The first hearing on a bill banning Sweeps Coin gameplay at sweepstakes casinos in the 2026 legislative session will take place in …
Indiana.
At 8:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 6, Indiana’s House Public Policy Committee will hear testimony on House Bill 1052, which makes a handful of changes to the state’s governance and regulation of gambling — including the ban of dual-currency sweeps casinos.
Soon after HB1052 receives its hearing in Indiana, Maine’s Legislative Document 2007 — which would also ban Sweeps Coin gameplay — is also set to have its first hearing on Jan. 14.
So far, for the 2026 legislative session, sweeps ban bills have been introduced or pre-filed in Indiana, Maine, and Florida. Florida’s bill, House Bill 591, does not yet have a hearing scheduled, but it has been assigned to a committee.
What stands out about proposed ban in Indiana
HB1052, spearheaded by Rep. Ethan Manning, is notable among the trio of sweeps ban bills so far in 2026 for a couple of reasons: It has a narrow focus, and it feels the likeliest to succeed.
On the first point, HB1052 is tightly limited. It specifically bans only online sweepstakes games that use a “dual-currency” system — where players can redeem currency (Sweeps Coins) for cash prizes or equivalents — and that mimic casino-style gambling, including slot machines, video poker, table games, lottery games, bingo, and sports betting.
Compared to similar legislation in other states, Indiana’s bill doesn’t go after the broader ecosystem around sweeps casinos, such as payment processors, game vendors, or marketing affiliates. Nor does it empower any state agency to interpret what counts as a dual-currency system. That means even if HB1052 becomes law, there may still be room for operators to design games that technically avoid a dual-currency setup.
(See: Card Crush from Vision NL Limited and ClubWPT Gold.)
There also appears to be some strategy behind HB1052. It’s not just a standalone gaming bill. It’s a package combining multiple measures — horse racing licenses, sports betting exclusions, and rules for tobacco and e-cigarette wholesale sales and licensing.
By bundling several items, the bill appeals to a wider range of lawmakers. Each legislator can latch onto a provision they support, making them more willing to approve the full bill. If one element proves problematic, it can be amended out. Simple. This kind of “all-in-one” approach boosts the bill’s chances compared to a single-issue bill.
How the SGLA will address HB1052
We’ll see if the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance testifies against HB1052 on Jan. 6. If it’s not an in-person or video call testimony from Managing Director Sean Ostrow, the organization will more than certainly submit written testimony. Perhaps VGW will, as well, as we saw in the two-pronged approach to hearings as California’s Assembly Bill 831 was fast-tracked last year.
Ostrow recently testified in November regarding House Bill 4431 in Massachusetts, which would legalize real-money iGaming while also outlawing Sweeps Coin gaming.
In his testimony, Ostrow focused primarily on seeking regulation and a digital sales tax that he claimed would create more than $30 million extra annual revenue for Massachusetts (when you included registration and license fees on top of the sales tax).
“The SGLA stands behind strong regulation and consumer protection, responsible social gameplay for adults only, fair taxation, and enabling economic development here in the Commonwealth,” Ostrow said. “We look forward to working with members of this committee to achieve these mutually beneficial outcomes.”
Time will tell if Ostrow and the SGLA take that same approach — asking for regulation and a sales tax framework — in Massachusetts. The approach did not work in California or New York, although perhaps SGLA officials are hoping the strategy has more chance of success if they have more time to prepare, foster discussions with lawmakers, and be proactive in 2026, compared to 2025, which felt for the most part reactionary as the sweeps industry at large dealt with the new influx of scrutiny and pressure.
For what it’s worth, the Massachusetts bill is expected to fail, given the significant headwind facing it from anti-iGaming expansion parties in the state, including the state’s treasurer. The bill was recently given a reporting deadline in mid-March from its current committee, so we’ll see where things stand in a couple of months.
