Poker Writer
GGPoker‘s new rewards program, announced at the start of the year, comes into effect today. The top-performing online poker site will introduce Ocean Rewards. It offers up to 80% rakeback, making it one of the most generous in the industry.
These new changes were announced on Jan. 1, as it looks to tweak things for its large player base in 2026. GGPoker posted about it on X in the middle of the month.
Ocean Rewards replaces the long-running Fish Buffett system. Many elements will remain the same, but there will be key differences that experienced players will quickly notice.
All current Fish Buffet rewards will be automatically cashed out to a player’s account balance. GGPoker will shift players with existing status to a roughly equivalent rank.
Ocean Rewards updates how players earn bonuses and redeem rewards. The old system topped out at 60% rakeback, so Ocean Rewards represents an upgrade for the players who produce the most rake for the site.
There will also be a year-long reward tier protection that does not penalize a player for missing time, unlike the previous Fish Buffet system. This allows players to take a break without worrying about losing progress in the rakeback tiers.
There are eight levels of Ocean Rewards tiers that are named after an ever-increasing coolness factor scale of ocean creatures. Ranks include fish, shark, and everything in between on the food chain. Each tier requires a certain amount of tide points required. Every $1 of rake generates 100 tide points.
Ocean Rewards tiers:
| Ocean Rewards Tier | Approx. Rakeback | Tide Points Required | Rake Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish | 24% | 0 | $0 |
| Shrimp | 32% | 10,000 | $100 |
| Crab | 40% | 50,000 | $500 |
| Turtle | 48% | 200,000 | $2,000 |
| Octopus | 56% | 750,000 | $7,500 |
| Dolphin | 64% | 2,000,000 | $20,000 |
| Whale | 72% | 5,000,000 | $50,000 |
| Shark | 80% | 10,000,000 | $100,000 |
Keep Reading
GGPoker Gems And Other Awards
GGPoker also promises “GEMs” as a new reward currency. While Tide Points determine a player’s tier, GEMs multiply with your rank. Players exchange GEMs for cashback, among other rewards, which GGPoker has not revealed yet.
On the X announcement post, GGPoker teased unique ways to collect points when asked if this new rewards system is actually better:
It is. And there are plans for some crazy ways to collect points. Stuff you’d never even think of..
Some have noted that this new system seems to reward the high-volume customers.
Ocean Rewards sounds like they’re finally rewarding the grinders properly.
