The Global Poker Awards will return on December 4 after a one-year pause, moving from Las Vegas to Baha Mar in the Bahamas. The ceremony will take place during the opening days of the 2026 WSOP Paradise festival.
The PokerNews announcement marks the first edition outside Las Vegas since the awards were created in their current global format in 2019. The event will again recognise players, industry figures, media work and other contributions to poker.
A separate report from Poker.org says the revival will put more emphasis on player recognition. Holding the show at WSOP Paradise also means many leading professionals are expected to be in the same venue for the surrounding tournament series.
The Global Poker Index and The Hendon Mob had announced in November 2025 that the awards would not return in 2026, pointing to the time and resources required to stage the event. Attendance at the previous ceremony was also questioned publicly, creating uncertainty over the programme's future.
The Baha Mar date gives the awards a different operational model by attaching them to a major live festival. Organisers have not yet published the full category list, nominees or broadcast details, so those elements remain to be confirmed before the December ceremony.
