GGPoker has signed Chilean football icon Arturo Vidal as its newest brand ambassador. The deal, confirmed via GGPoker’s Spanish-language social media channels around April 12, makes Vidal the operator’s first Chilean representative and its first active professional footballer.

The announcement has been unusually quiet. GGPoker published a short video on its @ggpokeres YouTube and Facebook accounts but issued no formal English-language press release. For a full breakdown of the platform and its current deals, see our GGPoker review and rakeback breakdown.

As of late April, Vidal does not yet appear on the official GGTeam ambassador page. Chilean poker outlet PokerChile reported that negotiations had been underway since February, with the formal announcement landing on Sunday, April 12.

Who Is Arturo Vidal?

Vidal is one of the most decorated Chilean footballers in history. At his peak between roughly 2011 and 2018, he was considered one of the world’s best box-to-box midfielders, earning recognition on the UEFA Best Player shortlist in 2015.

He played central roles at four of Europe’s biggest clubs: Juventus, Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona, and Inter Milan. He won league titles at all four, collecting four Serie A crowns, three Bundesliga titles, and a La Liga medal.

On the international stage, Vidal was a cornerstone of Chile’s golden generation. He helped the national team win back-to-back Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, scoring his penalty in the 2015 final shootout against Argentina.

He briefly retired from international duty in October 2017 after Chile failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, then reversed the decision within 24 hours. He remains active at Colo-Colo in Chile’s top division with a contract running through December 2026.

Vidal’s Poker History: Not a Tourist

Vidal is not a complete stranger to the felt. In August 2019, he entered the €25,000 Single-Day High Roller at the PokerStars EPT Barcelona stop. It was reportedly his first ever poker tournament.

He finished 5th out of 70 entries for €134,460. His then FC Barcelona teammate Gerard Piqué finished 2nd in the same event for €352,950, with Spain’s Juan Pardo taking the title for €491,600.

That remains Vidal’s only tracked result on Hendon Mob, but a final table in a €25K field on your first try is a strong debut by any standard.

What the Signing Means for GGPoker in Latin America

Vidal slots into an expanding Latin American roster that already spans six countries. GGPoker has been steadily building its Spanish and Portuguese-language presence through a mix of poker professionals and regional content creators.

The timing is deliberate. GGPoker is running a football-themed promotion called La Fiesta del Fútbol timed to build momentum ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The operator is also hosting the WSOP Circuit Montevideo satellites starting at $5, its first WSOPC stop in Latin America. That event runs May 18 to 25 at Casino Carrasco in Uruguay.

One important detail the initial coverage has not emphasised: Chile did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup. La Roja finished last in the 10-team CONMEBOL qualifying group after a 2-0 loss in Bolivia. Vidal will not be representing his country at the tournament.

That makes the signing less about Chile at the World Cup and more about reaching the broader Latin American football audience. Vidal’s name carries weight across the continent from his years at Juventus, Bayern, and Barcelona, regardless of Chile’s tournament status.

Vidal’s Track Record with Betting Brands

GGPoker is not Vidal’s first venture into gambling partnerships. He has fronted campaigns for three other brands since 2023, with mixed results.

The Juega con el King episode is the most notable. The Chilean football federation investigated a potential breach of player conduct codes, and the contract between Vidal and the platform was terminated in the aftermath. The casino continues to operate without his image or branding.

Vidal is far from the only footballer to cross into the poker world. PokerStars has historically been the most active in this space, signing Neymar Jr. (who remains a cultural ambassador), Cristiano Ronaldo (2015 to 2018), and Ronaldo Nazário (who returned in 2022).

888poker briefly signed Uruguay’s Luis Suárez in 2014 before his contract was terminated after 44 days. For more on celebrities who have crossed into poker, see our full guide.

What Comes Next

The quiet nature of the rollout raises a question: when will GGPoker make a formal English-language announcement? Vidal still does not appear on the GGTeam page, and the operator’s main blog has not published anything about the signing.

With WSOP 2026 approaching on May 26 and GGPoker’s $300M GG World Festival already announced, the Vidal deal is likely just one piece of a larger LatAm marketing push heading into the summer.

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