Bill & Law Tracker: Sweepstake Casino Bans by State

How to use this tracker

State bans and bills

Banned states come first, with one row per state. Bans that have passed but are not yet effective, enforcement actions, proposed bills and failed measures appear in separate tables. Dates in the first table are effective dates, not signing dates; existing-law restrictions are labeled separately.

Sweepstakes casino bans in place

Bans passed but not yet effective

A passed law is not necessarily a ban already in force. Oklahoma’s new ban starts November 1, 2026.

Laws passed and enforcement actions (not bans)

Bills pending

Working drafts for 2027

Wyoming’s October 5–6, 2026 gaming committee materials include competing prohibition and authorization drafts. Both documents are marked draft only and not approved for introduction. Their proposed effective dates are not laws in force.

Bills that failed or stalled

Attempts to regulate sweeps

New Jersey S1500, introduced January 13 by Sen. Joseph Cryan. It would designate sweepstakes casinos as internet gaming and require them to obtain a license through the Division of Gaming Enforcement, partner with a licensed Atlantic City casino, submit to independent audits, verify players are 21+, and pay the same iGaming tax rates as regulated online casinos. It’s currently sitting in the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee — the same place his identical 2025 bill died.

Worth noting: this is Cryan’s third attempt at this. He filed in 2025 in both chambers; the Assembly version was withdrawn in April and the Senate version stalled as the ban bill took over the agenda. The SGLA’s goals align with S1500, but it has no real momentum with a ban already in place in New Jersey and a legislature that just voted to prohibit the model.

Indiana had two separate regulatory proposals killed during HB1052’s passage, and a Virginia lawmaker floated a similar idea informally. Wyoming’s 27LSO-0200 authorization working draft is another regulatory proposal for 2027, but it is not an introduced bill. New Jersey S1500 remains a proposal, not a reversal of the state’s existing ban.

Timelines of events

Browse the reporting by year, then by month. The event timeline currently runs through October 2026.

2026 timeline

October 2026

• Two operators leave Oklahoma: Baba Casino and ACE Casino exit Oklahoma ahead of the state’s Nov. 1 sweeps ban.
• Wyoming ban bill for 2027: A Wyoming legislative committee’s October 5 and 6 materials include a 2027 sweeps casino prohibition draft, 27LSO-0098, and competing authorization draft 27LSO-0200. Sweepsy reports that the committee sponsors a sweeps casino ban bill for the 2027 session; the official working drafts are not enacted laws, and the specific sponsorship outcome remains unverified from a written official record.
• Pennsylvania bill filed: House Bill 2801 is filed in Pennsylvania for the 2025-2026 regular session. The official record dates its Gaming Oversight referral to September 24, 2026; this October report is not evidence of a 2027 prefiling.

September 2026

• VGW settles with New York: VGW reaches a settlement with New York and agrees to pay $8 million.

August 2026

• Florida AG sues VGW and Stake: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sues VGW and Stake, following Kentucky’s lead.
• Games provider pulls out of Iowa: 3 Oaks Gaming pulls its titles from sweeps casinos in Iowa.
• Delaware exits: RealPrize and LoneStar end Sweeps Coin gameplay in Delaware.
• Virginia study bill possible: Virginia may consider a bill ordering a study on sweeps casinos in 2027.
• Maine regulator warning: Maine’s regulator warns residents about sweeps casinos now that the state’s new law is in place.
• Louisiana dual-currency ban in effect: Dual-currency sweeps casinos become illegal in Louisiana on Aug. 1.

July 2026

• Oklahoma ban starts Nov. 1: Oklahoma’s sweeps ban isn’t active until Nov. 1, but its impact is already being felt.
• Kentucky’s VGW lawsuit: A look at whether Kentucky’s lawsuit against VGW works like a cease-and-desist with more teeth.
• Maine ban in effect: Sweeps Coin gameplay is now illegal in Maine.
• Tennessee exits: McLuck and Hello Millions fully shut down in Tennessee on July 13.
• Indiana ban in effect: Sweepstakes casinos become illegal in Indiana on July 1.
• Sidepot leaves Iowa: Sidepot Casino, Fliff’s sister site, shuts down operations in Iowa.

June 2026

• Several Indiana exits: A slew of sweepstakes casinos exit Indiana ahead of the July 1 deadline for an official ban on sweeps operators to go into place. The list of departures includes MyPrize.us, as well as all of Blazesoft’s platforms.
• Kickr launches skill-games platform: After shutting down its Kickr sweepstakes casino platform ealier in the year, parent company Kickr Games Play Ltd. launches GetGud, which offers skill-based games.
• Some major sweeps casinos leave IA: High 5 Casino, Baba Casino, and Lucky Bunny Casino voluntarily leave Iowa, possibly in a reaction to the passing of SF 2289. The bill doesn’t ban sweepstakes casinos, but allows the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission the clearance to send cease-and-desist letters to sweeps operators in the Hawkeye State.
• Blazesoft pulls SC games from Illinois: Major sweeps casino operator Blazesoft ends Sweeps Coins games in Illinois. The list of Blazesoft sweeps casinos includes Yay Casino, Zula Casino, Luck Party, American Luck, Fortune Wins, Sportzino, and WinBonanza.

May 2026

• Minnesota bill fails to reach the finish: Minnesota SF 4474 failed to pass the necessary legislative chambers before the end of the 2026 session, which concluded May 18.
• Iowa bill gets final signature: SF 2289 was signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds. The bill gives the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission expanded enforcement powers over various gaming platforms, including sweepstakes casinos.
• Two more anti-sweeps bills signed in LA: Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed HB 53, which expands the state’s racketeering laws to cover sweepstakes casinos. Landry also signed HB 883, which expands the definition of illegal online gambling in the state.
• Sweeps Coins games banned in TN: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed SB 2136, which formally prohibits websites from offering Sweeps Coins gameplay of any kind in the state.
• Oklahoma Legislature overrides veto: Both chambers of the Oklahoma Legislature voted to override Gov. Kevin Stitt’s veto of SB 1589. That means sweepstakes casinos are officially prohibited from operating in the state beginning Nov. 1, 2026.
• Oklahoma sweepstakes ban gets vetoed: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoes SB 1589, which sought to prohibit dual-currency sweepstakes casino sites from operating in the state.
• Sweepstakes-banning bill continues rapid progress in MN: SF 4474, which seeks to ban dual-currency gaming in Minnesota, gets assigned to the House Public Safety, Finance, and Policy Committee.
• Louisiana bill to go to the state Senate for full vote: Louisiana HB 883, which explicitly defines dual-currency gaming as “gambling by computer” (and therefore illegal), advanced through the Senate Legislative Bureau, and will now go to the Senate for a vote.
• First hearing for DC bill: Washington DC Council Bill 26-0656, which includes language to ban sweepstakes casinos, gets its first public hearing on May 4.
• Sweepstakes ban passes in OK: Oklahoma becomes the fourth state to pass a sweepstakes-banning bill into law in 2026, as SB 1589 clears the state House by a 65-21 vote. The bill now goes to the desk of Gov. Kevin Stitt for signature or veto.

April 2026

• Tennessee bill goes to governor’s desk with sweepstakes-banning language intact: SB 2136 clears both chambers of the Tennessee legislature, and now goes to the desk of Gov. Bill Lee. If Lee signs the bill, dual-currency games will be outlawed in the state.
• Racketeering bill passes in Louisiana: HB 53 passes through the Louisiana state Senate, and now goes to the desk of Gov. Jeff Landry, who can either sign or veto the bill. Another Louisiana bill, HB 883 (which would formally ban dual-currency gaming), gets a favorable recommendation from Senate Committee on Judiciary B.
• New bill introduced in NY: New York Sen. Samra Brouk files SB 10092, also known as the No Gambling For Kids Act. The bill formally prohibits advertising any kind of gambling-related activities to minors on “certain covered platforms and social media platforms.” The language of the bill specifically targets sweepstakes casinos, as well as various online gambling categories.
• Minnesota bill goes to Senate floor: SF 4474 advanced through the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee, and now goes to the state Senate for a full vote.
• TN moves forward, with amendments: The Tennessee House advanced SB 2136, with the bill replacing HB 1885. SB 2136 removed all language that specifically targets sweepstakes casinos, but was rejected by the state Senate. The bill now goes to conference committee.
• Louisiana HB 53 to go before Senate for full vote: HB 53, which classifies sweepstakes gaming as racketeering, advanced through the Senate Committee on Judiciary C. The bill now goes to the Senate for a full vote.
• Pair of Louisiana bills advance: Louisiana HB 53 gets assigned to the Senate Judiciary C Committee, and HB 883 advances through the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice. The latter bill is scheduled for a third reading, after which it will likely go before the House for a full vote.
• Minnesota bill misses deadline but still advances: Minnesota SF 4474 gets “late bill” designation and advances through the Senate Rules and Administration Committee. The sweepstakes-banning proposal now goes to the Senate Finance Committee.
• DC bill would legalize iGaming and ban sweeps casinos: Washington DC lawmakers introduce Council Bill 260656 (aka the Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026), which aims to legalize real-money online casinos and prohibit dual-currency sweepstakes casinos.
• MN measure clears third committee: Minnesota SF 4474 advances through the Senate State and Local Government Committee by a unanimous vote.
• Second Louisiana bill advances: HB 883 passes through its first committee hearing, advancing through the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee. There are now two sweepstakes-banning bills making their way through Louisiana legislative chambers (HB 883 and HB 53).
• Maine sweepstakes ban becomes official: Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 2007, making sweepstakes casinos officially illegal in the state. The ban takes effect in July.
• OK bill moves one step closer to passage: Oklahoma SB 1589 advanced through the House Criminal Judiciary Committee by a 6-0 vote.
• LA bill advances through House: HB 53 passed through the Louisiana state House by an 86-11 vote. The bill, which classifies sweepstakes gaming as “racketeering activity,” now goes to the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

 

March 2026

• Indiana sweepstakes ban to take effect in July: With Gov. Mike Braun signing HB 1052, sweepstakes casinos are officially prohibited from operating in Indiana beginning July 1, 2026.
• Maine passes bill banning sweeps casinos: LD 2007 advanced through the Maine House by an 87-55 vote, and now goes to the desk of Gov. Janet Mills for a final signature. If Mills signs the bill, sweepstakes casinos become illegal in the state on July 14.
• Louisiana racketeering bill fast-tracked to third reading: Louisiana HB 53, which would classify sweepstakes gaming as racketeering, advanced to the State Senate.
• Two MN bills advance: In Minnesota, SF 4474 advanced through the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, and House File 4410 advanced to the Public Safety Committee.
• Maryland bills advance through House before key deadline: A pair of bills aiming to ban sweepstakes casinos, HB 1226 and HB 295, passed through the Maryland House just before the state’s March 23 crossover deadline. Both bills remain alive in the 2026 session.
• Hawaii SB 3281 deferred: Hawaii Senate Bill 3281, which would create a criminal offense of “promoting illegal electronic gambling devices,” was deferred by the House Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.
• TN bill moves forward: HB 1885 advanced through the Tennessee House Departments and Agencies Subcommittee by a unanimous 8-0 vote.
• No sweepstakes bans in VA, FL, MA: Sweepstakes-banning bills failed to pass in Virginia, Florida, and Massachusetts, with legislative sessions expiring in all three states. The Massachusetts and Virginia bills could be revived in the next legislative sessions for both states.
• Minnesota introduces sweeps ban bill: Minnesota lawmakers introduced Senate File 4474, which proposes a ban on dual-currency games that simulate sports betting and casino-style gambling.
• MD gaming regulators back sweepstakes ban: The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency expressed support for SB 652 during a Senate Budget and Taxation Committee hearing, though the committee took no action on the bill.
• Virginia bills rejected by both legislative chambers: The Virginia Senate rejects HB161, while the House rejects SB118. Both bills now go to conference committees for potential revisions. The current legislative session ends March 14.
• Maine committee divided on sweepstakes ban: The Maine Joint Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee doesn’t reach a consensus on LD2007, submitting a divided report on the sweepstakes-banning bill. LD2007 now heads to the Senate.
• Tennessee Senate unanimously passes bill: SB2136, which would ban sweepstakes casinos by way of “virtual currency” language, passed through the Tennessee Senate by a 32-0 vote.
• FL bill clears third committee: SB 1580 passes through the Florida Senate Rules Committee by a 21-1 vote.
• MS sweepstakes ban fails: A sweepstakes-banning bill fails to pass in Mississippi for the second straight year, as SB 2104 stalls in the House Gaming Committee.
• VGW testifies against TN ban bill: VGW attorney Bill Gantz testified at the first hearing for HB1885, arguing the platform is freemium gaming, not illegal gambling. The House subcommittee deferred action to March 10.
• First sweeps casino exits Illinois: Smiles Casino became the first known operator to exit Illinois after receiving a cease-and-desist, adding the state to its list of restricted markets for both Gold Coin and Sweeps Coin play.
• Kickr announces shutdown: Sweepstakes sportsbook Kickr will cease operations on March 31, citing shifting market conditions and its parent company’s pivot to new verticals.

February 2026

• Pair of Florida bills both advance: SB1580 and HB189 both advance in separate hearings in Florida. Both bills focus largely on illegal gambling machines, but both contain language that could threaten the legal status of sweepstakes casinos in the state.
• MS bill passes unanimously: Mississippi SB2104 advances through the Senate by a unanimous 52-0 vote, and now goes to the State House.
• Second VA bill advances: The second of two sweepstakes-banning bills (HB161) made it through the ABC/Gaming Subcommittee in Virginia.
• Bills in progress in MS, OK, IA, and TN: Various bills that could threaten sweepstakes operations are still alive in Mississippi, Oklahoma, Iowa and Tennessee.
• IL sends C&D letters: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued cease-and-desist letters to more than 60 sweepstakes casinos. The letter warns that the recipients will face penalties if they don’t restrict access to Illinois players.
• IN bill passes through House: HB 1052, which would impose penalties on sweepstakes casinos, passed through the Indiana House by an 87-11 vote. The bill now heads to the Senate.
• VGW founder takes leave of absence: Facing criminal charges in Australia, VGW  founder and CEO Laurence Escalante will take a leave of absence from the company, per a VGW statement.
• Louisiana lawmakers pre-file bill: Rep. Bryan Fontenot pre-files HB53, which aims to classify sweepstakes gaming as racketeering.
• VA bill advances: Virginia HB 161, which would legalize iGaming and ban sweepstakes casinos, gets amended and makes it through the Senate General Laws and Technology Gaming Subcommittee.
• Hawaii bill could raise questions for sweepstakes casinos: Hawaii SB3281, filed January 29, seeks to ban “fish games” in the state, but also includes language about “sweepstakes gambling machines and similar devices.”
• VGW, SGLA testify against sweeps ban in Maryland: Representatives from the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance, as well as VGW, spoke against Maryland SB112 during a hearing before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
• MS bill moves through committee: Mississippi sweepstakes-banning bill, SB2104, was amended and approved by the Senate Judiciary, Division B Committee.
• Iowa bill to go to hearing: A proposed bill in Iowa that aims to give the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission the power to send cease-and-desists to illegal online gambling operators will go before the House State Government Committee on Jan. 29.
• VA bill will go to second hearing: Virginia SB 118, which would legalize online casinos and ban sweepstakes casinos, will go to a second hearing before the Senate General Laws and Technology Gaming Subcommittee on January 28.
• SGLA forms partnership with Paysafe: The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance announces a partnership with online payment processor Paysafe.

January 2026

• Jan. 30: A bill, House Bill 53, gets pre-filed in Louisiana. It would likely classify online sweepstakes gaming as a crime under racketeering law, which would be more effective than a simple legislative ban or cease-and-desist orders.
• Jan. 29: Hawaii sees the introduction of Senate Bill 3281, which contains language that may be read broadly enough to ban online sweepstakes gaming.
• Jan. 29: Maryland Senate Bill 112 receives its first hearing, featuring testimony from VGW, the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance, and a Maryland-based brick-and-mortar casino, though the committee does not hold a vote.
• Jan. 28: A Virginia Senate subcommittee advances Senate Bill 118, a measure that would authorize real-money iGaming while also banning sweepstakes casinos, sending the bill on to its next committee.
• Jan. 28: Mississippi’s ban bill, Senate Bill 2104, was amended and approved by the Senate Judiciary, Division B Committee. The amendments focused primarily on insulating companies such as internet providers from criminal charges if a player accesses an illegal sweeps company via that provider, for example.
• Jan. 22: Indiana’s bill, House Bill 1052, passes through the House Public Policy Committee with an amendment that adds “multi-currency” in addition to “dual-currency” for the gaming models it bans, and it changes the penalty for sweeps operators from criminal to civil.
• Jan. 20: Maryland’s twin sweeps ban bills have their first hearings scheduled — 1 p.m. on Jan. 28 for SB 112 and 1 p.m. on Feb. 5 for HB 295.
• Jan. 15: Iowa lawmakers officially file a bill (Senate Study Bill 3040) that would give the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission the power to send cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes casinos.

2025 timeline

December 2025

• Dec. 30, 2025: Maine will receive its first hearing before the Joint Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee on Jan. 14, one week after the state’s session begins. The bill outlines a sweeps casino ban by categorizing Sweeps Coins as “indirect consideration” and grants the Maine Gambling Control Unit authority to define dual-currency systems. Florida’s House Bill 591 (86 pages, targeting sweeps to strengthen Seminole Tribe monopoly) was assigned to the House Industries & Professional Activities Subcommittee for review when the session begins Jan. 13.
• Dec. 30, 2025: Massachusetts House Bill 4431 received a March 16, 2026 reporting deadline from the Joint Economic Development and Emerging Technologies Committee. The bill would ban sweepstakes casinos while legalizing real-money iGaming exclusively for the state’s three existing retail casinos (Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, Plainridge Park).
• Dec. 29, 2025: Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti confirmed cease-and-desist letters sent to nearly 40 sweepstakes casinos operating in the state. All operators on the list indicated their intent to comply and shut down Tennessee operations, including major brands like Chumba, McLuck, Stake.us, and Crown Coins.
• Dec. 29, 2025: Vision NL Limited launched Card Crush, an RPG-style card game platform exclusive to California and New York. Players purchase Mystery Boxes containing collectible cards and receive Mystery Coins as promotional add-ons. Mystery Coins can be used for casino-style games (Evoplay, Ruby Play) and redeemed for cash, bypassing dual-currency ban language through a single-currency RPG card battle model.
• Dec. 23, 2025: Modo.us announced the Jan. 1 launch of Modo Stars, a new rewards system where players earn in-game rewards through Gold Coin gameplay. Players can redeem Modo Stars for Gold Coin packages and future rewards, launching in all operating states including those where Sweeps Coins are banned.

November 2025

• November 24, 2025: All A1 Development sweeps casinos, including NoLimitCoins, exit the Tennessee market.
• November 24, 2025: Massachusetts House Bill 4431, which would ban sweepstakes casinos, will see no further action until the state legislature resumes on January 7, 2026.
• November 24, 2025: McLuck informs Sweepsy that it will end access to Sweeps Coin games in California on December 29.
• November 21, 2025: VGW tells Sweepsy that it plans to launch a new full-scale sweepstakes casino platform, called LuckyLand Casino.
• November 20, 2025: VGW informs Tennessee players that it will restrict access to Sweeps Coins games, beginning December 23.
• November 19, 2025: Pulsz announces that it will exit California completely by December 15, becoming the biggest sweeps casino to leave the state so far.
• November 18, 2025: Five sweepstakes casino brands, including Stake.us, High 5 Casino, and RealPrize, exit the Tennessee market.
• November 12, 2025: Stake.us informs California players that it will end access to all games (both Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins games) on December 30.
• November 11, 2025: ProphetX co-founder Jakr Benzaquen tells Sweepsy that it plans to keep its sweepstakes sports gaming platform operational while the company moves forward with plans to enter the prediction market space.
• November 10, 2025: LuckyStars, OnPoint, and Turbo Stakes all shutter operations permanently.
• November 10, 2025: Betty Sweeps, SweepNext, and Stackr Casino all exit the California market.
• November 10, 2025: Hacksaw Gaming announces that it will pull all of its games from California before January 1, 2026.
• November 7, 2025: The SGLA rebrands sweepstakes casinos as “Social Plus” platforms.
• November 6, 2025: VGW informs West Virginia players that it will pull Sweeps Coins games out of the state (including Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker.
• November 5, 2025: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison orders 14 operators, including three sweepstakes casino operators, to cease operation in the state by December 1, 2025.
• November 1, 2025: Three more sweepstakes sportsbooks exit the Tennessee market, including Thrillz, KicKr and ReBet.

October 2025

• • 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 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 2025

• 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 2025

• 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 2025

• 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 2025

• • 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.

How it worked: The free entry model

Sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area that has existed for decades. The model is built on a well-established principle in U.S. promotional law: a sweepstakes is legal as long as it eliminates one of three elements — prize, chance, or consideration. By offering a free alternative method of entry, operators have historically argued their platforms are promotions, not gambling.

For years, that argument held up. No federal law explicitly bans the model, and most state gambling statutes were written long before online gaming existed, leaving regulators with little clear authority to act.

That started changing in 2025. Montana became the first state to pass an explicit ban, followed quickly by Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and California — the latter wiping out roughly 20% of the industry’s U.S. revenue in a single law. Rather than waiting for legislatures, attorneys general in Tennessee, Minnesota, Illinois, Louisiana, and Maryland used existing consumer protection and gambling statutes to issue cease-and-desist letters to dozens of operators. Most complied and exited those markets.

The legal theory driving both approaches is the same: that Sweeps Coins — the redeemable virtual currency at the core of the model — constitute “something of value” under state gambling law, making the platforms unlicensed casinos regardless of how entry is structured.

On one side of that debate stands the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance, the industry’s primary trade group, which rebranded sweepstakes casinos as “Social Plus” platforms in 2025 and has testified before state legislatures arguing the model is legal free-to-play entertainment, not gambling. On the other side, the American Gaming Association and casino suppliers like Light & Wonder have pushed hard for bans, arguing that unregulated sweepstakes platforms siphon revenue from licensed operators, undermine consumer protections, and compete without paying taxes or submitting to oversight.

The 2026 legislative session has seen the pressure intensify further. Indiana became the first state to pass a ban this cycle. Florida, Virginia and Mississippi did not enact the sweepstakes-banning proposals described in this tracker. Oklahoma’s new ban takes effect November 1, 2026; Tennessee’s is already in force, while Iowa expanded enforcement powers rather than passing a direct dual-currency ban. The bills vary in approach — some target the dual-currency model explicitly, others broaden the definition of illegal internet gambling to capture it indirectly — but the direction is consistent.

Massachusetts and Ohio have considered iGaming legalization bills that would also prohibit sweepstakes casinos. Massachusetts H 4431 accompanied study order H 5269 on March 23, 2026; Ohio HB 298 remains in House Finance following its May 21, 2025 referral. Neither measure has become law.

For players, the list of sites available on the map is shrinking. Sweepstakes casinos that once operated in 45-plus states are now blocked in a growing list of markets, with more expected to follow before the end of 2026. Operators face a choice between exiting states proactively or waiting for enforcement action.

A small number of states are exploring a third path: regulation rather than prohibition, with licensing frameworks that would bring sweepstakes-style platforms under state oversight. That debate is most visible in Indiana, where a regulatory amendment failed twice during the bill’s passage, and in New Jersey, where a competing bill proposes a licensing structure instead of a ban.