ClubGG Poker: The Complete Guide for USA Players

ClubGG is a free poker app from the makers of GGPoker that lets anyone create or join a private poker club. In the US, it has become one of the most popular ways to play club poker: you join a club with a Club ID, an agent gives you chips, and the club settles wins and losses with you off the app. This guide explains how the ClubGG poker app works, how to get started, how money actually moves, and how to pick a club you can trust.

We run USA Poker Clubs and list vetted clubs in our club directory. Everything below is written from a player's point of view, including the parts clubs don't always explain up front.

What is ClubGG?

ClubGG is a social poker platform built by the team behind GGPoker, one of the largest online poker networks in the world. Instead of one big public lobby, ClubGG is organized around private clubs. Each club has its own owner, its own members and its own tables.

The key thing to understand: the ClubGG app itself is free-to-play. It does not sell real-money chips and it does not pay out cash. What turns ClubGG into real-money poker is the club. Club owners and their agents hand out chips in the app and settle the value of those chips with players privately, outside the app.

That arrangement is why ClubGG feels different from a site like PokerStars or BetMGM. You are not depositing with a licensed operator. You are dealing with a club, and the trust you place in that club is the whole ballgame.

How ClubGG poker works in the US

Club poker on ClubGG has four moving parts. Once you see how they fit together, the rest of the app makes sense.

Clubs

A club is a private group inside the app. You join by entering its numeric Club ID, and the owner or an admin approves your request. The clubs we list use 6-digit IDs. Each club sets its own games, stakes, rules and rakeback.

Unions

Most serious clubs belong to a union — a network of clubs that share tables and player pools. A single small club might only fill a couple of tables, but a union can keep dozens of games running around the clock because players from every member club sit together. That's why union membership is one of the best signals of how much action a club will have. Read more in our guide to what a ClubGG union is and our ranking of the best ClubGG unions.

Agents

Agents are the people you actually deal with. An agent brings players into a club, sends them chips, collects losses, pays out winnings and usually pays rakeback. Some clubs ask for an agent's referral ID when you join so the right agent is attached to your account. Our ClubGG referral ID guide explains when you need one.

Off-app settlement

Chips in a club represent money only because the club and player agree they do. You buy chips by sending money to your agent through a method the club accepts, and you cash out by asking the agent to pay you for your chips. Most clubs settle on a weekly cycle. ClubGG has no part in these payments.

Getting started with ClubGG: step by step

Here is the short version. Each step links to a full guide.

1. Download the ClubGG app. Get it from the Apple App Store, Google Play, or the official ClubGG website for Windows and Mac. Our ClubGG download guide covers every device and how to avoid fake copies.
2. Create your account. Sign up inside the app and pick a nickname. Use a strong, unique password, and don't share your login with anyone, including agents.
3. Pick a club. Use our ClubGG club directory or the table further down this page to find a club that fits your games and stakes.
4. Enter the Club ID. Choose the option to join a club and type the numeric ID. The full walkthrough, including fixes for "club not found," is in our guide on how to join a club on ClubGG.
5. Add a referral ID if required. Sweet Holdem Alabama uses referral ID 7781-5006. Our other clubs don't need one.
6. Wait for approval. The club owner or an agent approves your request, often within minutes, sometimes longer outside busy hours.
7. Get chips from your agent. Agree on a payment method, send funds, and the agent loads chips to your account.

If you'd rather have someone walk you through it, message us and we'll match you with a club.

Games available on ClubGG

ClubGG supports the games most US players want. Exactly what you'll find depends on the club and union, but common options include:

• No-Limit Hold'em — the most common game in nearly every club.
• Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) — four-card Omaha, very popular in US clubs.
• PLO5 and PLO6 — five- and six-card Omaha variants for action players.
• Omaha Hi-Lo — split-pot Omaha.
• Sit & Gos and tournaments (MTTs) — scheduled and on-demand events, depending on the union.

New to Omaha or need a refresher on what beats what? Our page on ClubGG games and hand rankings covers the rules for each format.

Stakes usually run from micro and low stakes up to medium and higher games in larger unions. If you're just starting, see our list of the best ClubGG clubs for low stakes.

Deposits and cashouts on ClubGG

Because ClubGG doesn't process money, every deposit and cashout runs through your club's agent. The details vary by club, but the basic flow looks like this:

• Deposit: You tell your agent how much you want, send payment, and the agent sends chips to your account in the club.
• Cash out: You request a cashout, the agent takes the chips back, and pays you through an agreed method.
• Settlement timing: Many clubs settle weekly. Some will process cashouts faster.

Common payment methods include Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, PayPal, Apple Pay and crypto such as BTC or USDT. Which ones are available varies by club, as do minimums and fees. Our full ClubGG deposit and cash-out guide goes through each step and the questions to ask before you send money.

ClubGG rakeback explained in brief

Every pot and tournament on ClubGG has rake — a small cut the club takes. Rakeback is the share of that rake the club or agent returns to you, usually paid on the weekly settlement.

Rakeback is set by each club, not by ClubGG. In the clubs we list, it runs from 25% to 70% depending on the club and your volume, with Sweet Holdem Alabama offering rakeback to VIP players only. For a regular player, rakeback can make a real difference to your bottom line, so ask your agent exactly how it's calculated and when it's paid. Our ClubGG rakeback guide explains tiers, calculations and how to compare offers.

Is ClubGG safe? How to pick a club

The software is made by a large, established poker company. The risk on ClubGG is not the app — it's the club and agent holding your money.

Be clear about this: there is no regulator, no deposit insurance and no legal recourse if a club or agent refuses to pay. You are relying on their reputation. That makes a few habits essential:

• Start small. Deposit a modest amount the first week, no more than you'd be fine losing entirely.
• Test a cashout early. Request a small withdrawal before you build a big balance. How a club handles the first cashout tells you a lot.
• Prefer established unions. Clubs in large unions have more to lose from a bad reputation and usually more structured accounting.
• Keep records. Screenshot balances, payment confirmations and agent messages.
• Never share your login. No legitimate agent needs your password.
• Watch for red flags. Pressure to deposit more, vague rakeback terms, slow or excuse-filled cashouts, or an agent who disappears for days.

People also ask whether games are fair. ClubGG uses the GG network's software, and unions like Massiv add GPS and IP restrictions and anti-cheating monitoring. We dig into the evidence in is ClubGG rigged?, and you can see what other players say on our reviews page.

Is ClubGG legal? A summary by region

The short answer: it depends on your state, and this is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check current law where you live.

Federal law. No federal law makes it a crime for an individual to play online poker. The UIGEA (2006) targets payment processing for unlawful internet gambling businesses, not players, and the courts have narrowed the Wire Act to sports betting (a 2021 First Circuit ruling). For players, legality mostly comes down to state law.

States with regulated online poker. Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Michigan have licensed real-money online poker, and West Virginia has legalized it but, as of October 2026, no major poker site has launched there. ClubGG clubs that settle real money are not licensed by any of those states' regulators. If you live in one of them, you have licensed options with player protections.

States without regulated online poker. Most of the country falls here, including Texas, Florida, California, New York, Georgia and Alabama. Enforcement against unlicensed online gaming has generally targeted operators rather than individual players, but players get no protection either way.

Washington State is the exception to watch: online gambling is a felony there under RCW 9.46.240.

For the full breakdown, read is ClubGG legal?, or go straight to your state:

ClubGG vs PokerBros vs X-Poker

ClubGG isn't the only club app US players use. PokerBros and X-Poker work on the same basic model: free apps, private clubs, unions, and agents who settle real money off the app.

The differences come down to software, game selection and which unions and clubs are active on each platform. ClubGG's main selling point is that it comes from the GGPoker team, so the software feels familiar to anyone who has played on the GG network. PokerBros has a long-established club scene of its own — we list PokerBros clubs like The Back Room and Lucky Stars.

Many players keep more than one app installed and go wherever their preferred games are running. Our side-by-side ClubGG vs PokerBros vs X-Poker comparison covers the details.

Our recommended ClubGG clubs

These are the four ClubGG clubs in our directory as of October 2026. All run 24/7 except Sweet Holdem Alabama, which plays on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Which club fits you?

• Want the widest choice of games and stakes: Saloon in the Massiv union covers all games and all stakes, and Massiv adds GPS and IP restrictions, anti-cheating monitoring and 24/7 support.
• Playing micro or low stakes: Frontier focuses on micro and low games, and Red Carpet and Saloon also spread micro and low tables.
• Want to move up to medium stakes: Red Carpet runs micro through medium.
• Prefer a smaller private game: Sweet Holdem Alabama is a private medium-stakes club that plays two nights a week.

Not sure which to pick? Tell us what you play through our contact page and we'll point you to the right club. If you run a club or are an agent and want to be listed, see our partnerships page.

Keep learning

ClubGG is easy to install but has a learning curve once real money is involved. Bookmark this page and work through the guides that matter to you: start with downloading the app and joining a club, then read up on deposits and cashouts and rakeback before you play for anything meaningful. For news and deeper dives, check our poker club blog.