Who owns Global Poker?
Global Poker is owned by VGW Holdings, private (Laurence Escalante via family office). The site runs under VGW Holdings Limited, AU. The same owner has 2 other casinos.
| Ultimate owner | VGW Holdings (private (Laurence Escalante via family office; minority buyout approved 2025)) |
|---|---|
| Operating company | VGW Holdings Limited, AU |
| Products | Poker |
| Website | globalpoker.com |
| Sister casinos | 2 |
| Fines and actions | 5 |
| Owner proof | verified |
| Last checked | 15 Oct 2026 |
In numbers
- VGW Holdings Limited also runs 2 other gambling brands under the same company.
- VGW Holdings owns 3 brand families with 3 websites in our data.
- 5 regulator fines against the owner since 2024, about €7.4 million in total (converted to euros).
About VGW Holdings
Perth-based company that built the dual-currency sweepstakes model with Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker. Founder Laurence Escalante took full ownership in 2025 (deal valued at about A$3.2bn). It has pulled sweeps play from a growing list of states and left Canada in 2025, and faces state lawsuits.
Headquarters: AU · Founded: 2010 · Ownership: private (Laurence Escalante via family office; minority buyout approved 2025)
How we know, and what we could not confirm
How we know: Sweeps poker; named in NY, KY and FL actions. Sweepstakes model; no gambling licence.
- We have no licence record for this site.
- We have no company registration number for VGW Holdings Limited.
2 sister casinos
Same owner often means the same terms, the same support team and the same payout rules. A self-exclusion at one brand may not cover its sister sites.
Everything VGW Holdings owns, with fines and sources →
Regulator fines
| Date | Company | Regulator / court | Amount | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09 | VGW Holdings | New York Attorney General | USD 8,000,000 | Settlement (disgorgement, penalties, costs) over illegal online gambling in NY 2012-2025; no admission; Gold Coin play only going forward. source |
| 2026-08-19 | VGW and payment processors | Florida Attorney General | — | Lawsuit alleging illegal gambling and deceptive trade practices; seeks penalties, restitution and an injunction. source |
| 2026-06-17 | VGW | Kentucky Attorney General | — | Lawsuit in Franklin Circuit Court alleging the dual-currency model is illegal gambling; seeks to stop operations. source |
| 2025-06-06 | VGW (Chumba, LuckyLand, Global Poker) | New York Attorney General | — | Among 26 sweepstakes sites told to stop; all agreed to end sweeps coin sales in NY. source |
| 2024-01-18 | VGW (LuckyLand) | MI MGCB | — | Cease-and-desist (letter dated Dec 5 2023) for offering unlicensed online gambling in Michigan; VGW withdrew. source |
Ratings elsewhere
- Trustpilot: read the reviews there
Ratings from other websites, with their source. We do not copy their reviews, and they do not change our facts.
Questions and answers
Who owns Global Poker?
VGW Holdings.
Is Global Poker licensed?
We have no licence record for it.
What are the sister casinos of Global Poker?
Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots.
Has the owner of Global Poker been fined?
5 records on file. The latest: New York Attorney General, 2026-09.
Sources
- https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-stops-illegal-online-sweepstakes-casinos
- https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-secures-8-million-leading-operator-illegal-online
- https://www.wvxu.org/2026-06-17/kentucky-attorney-general-sues-prediction-markets-online-sweepstakes
- https://casinobeats.com/2025/11/07/vgw-chumba-luckyland-end-sweeps-west-virginia/
- https://globalpoker.com/terms
- https://sbcamericas.com/2025/08/01/escalante-bid-vgw-approved-shareholders/
Last checked 15 Oct 2026. How we check facts. Gambling can be addictive. Help: BeGambleAware, GamStop, Gamblers Anonymous.