The Global Poker Awards are back.
On December 4, during the opening days of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Paradise festival at Baha Mar in The Bahamas, the awards show will make an unexpected return.
The 7th Global Poker Awards will aim the spotlight directly at the player performances, table personalities, and content creation that have dominated the poker landscape over the last 12 months. While past iterations of the event handed out dozens of awards in categories that honored not only those at the tables, but also those involved in the broader poker industry, this year's ceremony will prioritize player recognition.
The categories for this year are:
- Most Feared Live Tournament Player
- Most Feared Live Tournament Mixed Games Player
- Most Feared Cash Game Player
- Best Table Mate
- Best Villain
- Breakout Player
- Fans' Choice: Most Entertaining Player
- Best Live Streamer
- Best Vlogger
- Best Final Table Performance
- GPI Poker ICON
While nominees across each category will likely be revealed in the coming weeks, voting is now open for the Fans' Choice: Most Entertaining Player, with ballots closing on November 3.
The 10 nominees vying for the community's vote are:
- Alan Keating
- Dan 'Jungleman' Cates
- Daniel Negreanu
- Nik 'Airball' Arcot
- Phil Hellmuth
- Randy '3Coin' Sadler
- Will Givens
- Jennifer Tilly
- Michael 'Grinder' Mizrachi
- Phil Laak
Back from the brink?
In November of 2025, the Global Poker Index and The Hendon Mob – joint organizers of the awards show – issued a statement that many in the community were saddened to read: the Global Poker Awards would not return in 2026. GPI/THM cited the prohibitive amount of time required to prepare and produce the event as part of the reason for the shutdown.
That's no longer the case.
Additionally, by positioning the ceremony alongside the WSOP Paradise festival, organizers can capitalize on the concentration of elite poker talent to increase player turnout – an issue that was highlighted by Daniel Negreanu in an episode of his Mania Podcast.
Daniel Negreanu addressed the declining attendance at the Global Poker Awards in an episode of his Mania Podcast. According to his sources, the 6th Global Poker Awards, held in February of 2025, struggled with attendance issues because players simply didn't show up.
Hopefully, with added emphasis on player recognition and a change in venue to a location that will already be packed with notable players, the return of the Global Poker Awards will be an encouraging one.
