A bill that would ban sweepstakes casinos in Minnesota cleared its third committee on Thursday, in a hearing that featured testimony from the tribal gaming coalition and one of the most popular sweeps gaming platforms in the United States.
Senate File 4474 was approved unanimously by the Senate State and Local Government Committee. It has already been slated for an April 10 hearing before the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, but Tou Xiong, the Chair of the State and Local Government Committee, said SF4474 was bound for the Senate Finance Committee. We’ll see where in ultimately winds up next.
SF4474 has already passed the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety and Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committees since being introduced on March 17.
“The only opposition that we’ve had to this bill are individuals who run online sweepstakes casinos, which would be banned in the bill,” Sen. Jordan Rasmussen, the bill’s primary author, told committee members on Thursday. “So I just want to make the point that we’ve talked to organizations like McDonald’s, we’ve talked to the video game industry, we’ve talked to other people that use promotional sweepstakes and they do not have a problem with this bill. But those that are offering casino-style games, taking consideration, and offering prizes, which is the purpose of this bill, they’ve been the only group that’s expressed concern. I think this is narrowly tailored and will protect the integrity of Minnesota’s prohibition on online gambling.”
MIGA director: Sweeps operators ‘hide behind’ dual-currency model
Rasmussen cited support for SF4474 from organizations including the Minnesota Family Council, Minnesota Catholic Conference, American Legion, Allied Charities of Minnesota, Canterbury Park, and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.
Andy Platto, the Executive Director of the MIGA, testified in support of SF4474.
“Sweeps casinos are unregulated and illegal gaming platforms that advertise here every day,” Platto said. “Internet casinos are illegal under Minnesota law and these products, which masquerade as free-to-play, are exactly that. These companies, which operate iCasinos such as Chumba, Stake, and WOW Vegas, offer every casino game imagined and hide behind a deceptive dual-currency model designed to skirt existing gaming laws. Twenty-five-plus states have seen through this deception and responded with bans, restrictions, or have legislation pending. Senate File 4474 follows that lead and rightfully asserts that internet gambling in Minnesota is illegal until the legislature says otherwise.
“We also thank Sen. Rasmussen for narrowly crafting this bill to not interfere with currently legal promotional tools, many of which are used by our members. Any sweepstakes or social game that doesn’t use dual currency and casino games should continue to be allowed and this bill recognizes that.”
That last sentence — about how SF4474 specifically targets sweepstakes casinos using a dual-currency ecosystem — opens the door for loopholes, including a single-currency model. That’s the strategy used by Card Crush and ClubWPT Gold, the first of which is a brand new site and the second of which is a newly renovated site that have both unveiled single-currency gameplay models in the wake of California banning Sweeps Coin gameplay at sweeps casinos starting Jan. 1, 2026. Both platforms are currently live in California.
ARB Interactive: ‘Minnesota sweepstakes laws should be updated’
Sarah Erickson, a lobbyist representing ARB Interactive, the owner of Modo.us, spent a good chunk of her testimony attempting to “address some of the statements and misnomers.”
“There’s a lot of confusion about this topic and, with respect, an incomplete understanding of our industry,” Erickson told the committee.
Erickson emphasized that sweepstakes casinos in Minnesota are indeed regulated, even if not by a Minnesota agency. She highlighted such sites face governance and oversight from Minnesota’s sweepstakes laws and “every facet of Minnesota consumer protection law, in addition to the Federal Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, the US Postal Service, and the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Division.
“We do believe that Minnesota sweepstakes laws should be updated for the digital age to provide further guardrails,” Erickson added. “It was created in the ‘70s. We want to engage with the state on a regulatory and taxing framework which could generate significant revenue for the state.”
Erickson also discussed how players are not required to spend money at sweeps casinos to play the casino-style games. They can get Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins via free promotions like daily login bonuses, which, she argued, removes the “consideration” element necessary to make sweepstakes casinos illegal in SF4474.
“Social plus games do not compete against casinos and charitable organizations. The way people participate in these games is entirely different from real-money gambling,” Erickson said. “No money or consideration is ever required for a player to enter the sweepstakes. More than half the participants never spend money to play these games.
“This bill was introduced late in session and unfortunately there has not been enough time for a nuanced discussion to address all these misconceptions. We are asking the committee to give this issue further opportunity to study before enacting a counterproductive ban. We want to work with the members of the committee, tribes, and public in the coming months to create legislation that would protect Minnesota’s consumers and generate substantial tax revenue.”
April 17 deadline for committee approval
There was no real discussion following testimony. The only commentary from committee members came from Sen. Heather Gustafson, who lamented the gamification of everything online these days — including online shopping — and joked she wanted Rasmussen to consider an amendment that bans sweeps casino ads in Minnesota, because she said she’s annoyed by Chumba Casino ads.
“I’m glad that we’re staying ahead of it,” Gustafson said.
After that, Xiong called for a vote, and SF4474 received unanimous approval.
Minnesota’s 2026 legislative session ends on May 18. It has until April 17 to be approved by appropriations or finance committees in its originating chamber to remain under consideration. At this rate, SF4474 is well on pace to meet that deadline.
A small number of sweepstakes operators have pulled out of Minnesota, with Spin Saga among the most recent to exit. This may be tied to limited — but notable — regulatory pressure.
Back in November, Attorney General Keith Ellison revealed that multiple operators had received cease-and-desists. Among them was “VG LuckyLand,” a name that likely points to VGW and its suite of platforms — LuckyLand Slots, Chumba Casino, Global Poker, LuckyLand Casino, and United Slots — along with Zula Casino and Fortune Coins.
