What is so darn cool about poker is that it’s so much more than just a game of cards. Sure, one could argue that the players are the most important element of poker (after all, a game requires players), but there are so many more actors working on the scene who must not be forgotten. Event organizers, online operators, journalists, commentators, influencers… the list goes on, and all prominent actors in each field deserve recognition.
Throughout the years, the Global Poker Awards has done a great job giving this recognition to all outstanding individuals/teams on the international poker scene. It’s been the pinnacle of poker awards, and with that in mind, it’s an educated guess that the poker community was disappointed to hear the news that the awards won’t be returning in 2026.
So Long, Old Friend
The Global Poker Awards is a tribute ceremony hosted in collaboration between the Global Poker Index (GPI) and The Hendon Mob (THM). The awards were held for the first time in 2001 on European soil. In 2014, it moved to Los Angeles, and since 2019, Las Vegas has been deemed the most fitting place. Throughout the years, over 300 awards have been presented to “poker playing icons like Devilfish, Negreanu, Hansen, and ElkY, to the industry’s best, to the stars in the media,” as the Global Poker Awards themselves say on their webpage.
Yesterday, November 13, 2025, the Global Poker Awards communicated that the awards won’t be returning in 2026. The major reason is that the work prior to and during the event is very time-consuming. Considering the extravaganza show the awards have evolved into over the last couple of years, one can understand that the preparations must be overwhelming.
The Global Poker Awards has been the brainchild of Eric Danis, the President of the Global Poker Index and The Hendon Mob. Even though Danis will miss the event, he’s very proud of what he and his team managed to create:
“We’re a very small team and the awards process as a whole takes two members of our team out of the day-to-day operations for two months every year. If you had told a younger me that I’d be part of a team organizing awards ceremonies in France, Monte Carlo, Malta, the Sunset Strip just blocks away from The Viper Room and Whisky a Go Go, and finally Las Vegas, I wouldn’t have believed you. We’re certainly going to miss putting on a great show, but we have other projects that have taken priority over the awards.”
The Global Poker Awards have made it possible for the poker community to see the forest and not only the trees. While the most prominent players usually are the stars of the poker show, there are hordes of people and teams working day and night behind the scenes to create sublime live poker events, hysterically fun online poker content, entertaining and insightful podcasts, razor-sharp articles, and more. There’s no doubt about it; the awards will be missed in 2026.
In the previously mentioned press release, the GPI/THM team also extends its gratitude to all the people who’ve been supportive of the awards throughout the years. They extend an extra nod of appreciation to previous hosts of the festivities, including but not limited to Kara Scott, Joe Stapleton, Maria Ho, and Jeff Platt. The press release ends with a reassurance that the team will continue to reward the winners of their various races, such as the GPI Player of the Year and The Hendon Mob Award.
This poker journalist dares to, on behalf of the poker community, thank both GPI and THM for arranging the Global Poker Awards for so many years. It’s been a crucial part of highlighting the hard work and effort put in by various entities in the poker industry. BPI and THM have many other interesting projects coming up, and it’ll be exciting to see what they’ll bring to the table next.
Last but not least, it’s worth mentioning that while the Global Poker Awards won’t return in 2026, words like “Cancelled forever behind the point of no return” are not mentioned. I, for one, will choose to interpret this like the awards may return in the future. Boy, I sure hope it will.
