How to Start Your Own ClubGG Club (and When to Join a Union)
To start a ClubGG club, you download the free ClubGG app, use the in-app option to create a club, set it up, and share the Club ID with the people you want to invite. That part takes minutes. The hard parts come after: getting enough players to keep tables running, handling money responsibly if you go beyond play-chips, and understanding that running a real-money club carries real legal risk.
This guide is for would-be club owners and agents. It covers how to start a ClubGG club, what owners actually do, the legal reality, and when joining a union makes more sense than going it alone.
How to start a ClubGG club: creating it in the app
The exact screens change with app updates, so here are the general steps rather than button-by-button instructions:
- Install ClubGG on your phone or computer. The app is available for iPhone, Android, PC and Mac.
- Create an account and secure it with a strong, unique password.
- Find the option to create a club in the app's club section. You'll pick a club name and basic details.
- Note your Club ID. Every club gets a numeric ID. Players use it to request to join, the same way they would join any other club.
- Set up your tables. Choose games, stakes and table settings. Many clubs also configure extras like bomb pots or running it more than once.
- Invite players by sharing the Club ID, then approve their requests.
Any fees, limits or paid features are set by the app and can change. Check what the app shows when you create the club rather than trusting old forum posts.
Play-money home game vs. a real-money club
Before going further, decide what kind of club you're starting. There's a big difference between the two.
A free play-money home game
ClubGG is a free-to-play social poker app. The chips have no cash value inside the app, and the app doesn't sell or cash out real money. A private club where friends play for fun, bragging rights or a leaderboard is just a home game on a phone. It's a great way to keep a regular game going when people can't get together in person.
A real-money club
Many US "club poker" games settle real money off the app. Agents send and receive payments over services like Venmo, Cash App, Zelle or crypto, and chips on the app track who owes what. Our deposits and cashouts guide explains how that works from the player side.
Running that kind of club is a very different thing from hosting a home game, and the legal picture changes with it.
The honest legal reality for club owners
This is general information, not legal advice. Laws vary by state and change, so check current law where you live and talk to a lawyer before running anything that involves real money.
What every would-be owner should understand:
- Running a club that settles real money is operating unregulated gambling. In most states there's no license available for this kind of game. Only a handful of states, such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada, have regulated online poker, and ClubGG clubs aren't licensed by those regulators.
- Operators carry more legal risk than players. Several states have recently cracked down on unlicensed online gaming, and enforcement typically targets the people running and profiting from games, not individual players. Taking rake, holding player money and paying out winnings are exactly the activities that put you in that category.
- Some states are stricter than others. Washington State, for example, treats online gambling as a felony.
- There's no recourse for your players. No regulator, no deposit insurance. If you can't pay, your players have nowhere to go, and that's on you.
Our is ClubGG legal guide covers the state-by-state picture in more detail. If you're not willing to take on that risk, a play-money club is the way to go.
What a ClubGG club owner actually does
Being a ClubGG club owner is closer to running a small business than playing poker. If your club handles real money, expect to spend more time on admin than at the tables.
Approvals and membership
Every join request lands on you or your agents. You decide who gets in, which matters for security. Approving anyone who asks is how clubs end up with chip dumpers, multi-accounters and players who never pay.
Agents
Most clubs grow through agents: people who bring in their own group of players, look after them, and handle their chips. Agents are usually paid a share of the rake their players generate. Picking trustworthy agents is one of the biggest decisions you'll make, because they're the ones handling money.
Settlement
Clubs typically settle weekly. Someone has to reconcile every player's results, collect from the losers, pay the winners, and do it on time, every week. One missed payout can ruin a club's reputation overnight.
Rake and rakeback
The club takes rake from pots and tournament entries and usually returns a share to players as rakeback. You'll need to set rakeback rates that are competitive enough to keep players but still cover costs. Our ClubGG rakeback guide explains how players think about it.
Disputes and security
Disconnections, misclicks, suspected collusion, slow payers: all of it lands on the owner. You need clear rules, a way to review hands, and the willingness to ban people, including friends.
Why small clubs struggle with liquidity
Liquidity just means having enough players online at the same time to keep games running. It's the main reason new clubs fail.
A brand-new club might have 30 members, but they're spread across different time zones, games and stakes. At 11 p.m. on a Tuesday, the PLO player can't find a game, the micro-stakes player sees empty tables, and both of them leave for a bigger club. Once players leave, the remaining ones have even fewer games, and the club shrinks.
Running private home games for one friend group avoids this, because everyone agrees on a time. Open clubs that want 24/7 action almost always need a bigger player pool than they can build alone.
When to join a ClubGG union
A union is a network of clubs that share tables and a player pool. Your players sit at tables with players from other clubs in the same union, so there's action at more stakes and hours. Each club still manages its own members, agents and settlement. Our ClubGG unions guide explains how they work in detail.
Joining a union usually makes sense when:
- Your players complain they can't find games outside peak hours.
- You want to offer games you can't fill alone, like PLO5 or tournaments.
- You'd rather focus on looking after your players than on keeping tables full.
What a union like Massiv offers club owners
Every union sets its own terms, so ask before joining. As an example, here's what we know about the Massiv union, where Saloon plays:
| Massiv feature | What it means for a club owner |
|---|---|
| Club-owner rakeback tiers: 70% base, 75% above 5k, 80% above 10k | More of the rake your players generate comes back to your club as you grow |
| Weekly itemized accounting | A clear weekly breakdown that makes settling with your agents and players easier |
| Games: NLH, PLO, PLO5, PLO6, Hi-Lo, Sit & Gos, MTTs | You can offer a full game menu without filling every table yourself |
| 24/7 tables and support | Players find action at any hour |
| GPS and IP restrictions, anti-cheating monitoring | Security tools beyond what a single club can run |
Compare unions on rakeback terms, settlement timing, game mix and security. Our best ClubGG unions page is a good starting point.
Startup checklist for new club owners
Use this before you invite your first player.
| Step | Done when... |
|---|---|
| Decide club type | You've chosen play-money only or real-money, knowing the legal risk of the second |
| Check your state's law | You've read up on your state and, for real money, talked to a lawyer |
| Create the club | The club exists and you have its Club ID |
| Write house rules | Rules on chip transfers, disconnections, collusion and bans are written down |
| Pick agents carefully | Every agent is someone you'd trust with your own money |
| Set settlement terms | Payout day, methods and credit limits are clear to everyone |
| Set rake and rakeback | Your rates are written down and competitive |
| Secure accounts | Strong passwords, no shared logins |
| Plan for liquidity | You know when your players play, or you've shortlisted unions |
| Keep records | You have a weekly ledger for every player and agent |
Want to join a union or list your club?
If you already run a club and want to join a union, or want your club listed in our ClubGG club directory, visit our partnerships page and tell us about your club. For everything else about the app, start with our complete ClubGG guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost money to create a club on ClubGG?
ClubGG is a free-to-play app, and setting up a basic club is done inside the app. The app may offer paid or tiered features, and those details change, so check what the app shows you when you create the club rather than relying on a third-party price list.
How many players do I need to start a poker club?
There's no magic number, but a club needs enough active players at the same time to start tables at the stakes and games they want. For a small group of friends that can be one table; for an open club it usually means joining a union so you share a larger player pool.
Can I move my club to a different union later?
Clubs do change unions, but the process and terms depend on the unions involved. Talk to the union you're joining about how your players, balances and settlement history would be handled before you commit.
What is the difference between a club owner and an agent?
The club owner runs the club itself: approvals, settings, union relationship and the books. Agents usually bring in and look after their own group of players, handling chips and settlement for them, and are paid a share of the rake their players generate.
