ClubWPT Gold Turns To Poker Training Credits As New Model For Sweepstakes Play

The sweepstakes poker site ClubWPT Gold is changing direction with a fresh business model that drops free-to-play games and Gold Coins in favor of poker training credits. The new setup ties real poker play directly to training purchases, blending strategy learning with prize play.

Good to Know

• Players now buy hand analysis credits instead of Gold Coins.
• Credits unlock both training feedback and poker chips for prize games.
• The change may protect ClubWPT Gold from stricter sweeps casino laws.

ClubWPT Gold explained that the shift eliminates the old dual-currency structure where Gold Coins were purchased and Sweeps Coins awarded alongside. Now, when players spend money, they are essentially paying for training tools rather than in-game currency.

Training First, Poker Second

At the heart of the update is a hand analysis tool that evaluates each decision across a hand. According to the company, the tool shows “how close they were to game theory optimal (GTO) play” and highlights areas where a different line might have worked better.

“With each purchase of Hand Analyses, you’ll also get ‘Chips’ that you can use to play the games on ClubWPT Gold,” the site notes. “You can use Chips to play poker for real cash prizes at ClubWPT Gold. The Hand Analysis tool allows you to get feedback on all of the hands that you play.”

By selling training first, with poker chips added as part of the package, the operator positions itself differently from traditional sweepstakes casinos. Many see this as a way to guard against legislative crackdowns that have already started to appear.

Lawmakers in several states are weighing stricter rules for sweepstakes casinos and dual-currency models. California, for example, has a bill on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk that could ban these platforms outright. If signed, it would cut off one of the largest player bases in the country. ClubWPT Gold’s pivot gives it a model that might withstand such changes, allowing it to keep offering games in high-value markets.

Upswing Poker Influence

The business shift did not come out of nowhere. In August, ClubWPT Gold completed the purchase of Doug Polk’s training platform Upswing Poker. That acquisition delivered both a library of strategy content and the technical foundation to launch the hand analysis system.

“After acquiring Upswing Poker, the launch of our Hand Analysis tool marks the latest step in ClubWPT Gold’s long-term vision to offer a poker training and playing experience that’s unlike anything ever seen in the industry,” the site stated on X/Twitter.

Future upgrades are already in the works. Players can expect features like detailed statistical profiles, personalized drills, and deeper feedback loops. Some will use these tools seriously, but many are likely to treat the hand analyses mainly as the entry ticket to keep playing on the platform.

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