- Stake US to pull all games from CA: Stake.us informs California players that it will end access to all games (both Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins games) on December 30.
- Hacksaw to abide by CA deadline: Hacksaw Gaming announces that it will pull all games from California before January 1, 2026.
- More CA exits: Betty Sweeps, SweepNext, and Stackr Casino all pull out of California.
- Three sweeps casinos permanently close: LuckyStars, OnPoint, and Turbo Stakes inform players that they will close in November.
- SGLA renames sweepstakes casinos: The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance announces that it will rebrand sweepstakes casinos as “Social Plus” platforms.
- VGW to exit WV: VGW informs West Virginia players that it will pull Sweeps Coins games out of the state, including Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker.
- Minnesota sends cease-and-desists: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison orders 14 operators, including three sweepstakes casino operators, to cease operation in the state by December 1, 2025.
- More exits in Tennessee: Three more sweepstakes sportsbooks exit the Tennessee market, including Thrillz, KicKr and ReBet.
- Modo will keep GC games in California: Modo Casino tells Sweepsy that it will pull its Sweeps Coins games out of California on Dec. 31, 2025, but its Gold Coins games will remain active.
- Ohio bills will likely stall: Ohio lawmakers indicate that a pair of bills that would legalize online casinos and ban sweepstakes casinos (HB 298 and SB 197) likely won’t pass before the end of the 2025 legislative session.
- California AB 831 signed into law: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 831, and sweeps casinos are officially banned from operating in California beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
Timelines of events
- October 30, 2025: Modo Casino tells Sweepsy that it will pull its Sweeps Coins games out of California on Dec. 31, 2025, but its Gold Coins games will remain active.
- October 29, 2025: Four more sweeps casinos exit California, including TheBoss Casino, Grand Vault Casino, CosmoSlots and LuckySlots.
- October 28, 2025: Legendz Casino begins the process of exiting the California market, as yet another sweepstakes casino leaves the state.
- October 27, 2025: Stake.us and prominent musician Drake are among the defendants named in a Missouri lawsuit filed by a player who says they lost money on Stake.us.
- October 24, 2025: SweepsUSA leaves California, becoming the fifth sweeps casino to exit the state before AB 831 goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
- October 22, 2025: ACE Casino expands into four new states, including Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, and Tennessee.
October 21, 2025: Ohio lawmakers indicate that a pair of bills that would legalize online casinos and ban sweepstakes casinos (HB 298 and SB 197) likely won’t pass before the end of the 2025 legislative session.
- October 22, 2025: ACE Casino expands into four new states, including Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, and Tennessee.
- October 21, 2025: Sweepsy learns that WOW Vegas intends to remain operational in California through the end of 2025, right up to the Jan. 1, 2026 deadline for sweeps casinos being explicitly prohibited in the Golden State.
- October 11, 2025: Gov. Gavin Newsom signs AB 831, and sweeps casinos are officially banned from operating in California beginning Jan. 1, 2026.
- October 1, 2025: Sweepstakes-banning bills officially go into effect in Connecticut and Montana, and residents of those states can no longer legally access any sweeps casinos.
- October 1, 2025: Dara Casino exits the California market, becoming the fourth sweeps casino to leave the state as AB 831 sits on the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
- September 25, 2025: Sidepot Casino (sister brand to Fliff) exits the Arizona market.
- September 22, 2025: Carnival Citi pulled out of the California market with the passage of AB 831 looming.
- September 20, 2025: Despite the hurdles faced in California, a handful of new launches have taken place. Storm Rush, Shuffle.us and Sweeps Night are now live.
- September 18, 2025: Baba Casino removed six states from its excluded states list, including Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee.
- September 17, 2025: Vivaro announces that it will exit the U.S. market entirely on Oct. 1.
- September 15, 2025: Spree removes Alabama and Georgia from its list of restricted states, re-entering both markets.
- September 12, 2025: Assembly Bill 831 passed the California Assembly by a 63-0 vote, ending the state’s 2025 legislative session.
- September 12, 2025: Stake.us sees 11 different vendors restrict access to games in California.
- September 11, 2025: Ruby Sweeps pulled all sweepstakes games from the Arizona market.
- September 11, 2025: The Governmental Organization Committee passes AB 831 in California, and the sweepstakes-banning bill now goes to the Assembly. If the Assembly advances the bill, AB 831 will go to the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom for final approval.
- September 9, 2025: AB 831 passes through the California Senate by a unanimous 36-0 vote. The bill, which would ban sweepstakes casinos, will now go to the Assembly’s Governmental Organization Committee.
- September 8, 2025: The Louisiana Department of Revenue sues VGW and MW Services Limited, claiming the two sweepstakes operators owe the state $44 million in unpaid sales taxes, interest, and penalties.
- September 5, 2025: Three California tribes announce intentions to stage a protest against AB 831 at the State Capitol on September 8.
- September 5, 2025: High 5 Casino announces it will exit California as of September 15.
- September 3, 2025: Chumba Casino restricts access to Playtech games for players in California. The move comes days after the state of California filed a lawsuit against several sweepstakes operators and game providers.
- September 2, 2025: Pragmatic Play announces that it will exit the U.S. sweepstakes casino market, stating that it will no longer license its games to sweepstakes casinos “in US states where restrictions were not already in place, in light of regulatory developments and evolving legislation.”
- August 29, 2025: California AB 831 advanced through the Senate Appropriations Committee by a unanimous 7-0 vote, and will move on to the schedule for a state Senate vote.
- August 29, 2025: Funzpointz added Connecticut and Maryland to its list of restricted states.
- August 28, 2025: New York State Sen. Joe Addabbo tells Sweepsy that he believes regulating sweepstakes casinos is a better approach than outright banning sweeps casinos. The statement comes as sweepstakes-banning bill S5935A awaits a signature from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
- August 28, 2025: A third California tribe, the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, declares opposition to AB831. The tribe also forms a partnership with sweeps casino operator B-Two Operations Limited to explore responsible digital gaming as a new revenue source.
- August 26, 2025: The Big Lagoon Ranchera tribe asks the California Senate Appropriations Committee to “pause consideration of AB 831 to allow for meaningful tribal consultation and consideration of the bill’s impacts.”
- August 22, 2025: VGW announces that it will pull its Chumba Casino and Global Poker sweepstakes platforms out of the Canadian market, as a strategic decision to help focus of the “larger US market.”
- August 19, 2025: Massachusetts Rep. David K. Muradian introduces a bill (H.4431) that would legalize iGaming and also ban sweepstakes casinos in the state.
- August 18, 2025: California AB 831 is moved to the suspense file, halting the progress of the proposed sweepstakes-banning measure for now.
- August 18, 2025: VGW announced a social gaming partnership with the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation of the Cortina Rancheria, the only tribal gaming group opposing AB831 in California.
- August 16, 2025: Thrillz exits Arizona just one day after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the Arizona Department of Gaming.
- August 15, 2025: Gov. Phil Murphy signed AB5447, officially banning sweepstakes casinos in New Jersey.
- August 15, 2025: RubySweeps exits Nevada, citing “changes in the state of Nevada” as the reason for the sudden departure. The “changes” likely refer to SB256, which passed in May and aims to enforce stricter penalties on unlicensed gambling operators.
- August 14, 2025: Jackpota ceases all marketing activities in California and increases the minimum age restriction to 21 in all states.
- August 11, 2025: Modo.us adds a liability waiver for California players in an effort to limit legal actions from players should AB831 go into law.
- August 7, 2025: McLuck, Hello Millions, SpinBlitz, and PlayFame (all products by B-Two Operations) re-enter Alabama and Georgia. The move marks a rare instance of a sweeps casino operator returning to markets it previously exited due to legal concerns.
- August 7, 2025: RealPrize adds Delaware, Louisiana, and New Jersey to its list of restricted states.
- August 1, 2025: MyPrize.us exits the New Jersey market, joining several other sweeps casino operators that have voluntarily pulled out of the state before AB 5447 (which bans sweepstakes casinos) goes into law.
- July 31, 2025: Zula Casino announces that it will restrict access to Sweeps Coins games in Connecticut, Delaware, Montana, Nevada, and New Jersey as of August 1.
- July 25, 2025: MegaBonanza, Hello Millions, PlayFame and SportsMillions have pulled marketing spend in California.
- July 25, 2025: VGW announces that it will officially restrict access to sweepstakes games for New Jersey players on July 29.
- July 17, 2025: Stake.us tells Sweepsy that the company will restrict access to Arizona players beginning on August 12.
- July 15, 2025: Assembly Bill 831, which would ban dual-currency sweepstakes gaming sites in California, advanced through the Senate Committee on Public Safety by a unanimous 6-0 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on August 18.
- July 14, 2025: Some prominent game developers pulled their games from sweeps casinos operating in Louisiana and Mississippi. The list includes Hacksaw Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and Relax Gaming. Evolution pulled games from Mississippi.
- July 11, 2025: VGW announced that it will no longer offer Sweeps Coins games in Louisiana as of July 17.
- July 10, 2025: VGW began charging a sales tax on Gold Coins purchases in some U.S. states. The company said it’s taking the action in an effort to comply with state regulations.
- July 8, 2025: California AB831 advanced through the Governmental Organization Committee, and will now go to in-committee discussion in the Senate and Assembly on July 15.
- July 7, 2025: Nearly 20,000 California players have contacted state lawmakers to voice opposition to AB831, which would ban sweeps casinos in the Golden State. VGW, one of the biggest sweepstakes gaming operators operating in the U.S., advocates for a collaborative effort between lawmakers and sweeps casinos, instead of an outright ban.
- July 5, 2025: Golden Hearts Casino and other sweeps casino brands send emails to California customers, encouraging them to join the fight against the sweepstakes-banning bill AB831.
- July 5, 2025: – Chanced Casino exited Louisiana in response to a cease-and-desist order from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board sent to several sweeps operators in June. Shortly thereafter, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued an opinion that declared sweepstakes casinos as violating state law.
- June 30, 2025: A NJ bill advanced through both the state Assembly and state Senate within the span of a few minutes on June 30. The votes put the bill at the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy, and the bill will go into law pending Murphy’s signature.
- June 30, 2025: ARB Interactive received court approval to purchase PCH.
- June 24, 2025: WOW Vegas exits Louisiana with a phased-out approach.
- June 20, 2025: California legislators introduced a bill on June 20 that aims to ban all sweepstakes casino operations, as well as any promotion of sweepstakes casinos.
Interactive map and bill tracker
Bills to ban the dual-currency model
| State / Bill | Last update | Details of bill | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 11/6/2025 | Minnesota AG sends letters to 14 operators, ordering them to cease all operations in the state by Dec. 1, 2025. | Letters sent |
| Massachusetts/ H4431 | 8/20/2025 | Legalizes iGaming and prohibits sweepstakes casino operations | Introduced |
| California/ AB831 | 09/12/2025 | Prohibits sweepstakes casino operations and marketing | Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom; will go into law on Jan. 1, 2026. |
| Illinois / SB 1705 | 04/11/2025 | Redefines definition of gambling | Under consideration in the Senate’s Gaming, Wagering, and Racing Committee |
| Missouri / HB 1251 | 03/05/2025 | Modifies provisions relating to illegal gambling | To House Government Efficiency Committee, no hearing scheduled to date |
| Nevada / SB 256 | 05/22/2025 | Amends existing laws; requiring the disgorgement of any profit, gain, gross receipt or other benefit related to certain illegal gaming activities; increasing penalties | Passed both chambers; awaiting signature. |
| New York / AB 6745 | 06/18/2025 | Prohibit online sweepstakes gaming; highlights operators and suppliers | Advanced through the state House and will go into law if Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the bill. |
| Ohio / HB 298 | 05/20/2025 | Introduced, revise code to legalize and regulate internet gambling in Ohio, to levy a tax on businesses that provide internet gambling, and to prohibit online sweepstakes games; highlights dual-currency | Introduced by Rep. Brian Stewart and Rep. Marilyn John. |
The casino gaming industry is rapidly expanding in the United States, with sweepstakes casinos emerging as the top alternative to traditional gambling platforms. The gaming sites operate in a gray area due to the no-purchase format with Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins.
More than a dozen states introduced bills to ban sweepstakes casinos in 2025. California is the most recent state to pass a sweepstakes-banning bill, and sweeps casinos won’t be able to operate in the Golden State after Jan. 1, 2026.
Similar bills passed in Connecticut and Montana, and sweepstakes casinos can’t legally operate in either of those states as of Oct. 1, 2025.
In New York, a bill that aims to ban sweepstakes gaming in the state (S5935) passed through the necessary legislative channels and is now on the desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul for approval. If Hochul signs the bill, sweepstakes casinos would effectively be forced to exit the Empire State. Additionally, the Office of the Attorney General shut down 26 sweepstakes casinos on June 6. Around 90% of sweepstakes operators are already out of New York in light of these legal developments.
Several states have also issued cease-and-desist orders, including Maryland, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and, Arizona. The industry is at a crossroads, with growing legal scrutiny and regulatory changes reshaping its future. While these platforms have gained popularity by offering an alternative to traditional online casino gaming, legislative efforts in several states show signs of potential restrictions or full bans.
The introduction of legislation in multiple states poses an increased risk to the industry. The lack of uniform federal laws leaves regulation on a state-by-state basis, making compliance difficult for operators.
Will more states introduce legislation against sweepstakes casinos? Will the bills pass into law or become a tool for creating new regulations to help the sweepstakes industry grow even further? For now, we are in a wait-and-see period.
List of failed bills
| State | Last update | Details of bill | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas / SB524 | 05/05/2025 | Aimed to classify the operation of illegal online casinos and sports betting as felonies | Pulled by author, recommended for study in the Interim by the Committee |
| Florida / SB 1404 | 05/03/2025 | Sought to ban sweepstakes casinos. | Legislature ended, bill failed in Senate |
| Florida / HB 1467 | 05/03/2025 | Sought to ban sweepstakes casinos. | Legislature ended, bill failed in Senate |
| Maryland / SB 0860 | 03/03/2025 | Prohibition of sweepstakes gaming | Passed in Senate; legislature ended, bill failed. |
| Mississippi / SB 2150 | 03/31/2025 | Sought to criminalize online sweepstakes casinos | Failed in conference committee |
| Louisiana /SB 181 | 6/12/2025 | Redefines gambling and increases penalties. | Vetoed by Gov. Jeff Landry |
| Texas / SB 517 | 06/02/2025 | Sought to redefine the definition “gambling device” in the state; bill broadened the definition of “thing of value” | Legislature ended, bill failed in Senate |
While a dozen states introduced bills to ban sweepstakes casinos in 2025, bills have already failed in six of those states.
Bills in Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, and Texas all failed to meet legislative session deadlines. These failures preserve the legal status of sweeps casinos in those states for now, at least until the next legislative sessions in each of the three states.
The author of an Arkansas bill withdrew the bill from consideration, and sweeps casinos remain operating in Arkansas.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed a bill that sought to penalize sweeps casino operators. In spite of that veto, Louisiana gaming regulators continue an aggressive push to ban sweepstakes casino gaming in the state.
States with bans in place
| State | Law | Signed | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | SB 1235 | 06/11/2025 | Prohibits real or simulated casino gaming by sweepstakes operators |
| Idaho | Existing law | ||
| Montana | SB 555 | 05/12/2025 | Revised existing gambling laws, updated penalties to include felony. |
| New Jersey | A 5447 | 08/15/2025 | Revised existing laws to ban sweepstakes with dual-currencies. |
| Washington | Existing law |
Montana became the first state to pass a sweepstakes-banning bill in 2025. Gov. Greg Gianforte signed SB 555 into law on May 12, and any sweeps casinos still operating in Montana must exit the state by October 1, 2025.
Connecticut joined as the second state to pass a sweepstakes-banning bill on June 11.
How it worked: The free entry model
The sweepstakes sites use a dual-currency system that includes Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC). You’ll see these currencies called slightly different names at some sites, but the concept is identical across all sweepstakes casinos.
Gold Coins are play money currency, and you can only use GC in the play money games at a sweeps casino. Sweeps Coins are a virtual currency that you can use to play in the sweepstakes games at a casino. You can redeem the SC that you win in these games for cash prizes.
You can’t directly purchase SC at a sweeps casino. Under sweepstakes laws, players must be able to enter the sweepstakes offered at a site for free. Sweepstakes casinos fulfill this legal obligation by extending several different ways to obtain SC for free. The most popular method is writing letters to request free Sweeps Coins.
Tax implications on winnings
Federal gaming laws require players to pay income tax on sweepstakes wins of $5,000 or more. This could be a single win on a jackpot or bet that you redeem for $5,000 or more, or it could be your cumulative sweepstakes winnings for the year.
In addition to federal taxes, sweepstakes gaming wins could be subject to state taxes as well. State tax could be payable depending on which state you’re playing from and possibly which state you live (if the two are different).
When it comes to sweepstakes casino winnings, we highly recommend keeping track of your total wins and losses for the year. Consulting with a tax professional and disclosing all of that information is your best bet when it comes time to report winnings and fulfill tax obligations.