Global Poker is VGW's sweepstakes poker site, with Hold'em and Omaha cash games and tournaments you can play with Gold Coins for fun or Sweeps Coins for prizes. Cash prizes can be redeemed from 50 SC after a 1x playthrough. There's no native app: on iPhone and Android you play in the mobile browser.
- Sweepstakes poker: Hold'em and Omaha cash games and tournaments
- No native app: plays in the mobile browser
- Redeem Sweeps Coins for cash from 50 SC
- 21+ only, not available in a growing list of states
Global Poker is the best-known sweepstakes poker site in the US. Run by VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino, it lets you play Texas Hold’em and Omaha cash games and tournaments with Gold Coins for fun, or with Sweeps Coins that can be redeemed for prizes. It isn’t a real-money poker room: you never deposit to gamble, and buying coins is optional.
There’s one thing to know before you search the App Store: Global Poker has no native app for iPhone or Android. You play in your phone’s browser instead. Below we cover how that works, how the coins and redemptions work, which states can play and how Global Poker compares with real-money poker apps.
Global Poker at a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Operator | VGW |
| Type | Sweepstakes poker and casino site, no real-money gambling |
| Mobile app | No native app; plays in the mobile browser |
| Games | Hold’em and Omaha cash games, tournaments, Sit & Gos, plus slots and table games |
| Coins | Gold Coins (for fun) and Sweeps Coins (redeemable) |
| Playthrough | 1x on Sweeps Coins |
| Minimum cash redemption | 50 SC |
| Minimum age | 21+ |
How Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins work
- Gold Coins (GC) are play money. You get them free when you sign up and through daily bonuses, and you can buy more in packages. They have no cash value.
- Sweeps Coins (SC) come free with sign-up offers, daily promotions and as a bonus with Gold Coin packages. Sweeps Coins you win can be redeemed for prizes at 1 SC to $1 after you’ve played them through once.
You switch between the two with a toggle in the lobby. Every poker table and tournament exists in both a Gold Coin and a Sweeps Coin version, so you can practise for free before you play for prizes.
Poker games on Global Poker
Poker is the heart of the site. You’ll find No-Limit Texas Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha cash tables at a wide range of stakes, scheduled tournaments every day, and fast Sit & Gos that start as soon as the seats fill. Bigger weekly tournaments with guaranteed Sweeps Coin prize pools attract a large field of recreational players, which keeps the games soft compared with serious real-money rooms.
Next to poker, Global Poker has a selection of slots and table games from VGW’s own studios, so you can play something else between tournaments.
Bonuses and free coins
New players get a welcome bonus of free Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins without making a purchase, and the first coin package usually comes with extra Sweeps Coins. After that, there’s a daily login bonus that grows if you log in several days in a row, plus regular promotions and social media contests. You can also request free Sweeps Coins by post, as described in the sweepstakes rules.
Redeeming Sweeps Coins
- Play every Sweeps Coin through once before it becomes redeemable
- Redeem cash prizes from 50 SC by bank transfer
- Gift card prizes are also available
- Verify your identity before your first redemption
The 50 SC minimum is lower than Chumba‘s 100 SC, which makes Global Poker one of the easier VGW sites to redeem from. The first redemption takes the longest because of the identity check.
Playing Global Poker on your phone
Because there’s no native app, you open Global Poker in Safari or Chrome and log in. The mobile site is built for touch: tables fit the screen in portrait mode, action buttons are large, and you can join tournaments and cash games from the same lobby. Add the site to your home screen for one-tap access, so it behaves much like an app.
The downside is that you don’t get push notifications for tournament starts, and multi-tabling is easier on a computer. VGW does publish a separate Global Poker Clock app, but that’s a tournament clock for home games, not the poker site itself, so don’t confuse the two.
How to get started on Global Poker
- Open Global Poker in your phone’s browser and sign up with your real name and address.
- Allow location access so the site can confirm you’re in an eligible state.
- Claim the welcome bonus and add the site to your home screen.
- Practise at the Gold Coin tables, then switch to Sweeps Coins when you’re ready.
- Verify your identity before you want to redeem a prize.
Where Global Poker is available
Global Poker is open to players aged 21 or over in most US states. It isn’t available in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Washington or West Virginia, and the list has grown as more states ban sweepstakes casinos. Check the site’s own state list before you sign up.
Is Global Poker safe?
Global Poker is run by VGW, the largest sweepstakes operator in the US. Prize redemptions require ID verification, and location checks keep out players from excluded states. Still, sweepstakes sites aren’t licensed like real-money poker rooms, and VGW faces legal pressure in several states, so redeem regularly rather than keeping a large Sweeps Coin balance.
Tips for playing responsibly
- Decide in advance how much, if anything, you’ll spend on coin packages each month
- Use the free daily bonuses before considering a purchase
- See Sweeps Coins as a bonus, not as a way to earn money
- Take a break when it stops being fun
Global Poker vs real-money poker apps
Global Poker is the closest thing to online poker for players in states without legal real-money poker. If you live in Michigan, New Jersey or Pennsylvania, a regulated app like PokerStars on FanDuel gives you real stakes and real withdrawals. For free play without prizes, Zynga Poker is the classic. Compare all options in our guide to poker apps.
Who is Global Poker best for?
- Recreational poker players in states without legal real-money poker who want real Hold’em and Omaha games
- Tournament fans who like daily events and weekly Sweeps Coin guarantees
- Players who mainly use a laptop, since multi-tabling and long sessions work best on a bigger screen
It’s less suited to players who want a native app with notifications, or to anyone in one of the excluded states.
Is Global Poker worth it?
For poker fans in an eligible state, Global Poker is the best sweepstakes option: real poker games, a busy recreational player pool, tournaments with Sweeps Coin prizes and a fair 50 SC redemption threshold. The lack of a native app is a real drawback on mobile, and the list of excluded states keeps growing. See our guide to sweepstakes casino apps for alternatives with full apps.
Pros and cons
- Real poker games: cash tables, tournaments and Sit & Gos
- Large recreational player pool
- Cash redemptions from 50 SC
- Simple 1x playthrough
- Run by VGW, the biggest sweepstakes operator
- No native iPhone or Android app
- Not available in a growing list of states
- 21+ only
- Multi-tabling is easier on a computer
Real-money alternatives
Global Poker is for fun only. Want to play for real money? These casino apps from our reviews offer real-money games where online gambling is legal.
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply · Min. deposit $20 · 25x wagering on the casino part · Live dealer and Hot Drop Jackpots excluded
18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply
Features
Global Poker app FAQ
Is there a Global Poker app?
No. Global Poker has no native app for iPhone or Android. You play in the mobile browser, and you can add the site to your home screen for quick access.
Can you win real money on Global Poker?
You can't gamble with real money, but Sweeps Coins you win can be redeemed for prizes. Cash prizes start at 50 SC after a 1x playthrough.
Who owns Global Poker?
Global Poker is run by VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino.
Which states can't play Global Poker?
It isn't available in states including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, Washington and West Virginia.
Is Global Poker the same as the Global Poker Clock app?
No. Global Poker Clock is a tournament clock for home games. The Global Poker site itself runs in your browser.