A Stake.us support representative told Sweepsy that it has barred the creation of new accounts in Arizona, and existing players will lose access to casino-style, sweepstakes-based games on the website on Aug. 12. Arizona will represent the 17th United States jurisdiction that Stake does not allow people to play its games in.
The move follows an update in guidance from the Arizona Dept. of Gaming on sweepstakes casinos, urging residents to carefully evaluate them before performing any transactions. While Arizona has not followed other states in enacting new laws to restrict sweepstakes casinos, regulators’ interpretation of existing statutes could have played a part in Stake’s decision.
Stake.us carves Arizona out of addressable audience
According to a Stake representative, the website has already begun blocking the creation of new accounts on devices located in Arizona. The games will remain available for existing players through Aug. 12, then all activity on the website will be blocked.
At that time, Arizona will join 16 other US states in which people cannot access the same games on Stake.
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Idaho
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
- West Virginia
This list has grown considerably for Stake in 2025, encompassing all states where real-money online casino gaming is legal. The list also includes several others that have taken regulatory actions against the platform or sweepstakes casino operators broadly.
So far, Arizona’s approach in that regard has been less hostile to businesses like Stake. For Stake, however, the result has been the same.
ADG issued consumer advisory about sweepstakes casinos
In late January, the Arizona Dept. of Gaming (ADG) published a public service announcement for residents. The notice characterized certain sweepstakes casino sites as illegal gambling and clarified the components of a legal sweepstakes game in the state.
The advisory stated that players must have the option to participate for free in the same manner, to the same extent, and with the same odds of winning as a person who chooses to make a purchase. That rule clashes with the dual-currency system that Stake and other sweepstakes casinos use.
Stake is not the only sweepstakes casino operator to restrict access to its games in Arizona. High 5 Games also announced it would block players in Arizona on July 2.
The ADG has not taken further actions, like sending cease-and-desist letters to any operators of sweepstakes casinos. To date, the Arizona legislature has not taken up any proposals to ban the games.
In Arizona, casino gaming is mostly under the control of tribal casino operators. The biggest exception to that exclusivity is the state’s system for regulated sports wagering, wherein the state has licensed a handful of non-tribal operators as part of an agreement with gaming tribes. For example, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is strongly supporting the enactment of a sweepstakes casino ban in neighboring California.
With operators like High 5 and Stake leaving Arizona voluntarily, taking that stance might be unnecessary for tribal casino operators within Arizona’s borders.
