GGPoker Revamps Loyalty Program With Ocean Rewards Launch
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GGPoker, the world's largest online poker site, has announced a complete revamp of its loyalty program with the release of Ocean Rewards.
The new program, launched on January 30, replaces GGPoker’s long-running Fish Buffet loyalty system, with the operator claiming the update is "genuinely better for players... not marketing speak" and delivers more cashback, extended status protection, and greater control over player rewards.
Players familiar with Fish Buffet's wheel-based rewards system will see plenty of familiar elements in Ocean Rewards, though the new program also introduces several notable changes.
Cashback, Tier Protection & New Currencies Headline Changes
Ocean Rewards brings several key updates to how players earn bonuses and redeem rewards. From boosted cashback to extended tier protection and the introduction of new reward currencies, these changes give players more flexibility and value.
The sections below break down each update in detail.
More Cashback
Cashback is often the top priority for poker players, and under Ocean Rewards, the maximum rate for GGPlatinum members is increasing from 60% to 80%.
This is a significant upgrade for regular grinders, but occasional or lower-stakes players also benefit from higher cashback across all tiers. The new tiers and corresponding cashback rates are as follows:
| Tier | Required Tide Points (TP) | Cashback |
|---|---|---|
| Fish | 0 TP | ~16% |
| Shrimp | 10,000 TP | ~25% |
| Crab | 50,000 TP | ~30% |
| Turtle | 200,000 TP | ~40% |
| Octopus | 750,000 TP | ~50% |
| Dolphin | 2,000,000 TP | ~60% |
| Whale | 5,000,000 TP | ~70% |
| Shark | 10,000,000 TP | ~80% |
Year-Long Tier Protection
Another popular change is the introduction of year-long reward tier protection, replacing Fish Buffet’s system where taking a break could see you drop tiers.
Under Ocean Rewards, once you reach a tier, it becomes your minimum through at least the end of the year. This reduces the pressure to play regularly and gives players the freedom to take a vacation, focus on work, or simply take a break from online poker without losing progress.
It’s a more player-friendly system, particularly for recreational players who don’t want to commit to daily sessions.
Tide Points & GEMs
Ocean Rewards introduces two new currencies: Tide Points (TP) and GEMs, both earned at an approximate rate of 100 per dollar in rake generated. Tide Points are used to determine your tier, so the more you accumulate, the higher you climb, while GEMs act as a multiplier that grows with your rank.
GEMs can be exchanged for cashback through the rewards shop, with larger transactions benefiting from a more favorable exchange rate. For example, trading 5,000 GEMs under the new system will see you get $5 cashback (1,000 GEMs per $1), while trading 45,000 GEMs sees you receive a rebate of $50 (950 GEMs per $1).
GGPoker has also indicated that cashback will not be the only reward GEMs can be exchanged for; however, it is currently unclear what other rewards will be available.
Do GGPoker Players Need to Do Anything?
Short answer, no.
GGPoker has assured players that the transition will be seamless and users will be automatically enrolled in the new Ocean Rewards system (with the exception of a minority in certain regions who will need to opt-in via the client) once it goes live on January 30th.
Tier placement will be based on a player's current Fish Buffet rank, while current unclaimed Fish Buffet rewards will be converted automatically into your account balance. Additionally, Platinum Octopus members will receive an automatic promotion to the Octopus tier in the new system.
