GGPoker has reached a leading position in the global online poker market. As of July 2025, data from multiple reliable sources shows GGPoker ahead of PokerStars in several direct comparisons. This article discusses five points, based on recent evidence and industry reporting, that explain why GGPoker is a better alternative for online poker players.
Record-Breaking Tournaments and New Schedule Formats
GGPoker runs more cash games and tournaments than PokerStars, according to data published by WorldPokerDeals in June 2025. Its tournament lineup contains events with larger guaranteed prizes and a wider schedule.
The flagship World Festival in 2025 offered more than $250 million in guaranteed prizes across over 750 tournaments. Many of these events drew thousands of entries and surpassed their guarantees. Comparable PokerStars events, such as SCOOP (Spring Championship of Online Poker), had lower overall guaranteed amounts and attracted fewer unique participants. These reports are widely confirmed by industry trackers and review sites.
GGPoker’s Super MILLION$ tournaments draw the largest online fields. Final tables at these events regularly bring together well-known professionals and less familiar players. Streaming for these tournaments has a global reach and helps keep interest levels high. PokerStars’ main offerings, including the Sunday Million, now have smaller fields and smaller guaranteed prize pools.
GGPoker has also introduced new tournament types. Formats like Flip & Go and all-in Fortune tournaments run on a daily basis. They add new ways to play and draw strong attendance, according to multiple industry sources. PokerStars, by comparison, offers fewer new types of tournament formats in 2025.
Industry press and real event records support the claim that GGPoker now leads in both the size and variety of tournaments.
Player Rewards, Cashback, and Ongoing Promotions
GGPoker’s reward setup draws strong reviews from players. Its Fish Buffet cashback program provides up to 60 percent of a player’s rake back each week. This is accessible for all account holders and is paired with seasonal missions, regular challenges, and global leaderboards. These are all designed to give value back to players, based on direct measurements from YourPokerDream (January 2025).
At PokerStars, the main rakeback program gives most players up to 25 percent direct rakeback. Larger reload bonuses are only sometimes made available and then usually target casual players. Direct comparison reviews agree that GGPoker’s structure is superior for both consistent and casual players.
GGPoker gives out frequent promotional bonuses, including Daily Flipout events, cash game prize drops, and bubble protection. There are also tournament missions, continuous leaderboards, and exclusive qualification routes to the World Series of Poker. Player feedback confirms these features are effective at keeping participation high.
PokerStars has reduced its rewards in the past several years. High-volume players and regular players are receiving lower-value promotions in 2025. Across industry trackers, review aggregators, and direct operator statements, GGPoker’s loyalty system is rated ahead in both breadth and value.
New Features and Unique Poker Formats
GGPoker has added several new features to its platform. Many of these are not found at other poker sites.
Flip & Go is a prominent format at GGPoker. It starts with all players going all in for several hands, followed by a standard tournament for those who remain. This format allows rapid progression and appeals to players who want quick tournament entry to the paid stages. The Flip & Go runs many times each day and gathers feedback from both new and regular players.
All-in Insurance, which protects players from losing fully after going all in, has gained attention. It appeals to risk-averse players. The insurance feature acts as a buffer against unexpected losses for those who prefer simple or recreational play.
Bubble Protection is another GGPoker-specific feature. When a player is eliminated near a paid position in selected tournaments, their buy-in is refunded. This lowers the stress of narrowly missing a pay jump. Both new and intermediate players have given positive feedback on this setup, as documented by major reviews.
GGPoker also hosts the official online World Series of Poker tournaments. This gives players a direct chance at major international poker series bracelets and rings, which are not available at PokerStars. The exclusive global license for these online events is unique to GGPoker at the time of writing.
Press releases and review compilations regularly confirm that GGPoker is quick to add new games and tournament variants. PokerStars maintains its core structure but has fewer new or patented game options.
Player Traffic, Market Growth, and Accessible Games
Player traffic reports and real-time poker room trackers show GGPoker has the largest online player pool as of July 2025. Tracking sites measured an average of 12,000 GGPoker cash game players (Texas Hold’em and Pot Limit Omaha) in October 2024. PokerStars, by comparison, had 2,100 during the same period, a sizeable gap based on independent market data.
GGPoker’s growth in regional markets, such as Asia and Europe, is reported as a key factor by WorldPokerDeals and other sources. Many of these new account holders are amateur or casual, resulting in games that are less heavily weighted with top professionals. This quality has been called “softer” by industry experts, with more accessible play than at PokerStars. This pool composition is attractive to new players, as well as to those looking to move up stakes.
Game traffic reports confirm that GGPoker tables fill more quickly and offer a greater selection of games, even during off-peak hours. Cash game and tournament players are able to find a seat without long waiting times.
GGPoker invests in special games for certain time zones, such as Short Deck and All-in-or-Fold for the Asian schedule. These give convenient access to popular variants.
Traffic analyzers, player forums, and direct feedback all show that GGPoker has created a larger, more accessible, and more recreationally-oriented player base than PokerStars in 2025.
Improved Player Interface and Modern Software Updates
GGPoker has invested heavily in its website and application interface. User feedback highlights improved graphics, clear navigation, and rapid loading times. Reviewers, including those referenced by WorldPokerDeals, describe GGPoker’s client as modern and easy to understand. In comparison, PokerStars uses older desktop designs and fewer visual updates in its 2025 versions.
High-stakes tournament streams, such as the GGMillion$ finals, are viewable within the GGPoker client itself. This includes live commentary, hand discussion, and player interviews. Regular streaming content creates learning value, entertainment, and contributes to a sense of ongoing participation for both new and experienced players.
GGPoker’s ambassador group features public figures from both poker and mainstream media. This improves exposure for the brand and has direct results in cross-promotional events held for app users. Official endorsement from WSOP also allows GGPoker to remain the only online location for non-U.S. players to qualify for the physical WSOP main events.
Payment methods are flexible and cover a large range, including bank cards, electronic payment systems, and cryptocurrency. The cashout function is described by reviewers as fast and reliable. GGPoker’s investment in technical delivery and client security is cited by several press outlets in the first half of 2025 as a top reason for its present position.
Software reviewers and player commentaries regularly mention these benefits, locating GGPoker ahead of PokerStars in both interface quality and feature updates.
Direct Reviews and Player Responses in Mid-2025
High-volume poker players and new account holders have shared their opinions across open review sites and poker community forums. In June and July 2025, frequently cited points were:
- The appeal of having new tournament formats added daily.
- Ongoing promotions, leaderboards, and cashback opportunities providing practical reasons to keep playing.
- Game fields described as “softer,” with many new players at both low and medium stakes.
- Frequent live-streamed content and connections with professional players.
These opinions reflect independently observed trends from the data points summarized above.
Summary Table: Main Data Points, July 2025
| Feature | GGPoker | PokerStars | Source/Date |
| Flagship Tournament Guarantees | $250 million+ across 750+ events | Lower | [WorldPokerDeals, June 2025] |
| Average Active Cash Game Players | 12,000+ | 2,100 | [WorldPokerDeals, Oct 2024] |
| Rakeback Rate | Up to 60% (Fish Buffet) | Up to 25% | [YourPokerDream, Jan 2025] |
| Special Event Access | Official WSOP online events | Not available | [Operator Releases, 2025] |
| Unique Tournament Formats | Flip & Go, All-in Insurance, Bubble Protection | Fewer new formats | [Operator Releases, 2025] |
| Payment and Withdrawal Systems | Full crypto + trad. | Trad. only | [Review Aggregators, 2025] |
Closing Notes
According to factual, current reporting and direct user feedback in July 2025, GGPoker outperforms PokerStars based on tournament scale, player rewards, innovative formats, player pool openness, and software quality. GGPoker hosts more events, gives higher cashback, provides more unique tournament types, supports a larger account base, and keeps its user platform updated. These points are confirmed by independent poker review sites, third-party data analysts, and operator statements. For users comparing poker platforms based on performance, features, and access to official WSOP events, GGPoker presents the stronger option on all tracked metrics.
