Assembly Bill 831 (AB 831), sponsored by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, passed through its second major hurdle on July 15. It passed through the Senate Public Safety Committee with a 6-0 vote. Last week, the Senate Governmental Organization Committee advanced the proposed legislation with a 15-0 vote.

AB 831 now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which has an upcoming meeting on August 18.

Bill Opposition Grows

AB 831 receives significant backing from tribal gaming representatives and industry associations such as the American Gaming Association and the Sports Betting Alliance. However, it’s also gathering a large coalition of opponents including the SPGA, which represents the interests of sweepstakes casinos and advocates for responsible social casino gaming.

On July 14, the SPGA announced that several high-profile organizations have joined efforts against the bill:

• ACLU California Action
• American Transaction Processors Coalition
• Association of National Advertisers
• Californians United for a Responsible Budget
• SPGA
• Social Gaming Leadership Alliance
• Virtual Gaming World

These groups represent a wide range of interests, from civil liberties to major corporate brands. For example, Google, General Mills, and NBCUniversal are members of the Association of National Advertisers.

Meanwhile, the American Transaction Processors Coalition represents financial institutions like Bank of America and Paysafe.

In a press release, SPGA emphasized the importance of this broad coalition, stating:

“This diverse coalition, including civil liberties advocates, leading businesses, and industry groups, reflects a shared belief that the bill, as written, could have unintended consequences for lawful promotional practices without offering clear consumer protections.”

Opponents have criticized the bill’s overly broad, rushed, and risky language, which was introduced via a “gut-and-amend” process that allowed for sweeping changes late in the legislative cycle.

Critics argue that the bill’s expansive provisions risk criminalizing not only operators but also suppliers, payment processors, and celebrity endorsers.

Proponents Stress Tribal Sovereignty and Consumer Protection

As with prior hearings, proponents of the ban included tribal gaming groups. They include the Yuhaaviatam of the San Manuel Nation, the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), and the Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nations (TASIN).

They argue that they hold exclusive rights to regulated gambling in California. Sweepstakes casinos undermine this exclusivity by operating illegally.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson spoke in favor of the prohibition. He noted that sweepstakes casinos lack consumer protection tools to prevent minors from accessing the platforms.

Anderson indicated that multiple states have now banned sweepstakes casinos.

He also clarified that the AB 831 language does not prohibit traditional sweepstakes. Furthermore, he added that the bill and the District Attorney’s office are not interested in penalizing players, but the operators, which are often offshore companies.

Legal Concerns and Planned Amendments

In opposition, Duane Morris partner Bill Gantz pointed out that some tribal groups operate social casinos with prizes of real-world value without any regulation or oversight.

He argued that there’s no evidence to support the claims of potential risks associated with the platforms. He added that they operate within California’s laws.

Meanwhile, in a written statement, the ACLU California Action warned that the bill’s broad language could potentially criminalize individuals involved in legitimate online sweepstakes, not just operators of sweepstakes casinos.

Responding to these concerns, the bill sponsor told the committee that upcoming amendments will clarify the bill’s scope:

“Things like payment processors, financial institutions, geolocation providers, media affiliates and also individuals would not be held liable if this bill were to pass. This is solely going to focus on the entities that are providing the sweepstakes types of platforms.”

The committee chair, Senator Jesse Arreguín, added that committee members and Valencia were able to come up with amendments that will focus on the operators and not other businesses and individuals.

The post ACLU, Industry Groups Unite Against California Sweepstakes Casino Ban Bill as AB 831 Advances appeared first on CasinoBeats.

One state that has flown under the radar but is now seeing a major shakeup is West Virginia. Recently, the Mountain State’s Attorney General, John McCuskey, shared that he has sent 47 subpoenas to sweepstakes casinos.

He told the audience at the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States summer meeting in Louisville, KY, that while none have responded, 19 have exited.

Casinobeats has since confirmed that the number is even higher, making West Virginia one of the states that have experienced a mass exodus of sweepstakes casinos in recent months.

Who Has Exited West Virginia?

Over 20 sweepstakes casinos have exited West Virginia, with Chance and sister site Punt.com among the latest. The platforms that Casinobeats has confirmed to list the state as an ineligible jurisdiction per terms and conditions include:

• Baba Casino
• Carnival Citi
• Chance and sister site Punt.com
• Funrize and sister sites NolimitCoins, FunzCity, Fortune Wheelz, and Tao Fortune
• Legendz
• McLuck Casino and sister sites Hello Millions, Mega Bonanza, Jackpota, and Spinblitz
• Modo.us
• Play Fame
• Pulsz Casino and Pulsz Bingo
• Rolling Riches
• Sidepot
• Spree
• Stake

Notably, High 5 Casino‘s July 2 terms and conditions still list West Virginia as an eligible jurisdiction. However, in February, the operator announced plans to withdraw from West Virginia and other states with regulated online casinos, likely due to its parent company High 5 Games content license suspension in Connecticut.

High 5 Games later settled with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Gaming Division.

Many Exit Quietly — Others Resist

While McCuskey has not shared which operators he’s sent the subpoenas to, if the ones that have already exited are on the list, it suggests that at least half have yet to comply.

This pattern is not uncommon. Some sweepstakes casinos respond quickly and cautiously to legal action, while others continue operating despite regulatory warnings.

For example, while it recently exited Delaware after a cease-and-desist order, VGW, the parent of Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker, ignored a previous order for two years. The company has similarly ignored a June order in Mississippi and a March one in Maryland.

While it listed Maryland as an ineligible state this month, Stake.us ignored a 2024 cease-and-desist order there for over a year.

Other states, including New York, Connecticut, and most recently New Jersey, have passed a law explicitly banning sweepstakes casinos. Despite that, there are still platforms operating in those states.

As of now, only Crown Coins, Luckybird.io, and Spinfinite still list New York, while nearly a dozen still accept Connecticut players. Meanwhile, just a handful of platforms have left New Jersey.

The post Over 20 Sweepstakes Casinos Quietly Exit West Virginia Amid Crackdown appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Idaho, Michigan, and Washington have long been ineligible jurisdictions for sweepstakes casinos, but in the past few months, several others have moved towards prohibition.

Montana was the first to officially ban the platforms at the end of May. Connecticut and New York followed in June, while Nevada granted its gambling regulators more authority to prosecute operators from out-of-state, including sweepstakes casinos.

Elsewhere, Louisiana lawmakers also passed a ban, but Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed it, stating it was unnecessary. Since then, the state has sent a cease-and-desist order to 40 offshore and sweepstakes operators, with many now starting to comply.

Additionally, Maryland, Delaware, and Mississippi are among the states employing the same regulatory tactic, issuing cease-and-desist letters.

State-by-State Breakdown: Sweepstakes Casino Exits and Holdouts

So, which platforms have complied? CasinoBeats has examined the terms and conditions of a sample of well-established sweepstakes brands.

Research conducted by CasinoBeats was accurate at the time of publication.

The study explicitly analyzed the terms and conditions, and which states are mentioned expressly as prohibited. CasinoBeats can not confirm whether each operator is applying its terms and conditions, and is aware that several other sweepstakes casinos may be operational in each individual state.

Montana

Every single sweepstakes casino that we’ve checked has now listed Montana as an ineligible jurisdiction.

The only exception is Luckybird.io, which continues to welcome players from Montana.

New York

Sweepstakes casinos exit New York as early as March, when a Senate bill advanced through committees.

At the beginning of June, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office had shut down 26 platforms. That was followed by an official ban passed by the state legislature, pending Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature.

With that said, the following sweepstakes casinos no longer operate in New York:

• Baba Casino
• Carnival Citi
• Casino Click
• Chanced and sister site Punt.com
• Chumba Casino and sister sites, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker
• DingDingDing
• Fliff and sister site Sidepots
• Fortune Coins and sister sites Zula Casino, Sportzino, and Yay Casino
• Fortune Wheelz and sister casinos Funrize, FunzCity, Fortune Wheelz, NoLimitCoins, and TaoFortune
• Funzpoints
• Golden Hearts Games
• High 5 Casino
• Jackpota and sister sites McLuck Casino, Hello Millions, Jackpota, Mega Bonanza, and SpinBlitz.
• Legendz Casino
• Lonestar Casino
• Modo.us
• Moonspin
• Play Fame
• Pulsz Casino and Pulsz Bingo
• RealPrize
• Rebet
• Rolling Riches
• Smiles Casino
• Spree
• Stake.us
• SweepSlots
• Sweeptastic
• The Money Factory
• Vegas Gems
• WOW Vegas

Notably, Crown Coins, Luckybird.io, and Spinfinite still list New York as an eligible jurisdiction.

Connecticut

While the Louisiana governor vetoed the sweepstakes ban bill, Connecticut Gov. Joe Lombardo signed the ban on June 5, joining Montana.

Since then, most platforms have been exiting similarly to New York and Montana, with a few exceptions.

Platforms that still accept Connecticut players include: Crown Coins, Fortune Coins, Funzpoints, Spinfinite, Sportzino, The Money Factory, Yay Casino, and Zula Casino.

Meanwhile, Luckybird.io, which serves New York and Montana, does not accept players from Connecticut.

Nevada

Nevada took a different approach from explicitly banning the platforms.

Instead, it passed a bill that gives state regulators more power to target and prosecute out-of-state operators without Nevada licenses who are operating illegally in the state, including sweepstakes casinos.

That has resulted in almost all platforms exiting the state. CasinoBeats has found at least four operators that do not explicitly prohibit players from Nevada from registering.

Maryland

Earlier this year, the Maryland Senate passed a bill banning sweepstakes, but the measure died in the House. Still, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has stepped up and targeted over a dozen platforms.

Some like VGW’s Chumba Casino have not complied, but others have. They include:

• Baba Casino
• Carnival Citi
• Casino Click
• McLuck Casino and sister sites Hello Millions, Mega Bonanza, Jackpota, and SpinBlitz
• Modo.us
• Play Fame
• Pulsz Casino and Pulsz Bingo
• Rebet
• Rolling Riches
• Sidepot Casino
• Smiles Casino
• Spree
• Stake.us

Louisiana

The reason for the governor’s veto on the sweepstakes ban bill in Louisiana is that he believed state gambling regulators and authorities could force the platforms out without legislation.

Soon after his veto, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board announced that it had targeted 40 unlicensed offshore and sweepstakes casinos.

While the regulator didn’t release names, the following platforms have now exited the state:

• Baba Casino
• Carnival Citi
• Crown Coins
• Funzpoints
• High 5 Casino
• McLuck and sister sites Hello Millions, Mega Bonanza, Jackpota, and SpinBlitz
• Modo.us
• Moonspin
• Play Fame
• Pulsz Casino and Pulsz Bingo
• Rebet
• Rolling Riches
• Sidepot Casino
• Spree
• The Money Factory
• WOW Vegas

Mississipi

The same day that the Louisiana Gaming Commission announced its action against sweepstakes casinos, the Mississippi Gaming Commission announced it had served several offshore casinos and Chumba Casino with cease-and-desist letters.

While Chumba has not complied, a few operators have chosen to leave:

• Baba Casino
• Carnival Citi
• Pulsz Casino and Pulsz Bingo (certain promotions)
• Sidepot Casino

Delaware

The Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement has been targeting sweepstakes casinos for over two years, albeit without much success initially.

In April, it announced it had served VGW’s LuckyLand Slots with a cease-and-desist order. Meanwhile, its sister site Chumba Casino was served almost two years ago. While it ignored the first order, VGW decided to withdraw from the state after receiving the April notice.

Sweepstakes platforms that no longer accept Delaware customers include:

• Baba Casino
• Carnival Citi
• Chanced and sister site Punt.com
• Chumba Casino and sister sites, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker
• Funrize and sister sites FunzCity, Fortune Wheelz, NoLimit Coins, and Tao Fortune
• Luckybird.io
• McLuck and sister sites Hello Millions, Mega Bonanza, Jackpota, and SpinBlitz
• Modo.us
• Moonspin
• Play Fame
• Rolling Riches
• Sidepot
• Smiles Casino
• Spree
• Stake.us

Alabama, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Others

In addition to the states above, many sweepstakes operators have chosen to exit other states. The most common ones are Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia:

• Baba Casino: Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia.
• Carnival Citi: Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia.
• Casino Click: Kentucky
• Chanced and sister site Punt.com: Kentucky, West Virginia, Washington, DC
• Fortune Coins, Sportzino Casino, Yay Casino, and Zula Casino: Georgia
• Funrize, NoLimitCoins, FunzCity, Fortune Wheelz, TaoFortune: Wyoming, West Virginia
• Legendz: Kentucky, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia
• McLuck Casino and sister sites Hello Millions, Mega Bonanza, Jackpota, and SpinBlitz: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, West Virginia
• Modo us: Arizona, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
• Moonspin: Georgia, Nebraska, and North Dakota.
• Play Fame: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, West Virginia
• Pulsz Casino and Pulsz Bingo: Alabama, Tennessee, and West Virginia
• Rolling Riches: Hawaii, Kentucky, West Virginia
• Sidepot: Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia
• Smiles Casino: Kentucky
• Spinfinite: Alabama, Delaware, Tennessee
• Spree: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and West Virginia
• Stake.us: Kentucky, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia.

The post Sweepstakes Casinos Exit Multiple States Amid Crackdowns in CT, LA, MD, NY, and NV appeared first on CasinoBeats.

On June 2, the Louisiana House passed Senate Bill 181 unanimously, following its passage in the Senate at the end of April.

Among its provisions, the bill classifies devices or platforms that use dual-currency payment systems as illegal. It calls for violation penalties of $10,000 to $100,000 and prison sentences of up to five years.

With the governor’s veto, sweepstakes casinos remain operational for now. However, legal action by the state’s authorities could change that.

Additionally, the Louisiana legislature has the authority to override the veto. Despite that, indications are that the chances of doing so are slim.

Governor Says Authorities Have Enough Power

In his June 12 veto letter, which The Closing Line published, Gov. Landry says:

“This bill attempts to criminalize certain secondary gambling activities on the internet that are already prohibited in Louisiana. Our current Louisiana Gaming Control Board has the regulatory authority, control, and jurisdiction over all aspects of gaming activities and operations pursuant to the Louisiana Gaming Control Law.”

The governor notes that the Board, the Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division, and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office are all responsible for monitoring and regulating gaming in the state.

He adds that the state is already actively targeting illegal gambling, especially offshore and sweepstakes operators. Landry referenced successful cease-and-desist orders against offshore operators, demonstrating that the current system is capable of addressing the issue without the need for new legislation.

Landry goes on to say that the bill is too broad and can interfere with current enforcement actions. He writes, “For these reasons, Senate Bill 181 is not necessary.”

Louisiana Likely to Follow New York and Michigan’s Approach

Landry’s belief that state authorities can handle the issue of sweepstakes casinos aligns with successful enforcement actions seen in other states.

In early 2024, Michigan adopted a tough approach towards offshore and sweepstakes casinos. Following a series of cease-and-desist letters and legal threats from the Michigan Gaming Control Board, all sweepstakes casinos ceased operations in the state.

New York took a similar approach. Last week, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that her office had shut down 26 sweepstakes operators. With the addition of a dozen or so platforms that had already left the state, only a handful of operators remain. However, they are likely to follow suit.

Elsewhere, Maryland and Connecticut gambling regulators also aggressively pursued sweepstakes operators, although with mixed results.

Connecticut Governor Signs Sweeps Ban Bill

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Gaming Division (DCP) has already proven successful in pursuing sweepstakes casinos.

Earlier this year, it suspended the content provider license of High 5 Games due to its connection to High 5 Casino. The two eventually settled, and High 5 Games paid a $1.5 million fine.

The regulator’s enforcement actions resulted in a handful of other operators exiting the state. That includes industry leader VGW’s Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker.

However, while DCP has been aggressive, it has not chased all platforms away. That will change, as Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed Senate Bill 1235 into law, making sweepstakes casinos illegal in the state.

This means that Connecticut will become the second state to ban the platforms. Montana became the first state to do so last month.

Meanwhile, Nevada is taking a different but complementary approach. On June 5, Gov. Joe Lombardo signed Senate Bill 256, which strengthens state regulators’ authority to pursue unlicensed and out-of-state operators.

The law doesn’t explicitly prohibit sweepstakes casinos. Still, the additional legal power of the state will likely result in most platforms exiting Nevada.

The post Louisiana Governor Vetoes Sweepstakes Casino Ban Bill, Says It’s Unnecessary appeared first on CasinoBeats.

AG Letitia James Deems Sweepstakes Casinos Illegal

The AG office sent cease-and-desist letters to the targeted operators, arguing they’re conducting illegal gambling under New Yok law. The paw prohibits online platforms from offering gambling that involves risking something of value. That includes virtual coins that can be redeemed for cash or prizes.

In a press release, the AG emphasizes that sweepstakes casinos are not subject to regulatory oversight. That means the platforms could offer rigged games, putting New Yorkers at risk.

According to James: “online sweepstakes casinos are illegal, dangerous, and can seriously ruin people’s finances.”

The New York State Gaming Commission Chairman Brian O’Dwyer emphasized that sweepstakes games are insecure and unlawful.

He added: “I have been very vocal about the need to crack down on these operations, and I am thrilled that Attorney General James has taken this significant step to eradicate the illegal gambling market. We encourage those of age who wish to gamble to do so with legal operators.”

Which Sweepstakes Casinos Have Left New York

Sweepstakes casinos started leaving New York in March after a Senate Bill moved to the floor for a vote. By late May, VGW, the parent company of Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker, announced that it would stop sweepstakes play.

According to the AG’s office, the following platforms have left New York:

• Chanced
• Chumba
• DingDingDing
• Fliff
• Fortune Coins
• Fortune Wheelz
• Funrize
• FunzCity
• Global Poker
• Golden Hearts Games
• High 5 Casino
• Jackpota
• Luckyland
• McLuck
• Mega Bonanza
• NoLimitCoins
• Play Fame
• RealPrize
• Sidepot
• SpinBlitz
• Sportzino
• SweepSlots
• Sweeptastic
• TaoFortune
• Yay Casino
• Zula Casino

In addition to the platforms listed by the AG website, others that have discontinued operations in New York include Stake.us, Funzpoints, Vegas Gems, Moonspin, Rolling Riches, Smiles Casino, Carnival Citi, Punt.com, Pulsz, and Pulsz Bingo.

Some Platforms Still List New York as Eligible

While James has stated her office has stopped sweepstakes casinos in New York, some platforms still list New York as an eligible jurisdiction. They include:

• Crown Coins
• LuckyBird.io
• WOW Vegas

It is worth noting that these operators might also leave the state, so players should check the platform’s terms and conditions or sweepstakes rules for any updates.

Legislative Efforts to Ban Sweepstakes Casinos Continue

While AG James has taken direct enforcement action, companion bills to ban sweepstakes platforms officially are still active for the 2025 legislative session.

State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. introduced Senate Bill 5935 in March. Its advancement to the Senate floor triggered the initial mass exodus of platforms. However, the proposed legislation has made little progress since then.

The proposal’s companion bill, Assembly Bill 6745, advanced through the state’s Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee at the end of April. After over a month of no progress, it has picked up and moved through an additional committee.

New York’s 2025 legislative session adjourns on June 12. That means if New York wants to follow Montana, which officially banned sweepstakes casinos, lawmakers must act quickly; however, given the AG’s actions, that might not be necessary.

The post New York Attorney General Shuts Down 26 Sweepstakes Casinos appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Ban bills in both states have passed through the legislature and now await the governor’s signature. Once each governor signs it, the bans will become official.

Different Approach to Targeting Sweepstakes Casinos

On June 2, the Louisiana House passed Senate Bill 181 unanimously, echoing the Senate vote at the end of April.

The bill classifies devices or platforms that use dual-currency payment systems as illegal gambling. The ban covers casino-style games, including slots, lottery games, and sports wagering. It calls for violation penalties of $10,000 to $100,000 and prison sentences of up to five years.

If Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signs Senate Bill 181 into law, it will take effect on August 1.

Sweepstakes advocate, the Social & Promotional Games Association has lambasted Louisiana’s decision, accusing lawmakers of conflating legal entertainment with illegal gambling.

In a brief statement, the SPGA claims the decision “threatens Louisiana’s economy by stifling innovation and driving compliant companies out of state.” 

The SPGA added: “It’s a step backward for consumer choice, lawful innovation and common sense.”  

Meanwhile, Nevada has taken a different approach. It does not target sweepstakes casinos explicitly, but it gives state regulators more power to target and prosecute out-of-state operators without Nevada licenses who are operating illegally.

Senate Bill 256 expands existing penalties under Nevada law to upgrade certain gambling offenses from misdemeanors to felonies. Violations will be penalized with fines of up to $50,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years.

In addition, anyone found guilty of illegal gambling must forfeit all profits and gross receipts, with the funds redirected to Nevada’s General Fund.

Louisiana and Nevada Follow Montana’s Sweepstakes Lead

If the Nevada and Louisiana governors sign the ban bills into law, the two states will join Montana in banning sweepstakes casinos.

A few weeks ago, Big Sky Country made headlines as the first state to ban sweepstakes casinos. The passage of the law was also condemned by the SPGA. 

The association labeled the Montana law a “dangerous precedent,” which it deemed overly vague and potentially criminalizing legitimate promotional programs, such as Microsoft Rewards.

Montana sweepstakes casino players still have a few months to use up their available coins. The new law comes into effect on October 1.

Connecticut is Close Behind Louisiana and Nevada in Sweepstakes Ban

Connecticut is also on track to ban sweepstakes casinos. The state is just a formal step away from sending a ban bill to the governor’s desk.

On June 3, the House passed Senate Bill 1235, sending it back to the Senate for concurrence. Given that the last day of the 2025 Connecticut legislative session is June 4, the ban will likely move swiftly to the governor for a signature.

In addition to sweepstakes casinos, the bill will also ban lottery courier apps, such as Jackpocket. While available in over a dozen states, lottery couriers are unregulated in most.

By implementing a ban, Connecticut would follow Texas, where controversy surrounding two significant jackpot winnings via lottery couriers led to widespread scrutiny and moves to abolish the Texas Lottery Commission.

Status of Ban Efforts in Other States

Eight other states have proposed a ban on sweepstakes casinos in 2025, but several attempts have already failed.

Mississippi and Maryland Senates were the first two legislative chambers in the US to pass a ban. However, a disagreement with the House in the former and running out of time in the latter caused the bills to die.

In Arkansas, the bill sponsor withdrew the bill, while in Florida, two separate bills failed to pass the committee stage.

The Illinois legislative session ended on May 31 with the passage of a new sports betting tax. However, a bill to ban sweepstakes casinos also failed to make any progress.

New York is also nearing the end of its 2025 legislative session, which is scheduled to adjourn on June 12. There are two active ban bills in each chamber of the legislature. Both made movements but have stalled recently, so if they were to pass, lawmakers must move quickly.

Still, New York witnessed a mass exodus of sweepstakes casino operators anticipating a ban. Most recently, industry leader VGW ended sweepstakes play in the state, signaling a potential prohibition.

Two other states with a longer legislative session still have plenty of time to pass a ban. New Jersey and Ohio lawmakers adjourn on December 31. Ohio has a two-year session, meaning bills from this year carry over to the next.

The post Bills Banning Sweepstakes Casinos in Louisiana and Nevada Await Final Signatures appeared first on CasinoBeats.

However, unlike other sweepstakes operators who have exited the state entirely, the company plans to continue offering Gold Coin play for the foreseeable future.

In an email to customers, the company announced that they will still be able to acquire and use eligible Sweepstakes Coins until June 2. After that date, they can only redeem eligible coins until August 1, at which point sweepstakes play will cease.

VGW Follows Mass Exodus Out of New York

The VGW announcement is unsurprising. At the end of March, over a dozen operators, such as High 5, Zula, Fortune Coins, and McLuck, exited New York.

The mass exodus was seen as a precautionary move. At the time, a Senate bill to ban the platforms moved out of committee to the Senate floor. Notably, at the time, VGW decided to wait and continue operations.

While VGW initially held out, the decision to follow the others could be due to a companion assembly bill being passed by the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee, signaling a momentum in a potential ban.

The Senate bill reached a third reading in March, but there has been no progress since then. Similarly, the Assembly proposal moved to the Codes Committee but has yet to receive a hearing.

The New York legislative session adjourns on June 12, leaving a limited time for the bills to pass, which makes the move by VGW surprising to some. 

However, that could mean there are indications that lawmakers may move quickly at the end to possibly follow Montana’s lead, which became the first state to officially ban sweepstakes casinos.

The Latest State Exit by VGW

VGW’s decision to cease offering sweepstakes play in New York marks the latest exit by the operator in recent months.

Most recently, the company exited Delaware after the state’s Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement issued a cease-and-desist order against VGW.

In December 2024, the company’s Global Poker platform announced its exit from Nevada, effective April 2025. Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots had already ceased operations in the state at the time.

Before that, in October 2024, VGW ceased operations in Connecticut after receiving a cease-and-desist letter.

Despite the exits, VGW has not been among the most compliant sweepstakes operators.

While it has exited Delaware, it did so after receiving a second such demand by the state’s regulator. Initially, the Delaware Division of Gaming ordered that the company withdraw its platforms in 2023. However, all three remained active.

Meanwhile, in March, Maryland sent cease-and-desist orders to several sweepstakes operators, including the VGW platforms. While others like McLuck and High 5 have complied, VGW still lists Maryland as an eligible state.

The Creation of the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance

The New York sweeps play exit comes on the heels of the announcement of the formation of the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA). SGLA is a trade group that represents the interests of sweepstakes operators.

The goal of SGLA is to educate the public and lawmakers, helping them understand the growing sweepstakes casino industry. The trade group promotes the free-to-play model, emphasizing responsible innovation, player protection, and industry integrity.

In addition to becoming a founding member of SGLA, VGW decided to raise its minimum age to 21 in February. The move was likely to demonstrate a commitment to regulator alignment. The change aligns VGW’s platforms to regulated online casinos, where the minimum age is 21. Traditionally, the minimum age for sweepstakes casinos is 18 years old.

The post VGW Ends Sweepstakes Play in New York, Joining Wave of Exiting Operators appeared first on CasinoBeats.