Company Info
NSUS Group Inc. (2021)
Website
Restricted States
GA, HI, MN, MS, MT, OK, SC, SD, and WA
Welcome Bonus
N/A
Currencies
Play Chips and Live Dollars (L$)
Payment Methods
Credit/debit cards, PayPal, Klarna, Amazon Pay, Skrill, Paysafecard
Gaming Software
In-house
Gaming Categories
NLH, PLO, and 6+ SDH in ring, SNG, and tournament formats
Support Contacts
support@clubgg.net, live chat, contact form, social media
General Ratings
ClubGG Review
ClubGG is an online poker platform launched in 2021 by NSUS Group Inc. It was developed by GGPoker, a well-known real-money poker app, as a way to introduce the game to casual players through free-to-play options.
The platform enables you to play poker with your friends by creating your club with personalized games and tournaments, all free of charge. You can also compete in ring games and tournaments and vie for virtual rewards.
I decided to take a deeper look at ClubGG and investigate its gaming options, user experience, payment policies, and other key areas, so I downloaded the free client, donned my poker face, and got to work.
Pros
- Free poker platform with no rake
- Wide range of game modes
- Possibility to create your poker club and invite friends
- Busy tournament schedule
- Chance to qualify for WSOP Main Events
- Access available in 41 US states
Cons
- Few bonuses or promotions
- Limitations concerning what basic (free) members can do
- No browser play, available only via desktop software or a mobile app
ClubGG provides players an opportunity to enjoy free poker with friends through a robust and user-friendly desktop and mobile poker client. It’s a legit platform operating under sweepstakes laws across 41 US states. While paid membership plans do exist, you don’t have to make a purchase to play at ClubGG.
However, ClubGG’s free membership plan is extremely limited and the lowest membership plan comes at $9.99 a month; to win real prizes playing poker without a purchase, we believe the following gaming sites are better:
Legal States
Access to ClubGG is prohibited in the states of Georgia, Hawaii, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington. Players from eligible jurisdictions must be at least 18 years old to join.
How ClubGG Poker Works
ClubGG functions similarly to sweepstakes casinos in that it features two distinct virtual currencies — Play Chips, which are just for fun, and Live Dollars (L$), which can be redeemed for real prizes. The L$ to USD ratio is 1:1, and you need at least 100 L$ to request a prize redemption. This is similar to the limits at other sweepstakes platforms, as they also require a minimum of 50 or 100 units of their respective redeemable currency.
Unlike many of its real-poker counterparts, ClubGG requires players to download the client or play through its iOS or Android app. I downloaded the client on my PC. The installation file was just over 200 MB, and the setup was pretty straightforward, so it shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to create your account.
Another way in which ClubGG differs from other sweepstakes sites is that it is a subscription-based platform. You can always play for free with basic membership, which allows you to create your own clubs or join existing ones and play with friends.
However, if you wish to participate in tournaments, make the most of the platform’s additional features, and unlock special game modes, you’ll need to subscribe to either Standard membership ($9.99/month) or Platinum membership ($49.99/month).
ClubGG Bonuses
I was surprised not to see a sign-up offer when I created my account, and I couldn’t find any ongoing promotions available for those with basic membership, either. However, this is because you don’t really need any bonuses as a basic member. This mode only enables you to play with your friends, and you’ll be provided free chips at the start of each game.
One of the benefits of Platinum membership is that you can take advantage of tiered loyalty bonuses. Meanwhile, all members can build their chip stack using a referral system called Invite & Earn, where inviting friends makes you eligible for a special tournament with L$1,000 in prizes.
Bonuses Review
No Deposit Bonus | N/A |
Promo Code | N/A |
First Purchase Bonus | N/A |
Daily Free Credits | N/A |
VIP Program | Loyalty Bonus (Platinum members only) |
Mail-in Bonus | N/A |
Referral Bonus | Invite & Earn tournament with L$1,000 in prizes |
As you can see, bonuses are not exactly the focal point of ClubGG’s reward system. Subscribing for paid memberships will grant you access to loyalty bonuses and a 20% discount in the ClubGG Store, while Invite & Earn tournaments offer a nice opportunity to win some Live Dollars for spreading the word.
Other than that, you’ll just have to earn your chips by grinding through games and tournaments.
Promotions & Bonus Assessment
ClubGG Casino-Style Games
ClubGG enables you to play poker in a variety of ways. As a basic member, you can choose to create your own poker club or join existing ones. You can start No Limit Hold’em (NLH), Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), or Short Deck Hold’em (6+) games in ring, SNG, or tournament formats and set up the table size, action time, time banks, and other parameters.
Designed to keep things competitive, the tournament scheme is organized into three stages. Stage 1 involves hourly tournaments in which the top 20% of players earn tickets for Stage 2. It, in turn, features a series of SNGs, with each tournament awarding a ticket for the Final Stage.
The Final Stage is the most competitive, including tournaments that range from L$1,000 Monday Monster Stack PLOs to ClubGG Masters, which run on the last Sunday of each month and feature L$100,000 in guaranteed prizes. The Live Event tab contains a schedule of real-money WSOP and other live tournaments that you can qualify for through ClubGG.
Games and Software Review
Our Top Picks | WSOP live event qualifiers |
Poker Game Variants | No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Short Deck Hold’em |
Poker Game Formats | Ring, SNG, tournament |
Popular Tournaments | ClubGG Masters, L$100,000 Guaranteed (runs on the last Sunday of each month) |
Other Gaming Options | Social casino with slots and table games for Standard and Platinum members |
Gaming Vendors | In-house |
As far as poker apps go, ClubGG offers a fairly typical selection of poker games and formats. You have your standard NHLs and PLOs, although it would be nice to see some other popular options like Seven Card Stud or Badugi. Special formats such as Rabbit Hunt, Splash, and River Card Squeeze are available to paid members only.
The tournament selection is quite large, and the three-stage system keeps things exciting and competitive. Hands down the best feature of ClubGG is the ability to qualify for WSOP and other live poker events.
There is a social casino option for subscribed members, but it’s currently quite undeveloped, featuring only a handful of slots and table games. Still, the “Coming Soon” labels give me hope that the casino will host a more robust game selection in the future. The social casino has its own currency that you can purchase either with real money or by converting Live Dollars, but keep in mind that the casino chips are not redeemable in any way.
While ClubGG is not primarily a social casino, it does have this option for its Standard and Platinum members. By paying for membership, you will get free casino chips every day and get access to a handful of slots and table games.
You can redeem Live Dollars for casino chips at the rate of 1:10,000, but you can’t convert casino chips back into Live Dollars. You also have the option of purchasing additional chips from the store, but keep in mind that they don’t carry any monetary value.
Games Assessment
ClubGG Banking
As a free poker platform, ClubGG doesn’t facilitate deposits and withdrawals in the usual way. Instead, it offers Standard and Platinum memberships, each paid monthly and encompassing a range of benefits, like unlimited access to Stage 1 tournaments, 20% off in the GG Store, loyalty bonuses, and more.
Payment Options Review
You can pay for your subscription using the following options:
ClubGG Banking | Purchases | Redemptions | Average Redemption Time |
---|---|---|---|
Credit/debit cards | Yes | Yes | Up to 48 hours |
PayPal | Yes | Yes | Up to 48 hours |
Klarna | Yes | / | Up to 48 hours |
Amazon Pay | Yes | / | Up to 48 hours |
Skrill | Yes | Yes | Up to 48 hours |
Paysafecard | Yes | / | Up to 48 hours |
To get your hands on a prize, go to your account page, click the Live Dollar icon, and hit the Redeem button. You must have a minimum of L$100 in your account to request prize redemption, and the typical processing times are within 48 hours. Keep in mind that you must have a verified account to finalize the process.
Membership | Cost | Benefits |
---|---|---|
Basic | Free | - Creating or joining existing poker clubs and playing for free |
Standard | $9.99 | - Stage 1 access once a day - Access to GG Class - 20% discount at the GG Store - Additional game modes - Access to the social casino - Access to PokerCraft |
Platinum | $49.99 | - All Standard membership benefits - Unlimited Stage 1 access - Loyalty bonus and tiered rewards - Final Stage re-entries |
ClubGG offers two paid membership plans, which are worth considering if you want to compete for real prizes and tickets for live events. Namely, free users can only create or join poker clubs and play for fun, while Standard and Platinum members have access to tournaments with Live Dollar prizes.
The Standard membership plan is very affordable, but it comes with certain limits, most notably the fact that you only get one daily attempt at Stage 1 tournaments. With the pricey Platinum plan, you get unlimited tries and can even re-enter tournaments in the Final Stage, not to mention that this membership is the only one where you get any kind of bonuses.
Payments Assessment
Is ClubGG Legit?
Considering it’s a product of a well-known reputable poker network (GGPoker), ClubGG can be labeled safe and legitimate. As a social platform, it does not abide by the same laws as real-money poker apps and has no obligation to carry a specific gaming license.
The first line on ClubGG’s Terms of Service page clearly states that no purchases are necessary and that players are free to participate without becoming paid members. ClubGG stays true to this statement, allowing you to create and join poker clubs and play with your friends without any limits.
Due to specific laws and regulations, the platform is not available in Georgia, Hawaii, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington. Players from other states can freely join ClubGG as long as they are at least 18 years old.
Company and Safety Review
Company | NSUS Group Inc. |
License | No license. Operates under sweepstakes laws as a social gaming site. |
RNG-tested Games | BMM Testlabs Certified |
Age Restrictions | 18+ |
KYC Checks | Phone number, social security number, photo ID, or additional documentation may be required, but only from players with membership status. |
Website Encryption | SSL protocols and high-end encryption |
Operating Since | 2021 |
The ability to self-exclude, request timeouts, and set session limits has become an industry standard at regular online casinos, but I found no such options at ClubGG. You can terminate your account by going to Me > Help > Delete Account, and that’s it.
This could be because ClubGG doesn’t function like a typical sweepstakes platform, let alone an online casino. Once you sign up for paid membership (which you can cancel at any time, by the way), you are pretty much done with spending any money on the app, bar the optional GG Store purchases.
Safety Assessment & Trust Score
ClubGG Customer Support
You can reach out to ClubGG by clicking the Help icon on your account page. The “Contact Us” button will take you to the help center, where you can check out articles covering various topics. If you still can’t find your answer there, you can contact ClubGG’s support by email or by filling out the form in the live chat window. Alternatively, try contacting the platform’s customer service on Facebook and X.
Contacts Review
Phone | N/A |
support@clubgg.net | |
Live Chat | Yes |
FAQ Page | Yes |
Other Contact Options | Facebook, X (Twitter) |
Response Time | 1–48 hours |
ClubGG Support Assessment
ClubGG UX
Both the ClubGG downloadable client and mobile app seem very easy to navigate. You can create your club, sign up for a tournament, and request prize redemption in just a few taps. The poker action looks gorgeous, with crisp visuals and sound effects. You can explore the personalization options in the game setting tab if you want to customize the betting buttons, set up auto top-ups, change the appearance of the cards, and more.
Accessibility Review
Apps | iOS and Android |
Mobile Casino | / |
Mobile-Specific Features | Mobile payment wallets, downloadable client |
Filtering Options | Chips display (on/off), smart focus, auto top-up, betting buttons, card sets |
Number of Mobile Games | Same as on the desktop |
Aspects That Are Missing on Mobile | None |
UX Assessment
ClubGG Sister Sites
ClubGG’s only sister site is its real-money counterpart, GGPoker, as both are part of the same network. However, poker apps with sweepstakes elements are quite a rare find, and we can’t really compare ClubGG with any similar subscription-based platforms that we have reviewed thus far.
The only sweepstakes poker sites that we have reviewed here at SweepsKings are ClubWPT and Global Poker, the latter being a bit different from ClubGG. It has no subscription options but instead gifts players Gold Coins and tournament entries while also featuring redeemable Sweeps Coins.
Global Poker has a standard bonus consisting of 100,000 GC and 10 tournament entries, while the only incentives you get at ClubGG are the loyalty bonuses for being a Platinum member. You can play Texas Holdem, Omaha, Omaha H/L, and Crazy Pineapple at Global, while the game selection at ClubGG is limited to Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Short Deck Hold’em.
Still, the tournament selection at ClubGG is unmatched, and it even gives you a chance to qualify for live events, which is one thing that Global Poker doesn’t have.
Since you’re already paying a monthly subscription for ClubGG, there is no additional rake. Meanwhile, the rake at Global Poker is fixed at 5% across all blind levels and for both GC and SC play.
Both platforms treat slots and other casino games as secondary content, but Global Poker has a slightly better offering at the moment.
Comparison
Sites Like GlubGG | Games | Welcome Bonus | Apps | Best for |
---|---|---|---|---|
ClubGG | 10+ | No welcome bonuses | Yes (Android and iOS) + downloadable poker client | Tournaments, creating your own poker club to play with friends, and getting a chance to qualify for live events |
Global Poker | 35+ | 100,000 GC + 10 tournament entries | No (instant play) | Fun game formats and extensive tournament selection, low redemption threshold (50 SC) |
ClubWPT | 80+ | 5,000 Play Chips and 500 Tournament Coins | Yes (Android and iOS) + downloadable poker client | Tickets to real poker events, huge variety of poker games |
Clubs Poker | 140+ | 2,500 Gold Coins + 0.5 Sweeps Coins | No | Casino-style games + poker, soft player pool, daily refills |
How It Stacks Up
Club-based poker apps like ClubGG are becoming increasingly popular. PokerBros and PPPoker are some of ClubGG’s biggest competitors, all giving players the ability to create private clubs with personalized game settings. They are all play-money apps, but ClubGG stands out by offering paid subscriptions, which enable players to enter tournaments and win the app’s branded redeemable currency.
ClubGG currently stands unchallenged in this field, providing a great blend of free poker games you can enjoy with friends and competitive tournament play where even live event entries can be at stake.
Our Experts Verdict
ClubGG is a free-to-play extension of GGPoker that scores high across the board. Creating your poker club to play with friends and having a shot at qualifying for WSOP live events makes this a worthwhile poker platform for both casual players and those with a big appetite.
While this is not your run-of-the-mill sweepstakes platform where you’ll be doused in bonuses at every step, it’s a great way to practice and demonstrate your poker skills while enjoying great benefits with two distinct membership plans.
There are some improvements to be made, especially in the customer support department, but overall, we can confidently say that ClubGG is one of the best free-to-play poker options for players in the US.