16 Nov 2025 This week, the Global Poker Index announced the end of its Global Poker Awards. This decision officially brings conclusion to an event that started in 2001; the event quickly grew to become a respected tradition in the poker world. The event meant something for many poker fans and was more than just an annual show. The Global Poker Awards served as the main gateway for the poker world to honor individuals who had helped the game grow beyond the tables. A Look Back at a Community Tradition According to the founder, Dan Fleyshman, the goal of the Global Poker Index was to celebrate the contemporary side of poker. GPI not only honored tournament winners but also poker content creators and individuals who bring new players to the game. The Global Poker Awards featured various categories that aligned with its mission. Poker fans had the opportunity to vote in various categories, such as "Poker Personality of the Year," "Best Streamer," and "Breakout Player," along with several other titles that were open to both average poker players and content creators. The elegant PokerGO Studio in Las Vegas has hosted the Global Poker Awards since its inception. The Global Poker Awards captivated audiences worldwide by bringing together poker operators, media outlets, and influential figures in the poker community. Jeff Platt and Drea Renee hosted the 2025 Global Poker Awards event, which featured more than 35 categories, on February 22. The twenty-five-year run of this event has come to an end. Why the Awards Were Shut Down The event was discontinued for several reasons; however, cost was the main issue. In recent years, the costs for everything from renting the venue to hiring the production team have significantly increased, making broadcasting the event more expensive. Even though the event attracted a strong online viewership, the number of in-person attendees decreased. When interviewed about the Global Poker Awards 2025 show, GGPoker ambassador Daniel Negreanu indicated that the organizers told him that "nobody showed up" to the ceremony that year. Most observers stated that the way people consume content today also plays a part. Nowadays, many people prefer watching short-form content and on-demand videos, which makes traditional award shows seem outdated. However, many people still believe that poker is a unique niche deserving of a grand celebration. President of the Global Poker Index and The Hendon Mob database, Eric Danis, discussed how complicated the process had gotten for the small team of people working on it. As part of the preparations for the show, two staff members had to take almost two months off each year. Furthermore, he reflected on the uniqueness of the journey, which began with events in Europe and concluded with them in Las Vegas. He did say, though, that the GPI needs to focus its limited resources on other projects at the moment. The current poker landscape makes the event economically unviable. What the Poker World Loses Putting an end to the Global Poker Awards is more than just calling off an event. This has created a gap in the culture of poker. The awards provided the only available framework to express gratitude to individuals in the media, players, vloggers, show hosts, operators, and industry stars who contribute to making the game enjoyable and engaging. Lacking a specialized platform could undermine these efforts, even though they are essential for attracting new people to poker. Personalities in the poker scene all expressed a similar level of sadness. Streamer Jeff Gross stated that it is time to reconsider how poker recognizes its most renowned creators and personalities. Mori Eskandani, President of PokerGO, was also sad and said that his team liked putting on the show every year. Poker Community Reaction The poker community expressed a range of opinions regarding the end of the Global Poker Awards. @MariaHo: Thank you for galvanizing our community with this effort over the years. It was an honor to have MC’ed the ceremony. We appreciate you so much! — Maria Ho (@MariaHo) November 13, 2025 @CaitlinComeskey: Thank you to @EricDanisPoker for all the hard work he & his team put into the GPA’s. I owe a lot of my success to the recognition from GPI. — Caitlin Comeskey (@CaitlinComeskey) November 13, 2025 @ICuRaRook: I had 10 to 1 on @Joeingram1 winning poker vlogger of the year again 😤 — Jeff Boski (@ICuRaRook) November 13, 2025 @mjbloech: Thank you for all your effort throughout the years! — Maureen B. (@mjbloech) November 13, 2025 @jessbeckpoker: Dang, I was excited to enter this year. Thanks for giving me something to chase after 🤙 — Jess Beck (@jessbeckpoker) November 13, 2025
