similar by using bitcoins and therefore believing they had a new model until they where in for a rude awakening by the nevada gaming commission . Not saying that is going to happen here but US players are a wary bunch because we have been thru this many a time before. I hope the model is sustainable, one can only hope. Swc went to .eu, you guys are right in the government sights. If you become big could face consequences then.

I don't play on subscription sites, but as I understand it they operate on a model where players pay a subcription fee in order to access freerolls, so no one ever has an account balance and therefore cash games are impossible.

That adds a great deal of information, but I don't see that you are not publicly traded. You did a raise via private placement last December but there is no public financials nor stock quote available for you. You've raised $16 million for the company since 2010, seems like an awfully large amount of money for a small operation. Escalante and Blythe-Tinker certainly have a decent background for this, so hope it takes off.

The patent is really window dressing. It doesn't prevent anyone from creating the same end result via a different path. Since it is not the norm, 'sweepstakes' type of function, other sites will be very hesitant to change what they are already doing. It will likely attract some new companies, but the big poker networks already are operating fully.

It seems like the idea is very similar to the WPT online poker model.

Sweepstakes != subscription.

Well, you, anyway.

Which is good since it shows that the people that gave them the money have a lot of faith in the future of the company and the people running it. Money talks B/S walks. The money is irretrievably in the bag. These professional backers expect a return on their investment. I would trust their judgment more than that of a few amateurs wanne be poker players who have no legal experience regarding the subject matter with respect to the sweepstakes model or Paypal policy regarding this type of site.

Now I understand how they can have a 10k freeroll so soon after opening the site. They can afford many more and all the overlay tournyes that present very good value.
By the way if they had not paid out on the 10k it would have all over the place.

Has anybody heard a "midtern scam" being able to raise 16 million?
Use common sense.

Just to clarify this part a bit more.

How can Global Poker offer raked ring games for sweepstakes cash prizes and other sites do not?

In short, each pot in a ring game is its own individual sweepstakes.
Other sites operate sweepstakes gamesas a tournament, but none have ever used the concept of sweepstakes represented as a virtual currency, used to promote/sell another virtual currency (Gold Coins).
When sweepstakes are represented and played in this way, players can join ring games and enter each sweepstakes as a pot in a single ring game. This model is not possible unless sweepstakes entries can be represented, accumulated and claimed (ie. cashed out) in this fashion. This model and process is part of VGW’s patent pending.

Its hard to wrap my head on the concept but if they say they have a top sweepstakes lawyer advising them on this, who am I to challenge it.
The worst that can happen is that some State, like NV, challenge the concept as form over substance. Then if they lose that argument they can still continue to operate if they then say won't be able to take players from that state.
For a player there is little risk since they appear to be legit and well funded.
So I am going to enjoy playing there. No worries.

And that Chumba Casino has been operating under the sweepstakes theory for quite a while and the slots there are games chance not skill.
Chumba's deposit and withdrawals are handled the same way thru Paypal.

16MM is a lot of money to raise for such a small company. As one of the evil hedge fund guys, it seems to be overkill, especially when you take into account they did not pay to develop the software. No clue what other business they conduct since it appears to be a private company.

They pay out immediately, no issues, and that is the most important thing for me. I like the software and the feel of the games there. Wish them the best and hope the states mind their own damn business and that is attending to the needs of the impoverished and not how I choose to spend my own, already taxed, money.

So to be clear, is the real money equivalent of "Sweeps cash" kept segregated at all times? For example, if the sum of all the account's "Sweeps cash" is equal to one million dollars, is the real money equivalent available and segregated at all times?

No answers on the PayPal issue though....

There is no PayPal issue. It's working fine.

Significant, high-profile companies including Facebook, PayPal, and Worldpay have all performed in-depth analysis and full legal due diligence of Global Poker’s sweepstake model.

These are multi-billion dollar technology companies and payment processors in the US that do not allow gambling companies and their offerings on their platforms.

Each of these companies have conducted months of due diligence, reviewing our counsel’s opinion and challenging the business model and product.

Global Poker has successfully passed each legal review and continues to operate its unique social sweepstakes gaming model in partnership with each of these companies.

Are you guys even reading what they posted or are just trying to cause trouble.

Personally, won't be playing here until bitcoin could be used for dep and w/d. Not interested in having my PayPal acc closed from their stupid message, or having the payment reversed. And many credible players surely believe the same.

That is your prerogative. Mine is the opposite. I have contactrd PayPal and they informed that if they offer PayPal it is fine to use it. They also said that if later they are changed to gambling site that they would be not to reverse payment. They said that the user account would not be closed only would close the merchant aacount.

Is there a link to where PP closed a user acct for sending money to Chumba which has been operating at least 2 years. This PP thing is paranoia. Lets see some proof.

Just started playing at global poker but how do I change gold coins to sweeps cash ?

The gold coins and sweeps cash aren't interchangeable. If you mean how do you switch between gold coins and sweeps cash games, there are buttons to switch between the two in the lobby, upper right corner right below your balance and the buy gold coins button.

Bernie Maddoff raised billions with his scam 16 million is a drop in the bucket

Do you sell gold coins for sweeps cash or? Then if you do, you can cash out or play cash games?

RNG certification?

Below is posted from the thread dedicated to this topic.

The issue is done to death so any posts in here will be moved to the other thread/deleted so that this is not derailed away from other questions that customers may have.

Such a joke of a company. Claim you are working on getting the RNG certified last week and suddenly it's been certified for 4 months. Not buying it.

I did not realize this had been answered in previous threads. Thanks for the info!

so gold coinshave zero value?