{ "license": "CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Cite: SweepstakeReport (sweepstakereport.com), published by Luck Incorporated LLC, which operates Chance Infinite.", "status_vocabulary": { "law-in-force": "A state statute in effect today names or clearly covers online sweepstakes casinos.", "law-pending": "A statute covering online sweepstakes casinos is enacted and takes effect later.", "enforcement": "No specific statute, but a documented regulator or attorney-general action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos.", "law-related": "A statute in effect reaches unlicensed online gaming or undefined illegal sweepstakes generally, but its text does not name online sweepstakes casinos.", "bills-only": "Bills on online sweepstakes casinos were introduced in 2025 or 2026; none was enacted.", "none-found": "No specific statute, bill or enforcement found in the sources we checked." }, "states": [ { "code": "AK", "name": "Alaska", "slug": "alaska", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Alaska statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or state enforcement action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "gambling definition", "summary": "Defines gambling as when a person \"stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under the person's control or influence\", on an understanding that someone will receive something of value on a certain outcome, with listed exclusions; a contest of chance is one whose outcome depends in a material degree on chance.", "cite": "AS 11.66.280(2), (3)", "source": "S2" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Alaska Department of Law, Consumer Protection Unit", "url": "https://law.alaska.gov/department/civil/consumer/cpindex.html" }, "notes": [ "The 34th Legislature's (2025-2026) bills under the subject GAMBLING are HB 50 (snow classics, now Chapter 30 SLA 26), HB 145 and SB 194 (mobile sports wagering, in committee), HB 255 and SB 240 (dividend raffle), HB 386 and SB 170 (electronic pull-tabs) and HCR 22 (suspending rules for SB 170) (S1). The texts of HB 145, SB 194 and HB 386 (version A, the only versions posted) and SB 170 (versions A through D) contain no occurrence of the word sweepstake (S4, S5, S6, S7, S9).", "Under AS 11.66.200, \"A person commits the offense of gambling if the person engages in unlawful gambling\"; it is a violation for a first offense, and being a player in a social game is an affirmative defense (S2). This is general gambling law; we do not assess its application to any sweepstakes.", "The Department of Law's press release indexes for 2022 through 2026 show one gaming item: the August 5, 2025 release announcing that Attorney General Taylor joined a 50-state letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to help address illegal offshore gaming (S3, S8). The release does not mention sweepstakes." ], "gaps": [ "Bill coverage relies on the Legislature's subject coding (S1) and a title scan of the 34th Legislature's bill range; a bill touching sweepstakes under another subject could be missed.", "The Department of Revenue's charitable gaming unit was not checked." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Bills by subject: GAMBLING, 34th Legislature", "publisher": "Alaska State Legislature", "url": "https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Subject/34?subject=GAMBLING", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "AS 11.66.200 to 11.66.280", "publisher": "Alaska State Legislature", "url": "https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?media=print&secStart=11.66.200&secEnd=11.66.280", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "AG Taylor Joins 50 States Urging U.S. Department of Justice to Help Address Illegal Offshore Gaming (August 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Alaska Department of Law", "url": "https://www.law.alaska.gov/press/releases/2025/080525-Gaming.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "HB 145, version A (34th Legislature)", "publisher": "Alaska State Legislature", "url": "https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0145A.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "SB 194, version A (34th Legislature)", "publisher": "Alaska State Legislature", "url": "https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0194A.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "SB 170, version A (34th Legislature)", "publisher": "Alaska State Legislature", "url": "https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170A.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "HB 386, version A (34th Legislature)", "publisher": "Alaska State Legislature", "url": "https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/HB0386A.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Press release indexes, 2022 to 2026", "publisher": "Alaska Department of Law", "url": "https://www.law.alaska.gov/press/news.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "SB 170, version D (34th Legislature)", "publisher": "Alaska State Legislature", "url": "https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/34/Bills/SB0170D.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "AL", "name": "Alabama", "slug": "alabama", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Alabama statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or state enforcement since 2022 aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026; private loss-recovery suits are reported.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery and gift enterprise prohibition", "summary": "Section 65 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022 provides: “The legislature shall have no power to authorize lotteries or gift enterprises for any purposes, and shall pass laws to prohibit the sale in this state of lottery or gift enterprise tickets, or tickets in any scheme in the nature of a lottery” (S8). The Legislature's own bill synopses restate the rule: “Under Section 65 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, lotteries and gift enterprises are prohibited.” Proposals in 2026 to amend Section 65 (SB 257 and HB 448) proposed authorizing a state lottery and, in SB 257, in-person casino-style games and in-person and online sports wagering; neither text mentions sweepstakes (SB 257 text: S1; HB 448 synopsis: S2).", "cite": "Ala. Const. 2022, section 65", "source": "S8" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Alabama Attorney General, Consumer Interest Division", "url": "https://www.alabamaag.gov/consumer-complaint/" }, "notes": [ "Private lawsuits: trade press reported on January 7, 2026 that sweepstakes casino operators faced 21 new lawsuits in Alabama, bringing the total to over 40, as residents sought to recover losses; discussing one of those suits, the report describes Ala. Code section 8-1-150. These are private suits, not state enforcement (S4, secondary). As published by the Legislature, section 8-1-150 makes contracts founded on a gambling consideration void, lets a person who paid money or delivered a thing of value lost on a game or wager recover it by an action commenced within six months, and lets any other person recover it by an action commenced within 12 months “for the use of the wife or, if no wife, the children or, if no children, the next of kin of the loser” (S7). The trade report's description of who keeps a recovery differs from that text.", "A search of the Attorney General's site for “sweepstakes” on 2026-10-03 returned scam warnings and an August 22, 2017 release (S5, S6). That release announced a Jefferson County circuit court ruling that machines at a Birmingham facility, whose software “included illegal sweepstakes games in conjunction with online auctions,” operated as slot machines under Alabama law, and a cease-and-desist letter to Blue Streak Bids, LLC, operator of Redibids.com, whose website the office said offered the same games. That 2017 action predates the period this record covers (2022 onward), and the release does not describe a dual-currency model (S6).", "Our crackdown timeline does not mention Alabama; nothing here conflicts with it." ], "gaps": [ "The Alabama Legislature's bill search, queried on 2026-10-03 through the data service its search page uses, returned no 2025 or 2026 Regular Session bill for “sweepstakes” (S9); the site does not say whether that search reaches full bill text. The gambling bills it returned include SB 257 and HB 448 (2026) and HB 41 (2025); HB 41 proposed raising gambling penalties and specifying that electronic games of chance, including electronic bingo, are illegal gambling devices. None of those texts mentions sweepstakes (S1, S2, S10).", "Ala. Code section 8-1-150 is quoted from the Legislature's code database (S7); we did not review court rulings on whether or how it applies to online sweepstakes casinos.", "We found no Alabama gaming regulator with authority over online play; the regulator field points to the Attorney General's consumer complaint page (S3). We found no Attorney General letter, suit or settlement aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "SB 257, 2026 Regular Session, as introduced (constitutional amendment on lotteries and gaming)", "publisher": "Alabama Legislature", "url": "https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/SB257-int.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "HB 448, 2026 Regular Session, as introduced (synopsis on Section 65)", "publisher": "Alabama Legislature", "url": "https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB448-int.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Consumer complaint page", "publisher": "Office of the Alabama Attorney General", "url": "https://www.alabamaag.gov/consumer-complaint/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Alabama Sweepstakes Casinos Facing 21 New Lawsuits (January 7, 2026)", "publisher": "CasinoBeats", "url": "https://casinobeats.com/2026/01/07/alabama-sweepstakes-casinos-facing-21-new-lawsuits/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Site search results for “sweepstakes”", "publisher": "Office of the Alabama Attorney General", "url": "https://www.alabamaag.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "AG Marshall, DA Carr Announce Victory in Jefferson County Gambling Case (August 22, 2017)", "publisher": "Office of the Alabama Attorney General", "url": "https://www.alabamaag.gov/ag-marshall-da-carr-announce-victory-in-jefferson-county-gambling-case/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Code of Alabama section 8-1-150, Contracts Founded Upon Gambling Consideration Void; Recovery of Money Paid or Things of Value Delivered", "publisher": "Alabama Legislature", "url": "https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=8-1-150", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Constitution of Alabama of 2022, Section 65, Lotteries and Gift Enterprises Prohibited", "publisher": "Alabama Legislature", "url": "https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/constitution?section=65", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Bill search, 2025 and 2026 Regular Sessions, term “sweepstakes” (queries run October 3, 2026)", "publisher": "Alabama Legislature", "url": "https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/bill-search", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "HB 41, 2025 Regular Session, as introduced (gambling offenses)", "publisher": "Alabama Legislature", "url": "https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2025RS/HB41-int.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "AR", "name": "Arkansas", "slug": "arkansas", "status": "bills-only", "status_line": "Two 2025 bills that would have covered online dual-currency games (SB 524 and HB 1861) were withdrawn by their authors; we found no enacted law or enforcement action in the sources checked.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 524 (2025 Regular Session)", "status": "withdrawn by author; no further action before sine die adjournment on 2025-05-05", "date": "2025-03-20", "summary": "Titled an act to make the operation of an illegal online casino or sports betting a felony and to create the Interactive Gaming Act, including casino gaming. Its first section would have amended the gambling-house offense in Ark. Code section 5-66-103 to cover making available any internet or mobile game, contest or promotion that \"utilizes a dual-currency system of payment\" exchangeable for a prize, cash or cash equivalent and simulates casino games, lottery games or sports wagering, with exceptions for a sweepstakes game that does not award cash or a cash equivalent and for casinos licensed by the Arkansas Racing Commission. Filed March 19, 2025 and withdrawn by its author the next day (S2).", "source": "S1" }, { "name": "HB 1861 (2025 Regular Session)", "status": "withdrawn by author and recommended for interim study by the House Judiciary Committee", "date": "2025-04-07", "summary": "House bill filed March 19, 2025 with the same core title as SB 524 plus a clause on regulating internet gaming. It was amended twice (March 31 and April 1, 2025); the engrossed text also contains the dual-currency provision (S4).", "source": "S3" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "prize notices (Ark. Code Title 4, Chapter 102)", "summary": "A sponsor may not offer a prize unless the person first receives a written prize notice stating the sponsor's true name and address, the retail value of each prize, the odds of receiving each prize, any fees or charges, restrictions and eligibility limits. The chapter does not apply where all prizes are awarded free and there is no opportunity to pay the sponsor; a free entry route does not exempt a promotion that also allows payment. Text taken from FindLaw's copy of the code (secondary; S5, S6).", "cite": "Ark. Code Ann. sections 4-102-104 and 4-102-106", "source": "S5" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Arkansas Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division", "url": "https://arkansasag.gov/divisions/public-protection/consumer-protection/" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline (S7) does not mention Arkansas, and its list of states where bills failed or died does not include SB 524 or HB 1861 of 2025." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Arkansas enforcement action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos since 2022 in the sources checked on 2026-10-03 (web searches including the Attorney General's site, and trade press).", "We found no 2026 Arkansas bill on online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked; we did not run a full-text search of arkleg.state.ar.us for the 2026 session.", "We did not retrieve the official Arkansas Code (published through LexisNexis); Justia's copy returned a bot challenge (HTTP 403). The Prize Promotion Act text is FindLaw's copy, which FindLaw marks current as of March 28, 2024.", "Trade press reports that state leaders opposed the 2025 bills; the bill records we opened do not state why the authors withdrew them, so we record no reason." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "SB524, 2025 Regular Session, bill text as filed", "publisher": "Arkansas State Legislature", "url": "https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB524.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "SB524, 2025 Regular Session, bill status history", "publisher": "Arkansas State Legislature", "url": "https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=SB524&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "HB1861, 2025 Regular Session, bill status history", "publisher": "Arkansas State Legislature", "url": "https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=HB1861&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "HB1861, 2025 Regular Session, bill text as engrossed April 1, 2025", "publisher": "Arkansas State Legislature", "url": "https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1861.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Arkansas Code sections 4-102-104 (Exemptions) and 4-102-106 (Written prize notices)", "publisher": "FindLaw (copy of the Arkansas Code)", "url": "https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-4-business-and-commercial-law/ar-code-sect-4-102-106.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Arkansas Code section 4-102-104, Exemptions", "publisher": "FindLaw (copy of the Arkansas Code)", "url": "https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-4-business-and-commercial-law/ar-code-sect-4-102-104.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S7", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (this site's own page, cited only to record what it says)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "AZ", "name": "Arizona", "slug": "arizona", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found; since April 2025 the Department of Gaming has issued cease-and-desist orders to operators including Modo.us, Stake.us, High 5 and Pulsz.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-04-17", "agency": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "action": "cease-and-desist orders", "target": "Listed under \"Sweepstakes\": ARB Gaming, LLC d/b/a Modo.us (with MODO.us (online casino) / BITMODO LLC and Modo) and Epic Hunts. The same release lists Generiz, ProphetX, MyBookie and BetUS.com.pa under other categories.", "summary": "The release says the operators are allegedly providing access to illegal online gaming services including \"sweepstakes\" platforms, that their active operations in Arizona \"are alleged to be felony criminal enterprises\", and that each was directed to cease gambling operations in Arizona and exclude Arizona residents and visitors. It cites Promotion of Gambling (A.R.S. 13-3303), Illegal Control of an Enterprise (A.R.S. 13-2312) and Money Laundering (A.R.S. 13-2317).", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" }, { "date": "2025-06-27", "agency": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "action": "cease-and-desist orders", "target": "Stake.US (listed under \"Sweepstakes\") and High 5 (listed under \"Offers Multiple Types\"). The same release lists ReBet, Novig, Dallas Safari Club, Fanthem and BettorEdge under other categories.", "summary": "The release says the operators reportedly offer access to illegal online gambling platforms including \"sweepstakes\" models, alleges felony conduct under the same three statutes, and directs each to cease operations in Arizona.", "status": "issued", "source": "S2" }, { "date": "2025-08-15", "agency": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "action": "cease-and-desist orders", "target": "BettySweeps Casino and Pulsz Casino (listed under \"Sweepstakes\"). The same release lists Fliff Online Gambling and Thrillzz Mobile Gambling as event wagering sportsbooks.", "summary": "The release says the operators reportedly offer access to illegal online gambling platforms including \"sweepstakes\" casino-style models, alleges felony conduct under the same three statutes, and says the Department continues to investigate, including possible enforcement actions in partnership with the Attorney General's Office.", "status": "issued", "source": "S3" }, { "date": "2026-07-10", "agency": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "action": "cease-and-desist orders", "target": "Club WPT Online Poker (one of five recipients; the others named are BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Kutt Inc. and Raffle Creator)", "summary": "The Department alleges that Club WPT Online Poker enabled Arizona individuals under 21 to engage in \"pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes\" while using what the release calls deceptive no-purchase-necessary language, and alleges promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise and money laundering.", "status": "issued", "source": "S4" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "gambling definition", "summary": "Defines gambling as \"one act of risking or giving something of value for the opportunity to obtain a benefit from a game or contest of chance or skill or a future contingent event\", with listed exclusions, and separately defines amusement, regulated and social gambling.", "cite": "A.R.S. section 13-3301", "source": "S6" }, { "topic": "promotion of gambling", "summary": "Except for amusement, regulated or social gambling, a person commits promotion of gambling by knowingly conducting, organizing, managing, directing, supervising or financing gambling for a benefit, or furnishing advice or assistance for it. \"Promotion of gambling is a class 5 felony.\"", "cite": "A.R.S. section 13-3303", "source": "S7" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "url": "https://gaming.az.gov/resources/sweepstakes" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline says the Department of Gaming issued rolling cease-and-desists through 2025 and into 2026. The Department's own releases are dated April 17, June 27, August 15 and September 9, 2025 and July 10, 2026 (S1 to S5). No disagreement.", "The Department's sweepstakes guide says the term sweepstakes is not defined in Arizona law and lists conditions it says a free-to-play game or contest must meet to avoid the gambling prohibition, including offering free participation \"in the same manner, to the same extent, and with the same odds of winning\" as paid participation, and clear rules disclosing the sponsor's address, the estimated odds and each prize's quantity and value. The page recommends independent legal advice (S8).", "The September 9, 2025 release concerns a paid-entry home giveaway, not an online sweepstakes casino: the Department issued cease-and-desist orders to Raffall, a United Kingdom company, and to an Arizona resident promoting the \"Phoenix Dream Home Sweepstakes\", alleging that the promotion required entrants to buy entries (S5).", "The releases do not say whether any recipient complied; trade reports of exits are not cited here." ], "gaps": [ "Bill coverage is the Legislature's introduced-bill lists for the 2025 First Regular Session and the 2026 Second Regular Session, checked by short title on 2026-10-03: no title mentions sweepstakes; the gaming-related titles concern event wagering, raffles, racing, the Department's budget (amusements) and agency housekeeping (S9). The Legislature's bill API for the same two sessions (1,854 and 2,190 measures) returned no title containing sweep (S10). We did not read every bill text.", "The individual cease-and-desist letters were not retrieved; the releases link them, and we relied on the release text.", "We did not find an Arizona Attorney General action against an online sweepstakes casino; the Attorney General's site was not searched in depth." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Arizona Department of Gaming Issues Multiple Cease-and-Desists (April 17, 2025)", "publisher": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "url": "https://gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/C%26D%28s%29%20Press%20Release%20Final.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Arizona Department of Gaming Issues Several Cease-and-Desists (June 27, 2025)", "publisher": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "url": "https://gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/C%26D%28s%29%20Press%20Release.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Arizona Department of Gaming Continues Enforcement Against Unlicensed and Unregulated Gaming Operators (August 15, 2025)", "publisher": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "url": "https://gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/Next%20Batch%20of%20C%26Ds.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Arizona Department of Gaming Issues Cease-and-Desist Orders to Multiple Operators Linked to Underage Gambling and Illegal Activity (July 10, 2026)", "publisher": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "url": "https://gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/July%2026_ADG%20Cease%20and%20Desist%20Orders_Press%20Release.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Arizona Department of Gaming Issues Cease-and-Desists on Phoenix Dream Home Sweepstakes (September 9, 2025)", "publisher": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "url": "https://gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/C%26D%20-%20Illegal%20Dream%20Home%20Sweepstakes%20Press%20Release.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "A.R.S. 13-3301, Definitions", "publisher": "Arizona Legislature", "url": "https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03301.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "A.R.S. 13-3303, Promotion of gambling; classification", "publisher": "Arizona Legislature", "url": "https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03303.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Sweepstakes (resource page)", "publisher": "Arizona Department of Gaming", "url": "https://gaming.az.gov/resources/sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Introduced bills lists, 2025 and 2026 regular sessions", "publisher": "Arizona Legislature", "url": "https://www.azleg.gov/bills/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Bill API, sessions 129 (2025) and 130 (2026)", "publisher": "Arizona Legislature", "url": "https://apps.azleg.gov/api/Bill/?sessionId=130", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "CA", "name": "California", "slug": "california", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Since January 1, 2026, Penal Code 337o (AB 831) makes it a misdemeanor to operate, or knowingly and willfully support, a dual-currency online sweepstakes game; Los Angeles sued Stake.us in 2025.", "laws": [ { "name": "AB 831 (Stats. 2025, Ch. 623)", "cite": "Cal. Penal Code section 337o; Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code section 17539.1(a)(12)", "enacted": "2025-10-11", "enacted_note": "approved by the Governor and chaptered by the Secretary of State on October 11, 2025", "effective": "2026-01-01", "summary": "Adds Penal Code section 337o, which makes it unlawful for any person or entity to operate, conduct or offer an online sweepstakes game in California, and unlawful for any entity, financial institution, payment processor, geolocation provider, gaming content supplier, platform provider or media affiliate to knowingly and willfully support one. An online sweepstakes game is defined as a game, contest or promotion that is available online or on a device, uses a dual-currency system of payment with direct or indirect consideration, simulates gambling (slot machines, video poker, table games, lotteries, bingo, sports wagering) and awards cash or cash equivalents. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $1,000 to $25,000, up to one year in county jail, or both. The section does not reach licensed gambling enterprises, the California State Lottery, or promotions run by for-profit businesses on a limited and occasional basis incidental to substantial bona fide sales. The act also amends Business and Professions Code section 17539.1 to list dual-currency simulated gambling on a website or app among prohibited practices in contests and sweepstakes.", "quote": "It is unlawful for any person or entity to operate, conduct, or offer an online sweepstakes game in this state.", "covers_players": null, "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "AB 831 (2025-2026 session)", "status": "enacted (Stats. 2025, Ch. 623)", "date": "2025-10-11", "summary": "Introduced February 19, 2025 and amended in the Senate on June 23, July 16 and September 3, 2025. Passed the Senate 36 to 0 on September 8, 2025; the Assembly concurred in the Senate amendments 79 to 0 on September 12, 2025; approved by the Governor October 11, 2025. See laws.", "source": "S2" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-08-28", "agency": "Los Angeles City Attorney (Public Rights Branch), suing as The People of the State of California", "action": "civil lawsuit under the Unfair Competition Law and False Advertising Law (Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 25STCV25304)", "target": "Sweepsteaks LTD. d/b/a Stake.Us, with Easygo Group Holdings Pty LTD., Medium Rare N.V., Kick Streaming Pty LTD., two individual defendants, Veriff and two Gibraltar entities, Evolution AB and affiliated entities, Bigtime Gaming Pty LTD., Red Tiger entities, Netent, Nolimit City entities, Hacksaw Ab, Hacksaw Gaming LTD., Hgmt LTD. and Hgim LTD., as listed in the release", "summary": "The City Attorney's release, posted September 4, 2025, says the office filed suit against the owners, operators and aiders and abettors of Stake.us and that the lawsuit alleges the entity is unlicensed and operating in violation of state law. The suit seeks to stop the operation, recover funds lost by Californians and impose civil penalties (S7). The release does not state the filing date; co-counsel Susman Godfrey's announcement gives it as August 28, 2025 (S12). It was filed before AB 831 took effect. A Gambling Insider report updated September 8, 2026 describes the case as still live and at an early stage (S13); we did not retrieve the court docket.", "status": "pending", "source": "S7" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery as \"any scheme for the disposal or distribution of property by chance, among persons who have paid or promised to pay any valuable consideration for the chance of obtaining such property\", whatever it is called.", "cite": "Cal. Penal Code section 319", "source": "S5" }, { "topic": "contest and sweepstakes practices", "summary": "Lists unfair practices in operating any contest or sweepstakes, among them misrepresenting the odds of winning any prize, misrepresenting the rules, failing to disclose the exact nature and approximate value of prizes when offered, and failing to award and distribute all prizes of the value and type represented.", "cite": "Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code section 17539.1(a)", "source": "S4" } ], "regulator": { "name": "California Department of Justice, Bureau of Gambling Control", "url": "https://oag.ca.gov/gambling" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline gives AB 831 as signed October 11, 2025 and effective January 1, 2026. The bill history records approval by the Governor and chaptering on October 11, 2025, and the codified Penal Code section 337o carries the note \"Effective January 1, 2026\" (S2, S3). No disagreement.", "Timeline check, players: our timeline summarizes AB 831 as \"players exempt\". The enacted text contains no provision addressed to players either way; its prohibitions run to persons or entities that operate, conduct or offer an online sweepstakes game and to listed entities that knowingly and willfully support one (S1). The Senate Public Safety Committee analysis of the June 23, 2025 version quotes the support clause as reaching \"any person, entity, financial institution, payment processor, geolocation provider, gaming content supplier, platform provider, or media affiliate\" and records an ACLU California Action concern that \"prosecutors may argue that anyone who participates in an online sweepstakes is directly or indirectly supporting the gambling platform\" (S6). The enacted section 337o(b) begins \"any entity, financial institution\" (S1). Read together, the word \"person\" was not in the enacted support clause; we draw no conclusion about player liability.", "Section 1 of AB 831 states the Legislature's intent that the act apply to persons or entities who knowingly and intentionally engage in, promote or facilitate online sweepstakes games that use a dual-currency system, and not to ancillary or publicly available services, platforms or infrastructure providers that may be used unknowingly or unintentionally, provided they are not acting with the intent to further those games (S1).", "As amended, Business and Professions Code section 17539.1(a)(12) says: \"This paragraph does not make a game that does not award cash prizes or cash equivalents unlawful.\" Penal Code section 337o likewise defines an online sweepstakes game as one that awards cash or cash equivalents (S1, S3).", "The Senate Public Safety Committee analysis lists the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation as the bill's source and the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance and ACLU California Action among opponents (S6).", "Operator documents retrieved October 3, 2026: the HelloMillions Terms of Service, Version 2.3 dated July 15, 2026, state \"WE NO LONGER OFFER PROMOTIONAL CONTESTS IN CALIFORNIA.\" (S8); the Fortune Wins Terms and Conditions, Version 4.8 dated July 31, 2026, record in their changelog that California and New York were added to the \"Excluded Territory\" on June 8, 2026 (S9). Brand-by-brand exclusions are in the app database.", "The Attorney General's 2021 judgment against Pong Game Studios concerned software for in-person sweepstakes cafes, not online sweepstakes casinos, and predates 2022; we list it only as context (S10)." ], "gaps": [ "We could not run the Legislature's own keyword search for other 2025 and 2026 bills: scripted queries to the leginfo bill search returned zero results for every term tried. We found no other 2025 or 2026 California bill on online sweepstakes games in the sources checked on 2026-10-03; the codified Penal Code section 337o shows only the 2025 enactment (S3). A 2026 bill could exist that we did not find.", "We did not retrieve the Los Angeles Superior Court docket for Case No. 25STCV25304. Its filing date and status rest on co-counsel's announcement (S12) and a September 2026 trade report (S13), both secondary; a scan of the 102 items in the City Attorney's updates listing found no later update on the case (S11).", "We found no Attorney General or Bureau of Gambling Control action naming an online sweepstakes casino in the pages checked; the Assembly committee and floor analyses of AB 831 sit behind a scripted form on leginfo and were not read." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "AB-831 Gambling: operation of a contest or sweepstakes, chaptered text (Chapter 623, Statutes of 2025)", "publisher": "California Legislative Information", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB831", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "AB-831 bill history", "publisher": "California Legislative Information", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billHistoryClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB831", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "California Penal Code section 337o", "publisher": "California Legislative Information", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=337o.", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "California Business and Professions Code section 17539.1", "publisher": "California Legislative Information", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=BPC§ionNum=17539.1.", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "California Penal Code section 319", "publisher": "California Legislative Information", "url": "https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN§ionNum=319.", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Senate Committee on Public Safety analysis of AB 831 (hearing July 15, 2025; version June 23, 2025)", "publisher": "California State Senate", "url": "https://spsf.senate.ca.gov/system/files/2025-07/ab-831-analysis.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "LA City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto Files Lawsuit Against Online Gambling Enterprise, Stake.us (posted September 4, 2025)", "publisher": "Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney", "url": "https://cityattorney.lacity.gov/updates/la-city-attorney-hydee-feldstein-soto-files-lawsuit-against-online-gambling-enterprise", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "HelloMillions Terms of Service, Version 2.3 (dated July 15, 2026)", "publisher": "HelloMillions (operator)", "url": "https://www.hellomillions.com/terms-of-service", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Fortune Wins Terms and Conditions, Version 4.8 (Date Updated: July 31, 2026)", "publisher": "Fortune Wins (operator)", "url": "https://fortunewins.com/terms-and-conditions", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Attorney General Bonta Secures Multimillion-Dollar Judgment Against Pong Game Studios, Permanently Halts Illegal Gambling Operation (October 28, 2021)", "publisher": "California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-secures-multimillion-dollar-judgment-against-pong-game", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Updates listing, pages 0 to 12", "publisher": "Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney", "url": "https://cityattorney.lacity.gov/updates", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Susman Godfrey and the Los Angeles City Attorney File Landmark Lawsuit Against Stake.US on behalf of the People of the State of California (September 15, 2025)", "publisher": "Susman Godfrey L.L.P. (co-counsel for the plaintiff)", "url": "https://www.susmangodfrey.com/news/susman-godfrey-and-the-los-angeles-city-attorney-file-landmark-lawsuit-against-stake-us-on-behalf-of-the-people-of-the-state-of-california/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Evolution Was Sued By California in 2025. Not One Earnings Report Names the Case. Why? (updated September 8, 2026)", "publisher": "Gambling Insider", "url": "https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/194604/evolution-was-sued-by-california-in-2025-not-one-earnings-report-names-the-case-why", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "CO", "name": "Colorado", "slug": "colorado", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or regulator action found in the sources checked; Colorado's simulated-gambling law is aimed at internet sweepstakes cafes at business locations.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "gambling definition", "summary": "Colorado defines gambling as risking any money, credit, deposit or other thing of value for gain contingent in whole or in part on lot, chance, the operation of a gambling device, or the outcome of an event the person cannot control. Listed exceptions include bona fide contests of skill, speed, strength or endurance, bona fide business transactions valid under contract law, and other acts expressly authorized by law.", "cite": "C.R.S. 18-10-102(2)", "source": "S1" }, { "topic": "simulated gambling devices and internet sweepstakes cafes", "summary": "Article 10.5 of title 18 regulates simulated gambling devices. Its legislative declaration describes machines that enable gambling through pretextual sweepstakes relationships tied to the sale of internet services, telephone cards and other products at business locations known as internet sweepstakes cafes, and the article defines a simulated gambling device as one that displays simulated gambling at a business location. The text we read addresses devices at business locations, not apps or websites used from home.", "cite": "C.R.S. 18-10.5-101, 18-10.5-102", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Gaming", "url": "https://sbg.colorado.gov/gaming" }, "notes": [ "The General Assembly's bill search for the subject Gaming, Lottery and Racing lists five 2026 measures (SB26-131 Sports Betting Protections, SB26-117 lottery ticket sales, SB26-163 Regulation of Gaming and Sports Betting, HB26-1370 limited gaming fund transfers, HCR26-1001 charitable gaming) and three 2025 bills on lottery and gaming funds and sports betting deductions; none concerns sweepstakes casinos (S2, S3). A sitewide search for sweepstakes returns two items, both from 2018: HB18-1234, an act titled Internet Sweepstakes Cafe Revise Legal Terms, and a Legislative Council Staff publication titled Gaming and Internet Sweepstakes (18-03) (S4). A keyword search of bills for sweepstakes in the 2025 regular, 2025 extraordinary and 2026 regular sessions returned no bills (S7).", "SB26-163, enacted in 2026, lets Division of Gaming investigators inspect premises where they suspect unlicensed gaming or unlicensed sports betting; its summary does not mention sweepstakes or online casinos (S5)." ], "gaps": [ "An aggregator claim that Colorado's Attorney General sent cease-and-desist letters to 14 sweepstakes operators in November 2025, and a claim that two 2026 sweepstakes ban bills failed in the Senate, could not be matched to any primary document. A site search of coag.gov for sweepstakes on 2026-10-03 returned two unrelated items (S6), and the legislature's 2026 gaming-subject list contains no such bills (S2). Neither claim is used.", "The Division of Gaming site search (sbg.colorado.gov/search) returned no results for sweepstakes on 2026-10-03, but it also returned no results for the control term sports, so it was not a usable check of that site.", "The statute text comes from the Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 uncertified printout; the 2025 title 18 printout was not available at the URL pattern we tried, so later amendments, if any, are not reflected." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 18 (uncertified printout), sections 18-10-102 and 18-10.5-101 to 18-10.5-102", "publisher": "Colorado General Assembly, Office of Legislative Legal Services", "url": "https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-18.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill search: 2026 Regular Session, subject Gaming, Lottery and Racing", "publisher": "Colorado General Assembly", "url": "https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/bill-search?sessions%5B%5D=2026+Regular+Session&bill_subjects%5B%5D=13", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Bill search: 2025 Regular Session, subject Gaming, Lottery and Racing", "publisher": "Colorado General Assembly", "url": "https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/bill-search?sessions%5B%5D=2025+Regular+Session&bill_subjects%5B%5D=13", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Sitewide search for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Colorado General Assembly", "url": "https://leg.colorado.gov/sitewide-search?q=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "SB26-163 Regulation of Gaming and Sports Betting, bill page and summary", "publisher": "Colorado General Assembly", "url": "https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-163", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Colorado Attorney General", "url": "https://coag.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Bill search: keyword sweepstakes, 2025 Regular, 2025 Extraordinary and 2026 Regular Sessions", "publisher": "Colorado General Assembly", "url": "https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/bill-search?q=sweepstakes&sessions%5B%5D=2026+Regular+Session", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "CT", "name": "Connecticut", "slug": "connecticut", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Since October 1, 2025, Public Act 25-112 bars unlicensed sweepstakes that facilitate real or simulated online casino gaming; the consumer protection agency settled with High 5 Games in 2025.", "laws": [ { "name": "SB 1235 (Public Act 25-112), section 14", "cite": "Conn. Gen. Stat. section 42-301 (as amended by P.A. 25-112, section 14)", "enacted": "2025-06-24", "enacted_note": "signed by the governor", "effective": "2025-10-01", "summary": "Adds a third category to the existing ban on certain sweepstakes and promotional drawings: no person may conduct or promote one that allows or facilitates participation in real or simulated online casino gaming or sports wagering unless the person is licensed under chapter 229b (the state's online gaming licensing chapter). A violation carries the penalty for professional gambling under section 53-278b(b), and a violation of subsection (a) is also deemed an unfair or deceptive trade practice under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. The section keeps the earlier bans on sweepstakes unrelated to a bona fide sale and on simulated gambling devices, and the retail grocery exception. The amended section appears in the 2026 Supplement to the General Statutes (S4).", "quote": "allows or facilitates participation in any real or simulated online casino gaming or sports wagering, unless such person is licensed under chapter 229b", "covers_players": null, "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 1235 (2025 session)", "status": "enacted as Public Act 25-112 (signed by the governor)", "date": "2025-06-24", "summary": "Titled as the Department of Consumer Protection's recommendations on lottery and gaming regulation and introduced by the General Law Committee. Passed the Senate as amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A on May 22, 2025 and the House on June 3, 2025; signed June 24, 2025. Section 14 (sweepstakes) is effective October 1, 2025.", "source": "S2" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2024-02-xx", "agency": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection", "action": "cease-and-desist letter", "target": "VGW", "summary": "Trade press (NEXT.io, October 2, 2024, S10) reported that a letter dated February 2024 ordered VGW to stop offering its games and services to Connecticut customers and alleged that promoting unlicensed gambling was an unfair trade practice. Legal Sports Report (S9) wrote on October 4, 2024 that a DCP spokesperson confirmed VGW had stopped allowing purchases in Connecticut, and quoted VGW as saying it disagreed with the department's position. We did not find the letter itself on the department's site.", "status": "issued", "source": "S10" }, { "date": "2025-03-14", "agency": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division", "action": "summary suspension order", "target": "High 5 Games (licensed Online Gaming Service Provider, license OGSP.000045), regarding the High 5 Casino platform", "summary": "The order states that High 5 Casino offered casino gaming to Connecticut patrons without a Connecticut license, that investigators could still open an account and make purchases from Connecticut after the platform announced its February 18, 2025 departure, and that the division's criminal investigators began pursuing approximately 1,100 counts against High 5 Games leadership under section 53-278b(b). It summarily suspended the company's service provider license.", "status": "settled", "source": "S7" }, { "date": "2025-05-29", "agency": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division", "action": "settlement", "target": "High5Games", "summary": "The department announced that High5Games ceased operating its online casino in Connecticut and agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million, including more than $643,000 in restitution to consumers who lost money to High5Casino; its license was reinstated effective May 22. The release quotes the Gaming Division Director describing the platform as “an unlicensed sweepstakes casino”.", "status": "settled", "source": "S8" }, { "date": "2025-06-30", "agency": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division", "action": "cease-and-desist orders (count reported for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025)", "target": "unlicensed online platforms operating sweepstakes casinos (not named in the report)", "summary": "The department's Digest Report 2025, covering fiscal year 2024-2025 (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025), says a significant number of the Gaming Division's investigations “involve the issuance of over 70 Cease & Desist orders against unlicensed online platforms who are operating Sweepstakes Casinos” and that in one of these investigations “the operator made restitution to the patrons in the amount of $930,000.” The report does not name the platforms or the operator, or date the individual orders; the date shown here is the end of the fiscal year it covers. We have not matched the $930,000 figure to any named case.", "status": "issued", "source": "S16" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "advertising disclosures", "summary": "A person advertising a sweepstakes in Connecticut must disclose, next to each prize description and in at least the same size type, the verifiable retail value of the prize, the odds of winning (or a statement that odds depend on the number of entries), and whether receipt of the prize is restricted. Violations of sections 42-295 to 42-299 are deemed unfair or deceptive trade practices (section 42-300).", "cite": "Conn. Gen. Stat. sections 42-297 and 42-300", "source": "S6" }, { "topic": "no-purchase promotional drawings", "summary": "Sections 53-278a to 53-278f (the gambling offenses) do not prohibit a promotional drawing conducted for advertising purposes (other than by a retail grocer or grocery chain) in which members of the public may take part “without making any purchase or otherwise paying or risking credit, money, or any other tangible thing of value”, or a sweepstakes conducted under sections 42-295 to 42-301.", "cite": "Conn. Gen. Stat. section 53-278g(a)", "source": "S5" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Gaming Division", "url": "https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/gaming-division" }, "notes": [ "Penalty level: section 42-301(e) points to the professional gambling penalty in section 53-278b(b), which reads “Any person who engages in professional gambling shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.” (S5). The Office of Legislative Research summary of P.A. 25-112 says “As under existing law, a violation of these provisions is also a class A misdemeanor” (S3). The 2026 Supplement to chapter 946, which is used with the General Statutes revised to January 1, 2025, lists only section 53-344b, so it shows no 2025 change to section 53-278b (S15).", "The bill status page for SB 1235 carries a statement of purpose that lists a provision “that any person who engages in professional gambling shall be guilty of a class D felony” (S2). We did not find that provision in the text of Public Act 25-112 as signed (S1). Read together, the enacted text, the unchanged section 53-278b and the OLR summary point to the class A misdemeanor penalty, not a felony.", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline gives June 12, 2025 as the signing date. The bill history records “Signed by the Governor” on June 24, 2025, and the Public Act text ends “Approved June 24, 2025” (S1, S2). The Public Act number 25-112 was assigned on June 11, 2025 (S2). The October 1, 2025 effective date in the timeline agrees with section 14.", "Timeline check: the timeline summarises the law as making illegal gambling a Class D felony. See the penalty note above: the enacted text and the OLR summary indicate a class A misdemeanor for professional gambling, plus treatment as an unfair trade practice.", "2026 session: the two gaming acts signed in 2026 that we opened, HB 5229 (Public Act 26-53, signed May 19, 2026) and SB 296 (Public Act 26-82, signed May 26, 2026), contain no reference to sweepstakes (S11, S12, S13, S14)." ], "gaps": [ "We could not run a keyword search of all 2025 and 2026 Connecticut bills: the General Assembly's full-text search (search.cga.state.ct.us) is a frame and script interface that did not return results to a direct request, and LegiScan returned a browser challenge. 2026 coverage is limited to the gaming acts named in notes; a 2026 sweepstakes bill that did not pass could be missing.", "The February 2024 VGW letter is known to us only through trade press (S9, S10); we did not find it on the department's site.", "The Department of Consumer Protection news listings for 2024 to 2026 are paginated; we read the first page of each year and the two High 5 documents. The department's Digest Report 2025 counts over 70 cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes casino platforms in fiscal year 2024-2025 without naming them (S16); we did not locate the individual orders on the department's site on October 3, 2026, and other actions may exist that we did not find." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Substitute Senate Bill No. 1235, Public Act No. 25-112, An Act Concerning the Department of Consumer Protection's Recommendations Regarding Lottery and Gaming Regulation", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/2025/ACT/PA/PDF/2025PA-00112-R00SB-01235-PA.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill Status, Substitute for Raised S.B. No. 1235, Session Year 2025", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2025&bill_num=1235", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "OLR Public Act Summary, PA 25-112", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly, Office of Legislative Research", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/2025/SUM/PDF/2025SUM00112-R03SB-01235-SUM.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "General Statutes of Connecticut, 2026 Supplement, Chapter 743n, section 42-301", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/sup/chap_743n.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "General Statutes of Connecticut, Chapter 946, Offenses Against Public Policy (sections 53-278b, 53-278g)", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_946.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "General Statutes of Connecticut, Chapter 743n (sections 42-295 to 42-301)", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_743n.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "In the Matter of High 5 Games, License No. OGSP.000045, Summary Suspension Order, March 14, 2025", "publisher": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection", "url": "https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/-/media/dcp/gaming/order-of-summary-suspension--high-5-games.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Department of Consumer Protection Announces Settlement with High5Games over Operation of Illegal Online Casino (May 29, 2025)", "publisher": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection", "url": "https://portal.ct.gov/dcp/news-releases-from-the-department-of-consumer-protection/2025-news-releases/department-of-consumer-protection-announces-settlement-with-high5games", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Sweepstakes Operator VGW Exits CT Online Gaming Market (October 4, 2024)", "publisher": "Legal Sports Report", "url": "https://www.legalsportsreport.com/206014/sweepstakes-operator-vgw-exits-ct-online-gaming-market/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Sweepstakes operator VGW exits Connecticut after cease-and-desist (October 2, 2024)", "publisher": "NEXT.io", "url": "https://next.io/news/regulation/vgw-exits-connecticut-cease-desist/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Bill Status, H.B. No. 5229, Session Year 2026, An Act Concerning Gaming", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2026&bill_num=5229", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Public Act No. 26-53 (HB 5229)", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/ACT/PA/PDF/2026PA-00053-R00HB-05229-PA.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Bill Status, S.B. No. 296, Session Year 2026", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2026&bill_num=296", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Public Act No. 26-82 (SB 296)", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/ACT/PA/PDF/2026PA-00082-R00SB-00296-PA.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "General Statutes of Connecticut, 2026 Supplement, Chapter 946", "publisher": "Connecticut General Assembly", "url": "https://www.cga.ct.gov/2026/sup/chap_946.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "Digest Report 2025, Department of Consumer Protection (fiscal year 2024-2025)", "publisher": "Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (hosted on the Department of Administrative Services site)", "url": "https://portal.ct.gov/das/-/media/das/communications/communications-list-docs/digest/digest-2024-2025/consumer-protection-department-of.pdf?rev=15ead5d84acd479a9cb140d7421fe08a", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "DC", "name": "District of Columbia", "slug": "district-of-columbia", "status": "bills-only", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino law or enforcement found; Bill 26-656, which would license internet gaming and bar unlicensed dual-currency sweepstakes, awaits Council action after a May 2026 hearing.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "B26-0656, Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026 (Council Period 26)", "status": "under Council review; referred to the Committee on Human Services with comments from the Committee of the Whole", "date": "2026-05-04", "summary": "Introduced April 9, 2026 by Councilmember Felder; public hearing held May 4, 2026. As introduced, it would authorize internet gaming licensed through the Office of Lottery and Gaming and would provide that, except as conducted by a licensed operator or otherwise expressly authorized by District law, \"a person shall not offer, promote, or conduct sweepstakes gaming, a dual-currency gaming product, or any other product that mimics or simulates casino-style gaming, sports wagering, lottery-style gaming, or a substantially similar gambling activity where a person provides consideration or something of value for the opportunity to win a prize or prize equivalent.\" Consideration may be direct or indirect and includes buying credits, tokens, entries, subscriptions or access; each day of a violation is a separate violation; the Office of Lottery and Gaming could issue cease and desist orders, and the Attorney General could sue for injunctive relief, civil penalties, restitution and disgorgement. (Status: S1; text: S2.)", "source": "S1" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery offense", "summary": "Makes it a crime, punishable by a fine and up to 3 years in prison, to keep, set up, promote, manage or advertise any lottery or policy lottery in the District, or to sell or possess for sale lottery chances, tickets or tokens; possession of a record of such a chance or ticket is prima facie evidence of promoting a lottery.", "cite": "D.C. Code section 22-1701", "source": "S3" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Office of Lottery and Gaming (DC Lottery)", "url": "https://dclottery.com/" }, "notes": [ "B26-0656 as introduced defines a \"Dual-currency gaming product\" as \"a game, promotional scheme, or platform that uses 2 or more forms of currency, credits, tokens, entries, points, or similar units, whether purchased or awarded, where one or more such units may be redeemed, converted, transferred, or used directly or indirectly for cash, cash equivalents, prizes, or prize equivalents.\" (S2)", "The bill's general enforcement subsection lets the Office of Lottery and Gaming fine licensees up to $100,000 per violation, or $500,000 for violations arising from the same pattern; the sweepstakes prohibition itself is enforced through cease and desist orders, injunctions and Attorney General civil actions. (S2)", "Comparison with our crackdown timeline: it says \"a Washington, D.C. bill was pending as of mid-2026\"; the Council's record shows B26-0656 introduced April 9, 2026, heard May 4, 2026 and still under Council review on 2026-10-03, which matches. (T1, S1)" ], "gaps": [ "We found no District enforcement action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03. The Office of the Attorney General's site search did not filter by our keyword (it returned all 2,202 items), so it was not a usable check, and we did not find an Office of Lottery and Gaming notice on the subject. A web search restricted to oag.dc.gov on 2026-10-03 returned consumer alerts on sweepstakes and lottery scams and no action aimed at sweepstakes casinos.", "We did not run a keyword search of the Council's legislation system for other 2025 or 2026 bills; B26-0656 was located by web search and confirmed on lims.dccouncil.gov.", "The lims.dccouncil.gov pages load by script and were read in a browser; the hearing record PDF was not read." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "B26-0656, Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026 (legislative history)", "publisher": "Council of the District of Columbia, LIMS", "url": "https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B26-0656", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "B26-0656, introduced text", "publisher": "Council of the District of Columbia, LIMS", "url": "https://lims.dccouncil.gov/downloads/LIMS/61620/Introduction/B26-0656-Introduction.pdf?Id=236056", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "D.C. Code section 22-1701, Lotteries; promotion; sale or possession of tickets", "publisher": "Council of the District of Columbia, D.C. Law Library", "url": "https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/22-1701", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "T1", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (site page, compared against primaries)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "DE", "name": "Delaware", "slug": "delaware", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute or 2025-2026 bill found; the Division of Gaming Enforcement issued a cease-and-desist order to VGW Luckyland, Inc., announced April 7, 2025.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-04-07", "agency": "Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement, with the support of the Delaware State Lottery", "action": "cease-and-desist order (announced April 7, 2025; the release says Delaware residents could no longer participate effective April 2, 2025)", "target": "VGW Luckyland, Inc.", "summary": "The State's release says an investigation by the Division of Gaming Enforcement found that VGW Luckyland, Inc., a subsidiary of VGW Holdings Ltd., \"was operating illegal online gaming\", and that Delaware officials \"concluded that VGW misrepresented its services as a promotional sweepstakes while enabling players to purchase coins for casino-style games, leading to potential cash winnings.\" It states that such games offered by an unlicensed entity violate the Delaware Constitution, the Delaware Penal Code and the Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act of 2012, and that \"Effective April 2, 2025, Delaware residents can no longer participate in VGW Luckyland’s unlicensed online gaming platforms.\"", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery offense", "summary": "Makes it advancing gambling in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor, to sell, or possess with intent to sell, a lottery policy, certificate or other thing promising that a number, ticket or certificate will, \"on the happening of any contingency in the nature of a lottery\", entitle the purchaser or holder to receive money, property or evidence of debt.", "cite": "11 Del. C. section 1401", "source": "S4" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement", "url": "https://dge.delaware.gov/" }, "notes": [ "The Delaware General Assembly's site search for \"sweepstakes\", with the 2024-2026 (GA 153) session selected, returned no bills on 2026-10-03 (\"No records available\" when rendered in a browser; the search appears to match bill titles, since \"lottery\" returned five items); the same search for \"gambling\" returned one unrelated bill (HB 314, student athlete protection). (S2)", "The Division of Gaming Enforcement category on news.delaware.gov listed only this April 7, 2025 release when checked on 2026-10-03. (S3)", "In secondary reporting, Sweepsy on August 11, 2026 quoted an operator email to Delaware players of RealPrize and LoneStar saying \"Effective August 21, 2026, Sweeps Coins (SC) will be discontinued for Delaware players\" and that redemption requests could be submitted until September 21, 2026. We found no state document naming those brands, and the email as quoted gives no reason. (S5)", "Our crackdown timeline does not mention Delaware. Our September 3, 2026 Delaware notice gives the same April 7, 2025 release and April 2, 2025 effective date, consistent with the primary record. (T1, T2)" ], "gaps": [ "The cease-and-desist order itself was not published with the release; we relied on the release text.", "A news.delaware.gov site search for \"sweepstakes\" on 2026-10-03 returned no matching posts in the text we retrieved. A web search on 2026-10-03 found no Delaware Department of Justice (Attorney General) action on sweepstakes casinos; we did not search the Department's own release archive.", "The dge.delaware.gov homepage, retrieved 2026-10-03, carries no sweepstakes-specific page or notice.", "We found no Delaware statute on promotional sweepstakes registration or bonding in the sources checked; the lottery entry above is the criminal gambling provision.", "One secondary site, Bright Side of News (August 18, 2026), states that the Division of Gaming Enforcement issued cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes operators in mid-August 2026 and that RealPrize and LoneStar left as a result. It cites no letter or release, and the operator email Sweepsy reported on August 11, 2026 predates mid-August. We found no state document supporting it on 2026-10-03, so it is not recorded as enforcement. (S6, S5, S3)" ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Delaware shuts down illegal online slots (April 7, 2025)", "publisher": "State of Delaware News, Division of Gaming Enforcement", "url": "https://news.delaware.gov/2025/04/07/delaware-shuts-down-illegal-online-slots/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Global search results for \"sweepstakes\" (GA 153 default filter)", "publisher": "Delaware General Assembly", "url": "https://legis.delaware.gov/Search/Global?searchTerm=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "News category: Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement", "publisher": "State of Delaware News", "url": "https://news.delaware.gov/category/safety-and-homeland-security/delaware-division-of-gaming-enforcement/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Delaware Code Title 11, Chapter 5, Subchapter VII, section 1401, Advancing gambling in the second degree", "publisher": "Delaware Code Online", "url": "https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c005/sc07/index.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "RealPrize, LoneStar Ending Sweeps Coin Gameplay In Delaware (August 11, 2026)", "publisher": "Sweepsy", "url": "https://www.sweepsy.com/news/realprize-lonestar-ending-sweeps-coin-gameplay-delaware/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Delaware Sweepstakes Casino Cease-and-Desist Pushes RealPrize, LoneStar Out (August 18, 2026)", "publisher": "Bright Side of News", "url": "https://brightsideofnews.com/gambling/delaware-sweepstakes-casino-cease-and-desist/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "T1", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (site page, compared against primaries)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "T2", "title": "RealPrize and LoneStar players in Delaware have until Sept 21 (site notice, September 3, 2026)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/realprize-lonestar-delaware-deadline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "FL", "name": "Florida", "slug": "florida", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "We found no Florida statute naming sweepstakes casinos; the Attorney General sued Stake.us and VGW entities on August 19, 2026, and we found no ruling in either case as of October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "CS/CS/SB 1404 (2025 session), Gambling", "status": "indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration; died", "date": "2025-06-16", "summary": "The committee substitute would have defined “Internet gambling” as an online game of chance that awards money or another thing of value and “simulates casino-style gaming,” and made operating, conducting or promoting it a third-degree felony. The bill text does not use the word sweepstakes. Withdrawn from consideration May 3, 2025; listed as died June 16, 2025 (text: S6).", "source": "S5" }, { "name": "CS/HB 1467 (2025 session), Gambling", "status": "passed House; died in Senate Rules", "date": "2025-06-16", "summary": "Broad gambling bill whose engrossed text contained the same “Internet gambling” definition and a third-degree felony for operating, conducting or promoting it. Passed the House 70 to 34 on April 25, 2025; indefinitely postponed in the Senate May 3, 2025; listed as died in Rules June 16, 2025 (text: S8).", "source": "S7" }, { "name": "HB 953 (2025 session), Gambling", "status": "died in committee", "date": "2025-06-16", "summary": "House bill listed by the Senate as similar to SB 1404; its filed text contains the same “Internet gambling” definition and operator felony. Died in the Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee June 16, 2025 (text: S9).", "source": "S5" }, { "name": "CS/CS/SB 1580 (2026 session), Illegal Gaming", "status": "passed both chambers in different forms; died in returning messages", "date": "2026-03-13", "summary": "Would have amended section 849.08 to define “Internet gambling” as an online game of chance awarding money or a thing of value that simulates casino-style gaming, made playing it a second-degree misdemeanor and operating, conducting or promoting it a third-degree felony. The Senate staff analysis says the definitions are meant to close “gray market” loopholes; the text does not use the word sweepstakes. Passed the Senate 34 to 0 on March 6, 2026 and the House as amended 82 to 31 on March 11, 2026; died in returning messages March 13, 2026 (text: S11; staff analysis: S12).", "source": "S10" }, { "name": "CS/CS/CS/HB 189 (2026 session), Gambling", "status": "laid on table", "date": "2026-03-11", "summary": "House gambling bill, listed by the Senate as similar to SB 1580, with the same “Internet gambling” definition and a third-degree felony for operating, conducting or promoting it. Laid on the table March 11, 2026 (text: S14).", "source": "S13" }, { "name": "HB 591 (2026 session), Gambling", "status": "died in committee", "date": "2026-03-13", "summary": "Filed bill containing the “Internet gambling” definition and an operator felony; the Senate's bill summary says it “prohibits specified gambling or gaming advertisements”. Died in the Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee (text: S16).", "source": "S15" }, { "name": "SB 1164 (2026 session), Gambling", "status": "died in committee", "date": "2026-03-13", "summary": "Senate bill defining “Internet gambling” and “Internet sports wagering” and prohibiting both. Died in the Regulated Industries committee March 13, 2026 (text: S18).", "source": "S17" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2026-08-19", "agency": "Florida Office of the Attorney General, Department of Legal Affairs", "action": "civil lawsuit (Hillsborough County Circuit Court)", "target": "VGW Holdings U.S. Inc, VGW U.S. Inc., VGW Luckyland, Inc., VGW Holdings Pty Ltd., VGW Malta Ltd, VGW Malta Holding Limited, VGW Games Limited, Yodlee, Inc., Trustly, Inc. and Worldpay Holdco, LLC", "summary": "The complaint alleges that the defendants “operate and facilitate illegal online casinos in the State of Florida” through Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker. Count I seeks forfeiture and recovery of money lost gambling under sections 849.12 and 849.29, Florida Statutes; Count II alleges violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The Attorney General's release says the suits seek permanent injunctions, forfeiture and recovery of consumer losses, disgorgement, civil penalties, restitution and fees. These are allegations.", "status": "pending", "source": "S2" }, { "date": "2026-08-19", "agency": "Florida Office of the Attorney General, Department of Legal Affairs", "action": "civil lawsuit (Hillsborough County Circuit Court)", "target": "Sweepsteaks Ltd. d/b/a Stake.us, Easygo Group Holdings Pty Ltd., Medium Rare N.V., Kick Streaming Pty Ltd., Praxis Tech Ltd., Breeze Labs Payments Inc., and two individuals named in the caption", "summary": "The complaint alleges that the defendants “operate illegal online casinos in the State of Florida” and pleads the same forfeiture count under sections 849.12 and 849.29 and a Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act count. These are allegations.", "status": "pending", "source": "S3" }, { "date": "2026-09-25", "agency": "Florida Office of the Attorney General", "action": "letters to advertising platforms", "target": "Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok", "summary": "Per trade-press reporting of the Attorney General's letters and his September 25, 2026 post, the letters ask the five companies to confirm by October 23, 2026 that they have stopped advertising sweepstakes casino platforms, including Stake, Chumba, LuckyLand and Global Poker, to Florida residents. We did not retrieve the letters themselves.", "status": "issued", "source": "S19" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "registration, trust account or bond, winners list", "summary": "An operator of a game promotion (defined to include a sweepstakes conducted in connection with the sale of consumer products or services) whose announced prizes total more than $5,000 must file its rules and prize list with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at least 7 days before the start, and must fund a trust account or post a surety bond equal to the total prize value. The operator must later file a certified list of winners of prizes worth more than $25 and give a copy free to anyone who asks.", "cite": "Fla. Stat. section 849.094(1), (3), (4) and (5)", "source": "S4" }, { "topic": "no purchase requirement", "summary": "Section 849.094(2)(e) makes it unlawful for a game-promotion operator “To require an entry fee, payment, or proof of purchase as a condition of entering a game promotion.” Section 849.094(8)(b) adds that compliance with the department's rules is not a defense to a slot machine charge or a violation of any other law.", "cite": "Fla. Stat. section 849.094(2)(e) and (8)(b)", "source": "S4" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Florida Gaming Control Commission", "url": "https://flgaming.gov/" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline says Florida's Attorney General sued Stake.us and VGW brands on August 19, 2026 in Hillsborough County, naming payment processors, citing press coverage. The Attorney General's release and both complaints as filed (e-filed August 19, 2026) are now on the office's own site and agree with that entry (S1, S2, S3).", "Timeline check: the timeline lists Florida among states where bills failed. The Florida Senate's own bill pages agree: every 2025 and 2026 bill listed here died (S5, S7, S10, S13, S15, S17).", "None of the 2025 or 2026 bill texts listed above uses the word sweepstakes; they define “Internet gambling” by its features. Whether a given platform would have fallen within that definition is not something the bill pages state.", "The Florida Gaming Control Commission's February 3, 2025 cease-and-desist letters went to three overseas bookmakers and casinos (BetUS, Bovada and MyBookie), not to sweepstakes casinos, per the Commission's release (S20). The Commission's news page links the Attorney General's August 19, 2026 release (S21).", "Press reports in January 2026, citing Florida Politics, said the Attorney General had “issued subpoenas” to several fantasy platforms and “sweepstakes-style gaming apps” and planned to meet with operators early in 2026. The recipients and dates were not published in the sources checked, and the Attorney General's news-release list, read back to March 2024 on 2026-10-03, has no release on those subpoenas (S22, secondary; S24).", "The Attorney General's June 10, 2026 release on a Lee and Collier County machine operation adds that the office “notified payment processors that their facilitation of illegal online gaming may implicate Florida’s RICO act”. It links the letter to Visa only through an X post, which we did not retrieve, and it does not mention sweepstakes casinos (S23)." ], "gaps": [ "Court docket status for the two August 19, 2026 complaints was not checked; the case numbers are blank on the copies posted by the Attorney General. Status is recorded as pending because we found no report of a ruling or dismissal in the sources checked on 2026-10-03.", "The Attorney General's September 25, 2026 letters to Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok were not found on myfloridalegal.com's news-release list on 2026-10-03, and the X post that announced them was not retrievable without a browser; that entry rests on secondary reporting (S19).", "We did not survey local or county actions against physical sweepstakes parlors, which are outside the scope of this record." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Attorney General James Uthmeier Files Lawsuits Against Operators of Illegal Online Casinos (release dated August 19, 2026)", "publisher": "Florida Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-files-lawsuits-against-operators-illegal-online-casinos", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Complaint, Office of the Attorney General v. VGW Holdings U.S. Inc. et al., Hillsborough County Circuit Court (e-filed August 19, 2026)", "publisher": "Florida Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/1.-vgw-complaint-as-filed.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Complaint, Office of the Attorney General v. Sweepsteaks Ltd. d/b/a Stake.us et al., Hillsborough County Circuit Court (e-filed August 19, 2026)", "publisher": "Florida Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/1.-stake-complaint-as-filed.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Florida Statutes section 849.094, Game promotion in connection with sale of consumer products or services", "publisher": "Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)", "url": "https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0849/Sections/0849.094.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "CS/CS/SB 1404 (2025), Gambling: bill history", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1404", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "CS/CS/SB 1404 (2025), committee substitute 2 text", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1404/BillText/c2/PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "CS/HB 1467 (2025), Gambling: bill history", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1467", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "CS/HB 1467 (2025), engrossed 1 text", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/1467/BillText/e1/PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "HB 953 (2025), filed text", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/953/BillText/Filed/PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "CS/CS/SB 1580 (2026), Illegal Gaming: bill history", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1580", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "CS/CS/SB 1580 (2026), committee substitute 2 text", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1580/BillText/c2/PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Senate staff analysis, CS/CS/SB 1580 (Rules Committee)", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1580/Analyses/2026s01580.rc.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "CS/CS/CS/HB 189 (2026), Gambling: bill history", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/189", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "CS/CS/CS/HB 189 (2026), committee substitute 3 text", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/189/BillText/c3/PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "HB 591 (2026), Gambling: bill history", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/591", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "HB 591 (2026), filed text", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/591/BillText/Filed/PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S17", "title": "SB 1164 (2026), Gambling: bill history", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1164", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S18", "title": "SB 1164 (2026), filed text", "publisher": "The Florida Senate", "url": "https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/1164/BillText/Filed/PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S19", "title": "Florida AG Demands Social Media Sites Stop Hosting Sweeps Casino Ads (updated September 28, 2026)", "publisher": "Covers", "url": "https://www.covers.com/industry/florida-ag-demands-social-media-sites-stop-hosting-sweeps-casino-ads-sept-28-2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S20", "title": "Florida Gaming Control Commission Demands Overseas Bookmakers and Casinos Cease Their Illegal Online Gambling Operations in Florida (February 3, 2025)", "publisher": "Florida Gaming Control Commission", "url": "https://flgaming.gov/docs/Press-Release/Press-Release-FGCC-Demands-Overseas-Bookmakers-and-Casinos-Cease-Illegal-Online-Gambling-Operations-Feb-2025.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S21", "title": "FGCC News", "publisher": "Florida Gaming Control Commission", "url": "https://flgaming.gov/news/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S22", "title": "Florida AG Sends Subpoenas To Sweeps Casinos, But Also Wants To Hear Them Out (January 5, 2026)", "publisher": "Sweepsy", "url": "https://www.sweepsy.com/news/florida-subpoenas-sweeps-casinos/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S23", "title": "Attorney General James Uthmeier Announces Illegal Gaming Enforcement Operation Results; Setting Pace for Record Year (June 10, 2026)", "publisher": "Florida Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/attorney-general-james-uthmeier-announces-illegal-gaming-enforcement-operation-results", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S24", "title": "News Releases (list pages read back to March 2024)", "publisher": "Florida Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsreleases", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "GA", "name": "Georgia", "slug": "georgia", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Georgia statute, bill or state enforcement aimed at sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery prohibition", "summary": "The state constitution provides that, except for the state lottery and nonprofit bingo it authorizes, “all lotteries, and the sale of lottery tickets, and all forms of pari-mutuel betting and casino gambling are hereby prohibited; and this prohibition shall be enforced by penal laws.”", "cite": "Ga. Const. art. I, sec. II, para. VIII(a)", "source": "S3" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Georgia Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division", "url": "https://consumer.georgia.gov/" }, "notes": [ "The Office of Legislative Counsel's summaries of general statutes enacted in the 2025 and 2026 sessions contain no act mentioning sweepstakes (S1, S2).", "Private litigation: trade press reports that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia dismissed class actions against VGW in December 2024 and July 2025 on jurisdictional and arbitration grounds, VGW's third win in the state by that report. These were private suits, not state enforcement (S4, secondary). Our site's casinos page and crackdown timeline describe three Georgia class actions dismissed; the same trade report describes two dismissed class actions (December 2024 and July 2025) and a 2023 suit by an anonymous plaintiff that was sent to arbitration (S4, secondary)." ], "gaps": [ "The General Assembly's legislation search, queried on 2026-10-03 through the service its search page uses, returned no legislation for “sweepstakes” in the 2025-2026 Regular Session or the 2026 Special Session (S5). Bills it returned for “casino” and “gambling” concern sports betting, casino authorization, coin-operated amusement machines and age verification for online gambling content; we read their captions, not their full texts.", "We found no state-run site hosting the Official Code of Georgia; no Georgia statute is quoted here.", "We found no Attorney General or Georgia Lottery Corporation action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Summary of General Statutes Enacted at the 1st Session of the 158th General Assembly of Georgia (2025)", "publisher": "Georgia General Assembly, Office of Legislative Counsel", "url": "https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/legislative-counsel-document-library/25sumdoc.pdf?sfvrsn=95973fc9_4", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Summary of General Statutes Enacted at the 2nd Session of the 158th General Assembly of Georgia (2026)", "publisher": "Georgia General Assembly, Office of Legislative Counsel", "url": "https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/legislative-counsel-document-library/sumdoc2026-edit.pdf?sfvrsn=6257533e_2", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Constitution of the State of Georgia, Revised January 2023", "publisher": "Georgia Secretary of State", "url": "https://sos.ga.gov/sites/default/files/2023-08/Georgia%20Constitution%20-%20Electronic%20Version%20-%20January,%202023.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "VGW Wins Third Georgia Lawsuit as Legal Challenges Mount Nationwide (July 25, 2025)", "publisher": "CasinoBeats", "url": "https://casinobeats.com/2025/07/25/vgw-third-georgia-lawsuit-dismissed/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Legislation search, 2025-2026 Regular Session and 2026 Special Session, keywords “sweepstakes”, “casino” and “gambling” (queries run October 3, 2026)", "publisher": "Georgia General Assembly", "url": "https://www.legis.ga.gov/search", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "HI", "name": "Hawaii", "slug": "hawaii", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No Hawaii statute, bill or enforcement aimed at online sweepstakes casinos found in sources checked October 3, 2026; a 2026 bill on sweepstakes gaming machines was deferred in committee.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery as \"a gambling scheme in which: (a) The players pay or agree to pay something of value for chances\", winning chances are determined by a drawing or other method based on chance, and holders of winning chances receive something of value.", "cite": "HRS section 712-1220", "source": "S4" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Office of Consumer Protection", "url": "https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/" }, "notes": [ "SB 3281 SD1 (2026) would have created the offense of promoting an illegal electronic gambling device, a class C felony, defining such a device as \"any machine; table; device commonly known as a fish game, fish table, or fishing game; sweepstakes gaming machine; or a similar electronic gambling device\" that awards anything of value based in whole or in part on chance, and would have added nuisance remedies against premises (S2). Its findings refer to fish games \"along with sweepstakes gambling machines and similar devices\" proliferating across communities. It passed the Senate 25 to 0 on March 10, 2026; the House Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs recommended deferral on March 18, 2026, the last action shown on October 3, 2026 (S3). Its text does not mention online play, the internet or dual-currency systems, and its remedies concern devices and premises, so we do not list it as a bill on online sweepstakes casinos. A Sweepsy report of March 19, 2026 (secondary) said its loose definition could have reached dual-currency gambling used by online sweepstakes casinos (S8).", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline lists Hawaii among states where bills \"failed or died\", a tally it says was compiled from trackers and trade coverage. In the Legislature's 2025 and 2026 measure status reports, no measure's title or description mentions sweepstakes (S1); among the gambling-related measures whose text we opened, only SB 3281 uses the word in a prohibition (S2). We found no Hawaii measure addressed to online sweepstakes casinos or dual-currency games. If the timeline's Hawaii entry refers to SB 3281, that bill concerns physical machines.", "Under HRS section 712-1223, \"A person commits the offense of gambling if the person knowingly participates in any gambling activity\", and \"Gambling is a misdemeanor\" (S5). This is general gambling law; we do not assess its application to any sweepstakes.", "Other 2025 and 2026 gambling-related measures concern sports wagering, casino licensing, a lottery and gaming corporation, prediction markets, nuisance abatement, social gambling and forfeiture (S1). HB 1434 (2025) would have let a proposed lottery and gaming corporation offer \"legally compliant free-play games and sweepstakes\" with Hawaii-related prizes to people outside Hawaii (S6).", "The Hawaii Attorney General is among the attorneys general listed as joining an August 2025 multistate letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to help address illegal offshore gaming, per the Alaska Department of Law's release (S7). The release does not mention sweepstakes, so we do not list it as an action aimed at sweepstakes casinos." ], "gaps": [ "Measure coverage is the Legislature's status reports matched on titles and descriptions (S1); full texts were read only for SB 3281, HB 1308, HB 2570, HB 2198, HB 1466 and HB 1434.", "The Department of the Attorney General and the Office of Consumer Protection sites were not searched for sweepstakes-casino actions." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Measure status reports, 2025 and 2026, House and Senate bills", "publisher": "Hawaii State Legislature", "url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/advreports/advreport.aspx?year=2026&report=deadline&active=true&rpt_type=&measuretype=sb", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "SB 3281 SD1 (2026), Relating to Gambling Enforcement", "publisher": "Hawaii State Legislature", "url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2026/bills/SB3281_SD1_.HTM", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "SB 3281 (2026) measure status", "publisher": "Hawaii State Legislature", "url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=3281&year=2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "HRS section 712-1220, Definitions of terms in this part", "publisher": "Hawaii State Legislature", "url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol14_Ch0701-0853/HRS0712/HRS_0712-1220.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "HRS section 712-1223, Gambling", "publisher": "Hawaii State Legislature", "url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol14_Ch0701-0853/HRS0712/HRS_0712-1223.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "HB 1434 (2025), Relating to Gaming", "publisher": "Hawaii State Legislature", "url": "https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessions/session2025/bills/HB1434_.HTM", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "AG Taylor Joins 50 States Urging U.S. Department of Justice to Help Address Illegal Offshore Gaming (August 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Alaska Department of Law", "url": "https://www.law.alaska.gov/press/releases/2025/080525-Gaming.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Hawaii Bill With Sweepstakes Casino Implications Deferred (March 19, 2026)", "publisher": "Sweepsy", "url": "https://www.sweepsy.com/news/deferred-hawaii-sweepstakes-casino-bill-2026/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "IA", "name": "Iowa", "slug": "iowa", "status": "law-related", "status_line": "No statute naming dual-currency sweepstakes casinos found; since July 1, 2026 the Racing and Gaming Commission may issue cease-and-desist orders against unlicensed “illegal sweepstakes” (undefined).", "laws": [ { "name": "SF 2289 (2026 Iowa Acts, chapter 1092)", "cite": "Iowa Code section 99F.4(13), as amended by SF 2289, section 4", "enacted": "2026-05-15", "enacted_note": "approved by the governor", "effective": "2026-07-01", "summary": "Adds to the commission's general enforcement power explicit authority to issue cease and desist orders and obtain injunctive relief against a person offering games of chance, gambling, sports wagering or illegal sweepstakes in Iowa without a commission license or other specific legal authorization. The act does not define illegal sweepstakes and does not mention dual-currency or online games. Its other gambling sections raise the commissioners' expense cap, extend lifetime bans to sports wagering and change state income tax withholding on winnings.", "quote": "issuing cease and desist orders and obtaining injunctive relief against a person offering games of chance, gambling, sports wagering, or illegal sweepstakes in this state without holding an appropriate license issued by the commission or otherwise being specifically authorized by law", "covers_players": null, "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "promotional games of chance", "summary": "Iowa's lottery statute allows a commercial organization to advertise a game of chance or contest run “as a promotional activity which is clearly occasional and ancillary to the primary business of that organization”, provided the promotion's effective dates are clearly stated on all promotional materials. A promotion available to the public for more than ninety days within a one-year period is presumed not to be occasional.", "cite": "Iowa Code section 725.12(1)", "source": "S12" }, { "topic": "lottery definition and free entry", "summary": "A lottery is a scheme awarding prizes by chance where some or all participants have paid or furnished a consideration. Consideration is not deemed paid where all or substantially all entries are submitted by internet, mail or a similar method before any prize is awarded and a chance to win can be obtained with no purchase or payment.", "cite": "Iowa Code section 725.12(3) and (4)", "source": "S12" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://irgc.iowa.gov/" }, "notes": [ "The bill history lists SF 2289 as signed by the governor on May 15, 2026, assigned Acts chapter 1092, with effective dates of May 15, 2026 and July 1, 2026 (S2); the governor's transmittal letter dated May 15, 2026 approves it (S3). Only the income-tax withholding section took effect on enactment (S1, section 8). The Senate passed it 44 to 0 on February 23, 2026, the House 93 to 0 as amended on April 21, 2026, and the Senate concurred 47 to 0 on April 28, 2026 (S2).", "The introduced bill's explanation says it “grants the commission explicit authority to issue cease and desist orders and seek injunctive relief against persons who offer gambling services in the state without an appropriate license or authorization” (S4). The illegal sweepstakes wording appears in the introduced text and in the enacted text (S4, S1).", "The Iowa Code section 99F.4 PDF served by the legislature on 2026-10-03 still shows the pre-amendment subsection 13, which reads only “To take any other action as may be reasonable or appropriate to enforce this chapter and the commission rules.” (S5).", "In a February 5, 2026 presentation to a legislative subcommittee, the commission listed “Online Sweepstakes casinos” among internet and mobile activity it does not oversee, and a slide on crypto and sweepstakes casinos said “IRGC receives periodic reports or complaints about these” (S6).", "At its June 11, 2026 meeting, staff summarized SF 2289 as including “the authority for the Commission to send cease and desist letters to unlicensed gambling operators in the state”; a commissioner said he believed a cease-and-desist order from the commission would have to be an agenda item voted on at a meeting (S7). The July 24, 2026 minutes and the August 27, 2026 agenda contain no cease-and-desist item (S8, S9).", "The commission's September 3, 2025 consumer warning, issued with the Department of Public Safety, concerns fraudulent online gambling sites and says “Iowa law does not allow for online casinos, slots or poker.” It does not mention sweepstakes (S10).", "High 5 Casino's terms, version 45.0 dated June 26, 2026 and retrieved 2026-10-03, say it stopped offering its sweepstakes platform to participants located in Indiana and Iowa on June 16, 2026, with play and redemption allowed until June 30, 2026 (S13).", "Status label: SF 2289 names “illegal sweepstakes” but does not define the term and does not mention dual-currency or online games (S1). Whether a given dual-currency sweepstakes casino is an “illegal sweepstakes” is not settled by the text, so under this database's status rules the act does not name or clearly cover online sweepstakes casinos and Iowa is labelled none-found. Timeline check: our crackdown timeline lists SF 2289 among state laws against the dual-currency model and describes it as giving the regulator powers over unlicensed operators “including sweeps”; the enacted text reaches persons offering “illegal sweepstakes” in Iowa without a commission license or other specific legal authorization (S1). The signing date (May 15, 2026) and effective date (July 1, 2026) match." ], "gaps": [ "We found no commission cease-and-desist order or other action aimed at an online sweepstakes casino in the commission's newsroom (S11) or its 2026 meeting agendas and minutes posted through the August 27, 2026 agenda, checked 2026-10-03; later meeting materials were not available to us.", "SF 2289 does not define illegal sweepstakes, and we found no commission rule or guidance defining it.", "We did not run a keyword search of all 2025-2026 Iowa bills; the related House bill HF 2503 (placed on the House calendar February 16, 2026, with no later action listed) was found only through the SF 2289 history page.", "Status could not be set higher than none-found: the only Iowa statute found that mentions sweepstakes (SF 2289) does not define illegal sweepstakes or mention dual-currency or online games, no commission or Attorney General action aimed at an online sweepstakes casino was found, and no 2025 or 2026 Iowa bill aimed specifically at online sweepstakes casinos was found in the sources checked on 2026-10-03." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Senate File 2289, enrolled", "publisher": "Iowa Legislature", "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/91/SF2289.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill History for Senate File 2289", "publisher": "Iowa Legislature", "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/billTracking/billHistory?billName=SF2289&ga=91", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Governor's transmittal letter and signed enrolled bill, Senate File 2289 (May 15, 2026)", "publisher": "Office of the Governor of Iowa (posted by the Iowa Legislature)", "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGE/91/Attachments/SF2289_GovLetter.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Senate File 2289, introduced, with explanation", "publisher": "Iowa Legislature", "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/SF2289.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Iowa Code section 99F.4 (PDF as served)", "publisher": "Iowa Legislature", "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/99F.4.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission presentation, TIC Subcommittee (February 5, 2026)", "publisher": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission (posted by the Iowa Legislature)", "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/SD/1599909.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Commission minutes, June 11, 2026", "publisher": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://irgc.iowa.gov/media/503/download?inline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Commission minutes, July 24, 2026", "publisher": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://irgc.iowa.gov/media/512/download?inline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Commission meeting agenda, August 27, 2026", "publisher": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://irgc.iowa.gov/media/511/download?inline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Online Gambling Scams and Illegal Operators (September 3, 2025)", "publisher": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://irgc.iowa.gov/news-release/2025-09-03/online-gambling-scams-and-illegal-operators", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Newsroom", "publisher": "Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://irgc.iowa.gov/general-information/newsroom", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Iowa Code 2026, chapter 725 (Vice), section 725.12", "publisher": "Iowa Legislature", "url": "https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ico/chapter/725.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "High 5 Casino Terms of Use, version 45.0 (June 26, 2026)", "publisher": "High 5 Entertainment, LLC", "url": "https://high5casino.com/terms-of-use/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "ID", "name": "Idaho", "slug": "idaho", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or enforcement action found in the sources checked; Idaho's constitution declares gambling strictly prohibited apart from a few listed exceptions.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "merchant promotions without a charge", "summary": "Idaho's constitution and criminal code both state that merchant promotional contests and drawings conducted incidentally to bona fide nongaming business operations are not gambling if prizes are awarded without consideration being charged to participants.", "cite": "Idaho Const. art. III, section 20(4)(a); Idaho Code 18-3801(4)", "source": "S2" }, { "topic": "gambling definition and penalty", "summary": "Idaho Code 18-3801 defines gambling as risking any money, credit, deposit or other thing of value for gain contingent in whole or in part on lot, chance, the operation of a gambling device, the outcome of an event, or the operation of casino gambling. Under Idaho Code 18-3802, a person who participates in gambling, or knowingly permits it on property the person controls, is guilty of gambling, a misdemeanor.", "cite": "Idaho Code 18-3801, 18-3802", "source": "S3" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Idaho Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection", "url": "https://www.ag.idaho.gov/consumer-protection/" }, "notes": [ "Article III, section 20 of the Idaho Constitution states that gambling is contrary to public policy and strictly prohibited except a state lottery, pari-mutuel betting, and charitable bingo and raffles conducted under enabling legislation, and that none of those permitted activities may employ casino gambling or any electronic or electromechanical imitation or simulation of casino gambling (S1). The provision does not mention sweepstakes or dual-currency games.", "The Idaho Legislature's 2025 and 2026 legislation indexes list lottery appropriation and lottery rule bills and a 2026 bill on bulk lottery ticket purchases (H0504), but no bill whose index entry mentions gambling, casinos, wagering or sweepstakes (S4, S5).", "Operator documents retrieved on October 3, 2026 list Idaho among excluded states, for example Chumba Casino's Sweeps Rules version 26.1 (S6), McLuck's Terms of Service version 2.6 (S7) and Stake.us Terms version 18.0 (S8). These documents do not state a reason for the exclusion." ], "gaps": [ "No Idaho Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos was found. Site searches of ag.idaho.gov for sweepstakes and online casino on 2026-10-03 returned consumer manuals, annual reports and a 2018 notice about phony Attorney General sweepstakes letters (S9).", "We searched the legislature's index entries, not the full text of every 2025 and 2026 bill.", "The Idaho State Lottery and Idaho State Police sites were not searched." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Idaho Constitution, Article III, Section 20, Gambling prohibited", "publisher": "Idaho State Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idconst/artiii/sect20/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Idaho Code 18-3801, Gambling defined", "publisher": "Idaho State Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title18/t18ch38/sect18-3801/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Idaho Code 18-3802, Gambling prohibited", "publisher": "Idaho State Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title18/t18ch38/sect18-3802/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "2025 Legislation index", "publisher": "Idaho State Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2025/legislation/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "2026 Legislation index", "publisher": "Idaho State Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2026/legislation/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Chumba Casino Sweeps Rules, version 26.1", "publisher": "VGW Games Limited (Chumba Casino)", "url": "https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/vgwholdings89e8-vgw-prod-817c/media/260916_POL_CHU_Sweeps_Rules_26-1.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "McLuck Terms of Service, version 2.6", "publisher": "B-Two Operations Limited (McLuck)", "url": "https://www.mcluck.com/terms-of-service", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Stake.us Terms and Conditions, version 18.0 (version table publish date 10/07/2026)", "publisher": "Sweepsteaks Limited (Stake.us)", "url": "https://stake.us/policies/terms", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Idaho Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.ag.idaho.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "IL", "name": "Illinois", "slug": "illinois", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found; in February 2026 the Illinois Gaming Board, with the Attorney General, sent 65 cease-and-desist letters to online casino and sweepstakes platforms.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 3439 (104th General Assembly, 2026)", "status": "re-referred to the Senate Assignments Committee under Rule 3-9(a) on May 22, 2026; no later action listed; not enacted", "date": "2026-05-22", "summary": "Filed February 4, 2026 by Sen. Bill Cunningham. Per its synopsis, it would expand the definition of gambling device to electronic machines that offer entry into a sweepstakes or similar chance-based selection incidental to a purchase, provide that a participant in a free-entry game of skill or chance is protected from a gambling conviction “except where conducted through the use of a gambling device or by means of the Internet”, and make a gambling offense involving such a device a Class 4 felony. Its text adds the Internet wording to 720 ILCS 5/28-1(b)(13) (S20).", "source": "S19" }, { "name": "HB 5030 (104th General Assembly, 2026)", "status": "referred to the House Rules Committee on February 10, 2026; no later action listed; not enacted", "date": "2026-02-10", "summary": "Filed February 4, 2026 by Rep. Robert \"Bob\" Rita. Its synopsis is the same as the SB 3439 synopsis, including the exception for free-entry games “conducted through the use of a gambling device or by means of the Internet”.", "source": "S21" }, { "name": "HB 5139 (104th General Assembly, 2026)", "status": "assigned to the House Gaming Committee March 4, 2026; re-referred to the House Rules Committee under Rule 19(a) on March 27, 2026; no later action listed; not enacted", "date": "2026-03-27", "summary": "Filed February 5, 2026 by Rep. Daniel Didech. A video gaming bill whose synopsis describes Video Gaming Act and tax-distribution changes and a Class 4 felony for gambling offenses involving electronic machines; its text also adds the wording “except where conducted through use of a gambling device or by means of the Internet” to 720 ILCS 5/28-1(b)(13) (S23).", "source": "S22" }, { "name": "SB 1705 (104th General Assembly, 2025)", "status": "re-referred to the Senate Assignments Committee under Rule 3-9(a) on April 11, 2025, together with Senate Committee Amendment No. 1; no later action listed; not enacted", "date": "2025-04-11", "summary": "Filed February 5, 2025 by Sen. Bill Cunningham. As introduced, it would expand the definition of gambling device to electronic machines offering sweepstakes entries incidental to a purchase and narrow the free-entry protection for games played on such a device. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1, filed April 2, 2025 and not adopted, would instead except free-entry games “conducted through use of a gambling device or by means of the Internet” (S24).", "source": "S13" }, { "name": "HB 2879 (104th General Assembly, 2025)", "status": "re-referred to the House Rules Committee under Rule 19(a) on March 27, 2026, with House Committee Amendment No. 1; no later action listed; not enacted", "date": "2026-03-27", "summary": "Filed February 5, 2025 by Rep. Robert \"Bob\" Rita, with the same synopsis as SB 1705 as introduced. House Committee Amendment No. 1, filed March 6, 2025 and not adopted, would except free-entry games “conducted through use of a gambling device or by means of the Internet” (S25).", "source": "S27" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2026-02-04", "agency": "Illinois Gaming Board, in coordination with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General", "action": "cease-and-desist letters (65 listed on the board's index)", "target": "65 recipients named on the board's index, including Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, Global Poker, Stake (stake.us), Pulsz, McLuck Casino, Fortune Coins, High 5 Casino, Crown Coins Casino, WOW Vegas, RealPrize, Modo and Zula Casino (full list in notes)", "summary": "The letters are dated February 4, 2026 and the board announced them on February 5, 2026. Each letter we opened (Pulsz, Stake (stake.us), Chumba Casino, Fortune Coins, LuckyLand Slots) says the board “has reason to believe” the recipient is engaged in the operation of an illegal online casino in violation of 720 ILCS 5/28-1(a)(12), and demands that it block Illinois residents or discontinue offering cash, gift cards and other prizes, warning that failure may bring civil or criminal penalties. None of those letters sets a deadline.", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "no payment to receive a prize", "summary": "Under the Prizes and Gifts Act, “No sponsor may require a person in this State to pay the sponsor money as a condition of awarding the person a prize, or as a condition of allowing the person to receive, use, compete for, or obtain information about a prize.” Section 15 limits the Act to written promotional offers that are made to a person in Illinois, or that are used to induce or invite a person to come to Illinois or to contact a promoter, sponsor, salesperson or agent in Illinois (815 ILCS 525/15; S18).", "cite": "815 ILCS 525/20", "source": "S10" }, { "topic": "required disclosures in written prize offers", "summary": "A written promotional prize offer must state, at the onset of the offer, the sponsor's true name and principal business address, the retail value of each prize, that no purchase is necessary, that a purchase will not improve the chances of winning, the odds of receiving each prize, any fees or charges to obtain or use a prize, any restrictions and any eligibility limits.", "cite": "815 ILCS 525/25", "source": "S11" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/" }, "notes": [ "The board's February 5, 2026 release says it issued “more than 60” letters (S3); its public index lists 65, each titled with the date 2026.02.04 and carrying an index date of February 5, 2026, and each letter we opened is dated February 4, 2026 (S2). On 2026-10-03 the index listed no letters after that date.", "Full list of the 65 recipients as named on the board's index (S2): ACE (sweepstakes); American Luck; Cazino; Chanced; Chip n Win; Chumba Casino; Click; Cluck; Crown Coins Casino; Dara Casino; Fliff; Fortune Coins; Fortune Wheelz; FreeSpin; Funrize; FunzCity; Funzpoints; Global Poker; Gold Rush City; Gold Treasure Casino; GoldSlips; Golden Hearts Games; Hello Millions; High 5 Casino; Jackpot Go; Jackpot Rabbit; Jackpota Casino; JefeBet; JuicyPopSlots (Bovada); Jumbo 88; Kickr; Lavish Luck; Legendz; LoneStar Casino; LuckyLand Slots; LuckySlots.us; McLuck Casino; Mega Bonanza; Modo; Moonspin; No Limit; PlayFame; Pulsz; Punt; RealPrize; Rolla; RuneWager; Shuffle.us; Sixty6; Smiles Casino; SpinBlitz; Splash Coins; Sportzino; Spree Casino; Stake (stake.us); StormRush; SweepsLasVegas.com; Sweepshark; Tao Fortune; The Money Factory; ToraTora Casino; WOW Vegas; Yay Casino; Zito Box; Zula Casino.", "The letters we opened say the board observed the recipient offering games to Illinois users on January 9, 2026 (Pulsz) or January 12, 2026 (the other four), and state: “Under Illinois law no exceptions are permitted under the Illinois Prizes and Gifts Act.” (S4, S5, S6, S7, S8).", "The statute the letters cite makes it gambling to knowingly establish, maintain, or operate an Internet site that permits a person to play a game of chance or skill for money or other thing of value by means of the Internet; gambling is a Class A misdemeanor, and a second or subsequent conviction under subsections (a)(3) through (a)(12) is a Class 4 felony (S9).", "Bills: a search of the General Assembly's legislation database for sweepstakes in the 104th General Assembly (2025-2026) returned 13 documents on one run on 2026-10-03 (S12), and a later run the same day returned a different set, so the site search was not treated as complete. Of the bills it surfaced, SB 3439, HB 5030 and HB 5139 (2026) contain new text that would take free-entry games of skill or chance “conducted through use of a gambling device or by means of the Internet” out of the list of activities whose participants “shall not be convicted of gambling” in 720 ILCS 5/28-1(b), and committee amendments filed to SB 1705 and HB 2879 (2025) contain the same text (S20, S23, S24, S25, S9); these are listed under bills. The other bills it surfaced (HB 3274, HB 3733, HB 4012, SB 2636, HB 5048 and HB 5702) concern gambling devices, prize and gift kiosks or video gaming, and the versions we opened contain no such Internet language; they are not listed. A search for dual-currency returned no results (S12).", "Operator documents retrieved 2026-10-03 differ on Illinois: Pulsz's help article edited September 2, 2026 lists Illinois among the states where it is available, with no tag (S14); the Stake.us terms list Illinois among excluded states (S15); and the Fortune Wins sweeps rules exclude Illinois from their Sweepstakes Permitted Territory (S16).", "The recipient listed as “Chanced” is addressed in the board's letter at a chanced.com email address and a Sheridan, Wyoming address (S26). It is not Chance Infinite, the app operated by this site's publisher, Luck Incorporated LLC; the board's index lists no letter to Chance Infinite or to Luck Incorporated LLC (S2)." ], "gaps": [ "Whether recipients replied to or complied with the letters: the board has published no follow-up we could find. A trade report we opened (S17, labelled secondary) makes claims about which platforms still serve Illinois, but it also says McLuck, Crown Coins and RealPrize were not among the 65 named operators, which the board's own index contradicts (S2); we do not rely on it.", "We found no separate Illinois Attorney General lawsuit against a sweepstakes-casino operator in the sources checked on 2026-10-03; the Attorney General's own release list was not searched.", "Private lawsuits by players against sweepstakes-casino operators were not surveyed for this record; they are not state action." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Cease and Desist Letters", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/casino-gambling/cease-and-desist-letters.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Cease-and-desist letter index (data behind the Cease and Desist Letters page)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/content/soi/igb/en/casino-gambling/cease-and-desist-letters/jcr:content/responsivegrid/container/container_293684588/container/list_copy_1139217198.model.json", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Illinois Gaming Board and Attorney General's Office Issue more than 60 Cease-and-Desist Letters to Illegal Online Casino and Sweepstakes Operators (February 5, 2026)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://www.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/illinois/iisnewsattachments/32173-020526-igb-r-cease-and-desist-online-casinos-final-25025.pdf.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Letter to Pulsz (February 4, 2026)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/igb/documents/casino/cease-and-desist-letters/20260204-cease-and-desist-pulsz.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Letter to Stake (stake.us) (February 4, 2026)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/igb/documents/casino/cease-and-desist-letters/20260204-cease-and-desist-stake-stake-us.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Letter to Chumba Casino (February 4, 2026)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/igb/documents/casino/cease-and-desist-letters/20260204-cease-and-desist-chumba-casino.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Letter to Fortune Coins (February 4, 2026)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/igb/documents/casino/cease-and-desist-letters/20260204-cease-and-desist-fortune-coins.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Letter to LuckyLand Slots (February 4, 2026)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/igb/documents/casino/cease-and-desist-letters/20260204-cease-and-desist-luckyland-slots.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "720 ILCS 5/28-1 Gambling", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext?DocName=072000050K28-1", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "815 ILCS 525/20 No payment required (Prizes and Gifts Act)", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext?DocName=081505250K20", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "815 ILCS 525/25 Disclosures required (Prizes and Gifts Act)", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext?DocName=081505250K25", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Legislation search, 104th General Assembly: sweepstakes", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Search?q=sweepstakes&base=Legis", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Bill Status of SB1705, 104th General Assembly", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus?DocNum=1705&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Where can I find Pulsz in the US? (help center)", "publisher": "Pulsz", "url": "https://support.pulsz.com/hc/en-us/articles/8595606374161-Where-can-I-find-Pulsz-in-the-US", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "Stake.us Terms of Use, version 18.0", "publisher": "Sweepsteaks Limited (Stake.us)", "url": "https://stake.us/policies/terms", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "Fortune Wins Sweeps Rules, version 4.7", "publisher": "Social Gaming LLC and Social Gaming LTD (Fortune Wins)", "url": "https://fortunewins.com/sweeps-rules", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S17", "title": "The Illinois Gaming Board ordered 65 Sweepstakes Casinos to Block You (last updated September 30, 2026)", "publisher": "iGamingFuture", "url": "https://igamingfuture.com/sweepstakes-casinos/news/the-illinois-gaming-board-ordered-65-sweepstakes-casinos-to-block-you-97-of-them-ignored/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S18", "title": "815 ILCS 525/15 Application of Act (Prizes and Gifts Act)", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext?DocName=081505250K15", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S19", "title": "Bill Status of SB3439, 104th General Assembly", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/?DocNum=3439&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S20", "title": "SB3439, introduced text", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?LegDocId=207733&DocName=10400SB3439&DocNum=3439&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=166387&GAID=18&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S21", "title": "Bill Status of HB5030, 104th General Assembly", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/?DocNum=5030&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S22", "title": "Bill Status of HB5139, 104th General Assembly", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/?DocNum=5139&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S23", "title": "HB5139, introduced text", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?LegDocId=208087&DocName=10400HB5139&DocNum=5139&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=166741&GAID=18&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S24", "title": "SB1705, Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 (text)", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?LegDocId=203903&DocName=10400SB1705sam001&DocNum=1705&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=160662&GAID=18&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S25", "title": "HB2879, House Committee Amendment No. 1 (text)", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/FullText?LegDocId=203168&DocName=10400HB2879ham001&DocNum=2879&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=161070&GAID=18&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S26", "title": "Letter to Chanced (February 4, 2026)", "publisher": "Illinois Gaming Board", "url": "https://igb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/igb/documents/casino/cease-and-desist-letters/20260204-cease-and-desist-chanced.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S27", "title": "Bill Status of HB2879, 104th General Assembly", "publisher": "Illinois General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/BillStatus/?DocNum=2879&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "IN", "name": "Indiana", "slug": "indiana", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Since July 1, 2026 the Indiana Gaming Commission may levy a $100,000 civil penalty on an operator or individual who knowingly conducts an online dual-currency sweepstakes game in Indiana.", "laws": [ { "name": "HB 1052 (House Enrolled Act 1052, 2026)", "cite": "IC 4-33-10-7", "enacted": "2026-03-12", "enacted_note": "signed by the governor", "effective": "2026-07-01", "summary": "Adds IC 4-33-10-7, which defines a sweepstakes game as an internet game, contest or promotion, accessible on a mobile phone, computer terminal or similar device, that uses a dual-currency or multi-currency system of payment letting a player exchange currency for a cash prize, cash award or cash equivalents (or a chance to win one) and that simulates lottery games or casino-style gaming, including slot machines, video poker, table games, bingo or sports wagering. Games offered by the state lottery commission and peer to peer skill-based poker games are excluded. The Indiana Gaming Commission may levy a $100,000 civil penalty against an operator or individual who knowingly uses the Internet to conduct a sweepstakes game in Indiana or in a transaction directly involving a person located in Indiana.", "quote": "The commission may levy a civil penalty in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) against an operator or individual who knowingly uses the Internet to conduct a sweepstakes game", "covers_players": null, "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [], "regulator": { "name": "Indiana Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.in.gov/igc/" }, "notes": [ "The Governor's 2026 Bill Watch lists HEA 1052 (described as various administrative law matters) as received March 6, 2026, due March 13, 2026 and signed March 12, 2026 (S2).", "The section takes effect July 1, 2026 per its own heading in the enrolled act (S1). The act also contains an emergency clause (SECTION 43), but the sweepstakes section carries the July 1, 2026 date.", "The enacted text addresses the operator or individual who conducts the game; it says nothing about players (S1).", "As introduced on December 5, 2025, the bill's digest described civil and criminal penalties for conducting a sweepstakes game (S3); the House committee version of January 27, 2026 describes civil penalties only (S4), and the enacted act contains only the civil penalty (S1). The House passed the bill on February 2, 2026, 87 to 11 (S5).", "Operators' Indiana notices, retrieved 2026-10-03: Pulsz's NOTICE FOR INDIANA PLAYERS, created May 13, 2026, says mail-in sweepstakes codes stopped May 4, 2026 and that Sweepstakes Coins expired after June 22, 2026 (S7); High 5 Casino's terms, version 45.0 dated June 26, 2026, say it stopped offering its sweepstakes platform in Indiana and Iowa on June 16, 2026, with play and redemption allowed until June 30, 2026 (S8); Crown Coins' help article dated July 3, 2026 describes a restructured Indiana balance effective June 30, 2026, which it calls “part of a legal update specific to Indiana” (S9).", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline describes HB 1052 as a ban with civil penalties “to $100,000”. The enacted text authorizes a civil penalty “in the amount of” $100,000 and does not use the words ban or prohibit (S1). The signing date (March 12, 2026) and effective date (July 1, 2026) match.", "2025 HB 1432, an online casino bill, is not listed: its introduced version contains no sweepstakes language (S10), and neither does its House committee version, which we also opened.", "The Indiana Gaming Commission's orders for the third quarter of 2026 (2026-084 to 2026-123, linked from S6) concern licensees, settlements and debt transactions; none of the orders we could parse mentions sweepstakes (2026-085 is a resolution and 2026-099 did not download as a PDF)." ], "gaps": [ "The legislature's bill pages and Indiana Code pages (iga.in.gov) load by script and returned no text to our fetches; bill versions were read from the legislature's PDF links. We could not confirm the Public Law number from a primary document, and could not retrieve Indiana Code text for a general lottery or promotion rule (for example IC 35-45-5-1), so promotion_rules is empty.", "We did not run a keyword search of all 2025 and 2026 Indiana bills; besides HB 1052 we checked only 2025 HB 1432.", "No Indiana Gaming Commission or Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos was found in the sources checked on 2026-10-03 (the commission's orders index and its illegal gambling page).", "Private lawsuits by players against sweepstakes-casino operators were not surveyed for this record; they are not state action." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "House Enrolled Act No. 1052 (2026), enrolled text", "publisher": "Indiana General Assembly", "url": "https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2026/house/bills/HB1052/HB1052.06.ENRS.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Governor Braun: 2026 Bill Watch", "publisher": "Office of the Governor of Indiana", "url": "https://www.in.gov/gov/newsroom/2026-bill-watch/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "House Bill 1052, introduced version (December 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Indiana General Assembly", "url": "https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2026/house/bills/HB1052/HB1052.01.INTR.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "House Bill 1052, House committee version (January 27, 2026)", "publisher": "Indiana General Assembly", "url": "https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2026/house/bills/HB1052/HB1052.02.COMH.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Engrossed House Bill 1052, reprinted February 17, 2026", "publisher": "Indiana General Assembly", "url": "https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2026/house/bills/HB1052/HB1052.05.ENGS.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Orders and Resolutions, 2020 to current", "publisher": "Indiana Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.in.gov/igc/meetings/orders-and-resolutions/archives-2020-2029", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "NOTICE FOR INDIANA PLAYERS (help center)", "publisher": "Pulsz", "url": "https://support.pulsz.com/hc/en-us/articles/46635552110225-NOTICE-FOR-INDIANA-PLAYERS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "High 5 Casino Terms of Use, version 45.0 (June 26, 2026)", "publisher": "High 5 Entertainment, LLC", "url": "https://high5casino.com/terms-of-use/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Sweeps Crown Tickets: What's Changing for Indiana Players (help center)", "publisher": "Crown Coins", "url": "https://help.crowncoinscasino.com/en/articles/15702184-sweeps-crown-tickets-what-s-changing-for-indiana-players", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "House Bill 1432 (2025), introduced version", "publisher": "Indiana General Assembly", "url": "https://iga.in.gov/pdf-documents/124/2025/house/bills/HB1432/HB1432.01.INTR.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "KS", "name": "Kansas", "slug": "kansas", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Kansas statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or enforcement action specific to online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery and consideration definitions", "summary": "Defines a lottery as \"an enterprise wherein for a consideration the participants are given an opportunity to win a prize, the award of which is determined by chance\". Consideration means anything that is a commercial or financial advantage to the promoter or a disadvantage to a participant; the statute states that \"Mere registration without purchase of goods or services\" and similar acts are not consideration.", "cite": "K.S.A. 21-6403(b) and (c)", "source": "S1" }, { "topic": "prize notices", "summary": "A solicitor who tells a person they have been selected or may be eligible for a prize may not request or accept payment, or create the impression that payment is required, before the person receives a written prize notice containing required information, including the verifiable retail value of each prize and, where more than one prize is listed, the odds of receiving each.", "cite": "K.S.A. 50-692", "source": "S2" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.krgc.ks.gov/" }, "notes": [ "The legislature's 2025-2026 subject index lists, under Gambling and Gaming, measures on the Wyandotte Nation compact, an excise tax on wagers, historical horse races, organization license qualifications, lottery fund transfers, smoking, sports wagering regulations and an antique slot machine exemption; none concerns sweepstakes (S3).", "Our crackdown timeline does not mention Kansas." ], "gaps": [ "The Kansas Attorney General's website (ag.ks.gov) returned HTTP 403 to our requests on 2026-10-03, so we could not review its news releases directly; web searches found no Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos.", "We did not run the legislature's full-text search; the 2025-2026 measures list is rendered by script and could not be read directly." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "K.S.A. 21-6403, Definitions (gambling)", "publisher": "Kansas Legislature", "url": "https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/laws/021_000_0000_chapter/021_064_0000_article/021_064_0003_section/021_064_0003_k/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "K.S.A. 50-692, Prize notification", "publisher": "Kansas Legislature", "url": "https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/laws/050_000_0000_chapter/050_006_0000_article/050_006_0092_section/050_006_0092_k/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Subject Index, 2025-2026 Legislative Sessions", "publisher": "Kansas Legislature", "url": "https://www.kslegislature.gov/b2025_26/subject-index/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "KY", "name": "Kentucky", "slug": "kentucky", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found in the sources checked; the attorney general sued VGW in Franklin Circuit Court on June 17, 2026, alleging illegal gambling. The case is pending.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2026-06-17", "agency": "Kentucky Office of the Attorney General", "action": "civil lawsuit, Franklin Circuit Court, No. 26-CI-00697", "target": "VGW Holdings U.S. Inc., VGW U.S. Inc., VGW Luckyland, Inc., VGW Holdings Pty LTD., VGW LTD., VGW Malta LTD, VGW Malta Holding Limited, VGW Games Limited, and John Does Nos. 1-50", "summary": "The complaint alleges that the defendants' sweepstakes casino websites (the Attorney General's release names Chumba Casino, Global Poker and LuckyLand Slots) are illegal gambling, illegal lotteries and gambling devices under Kentucky law. Its four counts are recovery of gambling losses under the Loss Recovery Act (KRS 372.010 et seq.), unfair and deceptive practices under the Consumer Protection Act (KRS 367.110 et seq., citing KRS 367.170), unjust enrichment, and forfeiture and civil penalties under KRS 528.100. It asks for recovery of every loss of $5 or more within 24 hours by individuals gambling in Kentucky on the websites, treble damages, an injunction barring operation of the sweepstakes casinos in Kentucky, civil penalties of up to $2,000 per willful consumer-protection violation ($10,000 where the person is 60 or older) and $25,000 per gambling device, disgorgement and a writ of prejudgment attachment. These are allegations; no ruling was found.", "status": "pending", "source": "S2" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a \"lottery and gift enterprise\" as a gambling scheme in which players pay or agree to pay something of value for chances, the winner is determined by a drawing or other method based on chance, and the holders of winning chances receive something of value; a gift enterprise or referral sales plan meeting those elements is treated as a lottery.", "cite": "KRS 528.010(8)", "source": "S3" }, { "topic": "gambling definition", "summary": "Defines gambling as \"staking or risking something of value upon the outcome of a contest, game, gaming scheme, or gaming device which is based upon an element of chance\", in accord with an understanding that someone will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.", "cite": "KRS 528.010(6)(a)", "source": "S3" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Resources", "url": "https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/Consumer-Resources/Pages/default.aspx" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline (S7) says the Attorney General sued VGW on June 17, 2026 in Franklin Circuit Court, seeking a shutdown and recovery of player losses. The complaint's file stamp (26-CI-00697, 06/17/2026) and its prayer for relief agree (S2).", "The same June 17, 2026 release (S1) announced separate suits against the prediction market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket and their affiliates; those are not sweepstakes-casino actions.", "HB 904 of the 2026 session (2026 Ky. Acts ch. 184), described by the Attorney General's release as the Wagering Consumer Protection Act taking effect July 15, 2026, concerns sports wagering, fantasy contests and related gaming matters (S4, S5). The word sweepstakes appears once in the enacted text, in the existing gambling-device definition covering devices permanently located in a business establishment. We do not count it as an online sweepstakes-casino statute.", "Chumba Casino's Sweeps Rules version 26.1, dated September 16, 2026 and retrieved October 3, 2026, define Permitted Territories as the United States other than 16 named states; Kentucky is not among the 16 (S6)." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Kentucky statute enacted from 2023 to 2026 that names online sweepstakes casinos or dual-currency games, and no 2025 or 2026 bill on the subject, in the sources checked on 2026-10-03: web searches limited to apps.legislature.ky.gov, the HB 904 record and enacted text, the current text of KRS 528.010, the Legislative Research Commission's 2025 \"Gambling\" and 2026 \"Gaming And Wagering\" bill index headings (S8, S9), and trade-press searches. We did not run the Legislative Research Commission's full bill-text search.", "We did not open the Franklin Circuit Court docket. We found no ruling, removal or answer in the VGW case in the sources checked, so its status is recorded as pending.", "The VGW and Yellow Social Interactive class settlements in Henderson Circuit Court mentioned on our timeline are private class actions, not enforcement; we did not re-open their documents.", "The text of KRS 372.020 and 372.040 is taken from the complaint's quotation; we did not open those sections on the legislature's site." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Attorney General Coleman Launches Three Lawsuits Against Illegal Gambling Companies (June 17, 2026)", "publisher": "Kentucky Office of the Attorney General (kentucky.gov newsroom)", "url": "https://www.kentucky.gov/Pages/Activity-stream.aspx?n=AttorneyGeneral&prId=1944", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Complaint, Commonwealth of Kentucky ex rel. Attorney General Russell Coleman v. VGW Holdings U.S. Inc. et al., Franklin Circuit Court No. 26-CI-00697 (filed June 17, 2026)", "publisher": "Kentucky Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.ag.ky.gov/Documents/2026.06.17%20Accepted%20KYOAG%20v.%20VGW%20Complaint%20-%20Final.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "KRS 528.010, Definitions for chapter (effective July 15, 2026)", "publisher": "Kentucky General Assembly, Legislative Research Commission", "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=58126", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "26RS HB 904, bill record", "publisher": "Kentucky General Assembly", "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb904.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "2026 Ky. Acts ch. 184 (HB 904)", "publisher": "Kentucky General Assembly", "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/26RS/documents/0184.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Chumba Casino Sweeps Rules, version 26.1 (September 16, 2026), PDF linked from chumbacasino.com/sweeps-rules", "publisher": "VGW Games Limited (via chumbacasino.com)", "url": "https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/vgwholdings89e8-vgw-prod-817c/media/260916_POL_CHU_Sweeps_Rules_26-1.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (this site's own page, cited only to record what it says)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S8", "title": "25RS Index Heading: Gambling", "publisher": "Kentucky General Assembly, Legislative Research Commission", "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25rs/4080.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "26RS Index Heading: Gaming And Wagering", "publisher": "Kentucky General Assembly, Legislative Research Commission", "url": "https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/4080.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "LA", "name": "Louisiana", "slug": "louisiana", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Since August 1, 2026, Louisiana's gambling-by-computer law (Act 182 of 2026) covers online dual-currency games that simulate gambling; the gaming board sent cease-and-desist letters in 2025.", "laws": [ { "name": "HB 883 (Act 182 of the 2026 Regular Session)", "cite": "La. R.S. 14:90.3; La. R.S. 27:19.1 and 27:19.2", "enacted": "2026-05-15", "enacted_note": "signed by the governor; final passage 99 to 0 in the House and 35 to 0 in the Senate", "effective": "2026-08-01", "summary": "Adds to the crime of gambling by computer any internet or mobile game, contest or promotion that uses a dual-currency system the player can exchange for a prize, cash or cash equivalents, or a chance to win one, and simulates any form of gambling. Per the legislature's resume digest (S3), it raises the maximum fine for offering gambling by computer from $20,000 to $100,000 (up to five years, with or without hard labor); makes knowing support or facilitation by platform providers, geolocation providers, gaming content suppliers, promoters, endorsers and media affiliates punishable by a fine of up to $20,000, up to five years, or both, with the fine doubled where the support or facilitation involves a person under 21 (Act text, S1); bars merchant payment processors from knowingly processing such transactions; treats each wager as a separate violation; and requires forfeiture of profits. New R.S. 27:19.1 lets the Attorney General or the Gaming Control Board chairman send cease-and-desist notices giving ten days to stop, requires the Attorney General to keep a public list of notices, and R.S. 27:19.2 authorizes injunctions, including ex parte injunctions against platform providers and payment processors.", "quote": "utilizes a dual-currency system of payment allowing the player to exchange the currency for any prize or award, cash, or cash equivalents", "covers_players": "R.S. 14:90.3(D) as amended reads: \"Any client, as defined by this Section, who commits the crime of gambling by computer shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.\" A client is defined as anyone physically located in Louisiana using a computer to access a computer server to make gambling by computer wagers. We draw no conclusion about how this applies to any particular player.", "source": "S1" }, { "name": "HB 53 (Act 48 of the 2026 Regular Session)", "cite": "La. R.S. 15:1352(A)(89) through (95)", "enacted": "2026-05-11", "enacted_note": "signed by the governor; final passage 87 to 11 in the House and 29 to 7 in the Senate", "effective": "2026-08-01", "summary": "Adds seven offenses to the list of crimes that count as racketeering activity under Louisiana's racketeering law: gambling (R.S. 14:90), gambling in public (14:90.2), gambling by computer (14:90.3), gambling or wagering at cockfights (14:90.6), gambling by electronic sweepstakes device (14:90.7), unlawful wagering by a prohibited player (14:90.8) and bribery of sports participants (14:118.1). The Act itself does not state penalties.", "quote": "to add certain gambling crimes as predicate offenses for racketeering activity", "covers_players": null, "source": "S5" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 181 (2025 Regular Session)", "status": "vetoed by the governor", "date": "2025-06-12", "summary": "Would have added internet and mobile games that use a dual-currency system redeemable for prizes, cash or cash equivalents and simulate gambling to the crime of gambling by computer, stated that they are not legal sweepstakes, raised the operator fine to between $10,000 and $100,000 per occurrence, and made violations an unfair trade practice (resume digest, S9). It passed the Senate 39 to 0 and the House 99 to 0, and the Senate concurred in House amendments 38 to 0. The governor's veto letter of June 12, 2025 (S8) said the board was \"already taking active steps to combat illegal gambling in Louisiana, especially against illegal offshore wagering and illegal online sweepstakes companies operating in Louisiana\" and called the bill \"a solution in search of a problem\".", "source": "S7" }, { "name": "HB 883 (2026 Regular Session)", "status": "enacted as Act 182 (see laws)", "date": "2026-05-15", "summary": "Prefiled February 27, 2026; passed the House 99 to 0 on April 14 and the Senate 35 to 0 on May 12, 2026; signed May 15, 2026.", "source": "S2" }, { "name": "HB 53 (2026 Regular Session)", "status": "enacted as Act 48 (see laws)", "date": "2026-05-11", "summary": "Prefiled January 30, 2026; passed the House 87 to 11 on March 30 and the Senate 29 to 7 on April 27, 2026; signed May 11, 2026.", "source": "S6" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-06-17", "agency": "Louisiana Gaming Control Board", "action": "cease-and-desist letters (more than 40)", "target": "\"offshore wagering platforms and online sweepstakes operators\", per the board's release, which names only Harp Media B.V. d/b/a Bovada, the subject of an earlier order. A recipient list posted on the Attorney General's site (S11) has 42 numbered entries, some naming more than one company, among them VGW Holdings US, Inc., VGW Games, Ltd., and VGW Malta, Ltd.; Yellow Social Interactive Ltd.; Sweepstakes Limited; MW Services Limited d/b/a Wow Vegas; Blazesoft; and Social Gaming, LLC.", "summary": "The board announced on June 17, 2025 that, in coordination with the Attorney General's Office and the State Police Gaming Enforcement Division, it had issued more than 40 cease-and-desist letters to offshore wagering platforms and online sweepstakes operators \"whose business models have been found to circumvent Louisiana gaming laws and regulations\". The release does not say which recipients are sweepstakes operators. The board's undated Illegal Operators page (S12), retrieved October 3, 2026, lists 41 names.", "status": "issued", "source": "S10" }, { "date": "2025-07-02", "agency": "Louisiana Attorney General (Louisiana Department of Justice)", "action": "formal attorney general opinion (Opinion 25-0083)", "target": "The opinion names no company; it addresses online businesses offering casino-style games through dual-currency systems.", "summary": "Issued in answer to a June 18, 2025 request from State Senator Rick Edmonds. The headnote reads: \"Online businesses offering casino style games utilizing dual-currency systems and purporting to be sweepstakes and/or social gaming constitute illegal gambling businesses and illegal gambling by computer.\" It cites La. R.S. 14:90, 14:90.3 and 51:1721 et seq., and its last page states that the Department of Justice, with the Gaming Control Board and State Police, \"is empowered to pursue both criminal and civil enforcement actions to shut down such operations\".", "status": "issued", "source": "S13" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "gambling definition", "summary": "Defines gambling as \"the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit.\"", "cite": "La. R.S. 14:90(A)(1)(a)", "source": "S15" }, { "topic": "prize offers tied to sales presentations", "summary": "A written or verbal prize or gift offer that requires or invites the consumer to attend a sales presentation must disclose the exact prize and its cash value, all terms and conditions, the presentation requirement and the items offered for sale, and the prize must be delivered whether or not the consumer buys. The section does not apply where participants only complete and mail or deposit an entry blank and are not asked to attend a sales presentation.", "cite": "La. R.S. 51:1721", "source": "S16" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Louisiana Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://lgcb.dps.louisiana.gov/illegal-operators/" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline gives HB 53 and HB 883 as signed May 11 and 15, 2026 and effective August 1, 2026. The bill histories agree (S2, S6). The timeline attributes the Gaming Control Board's mid-2025 letters and the Attorney General opinion to press reports; the board's June 17, 2025 release (S10), the recipient list (S11) and Opinion 25-0083 (S13) are now on file as primary sources.", "The legislature's online text of La. R.S. 14:90.3, retrieved October 3, 2026, contains the dual-currency sentence and lists \"Acts 2026, No. 182\" in its history (S4).", "An undated public alert from Attorney General Liz Murrill on the Attorney General's site (S14) says that \"alleged sweepstakes or social gaming sites offering such games are operating illegally in Louisiana\", in her words, and links the June 2025 recipient list and the board's release." ], "gaps": [ "R.S. 27:19.1(B), enacted by Act 182, requires the Attorney General to keep a public list of cease-and-desist notices issued under it. On the Attorney General pages we opened on 2026-10-03 (home page, Gaming Division page, article 287) we found only the June 2025 Gaming Control Board recipient list, not a list of notices issued under the new section.", "Opinion 25-0083 is a scanned PDF with no text layer. On 2026-10-03 we read all seven pages from page images; we did not produce a full transcription.", "The Attorney General's public alert (article 287) shows no date on the page.", "We did not open the racketeering penalty sections connected to Act 48. Trade press reports penalties of up to 50 years and $1 million, which we have not verified against the statute.", "We did not establish which recipients of the June 2025 letters stopped serving Louisiana, or whether any notice has been issued since August 1, 2026." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Act No. 182, 2026 Regular Session (HB 883, enrolled)", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1475229", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "HB883, 2026 Regular Session, bill history", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=26RS&b=HB883&sbi=y", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Resume Digest, Act 182 (HB 883)", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1484822", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "RS 14:90.3, Gambling by computer (current text)", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=78701", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Act No. 48, 2026 Regular Session (HB 53, enrolled)", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1473862", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "HB53, 2026 Regular Session, bill history", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=26RS&b=HB53&sbi=y", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "SB181, 2025 Regular Session, bill history", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=25RS&b=SB181&sbi=y", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Veto message, Senate Bill 181 of the 2025 Regular Session (June 12, 2025)", "publisher": "Office of the Governor of Louisiana (filed with the legislature)", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1425301", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Resume Digest, SB 181 (2025 Regular Session)", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1428798", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Louisiana Gaming Control Board Takes Strong Action Against Illegal Offshore Wagering and Online Sweepstakes Gaming (June 17, 2025)", "publisher": "Louisiana Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://lgcb.dps.louisiana.gov/media/dqudya5p/lgcb_press_release_june_17_2025_final.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Louisiana Gaming Control Board, List of Operators Issued Cease-and-Desist Letters", "publisher": "Louisiana Office of the Attorney General (file hosted with article 287)", "url": "https://www.ag.state.la.us/Files/Article/287/Documents/LGCB_Cease_and_Desist_Letter_Recipient_List_.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Illegal Operators", "publisher": "Louisiana Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://lgcb.dps.louisiana.gov/illegal-operators/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Opinion 25-0083 (July 2, 2025)", "publisher": "Louisiana Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.ag.state.la.us/Opinion/Download/25-0083", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill Alerts Public to Illegal Online Casino Gambling (article 287, undated)", "publisher": "Louisiana Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.ag.state.la.us/Article/287", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "RS 14:90, Gambling", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=78698", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "RS 51:1721, Promotional contests; prerequisites for lawful promotion", "publisher": "Louisiana State Legislature", "url": "https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=104108", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S17", "title": "Gaming Division", "publisher": "Louisiana Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://www.ag.state.la.us/Division/Gaming", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "MA", "name": "Massachusetts", "slug": "massachusetts", "status": "bills-only", "status_line": "H.4431, a 2025 internet gaming bill that would make operating or promoting online sweepstakes games unlawful, accompanied a study order on March 23, 2026; we found no law or regulator action.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "H.4431 (194th General Court, 2025-2026), An Act relative to internet gaming", "status": "accompanied a study order (H.5269, Gaming matters)", "date": "2026-03-23", "summary": "Filed by Representative David K. Muradian, Jr. and referred to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies on August 18, 2025; hearing November 13, 2025. The bill would authorize licensed internet gaming under the Gaming Commission and, in section 19 of its new chapter, make it unlawful “to operate, conduct or promote online sweepstakes games within the commonwealth” or to support them, with fines of $10,000 to $100,000 per violation. It defines an online sweepstakes game by a dual-currency system of payment and simulated casino-style gaming. On March 23, 2026 the committee reported a study order (H.5269) that the bill accompanied (history S1, S3; bill text S2).", "source": "S1" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "electronic sweepstakes machines", "summary": "Makes it unlawful to knowingly possess, with intent to operate, an electronic machine or device to conduct or promote a sweepstakes through an entertaining display (actual or simulated game play), with a fine of up to $250,000 per machine or device placed into operation, up to 15 years in state prison, or both. The section defines a sweepstakes as a game or promotion that “with or without payment of any consideration” a person may enter to win a prize determined by chance, and the covered machines are those owned, leased or possessed by a sweepstakes sponsor or promoter or its affiliates. It exempts activity lawfully conducted by the state lottery commission, pari-mutuel wagering, bingo, charitable gaming, activity under chapters 23K and 23N (casino gaming and sports wagering) and certain grocery promotions. Whether it reaches online platforms is not addressed in the sources we opened.", "cite": "Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 271, section 5B", "source": "S5" }, { "topic": "paid chances to win a prize (Attorney General regulation)", "summary": "A regulation of the Attorney General under the Consumer Protection Act (chapter 93A) makes it an unfair and deceptive act or practice “for a person to solicit or accept payment for a chance to win a prize.” Where a business or transaction combines a chance to win a prize with a sale of goods or services, it is also unfair and deceptive to engage in it “where a gambling purpose predominates over the bona fide sale of bona fide goods or services”, judged by the criteria in section 30.05. The regulation does not apply to activity expressly authorized by Massachusetts law, such as the state lottery, pari-mutuel wagering, bingo and charitable gaming (scope, S11). The text is quoted from a reprint because the official mass.gov page returned HTTP 403 on October 3, 2026.", "cite": "940 CMR 30.04 (with 30.02 and 30.05)", "source": "S10" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Massachusetts Gaming Commission", "url": "https://massgaming.com/" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline lists Massachusetts among states where bills “failed or died”. The primary record shows H.4431 accompanying a study order on March 23, 2026, with no later action listed (S1, S3); we found no recorded floor vote on it.", "The Legislature's bill search for “sweepstakes” in the 194th General Court returned two documents: H.4431 and H.363, a telemarketing bill that mentions sweepstakes in passing (S4). Searches for “dual-currency” and “sweepstakes casino” returned only H.4431 (S8, S9)." ], "gaps": [ "Pages on mass.gov returned HTTP 403 to our requests on October 3, 2026, including the Attorney General's office page and a document titled “June 2026 Consumer Advisory on Legal State-Licensed Gaming” (https://www.mass.gov/doc/responsible-gaming-advisory/download). We therefore could not confirm whether the Attorney General has sent letters to, or sued, any online sweepstakes casino, or what that advisory says about sweepstakes.", "The Gaming Commission's site search for “sweepstakes” (S6) and its Safer Bets page (S7) showed no action or warning aimed at sweepstakes casinos; the search returned two news clippings.", "We did not establish whether any other 2025 or 2026 bill (for example a sports wagering or budget bill) carried sweepstakes language outside the Legislature's indexed bill text.", "940 CMR 30.00 is cited from the Legal Information Institute reprint (S10, S11) because the official regulation page at https://www.mass.gov/regulations/940-CMR-3000-illegal-lotteries-sweepstakes-and-de-facto-gambling-establishments returned HTTP 403 to our requests on October 3, 2026." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Bill H.4431, An Act relative to internet gaming, bill history", "publisher": "The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "url": "https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4431", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill H.4431 text", "publisher": "The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "url": "https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4431.Html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Order H.5269, Gaming matters, order history", "publisher": "The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "url": "https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H5269", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Bill search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "url": "https://malegislature.gov/Bills/Search?SearchTerms=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "General Laws, Part IV, Title I, Chapter 271, Section 5B", "publisher": "The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "url": "https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIV/TitleI/Chapter271/Section5B", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Massachusetts Gaming Commission", "url": "https://massgaming.com/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Safer Bets Start Here", "publisher": "Massachusetts Gaming Commission", "url": "https://massgaming.com/saferbets/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Bill search results for dual-currency", "publisher": "The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "url": "https://malegislature.gov/Bills/Search?SearchTerms=dual-currency", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Bill search results for sweepstakes casino", "publisher": "The 194th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts", "url": "https://malegislature.gov/Bills/Search?SearchTerms=sweepstakes%20casino", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "940 CMR 30.04, Prohibition on Unlawful Lotteries, Sweepstakes and DeFacto Gambling (reprint)", "publisher": "Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (reprint of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations)", "url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/940-CMR-30-04", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S11", "title": "940 CMR 30.02, Scope (reprint)", "publisher": "Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (reprint of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations)", "url": "https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/940-CMR-30-02", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "MD", "name": "Maryland", "slug": "maryland", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found; ban bills died in 2025 and 2026, and the gaming regulator has sent cease-and-desist letters to VGW, McLuck, Stake.us, Pulsz, High 5 and others.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "HB 1140 (2025 session)", "status": "no action after House Ways and Means Committee hearing; session adjourned sine die April 7, 2025", "date": "2025-04-07", "summary": "Gaming - Prohibition of Online Sweepstakes Games and Revenue From Illegal Markets, sponsored by Delegate Ebersole. Per its synopsis, it would prohibit a person from operating, conducting or promoting online sweepstakes games or supporting them, and require the State Lottery and Gaming Control Agency to deny or revoke certain licenses. Its last recorded action was a House Ways and Means hearing set for March 11, 2025.", "source": "S7" }, { "name": "SB 860 (2025 session)", "status": "passed the Senate 47-0 on March 12, 2025; no action after House Ways and Means hearing; session adjourned sine die April 7, 2025", "date": "2025-04-07", "summary": "Cross-file of HB 1140, sponsored by Senator Corderman, with the same title and synopsis. After Senate passage it was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, with a hearing set for March 20, 2025, and recorded no further action.", "source": "S8" }, { "name": "HB 295 (2026 session)", "status": "passed the House 105-24 on March 20, 2026; no action after Senate Budget and Taxation hearing; session adjourned sine die April 13, 2026", "date": "2026-04-13", "summary": "Gaming - Prohibition on Interactive Games and Revenue From Illegal Markets, introduced by the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee by request of the Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (introduced in 2025 as HB 1140). The third-reader text would bar any person from operating, conducting or promoting an interactive game in the State, defining an interactive game as an internet or mobile game, contest or promotion involving consideration, chance and reward that uses multiple currency systems of payment allowing the player to exchange the currency for a reward and simulates casino-style gaming, lottery games or sports wagering, with a misdemeanor penalty of up to 3 years or a fine of $10,000 to $100,000, or both, for a knowing violation. Its last recorded action was a Senate Budget and Taxation hearing set for April 1, 2026. (Status: S3; text: S4.)", "source": "S3" }, { "name": "SB 112 (2026 session)", "status": "no action after Senate Budget and Taxation hearing; session adjourned sine die April 13, 2026", "date": "2026-04-13", "summary": "Cross-file of HB 295, introduced by the Chair of the Budget and Taxation Committee by request of the Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. Its last recorded action was a Senate Budget and Taxation hearing set for January 28, 2026.", "source": "S6" }, { "name": "HB 1226 (2026 session)", "status": "passed the House 135-1 on March 23, 2026; no action after Senate Budget and Taxation hearing; session adjourned sine die April 13, 2026", "date": "2026-04-13", "summary": "Maryland Illegal Online Gambling Enforcement Act, sponsored by Delegates Bartlett, Conaway and Woods. Per its synopsis, it would prohibit knowingly operating, offering, conducting, engaging in or promoting illegal online gambling in the State, or supporting it, and authorize the Attorney General and prosecutors to act. The third-reader text defines online gambling to include sweepstakes games, meaning games that use a dual-currency system of payment exchangeable for prizes, cash or cash equivalents and that simulate gambling, including casino-style games. Its last recorded action was a Senate Budget and Taxation hearing set for March 31, 2026. (Status: S1; text: S2.)", "source": "S1" }, { "name": "SB 652 (2026 session)", "status": "no action after Senate Budget and Taxation hearing; session adjourned sine die April 13, 2026", "date": "2026-04-13", "summary": "Cross-file of HB 1226, sponsored by Senators Waldstreicher and West, with the same title and a nearly identical synopsis (its synopsis lacks the word \"knowingly\" before \"operating\"). Its last recorded action was a Senate Budget and Taxation hearing set for March 11, 2026.", "source": "S5" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2024-05-07", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "action": "letter listed among the agency's cease-and-desist letters", "target": "McLuck", "summary": "The letter says it came to the agency's attention that \"McLuck, is offering and conducting online gaming activity in Maryland without legal authority to do so\" and asked for a response by May 31, 2024.", "status": "issued", "source": "S18" }, { "date": "2024-05-07", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "action": "letter listed among the agency's cease-and-desist letters", "target": "Sweepstakes Limited d/b/a Stake.us", "summary": "The letter, headed as concerning Stake.us business in Maryland, says it came to the agency's attention that Stake.us was offering and conducting online gaming activity in Maryland without legal authority.", "status": "issued", "source": "S19" }, { "date": "2025-03-12", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "action": "letter listed among the agency's cease-and-desist letters", "target": "VGW US, Inc. and VGW Games Limited (RE: VGW d/b/a Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots Business in Maryland)", "summary": "The letter states that the only online gaming permitted in Maryland is mobile and online sports wagering and online fantasy competitions, that online casino gaming is not permitted, and that the Commission has no record of a VGW license or registration, and asks VGW to respond by March 27, 2025.", "status": "issued", "source": "S14" }, { "date": "2025-03-18", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "action": "letter listed among the agency's cease-and-desist letters", "target": "High Entertainment, LLC d/b/a High 5 Casino", "summary": "The letter says it came to the agency's attention that High Entertainment, LLC d/b/a High 5 Casino was offering and conducting online gaming activities in Maryland without legal authority.", "status": "issued", "source": "S20" }, { "date": "2025-06-03", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "action": "letter listed among the agency's cease-and-desist letters", "target": "Yellow Social Interactive Limited d/b/a Pulsz", "summary": "Headed \"RE: Yellow Social Interactive Limited d/b/a Pulsz Business in Maryland\"; one of a group of letters the agency's list files under June 2025.", "status": "issued", "source": "S21" }, { "date": "2025-11-18", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission", "action": "Notice to Cease and Desist", "target": "Chumba Casino", "summary": "The notice tells Chumba Casino \"to immediately cease and desist conducting all unauthorized online gaming activity in Maryland.\" It says the site offers \"online poker, casino gaming, and sweepstakes\" available to people in Maryland, that \"These offerings contain the elements of gaming: consideration, chance and prize\", and asks for a response within 10 days with a wind-down plan.", "status": "issued", "source": "S15" }, { "date": "2025-11-18", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission", "action": "Notice to Cease and Desist", "target": "Lucky Land Slots", "summary": "The notice tells Lucky Land Slots \"to immediately cease and desist conducting all unauthorized online gaming activity in Maryland.\"", "status": "issued", "source": "S16" }, { "date": "2025-12-19", "agency": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission", "action": "Notice to Cease and Desist", "target": "Real Prize", "summary": "The notice tells Real Prize \"to immediately cease and desist conducting all unauthorized online gaming activity in Maryland\" and says the site offers online casino gaming available to people in Maryland. The agency's list shows other letters with file names dated December 19, 2025, including those labeled Funrize, FunzCity, Fortune Wheelz, Lonestar Casino, No Limit Coins and TaoFortune.", "status": "issued", "source": "S17" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "sweepstakes disclosures and prize notices", "summary": "A person offering a contest, sweepstakes or other sales promotion that awards prizes by chance must disclose in writing the exact number of each prize, each prize's retail price, the odds (or that odds depend on the number of entries), whether all prizes will be awarded and when winners are determined, any conditions for receiving a prize, where a list of winners of prizes over $100 can be obtained, and that receiving the prize may not require a purchase, a payment or submitting to a sales promotion. The same section bars telling a person they have won a prize when they must buy, pay or submit to a sales pitch to get it, subject to stated exceptions.", "cite": "Md. Code, Commercial Law section 13-305", "source": "S22" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/legal-vs-illegal-online-gaming/" }, "notes": [ "The agency's online-gaming page says that licensed sports wagering and registered online fantasy competitions are the only legal online gaming options and that \"No other forms of real-money online/mobile gaming or wagering are operating legally in Maryland.\" Its cease-and-desist list linked 96 letters on 2026-10-03 and states that it \"only represents the operators to which Maryland Lottery and Gaming has issued cease-and-desist letters\" and is not comprehensive. Labels on the list include Fortune Coins, Zula, Golden Hearts, Sunflower Limited (Crown Coins Casino), Platinum Panther (Legendz), MW Services (WOW), Regal Technologies (Sweepslots), SSPS (Spotzino), Woopla (Funzpoints) and Chanced. (S13)", "The November and December 2025 notices cite Md. Code, Criminal Law section 12-113, under which a decision by the State Lottery and Gaming Control Commission is the final determination of whether a gaming device being operated in the State is legal and lawfully operated. (S15, S17, S23)", "The last recorded action on each of the six bills is a committee hearing (for SB 860, HB 295 and HB 1226, a hearing in the second chamber after passage in the first), and none reached the Governor. The 2025 session adjourned sine die April 7, 2025 and the 2026 session on April 13, 2026, per the Department of Legislative Services calendars. In the General Assembly's gaming subject index for 2025 and 2026, these are the only bills whose titles concern online sweepstakes games, interactive games or illegal online gambling enforcement. HB 1418 (2025, \"Criminal Law - Gaming - Online Gambling and Betting\") would have stated that gambling and betting offered or conducted online in the State are prohibited except as authorized, without mentioning sweepstakes or dual currencies; its last recorded action was a House Ways and Means hearing set for March 4, 2025. The internet gaming authorization bills HB 17 (2025) and HB 1343 (2026) would have directed the Commission to study unauthorized online gaming content such as online sweepstakes; their texts contain no other mention of sweepstakes. None of these is counted above. (S9, S10, S11, S12, S27, S28, S29, S30)", "The City of Baltimore filed a complaint in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City on March 4, 2026 (case C-24-CV-26-001646) under the City's Consumer Protection Ordinance against VGW Holdings Limited d/b/a Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots, B2Services OU d/b/a McLuck, Yellow Social Interactive Limited d/b/a Pulsz, Sweepsteaks Limited d/b/a Stake.us, PTT, LLC d/b/a High 5 Games d/b/a High 5 Entertainment LLC, and Blazesoft Ltd. d/b/a Social Gaming LLC d/b/a Fortune Coins. The complaint alleges that the defendants run illegal gambling operations through online social casinos; these are allegations. Per a docket listing on Justia (secondary), the case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on April 23, 2026 (No. 1:26-cv-01591), the docket lists an amended complaint naming affiliated entities, and the City moved to remand on May 21, 2026; no ruling on that motion appears in the listing, which Justia last retrieved on June 10, 2026. The case is pending as far as we could determine. It is a city action, not a state regulator or Attorney General action. CBS Baltimore reported the suit in March 2026. (S25, S26, S24)", "Comparison with our crackdown timeline: it says Maryland's regulator \"ordered VGW out in March 2025 and again in November, per press coverage of the orders.\" The primary letters are now on the agency's site. The March 12, 2025 letter from the Agency asked VGW to respond by March 27, 2025, stated that online casino gaming is not permitted, and asked VGW, if it was offering such games, to acknowledge that it would cease within 10 days; its text requests a response rather than ordering VGW to stop, although the agency's list files it among its cease-and-desist letters; the November 18, 2025 documents are Commission notices to cease and desist addressed separately to Chumba Casino and Lucky Land Slots. The timeline's listing of Maryland's 2025 and 2026 bills as failed matches the bill records. (T1, S14, S15, S16)" ], "gaps": [ "The agency's letters are image-only PDFs with no text layer; dates and wording were read from the page images (first pages only), and file hashes are recorded in the evidence file.", "We found no Maryland Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in a web search on 2026-10-03; the Attorney General's own site search did not return readable results to our client, so the office's release archive was not searched directly.", "We did not access PACER or the Maryland Judiciary Case Search; the Baltimore case status rests on the complaint as filed and the Justia docket listing last retrieved June 10, 2026, so later developments, if any, are not reflected.", "We did not check for 2027 prefiled bills; an earlier check for our October 3, 2026 Modo article found the site returned errors for 2027 bill pages." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "HB 1226, 2026 Regular Session (Maryland Illegal Online Gambling Enforcement Act)", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb1226?ys=2026RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "HB 1226, third reader text, 2026", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1226T.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "HB 295, 2026 Regular Session (Gaming - Prohibition on Interactive Games and Revenue From Illegal Markets)", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0295?ys=2026RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "HB 295, third reader text, 2026", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0295T.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "SB 652, 2026 Regular Session", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0652?ys=2026RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "SB 112, 2026 Regular Session", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0112?ys=2026RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "HB 1140, 2025 Regular Session (Gaming - Prohibition of Online Sweepstakes Games and Revenue From Illegal Markets)", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb1140?ys=2025RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "SB 860, 2025 Regular Session", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/sb0860?ys=2025RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Dates of Interest, 2026 Session", "publisher": "Department of Legislative Services", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/Other/2026rs-Session-dates.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Dates of Interest, 2025 Session", "publisher": "Department of Legislative Services", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/Pubs/Other/2025rs-Session-dates.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Subject index: Gaming (C7), 2025 Regular Session", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/SubjectIndex/c7?ys=2025RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Subject index: Gaming (C7), 2026 Regular Session", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/SubjectIndex/c7?ys=2026RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Legal vs. Illegal Online Gaming, with the list of cease-and-desist letters", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/legal-vs-illegal-online-gaming/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Letter, VGW d/b/a Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots Business in Maryland (March 12, 2025)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/VGW-Cease-and-Desist.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "Notice to Cease and Desist, Chumba Casino (November 18, 2025)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Chumba-Casino-Cease-and-Desist-11-18-25.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "Notice to Cease and Desist, Lucky Land Slots (November 18, 2025)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Lucky-Land-Slots-Cease-and-Desist-11-18-25.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S17", "title": "Notice to Cease and Desist, Real Prize (December 19, 2025)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Real-Prize-CD-Dec-19-2025.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S18", "title": "Letter, McLuck's Business in Maryland (May 7, 2024)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/McLuck-Cease-and-Desist.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S19", "title": "Letter, Stake.us' Business in Maryland (May 7, 2024)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Stakeus-Cease-and-Desist.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S20", "title": "Letter, High Entertainment, LLC d/b/a High 5 Casino Business in Maryland (March 18, 2025)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/High-Entertainment-Cease-and-Desist.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S21", "title": "Letter, Yellow Social Interactive Limited d/b/a Pulsz Business in Maryland (June 3, 2025)", "publisher": "Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency", "url": "https://www.mdgaming.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Yellow-Social-Interactive-dba-Pulsz-CD-Letter.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S22", "title": "Commercial Law section 13-305 (prize promotions)", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly, Statutes", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcl§ion=13-305&enactments=false", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S23", "title": "Criminal Law section 12-113", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly, Statutes", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gcr§ion=12-113&enactments=false", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S24", "title": "Baltimore sues 6 major online casinos, claims illegal gambling disguised as free games (updated March 6, 2026)", "publisher": "CBS Baltimore", "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/baltimore-sues-major-social-casino-operators-illegal-online-gambling-disguised-free-games/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S25", "title": "Complaint, City of Baltimore ex rel. Ebony Thompson v. VGW Holdings Limited et al., Circuit Court for Baltimore City, e-filed March 4, 2026 (copy hosted by the City's co-counsel)", "publisher": "DiCello Levitt LLP (counsel for the City of Baltimore)", "url": "https://dicellolevitt.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/City-of-Baltimore-Social-Casino-Complaint-2.20.26-Clean.docx-1-1.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S26", "title": "Docket, City of Baltimore v. VGW Malta Ltd et al., No. 1:2026cv01591 (D. Md.), last retrieved by Justia June 10, 2026", "publisher": "Justia Dockets", "url": "https://dockets.justia.com/docket/maryland/mddce/1:2026cv01591/604383", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S27", "title": "HB 1418, 2025 Regular Session (Criminal Law - Gaming - Online Gambling and Betting)", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb1418?ys=2025RS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S28", "title": "HB 1418, first reader text, 2025", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb1418F.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S29", "title": "HB 17, first reader text, 2025 (Internet Gaming - Authorization and Implementation)", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0017F.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S30", "title": "HB 1343, first reader text, 2026 (Internet Gaming - Authorization and Implementation)", "publisher": "Maryland General Assembly", "url": "https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1343F.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "T1", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (site page, compared against primaries)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "ME", "name": "Maine", "slug": "maine", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Since July 29, 2026, Maine law makes operating, promoting or supporting a dual-currency online sweepstakes game a civil violation (fines of $10,000 to $100,000) and unlawful gambling.", "laws": [ { "name": "LD 2007, SP 825 (Public Law 2025, chapter 645), An Act Regarding the Prohibition of Online Sweepstakes Games", "cite": "8 M.R.S. sections 1351 and 1352 (new chapter 38); 17-A M.R.S. section 954, subsection 1-B; 5 M.R.S. section 20006-B", "enacted": "2026-04-06", "enacted_note": "signed by the governor", "effective": "2026-07-29", "summary": "Defines an online sweepstakes game as a game, contest or promotion that is available on the internet, uses a dual-currency system of payment, and simulates casino-style gaming, including slot machines, poker and other table games, lottery games, bingo or sports wagering. A person that operates or promotes such a game, or supports its operation or promotion, commits a civil violation with a fine of $10,000 to $100,000, collected by the Gambling Control Unit and paid to the Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund. A licensee convicted or found in violation loses its gambling license, and a violator is ineligible for the listed licenses. Section 3 adds the same conduct to the Criminal Code offense of unlawful gambling (17-A section 954, subsection 1-B). The chaptered text contains no emergency clause; the Legislature gives July 29, 2026 as the general effective date for nonemergency laws of the session, and the Gambling Control Unit announced the law became effective that day.", "quote": "A person that operates or promotes an online sweepstakes game or supports the operation or promotion of an online sweepstakes game commits a civil violation.", "covers_players": null, "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "LD 2007, SP 825 (132nd Legislature, Second Regular Session, 2026)", "status": "enacted as Public Law 2025, chapter 645 (signed by the governor)", "date": "2026-04-06", "summary": "Submitted by the Department of Public Safety (S8) and sponsored by Senator Craig Hickman. The Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee reported it out on March 5, 2026 with a divided report (majority Ought to Pass as Amended, minority Ought Not to Pass) (S11); both chambers accepted the majority report and adopted Committee Amendment A (S-529), the House by roll call 87 to 55 on March 26, 2026 (S12). The House passed it to be enacted on March 30, 2026 and the Senate on April 2, 2026.", "source": "S2" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-06-09", "agency": "Maine Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit", "action": "public warning", "target": "unlicensed iGaming websites and applications, including certain sweepstakes or social casino sites", "summary": "The Executive Director warned residents and visitors about illegal iGaming sites, saying examples of unlicensed platforms may include certain “sweepstakes” or “social casino” sites offering real-money payouts, coin-titled substitutes, dual-currency systems, material prizes or gift cards. The release states that “no online casino, iGaming, or sweepstakes site is licensed by the Gambling Control Unit” and that the unit cannot help with disputes over winnings on such sites.", "status": "issued", "source": "S5" }, { "date": "2026-07-29", "agency": "Maine Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit", "action": "public advisory", "target": "illegal online sweepstakes operators", "summary": "Issued the day LD 2007 took effect. The advisory states the law is codified at Title 8, Chapter 38, quotes the statutory definition of an online sweepstakes game, says only entities licensed under Title 8 chapters 33, 35 and 39 may offer online gambling to Maine residents, and asks the public to report illegal activity to the unit.", "status": "issued", "source": "S4" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "when a game is a contest of chance", "summary": "Maine's gambling chapter defines a contest of chance as a game, contest, scheme or device in which a person stakes or risks something of value for the opportunity to win something of value, the result is determined by chance outside the participant's control, and chance cannot be eliminated through skill. A person engages in gambling if he or she stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event.", "cite": "17-A M.R.S. section 952, subsections 3 and 4", "source": "S7" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Maine Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit", "url": "https://www.maine.gov/dps/gcu/" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline gives April 6, 2026 as the signing date, which agrees with the Legislature's record (S2), and leaves the effective date unstated. The Legislature's home page states that the Second Regular Session adjourned April 29, 2026 and that the general effective date for nonemergency laws of that session is July 29, 2026 (S3); the chaptered law has no emergency clause (S1); and the Gambling Control Unit's July 29, 2026 advisory says the law “became effective” that day (S4). The primary record supports July 29, 2026 as the effective date.", "Penalty classification is not stated in the new law itself. Section 3 adds the conduct to the Criminal Code gambling offense as 17-A section 954, subsection 1-B (S1), and the Revisor's page for section 954, retrieved October 14, 2026, shows subsection 1-B in the same section whose subsection 2 makes the offense a Class D crime (S6). Read together, these texts suggest the new subsection is classed with the existing offense; we have not seen a court or agency statement on the point.", "Committee Amendment A (S-529) replaced the bill so the language sits in a new chapter 38, to avoid a conflict with Public Law 2025, chapter 538 (the Internet gaming licensing law), and added an Internet gaming license to the definition of licensee (S9; filing number from the docket, S12). The bill as introduced was submitted by the Department of Public Safety (S8).", "Codification: when retrieved on October 14, 2026 (data extracted October 5, 2026), the Revisor's pages showed the new Title 8, chapter 38, including section 1352 (S14), and subsection 1-B of 17-A section 954 (S6), each citing PL 2025, c. 645. On October 3, 2026 the page for 8 M.R.S. section 1352 returned HTTP 404 and the section 954 page did not yet show subsection 1-B. The chaptered law prints its label as Chapter 645, Public Law, approved April 6, 2026, with no year in the label (S1); we use the Revisor's form, Public Law 2025, chapter 645." ], "gaps": [ "We could not run a keyword search for 2025 Maine bills on the subject: the LawMakerWeb advanced search rejected our requests. The Gambling Control Unit's list of gaming bills for the 132nd Legislature, covering the First Regular, First Special and Second Regular Sessions, names 17 bills, and LD 2007 is the only one about sweepstakes (S13). We found no 2025 sweepstakes-casino bill in the sources we opened; that list is the unit's own selection, not a complete search of every session.", "We found no cease-and-desist letter, lawsuit or fine against a named sweepstakes operator on the Gambling Control Unit pages we opened on October 3, 2026 (its home page, S10, and the two releases cited, S4 and S5)." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "S.P. 825, L.D. 2007, An Act Regarding the Prohibition of Online Sweepstakes Games, chaptered law (chapter 645, approved April 6, 2026; the Revisor cites it as PL 2025, c. 645)", "publisher": "Maine Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0825&item=3&snum=132", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Summary of LD 2007 (SP 825), 132nd Legislature", "publisher": "Maine Legislature, LawMakerWeb", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?LD=2007&SessionID=16", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Maine State Legislature home page (session adjournment and general effective dates)", "publisher": "Maine Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Gambling Control Unit press release, July 29, 2026 (sweepstakes and online gambling)", "publisher": "Maine Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit", "url": "https://www.maine.gov/dps/sites/maine.gov.dps/files/inline-files/Press%20Release%20Sweeps%20and%20online%20gambling%207.29.26_2.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Gambling Control Unit press release, June 9, 2025 (illegal iGaming websites)", "publisher": "Maine Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit", "url": "https://www.maine.gov/dps/sites/maine.gov.dps/files/inline-files/Press%20Release%20illegal%20activity%202025_0.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Title 17-A, section 954: Unlawful gambling", "publisher": "Maine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec954.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-14", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Title 17-A, section 952: Definitions", "publisher": "Maine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec952.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "LD 2007 as printed (In Senate, December 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Maine Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0825&item=1&snum=132", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Committee Amendment to L.D. 2007 (132LR2873(02))", "publisher": "Maine Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0825&item=2&snum=132", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Maine Gambling Control Unit home page", "publisher": "Maine Department of Public Safety", "url": "https://www.maine.gov/dps/gcu/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "LD 2007 (SP 825) bill status, committee information and divided report", "publisher": "Maine Legislature", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?ld=2007&PID=1456&snum=132", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Actions for LD 2007 (docket)", "publisher": "Maine Legislature, LawMakerWeb", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/LawMakerWeb/dockets.asp?ID=280100859", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Gaming LDs / Bills for the 132nd Legislative Session", "publisher": "Maine Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Unit", "url": "https://www1.maine.gov/dps/gcu/bill-tracker/VLA-132-Session-Bills", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Title 8, section 1352: Online sweepstakes games prohibited; fines; other penalties", "publisher": "Maine Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/8/title8sec1352.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-14", "secondary": false } ], "history": [ { "date": "2026-10-14", "text": "The Revisor cites the sweepstakes law as PL 2025, c. 645, so this page now calls it Public Law 2025, chapter 645 (it said Public Law 2026, chapter 645).", "source": "S14", "by": "approved Q0004", "events": [] }, { "date": "2026-10-14", "text": "The Revisor's page for 17-A M.R.S. section 954 now shows subsection 1-B, the online sweepstakes game offense added by chapter 645 (retrieved October 14, 2026).", "source": "S6", "by": "approved Q0004", "events": [ "E00096" ] } ] }, { "code": "MI", "name": "Michigan", "slug": "michigan", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found; Michigan's Gaming Control Board and Attorney General sent cease-and-desist letters to Stake.us, VGW LuckyLand and Golden Hearts Games in 2022 and 2023.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2022-xx-xx", "agency": "Michigan Department of Attorney General", "action": "cease-and-desist letter", "target": "Golden Hearts Games, Inc.", "summary": "Per the Attorney General's September 12, 2023 release, state gaming regulators began investigating Golden Hearts Games in August 2021, and in 2022 the department issued a cease-and-desist letter “advising that it was illegally operating”; the release says Golden Hearts continued to offer its product to Michigan residents after the letter.", "status": "issued", "source": "S2" }, { "date": "2023-09-01", "agency": "Michigan Department of Attorney General (Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division), working with the Michigan Gaming Control Board", "action": "assurance of discontinuance filed in Ingham County Circuit Court", "target": "Golden Hearts Games, Inc.", "summary": "After the department sent notice under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act of its intent to sue, Golden Hearts signed an assurance of discontinuance stating it would no longer offer its games in Michigan. The release describes the alleged violation as conducting internet gaming without a license under the Lawful Internet Gaming Act.", "status": "settled", "source": "S2" }, { "date": "2023-11-02", "agency": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "action": "cease-and-desist letter", "target": "Sweepstakes Limited (Stake.us)", "summary": "The board's January 18, 2024 release lists the violation as “Promoting an unlicensed online lottery and/or raffle for customers that buy its products through its internet website” and says the recipient has taken steps to prevent Michigan residents from gambling on its website.", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" }, { "date": "2023-12-05", "agency": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "action": "cease-and-desist letter", "target": "VGW LuckyLand, Inc. (parent VGW Holdings Ltd.)", "summary": "The same release lists the violation as “Conducting illegal gambling by offering an internet game in which a player wagers something of monetary value for the opportunity to win something of monetary value” and says VGW has taken steps to prevent Michigan residents from gambling on its websites.", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery and the promotional exemption", "summary": "Michigan's penal code bars setting up or promoting a lottery or gift enterprise, but “Subsection (1) does not apply to a lottery or gift enterprise conducted by a person as a promotional activity that is clearly occasional and ancillary to the primary business of that person.” The exemption excludes promotions involving payment solely for the chance to win, and promotions entered by buying a product or service for substantially more than its fair market value. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 2 years or a fine of up to $1,000.", "cite": "MCL 750.372", "source": "S4" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb" }, "notes": [ "The board's release (S1) names the Stake.us recipient “Sweepstakes Limited (Stake.us)”; the Stake.us Terms of Use, version 18.0, retrieved 2026-10-03, name the provider as Sweepsteaks Limited (S15). Each document's spelling is reproduced as written.", "The Attorney General's release (S2) describes Golden Hearts' products as online gambling games and does not use the word sweepstakes; Golden Hearts Games' own website, retrieved 2026-10-03, links to “Official Sweepstakes Rules” (S14).", "The Gaming Control Board's later cease-and-desist releases that we opened, dated February 12, March 5, April 23, May 9, June 13, July 30, August 14 and September 23, 2025 and April 7, 2026 (S17, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, S11, S12, S13), describe their recipients as unlicensed or offshore online casinos and sportsbooks; none identifies a recipient as a sweepstakes operator. The February 12, 2025 release, on letters to nine online casinos, says in general terms that “One method these platforms use to evade regulatory scrutiny is by operating under the guise of sweepstakes”, without saying whether any recipient did so (S17). The October 8, 2026 release (S18), on letters to 33 offshore operators, is the first board release we opened that lists sweepstakes-style games among what the recipients were found to offer; it does not say which recipients offered them or identify any recipient as a sweepstakes operator, so it is noted here rather than listed under enforcement.", "On August 27, 2024 the board sent a cease-and-desist letter to OC Media Holdings LLC, operating as One Country Give, which sold monthly memberships carrying entries into giveaways; the release says “These so-called sweepstakes are unlicensed online lotteries and/or raffles under Michigan law” (S3). It is a paid-membership giveaway case rather than a casino-style platform, so it is noted here rather than listed under enforcement.", "The Michigan Legislature's document search for 2025-2026 House and Senate bills containing the word sweepstakes returned 0 results on 2026-10-03 (S5); the same search for dual-currency and dual currency also returned 0.", "Operator documents retrieved 2026-10-03 exclude Michigan: the Fortune Wins terms (version 4.8) record a January 10, 2024 change adding Michigan to their Excluded Territory (S16), and the Stake.us terms list Michigan among excluded states (S15).", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline says the board's 2025 waves of orders had “sweepstakes brands among the recipients”. The 2025 releases we opened do not identify any recipient as a sweepstakes brand; the closest statement is the general sentence in the February 12, 2025 release quoted above (S17). The timeline's description of 2023 letters to VGW's LuckyLand and Stake.us matches the January 18, 2024 release, which dates them November 2 and December 5, 2023 (S1). The board's October 8, 2026 release lists sweepstakes-style games among what its 33 recipients offered, without saying which recipient offered which (S18)." ], "gaps": [ "The board's news index loads by script, so releases were located by URL; we did not open every Michigan Gaming Control Board release since 2022, and a 2024 to 2026 letter to a sweepstakes-casino operator could be missing.", "The 2022 Attorney General letter to Golden Hearts is not published; the release gives only the year.", "We did not confirm how completely the Legislature's full-text search indexes bill text; a control search for internet gaming in 2025-2026 bills returned 31 results." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Michigan Gaming Control Board sends cease-and-desist letters to US, international internet gaming companies due to illegal operations (January 18, 2024)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2024/01/18/mgcb-sends-cease-and-desist-letters", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Attorney General Nessel Shuts Down Internet Gambling Corporation's Illegal Michigan Operations (September 12, 2023)", "publisher": "Michigan Department of Attorney General", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/ag/news/press-releases/2023/09/12/attorney-general-nessel-shuts-down-internet-gambling-corporations-illegal-michigan-operations", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Michigan Gaming Control Board issues cease-and-desist letter to unlicensed One Country for illegal online lottery, raffles (August 27, 2024)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2024/08/27/mgcb-issues-cease-and-desist-letter-to-one-country", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "MCL 750.372 Lotteries and gift enterprises", "publisher": "Michigan Legislature", "url": "https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-750-372", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Legislative document search: 2025-2026 bills containing sweepstakes", "publisher": "Michigan Legislature", "url": "https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Search/ExecuteSearch?sessions=2025-2026&docTypesList=HB%2CSB&chamber=&contentFullText=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "MGCB release, March 5, 2025 (five offshore online casinos)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/03/05/mgcb-continues-relentless-crackdown-on-unlicensed-online-casinos", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "MGCB release, April 23, 2025 (11 online casinos)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/04/23/mgcb-targets-11-illegal-online-casinos-operating-without-licenses", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "MGCB release, May 9, 2025 (14 offshore operators)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/05/09/mgcb-targets-14-offshore-gambling-operators-with-cease-and-desist-orders", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "MGCB release, June 13, 2025 (five online gambling sites)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/06/13/mgcb-targets-five-illegal-online-gambling-sites", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "MGCB release, July 30, 2025 (six gambling sites)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/07/30/mgcb-issues-cease-and-desist-orders-to-six-illegal-gambling-sites", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "MGCB release, August 14, 2025 (15 online gambling operators)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/08/14/mgcb-orders-15-illegal-online-gambling-operators-to-halt-services-in-michigan", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "MGCB release, September 23, 2025 (eight online casinos)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/09/23/eight-unlicensed-online-casinos-ordered-to-cease-operations-in-michigan", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "MGCB release, April 7, 2026 (45 offshore operators)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2026/04/07/mgcb-issues-cease-and-desist-orders-to-45-illegal-offshore-gambling-operators", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Golden Hearts Games homepage", "publisher": "Golden Hearts Games", "url": "https://www.goldenheartsgames.com/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "Stake.us Terms of Use, version 18.0", "publisher": "Sweepsteaks Limited (Stake.us)", "url": "https://stake.us/policies/terms", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "Fortune Wins Terms and Conditions of Use, version 4.8 (updated July 31, 2026)", "publisher": "Social Gaming LLC and Social Gaming LTD (Fortune Wins)", "url": "https://fortunewins.com/terms-and-conditions", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S17", "title": "Michigan Gaming Control Board issues cease-and-desist letters to nine unlicensed online casinos (February 12, 2025)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2025/02/12/cease-and-desist-letters-issued-to-nine-unlicensed-online-casinos", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S18", "title": "MGCB issues 33 cease-and-desist letters, warns offshore sites offer no safety net for players trying to stop (October 8, 2026)", "publisher": "Michigan Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.michigan.gov/mgcb/news/2026/10/08/mgcb-issues-33-cease-and-desist-letters", "retrieved": "2026-10-14", "secondary": false } ], "history": [ { "date": "2026-10-14", "text": "On October 8, 2026 the Gaming Control Board announced cease-and-desist letters to 33 offshore operators that, per its release, offered casino-style games, sweepstakes-style games or sports betting without a state license.", "source": "S18", "by": "approved Q0010", "events": [] } ] }, { "code": "MN", "name": "Minnesota", "slug": "minnesota", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found; in November 2025 the Attorney General told 14 online gambling sites, including social sweepstakes casinos, to stop serving Minnesota. SF 4474 was not enacted.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "SF 4474 (94th Legislature, 2026 session)", "status": "passed the Senate 62 to 3 on April 30, 2026; referred to the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee on May 4, 2026; no later action listed; not enacted", "date": "2026-05-04", "summary": "Would add Minnesota Statutes section 325F.756 prohibiting any person or entity from operating, conducting or promoting an online sweepstakes game in Minnesota, defined as an internet or mobile game, contest or promotion that uses a dual-currency system of payment exchangeable for a prize, cash or cash equivalent (or a chance at one) and simulates casino-style or another form of gambling. Applicants, licensed entities, financial institutions, payment processors, geolocation providers, gaming content suppliers, platform providers and media affiliates would be barred from supporting or promoting such games. The commissioner of public safety would enforce it with the penalties in section 325F.755, subdivision 7.", "source": "S1" }, { "name": "HF 4410 (94th Legislature, 2026 session)", "status": "committee report adopted and re-referred to Public Safety Finance and Policy on April 7, 2026; no later action listed; not enacted", "date": "2026-04-07", "summary": "House companion to SF 4474, described on its status page as online sweepstakes games prohibited.", "source": "S3" }, { "name": "SF 4365 (94th Legislature, 2026 session), omnibus commerce bill", "status": "online sweepstakes section added in the 1st engrossment and absent from the 2nd engrossment; bill indefinitely postponed April 28, 2026 when the Senate substituted HF 4188", "date": "2026-04-28", "summary": "The 1st engrossment (Commerce committee report of April 20, 2026) carried a proposed section 325F.756 on online sweepstakes with the same definitions as SF 4474. The 2nd engrossment (Finance committee report of April 27, 2026) does not contain it (S6). HF 4188, enacted as Laws 2026, chapter 124, contains no sweepstakes text (see notes). Status per the SF 4365 status page (S4).", "source": "S5" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-11-05", "agency": "Minnesota Attorney General", "action": "letters directing the recipients to stop offering their sites in Minnesota", "target": "14 operators named in the release: VG LuckyLand; Zula Casino; Fortune Coins; BetAnySports; BetUs; XBet; BetNow; BetWhale; EveryGame Sportsbook; BetOnline; Slotsandcasino; Bovada; MyBookie.com; Sportsbetting.com. The release says the recipients include social sweepstakes casinos and undisguised gambling websites but does not label each one.", "summary": "The Attorney General's release says the letters direct the operators to stop offering online gambling in Minnesota “because they may violate Minnesota consumer-protection laws that prohibit deceptive, fraudulent, unfair or unconscionable practices.” The published example letter to social sweepstakes casinos, dated November 5, 2025, says it “serves as a notice to immediately stop offering such sites to Minnesota residents”, describes the Attorney General's authority to sue for injunctive relief, restitution and civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, and asks the recipient to confirm in writing by December 1, 2025 that it will comply (S14). We found no published follow-up in the sources checked on 2026-10-03.", "status": "issued", "source": "S13" }, { "date": "2025-06-xx", "agency": "Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division", "action": "letters (described in the Attorney General's November 5, 2025 release; not published)", "target": "the same 14 sites", "summary": "Per the Attorney General's release, the division sent letters to the same 14 sites in June 2025 “to alert them to potential criminal-law violations that arise with online gambling, particularly with social sweepstakes casinos”, asking them to stop operating or change their business practices; the release says the sites had not done so. We did not find the June letters published.", "status": "issued", "source": "S13" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition and in-package promotions", "summary": "A lottery is “a plan which provides for the distribution of money, property or other reward or benefit to persons selected by chance from among participants some or all of whom have given a consideration for the chance of being selected.” An in-package chance promotion is not a lottery if, among other conditions, participation is available free and without purchase, the scheduled end date is stated, odds are not misrepresented and prizes are awarded randomly.", "cite": "Minn. Stat. section 609.75, subdivision 1", "source": "S9" }, { "topic": "prize notices when payment is requested", "summary": "A sponsor may not require a person in Minnesota to pay money as a condition of receiving or competing for a prize unless the person first receives a written prize notice stating the sponsor's true name and address, the retail value of each prize, the odds of receiving each prize, any fees or charges, restrictions and eligibility limits.", "cite": "Minn. Stat. section 325F.755, subdivision 2", "source": "S10" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division", "url": "https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/age" }, "notes": [ "SF 4474's status page records committee reports on March 25, April 7, April 9 and April 27, 2026, Senate passage 62 to 3 on April 30, 2026, and House referral on May 4, 2026, with no later action (S2). HF 4410's last House action is the April 7, 2026 committee report and re-referral (S3).", "The revisor's keyword search of 2025-2026 bills for sweepstakes and for dual-currency returned only SF 4474, HF 4410 and SF 4365: the Senate-side search lists SF 4365 and SF 4474 (S7) and the House-side search lists HF 4410 and SF 4474 (S15).", "Not enacted: none of the 2025 regular session laws (chapters 1 to 39), the 2025 First Special Session laws (chapters 1 to 15) or the 2026 session laws (chapters 40 to 131) contains the words sweepstake, dual-currency or online sweepstakes, checked 2026-10-03 (S8, S12). Laws 2026, chapter 124 (HF 4188) contains no occurrence of sweep (S8).", "Private litigation, not a state action: a proposed class action filed July 23, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (No. 0:26-cv-03396) against ARB Gaming, LLC, d/b/a Modo.us alleges that Modo's casino-style games are gambling prohibited by Minnesota law. The allegations are unproven and the case is pending; the complaint is the only filing we opened (S11).", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline lists Minnesota among states where bills failed or died; the bill records agree that SF 4474 passed the Senate and was not enacted (S2, S8). The timeline does not mention the Attorney General's November 5, 2025 letters or the division's June 2025 letters (S13)." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Minnesota Attorney General lawsuit, settlement or order against a sweepstakes-casino operator after the November 5, 2025 letters in the sources checked on 2026-10-03. The division's June 2025 letters are described only in the Attorney General's release (S13), and we found no published response from the recipients.", "We did not open House or Senate journals to confirm that no floor vote occurred in the House; the bill status pages list none." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "S.F. No. 4474, 1st Engrossment", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2026/0/SF/4474/versions/1/pdf/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "SF 4474 Status in the Senate, 94th Legislature", "publisher": "Minnesota Legislature", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF4474&ssn=0&y=2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "HF 4410 Status in the House, 94th Legislature", "publisher": "Minnesota Legislature", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF4410&ssn=0&y=2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "SF 4365 Status in the Senate, 94th Legislature", "publisher": "Minnesota Legislature", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=Senate&f=SF4365&ssn=0&y=2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "S.F. No. 4365, 1st Engrossment", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2026/0/SF/4365/versions/1/pdf/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "S.F. No. 4365, 2nd Engrossment", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/94/2026/0/SF/4365/versions/2/pdf/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Bill search results: sweepstakes, 94th Legislature (2025-2026)", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/status_result.php?body=Senate&search=keyword&session=0942025&location=Both&keyword_type=all&keyword=sweepstakes&keyword_field_short=1&keyword_field_long=1&keyword_field_title=1&keyword_field_text=1&submit_keyword=GO", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "2026 Session Laws index and chapters", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2026/0/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Minn. Stat. 609.75 Gambling; definitions", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/609.75", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Minn. Stat. 325F.755 Prize notices and solicitations", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/325F.755", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Class Action Complaint, No. 0:26-cv-03396 (D. Minn., filed July 23, 2026), RECAP copy", "publisher": "U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (via CourtListener)", "url": "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mnd.235192/gov.uscourts.mnd.235192.1.0.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "2025 Session Laws index and chapters (regular and First Special Session)", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/laws/2025/0/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Attorney General Ellison directs illegal gambling websites to stop offering services in Minnesota (November 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Office of the Minnesota Attorney General", "url": "https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2025/11/05_IllegalGamblingWebsites.asp", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Example letter: Illegal Social Sweepstakes Casino Websites in Minnesota (November 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Office of the Minnesota Attorney General", "url": "https://www.ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communications/2025/docs/AGE_SweepstakesWebsites_Ltr.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "Bill search results (House): sweepstakes, 94th Legislature (2025-2026)", "publisher": "Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/status_result.php?body=House&search=keyword&session=0942025&location=Both&keyword_type=all&keyword=sweepstakes&keyword_field_short=1&keyword_field_long=1&keyword_field_title=1&keyword_field_text=1&submit_keyword=GO", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "MO", "name": "Missouri", "slug": "missouri", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Missouri statute, bill or enforcement action specific to online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026; those found target gambling devices or prediction markets.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery or policy as \"an unlawful gambling scheme in which for a consideration the participants are given an opportunity to win something of value, the award of which is determined by chance\".", "cite": "RSMo section 572.010(7)", "source": "S1" }, { "topic": "gambling definition", "summary": "A person gambles when staking or risking something of value on a contest of chance or a future contingent event outside the person's control, on an understanding that something of value will be received in the event of a certain outcome; playing an amusement device that gives only an immediate right of replay not exchangeable for something of value is excluded.", "cite": "RSMo section 572.010(4)", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Missouri Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.mgc.dps.mo.gov/" }, "notes": [ "Missouri bills on illegal gambling that we opened address gambling devices, video lottery terminals and enforcement funding rather than online sweepstakes casinos: HB 1251 of 2025, last action March 5, 2025, referred to the Government Efficiency Committee (S2); and SB 941 (current status: re-referred to the Senate Select Committee on Gaming) and HB 2989 of 2026 (S3, S4). Their summaries do not mention online sweepstakes casinos or dual-currency games.", "The Attorney General's release on cease-and-desist letters to six prediction market operators (Polymarket, Kalshi, Crypto.com, Novig, Underdog and Robinhood) concerns sports event contracts (S5); the letter to Kalshi is dated September 16, 2026 (S6). The Attorney General's press-release index we opened also lists releases about what it calls illegal gaming devices and machines at physical locations (S7). None of these names an online sweepstakes casino.", "The Missouri Gaming Commission's April 23, 2025 consumer protection alert (S9) concerns fraudulent operators falsely claiming that Missouri casinos had launched online gaming platforms. It does not mention sweepstakes, and we do not count it as enforcement aimed at online sweepstakes casinos.", "Our crackdown timeline does not mention Missouri." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Missouri statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or enforcement action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03: web searches limited to house.mo.gov, senate.mo.gov and ago.mo.gov, the bills named in notes, the Attorney General's press-release index, and trade press. We did not run the legislature's full-text search.", "The releases listed on the Missouri Gaming Commission's Commission News page (S8), retrieved 2026-10-03, concern sports wagering, staffing, 2020 casino closures and the April 2025 consumer alert (S9); none names online sweepstakes casinos." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "RSMo section 572.010, Chapter definitions", "publisher": "Missouri Revisor of Statutes", "url": "https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=572.010", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "HB 1251 (2025), bill content page and summary", "publisher": "Missouri House of Representatives", "url": "https://house.mo.gov/BillContent.aspx?bill=HB1251&year=2025&code=R&style=new", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "SB 941 (2026), bill information", "publisher": "Missouri Senate", "url": "https://www.senate.mo.gov/BillTracking/Bills/BillInformation?year=2026&billid=241", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "HCS HB 2989 (2026), bill summary", "publisher": "Missouri House of Representatives", "url": "https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills261/sumpdf/HB2989C.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Missouri Attorney General Hanaway Orders Unlicensed Prediction Markets To Cease And Desist Unlawful Sports Wagering", "publisher": "Missouri Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.mo.gov/missouri-attorney-general-hanaway-orders-unlicensed-prediction-markets-to-cease-and-desist-unlawful-sports-wagering/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Cease-and-desist letter to KalshiEX LLC (September 16, 2026)", "publisher": "Missouri Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/Kalshi-Cease-and-Desist-Letter.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Press Releases (index)", "publisher": "Missouri Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.mo.gov/press-releases/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Commission News", "publisher": "Missouri Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.mgc.dps.mo.gov/CommissionNews/CommNews.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "MGC PSA: Consumer Protection Alert, Rise in Fraudulent Online Casinos Targeting Missourians (April 23, 2025)", "publisher": "Missouri Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.mgc.dps.mo.gov/CommissionNews/CommNews/2025_PSA%20Fraudulent%20Online%20Casinos.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "MS", "name": "Mississippi", "slug": "mississippi", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "We found no Mississippi statute naming sweepstakes casinos; the Gaming Commission announced cease-and-desist letters in June 2025, one to Chumba Casino per press reports; bills died in 2025 and 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 2510 (2025 Regular Session)", "status": "died in conference", "date": "2025-03-31", "summary": "Would have amended section 97-33-8 to bring internet sweepstakes casinos within its prohibitions and raised the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony. Passed the Senate 51 to 0 on February 13, 2025; the House replaced the text by committee amendment with a version that added mobile sports wagering provisions and passed it 83 to 19 on March 11, 2025; the Senate declined to concur and the bill died in conference March 31, 2025 (votes: S5, S6; House committee amendment: S7).", "source": "S4" }, { "name": "SB 2104 (2026 Regular Session)", "status": "died in committee", "date": "2026-03-03", "summary": "Would have declared “online sweepstakes casino-style games” to be gambling devices, added “online sweepstakes casinos” to section 97-33-8, made promoting or operating one a felony with fines up to $100,000 and up to ten years, and authorized forfeiture. Passed the Senate 52 to 0 on February 4, 2026; died in the House Gaming Committee March 3, 2026 (text: S9; vote: S10).", "source": "S8" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-06-17", "agency": "Mississippi Gaming Commission", "action": "cease-and-desist letters", "target": "Online sports wagering and casino sites; the notice as posted does not name them. Press reports list 10 recipient sites, including chumbacasino.com (S3, S11, both secondary).", "summary": "The Commission's notice says letters went to companies “operating sports wagering and/or online casinos” in Mississippi and that “there are no legal exceptions for online sports books or so-called “sweepstakes” casinos.” It warns that a player could face criminal prosecution and forfeiture of deposits, and points to loss recovery under Miss. Code Ann. section 87-1-5.", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "sweepstakes devices and the promotion exemption", "summary": "Section 97-33-8, as it reads before the changes proposed in 2026, makes it unlawful to operate or have a financial interest in an electronic video monitor offering a “simulated gambling program” for direct or indirect consideration, which “includes consideration paid for internet access or computer time, or a sweepstakes entry”, where the player may win a cash or cash-equivalent prize; a violation is a misdemeanor. The section exempts “Any lawful marketing promotion, contest, prize or sweepstakes that is designed to attract consumer attention to a specific product or service” offered for sale by its maker or seller. The existing-law text is taken from SB 2104 (2026), which prints current law with proposed changes marked.", "cite": "Miss. Code Ann. section 97-33-8", "source": "S9" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Mississippi Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.msgamingcommission.com/" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline says Mississippi's commission “named 10 operators in a June 2025 public notice”. The Commission's notice dated June 17, 2025, as posted and linked from its homepage on 2026-10-03 under the title “Cease and Desist letters issued to Illegal Operators,” gives neither names nor a count; it says letters went to “multiple online gambling sites” and that a list of unlicensed sites is on the Commission's website (S1, S2). The count of 10 and the recipient names come from press reports: Casino Reports says the Commission sent 10 letters, including to Chumba Casino (S3), and a WJTV report dated June 18, 2025 lists ten sites it says the Commission identified, including chumbacasino.com (S11). The timeline line should read as press-reported unless the list is located.", "Timeline check: the timeline says bills failed or died in Mississippi in 2025 and 2026; the Legislature's bill status pages agree (S4, S8).", "SB 2104 would also have created section 97-33-6, a safe harbor for internet, cable and telecommunications providers and app stores (S9).", "Other bills: the Legislature's all-measures indexes for the 2025 and 2026 regular sessions list no other measure whose title mentions sweepstakes; the mobile sports wagering bills we opened (2025 SB 2379, 2026 SB 2249 and HB 4074) mention sweepstakes only in the existing text of section 97-33-8 that they reprint (S12, S13, S14)." ], "gaps": [ "The list of unlicensed gaming sites that the June 17, 2025 notice says is on msgamingcommission.com was not found on the homepage or the illegal-gambling report page on 2026-10-03, so the recipients are not confirmed from a primary source.", "We found no Legislature-run site publishing the Mississippi Code; the section 97-33-8 text is reconstructed from the existing-law portion of SB 2104 (passed Senate version) and was not checked against an official code compilation; SB 2379 (2025), as introduced, brings the section forward with the same exemption wording (S14).", "We did not find an Attorney General action on online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Mississippi Gaming Commission Issues Cease and Desist Letters to Illegal Online Gaming Operators (June 17, 2025)", "publisher": "Mississippi Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.msgamingcommission.com/images/uploads/Public_Notice_(June_2025).pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Mississippi Gaming Commission homepage (Notices section)", "publisher": "Mississippi Gaming Commission", "url": "https://www.msgamingcommission.com/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Louisiana, Mississippi Gaming Agencies Target Offshores, Sweeps", "publisher": "Casino Reports", "url": "https://www.casinoreports.com/news/louisiana-mississippi-cease-desists/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Senate Bill 2510, 2025 Regular Session: history of actions", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/history/SB/SB2510.xml", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Senate vote on S. B. No. 2510 (February 13, 2025)", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/votes/senate/0380011.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "House vote on S. B. No. 2510 as amended (March 11, 2025)", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/votes/house/0640018.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Committee Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill No. 2510 (House)", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/pdf/ham/SB2510_H_Cmte_Amend_01.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Senate Bill 2104, 2026 Regular Session: history of actions", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB2104.xml", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Senate Bill 2104, 2026 Regular Session, as passed by the Senate", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2026/html/SB/2100-2199/SB2104PS.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Senate vote on S. B. No. 2104 (February 4, 2026)", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/votes/senate/0300026.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Mississippi Gaming Commission issues warning for illegal gambling sites (June 18, 2025)", "publisher": "WJTV", "url": "https://www.wjtv.com/news/state/mississippi-gaming-commission-issues-warning-for-illegal-gambling-sites/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S12", "title": "All measures, 2025 Regular Session (index)", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2025/pdf/all_measures/allmsrs.xml", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "All measures, 2026 Regular Session (index)", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/all_measures/allmsrs.xml", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Senate Bill 2379, 2025 Regular Session, as introduced (Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act)", "publisher": "Mississippi Legislature", "url": "https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2025/pdf/SB/2300-2399/SB2379IN.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "MT", "name": "Montana", "slug": "montana", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Montana's SB 555, in effect since October 1, 2025, adds online casinos that take bets and pay out in any form of currency to the state's definition of prohibited internet gambling.", "laws": [ { "name": "SB 555 (Laws 2025, ch. 626)", "cite": "Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-112(23), 23-5-123, 23-5-154, 23-5-162(3)", "enacted": "2025-05-13", "enacted_note": "Signed by the governor on May 13, 2025 and assigned chapter 626 on May 16, 2025, per the legislature's bill record (S2). The act has no effective-date section, so Mont. Code Ann. 1-2-201(1)(a) sets October 1 following passage (S4).", "effective": "2025-10-01", "summary": "Amends the definition of internet gambling in Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-112(23) to include online casinos by whatever name known, including any platform, website or application that knowingly transmits or receives gambling information, allows consumers to place a bet or wager using any form of currency, and makes payouts of any form of currency. Online casinos that do not allow the use of currency of any kind are stated to be permitted. The act also revises the disposal of gambling fines to the credit of the Department of Justice, changes advertising for or soliciting participation in an illegal gambling enterprise from a misdemeanor punishable under 23-5-161 to a crime punishable under 23-5-161 and 23-5-162, the misdemeanor and felony penalty sections (S14, S15), and adds 23-5-162(3), which makes a person who purposely or knowingly operates an illegal internet gambling site in the state subject to felony liability (under 23-5-162(1), a fine of up to $50,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both, per violation) (S5). The enacted text does not use the words sweepstakes or dual-currency.", "quote": "The term includes online casinos, by whatever name known, which constitute internet gambling and therefore are prohibited.", "covers_players": "The amended text has no provision written specifically about players. The new felony subsection, 23-5-162(3), applies to a person who operates an illegal internet gambling site.", "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "HB 639 (2025 session)", "status": "failed House third reading; later recorded as died in process", "date": "2025-03-07", "summary": "Would have revised the definition of internet gambling to include online casinos, using the online-casino language later enacted in SB 555, and would also have added cryptocurrency to that definition (S6). It passed the House committee and second reading, but the third-reading vote on March 7, 2025 is recorded as not passed; it then missed the transmittal deadline and was recorded as died in process on May 20, 2025.", "source": "S7" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "when a free promotion is not gambling", "summary": "Montana's definition of gambling excludes promotional games of chance, which the statute defines as schemes for distributing property among people who have not paid, or are not expected to pay, valuable consideration and who have not bought, or are not expected to buy, goods or services for a chance to win.", "cite": "Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-112(14)(b)(i), (38)", "source": "S3" }, { "topic": "purchase-based entry (gift enterprise)", "summary": "The statute defines a gift enterprise as a gambling activity in which people qualify for a prize by purchasing or agreeing to purchase goods or services; a promotional game of chance is listed as not being a gift enterprise.", "cite": "Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-112(17)", "source": "S3" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division", "url": "https://dojmt.gov/gaming/" }, "notes": [ "The Gambling Control Division's Sweepstakes FAQs document (PDF last modified March 20, 2026) says no purchase is necessary to participate in a sweepstakes and that consideration, or paying to play, is what converts a sweepstakes into a raffle (S8). The Division's FAQ page states that the only legal online gambling in Montana is nonprofit raffles sold online and that no other form of internet gambling is legal in the state (S9).", "The Montana Legislature's session list shows the 2025 regular session and a next regular session beginning January 4, 2027, with no 2026 session listed (S10). The 2025 bills we found on the subject are SB 555 (enacted) and HB 639 (failed).", "Operator documents retrieved on October 3, 2026 list Montana among excluded states, for example Chumba Casino's Sweeps Rules version 26.1 (S11), McLuck's Terms of Service version 2.6 (S12) and Stake.us Terms version 18.0 (S13). These documents do not state a reason for the exclusion.", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline gives May 23, 2025 as the signing date, while the legislature's bill record shows Signed by Governor on May 13, 2025 and chapter 626 assigned on May 16, 2025 (S2). The timeline describes dual-currency online casinos as defined as prohibited internet gambling; the enacted text does not use the term dual-currency and instead reaches online casinos by whatever name known that take bets and pay out in any form of currency (S1). The timeline's October 1, 2025 effective date matches Mont. Code Ann. 1-2-201(1)(a) (S4).", "Basis for the status label: the amended definition reaches online casinos, by whatever name known, that let consumers bet using any form of currency and make payouts of any form of currency, and it exempts only online casinos that do not allow the use of currency of any kind (S1). The text, the April 3, 2025 fiscal note (S16) and the Department of Justice pages we found do not name sweepstakes or dual-currency casinos, and we found no Montana court ruling or agency document applying the definition to a named sweepstakes casino." ], "gaps": [ "No Montana regulator or Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos was found. Site searches on dojmt.gov for sweepstakes, sweepstakes casino, online casino and internet gambling on 2026-10-03 returned Gambling Control Division FAQ, history and licensing pages and unrelated scam-tip and human-trafficking posts; we did not read every Department of Justice press release.", "Trade-press reports that the Department of Justice sent enforcement notices to operators around October 2025 could not be matched to a primary document and are not used.", "The SB 555 fiscal note (as introduced, April 3, 2025) is image-only; we read it from page images. It says the bill would enhance the Gambling Control Division's ability to combat illegal online casinos and describes the new definition as covering online casinos that allow visitors to gamble with cryptocurrency; it does not mention sweepstakes (S16).", "The legislature's public bill pages (bills.legmt.gov and laws.leg.mt.gov) served a bot-check script to our requests; bill status and text were taken from the legislature's own API at api.legmt.gov." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "SB 555 (2025), enrolled bill text, An act generally revising gambling laws", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getBillText?legislatureOrdinal=69&sessionOrdinal=20251&billType=SB&billNumber=555", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "SB 555 (LC2686) bill status history", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://api.legmt.gov/bills/v1/bills/2671", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-112, Definitions (MCA 2025)", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0230/chapter_0050/part_0010/section_0120/0230-0050-0010-0120.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Mont. Code Ann. 1-2-201, Statutes, effective date (MCA 2025)", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0010/chapter_0020/part_0020/section_0010/0010-0020-0020-0010.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-162, Criminal liabilities, felony (MCA 2025)", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0230/chapter_0050/part_0010/section_0620/0230-0050-0010-0620.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "HB 639 (2025), introduced bill text", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getBillText?legislatureOrdinal=69&sessionOrdinal=20251&billType=HB&billNumber=639", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "HB 639 (LC0888) bill status history", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://api.legmt.gov/bills/v1/bills/888", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Sweepstakes FAQs", "publisher": "Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division", "url": "https://dojmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Sweepstakes-FAQs.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "GCD Frequently Asked Questions", "publisher": "Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division", "url": "https://dojmt.gov/gaming/faqs/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Legislative sessions list", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://api.legmt.gov/legislators/v1/sessions", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Chumba Casino Sweeps Rules, version 26.1", "publisher": "VGW Games Limited (Chumba Casino)", "url": "https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/vgwholdings89e8-vgw-prod-817c/media/260916_POL_CHU_Sweeps_Rules_26-1.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "McLuck Terms of Service, version 2.6", "publisher": "B-Two Operations Limited (McLuck)", "url": "https://www.mcluck.com/terms-of-service", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Stake.us Terms and Conditions, version 18.0 (version table publish date 10/07/2026)", "publisher": "Sweepsteaks Limited (Stake.us)", "url": "https://stake.us/policies/terms", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-154, Soliciting participation in illegal gambling activity prohibited (MCA 2025)", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0230/chapter_0050/part_0010/section_0540/0230-0050-0010-0540.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "Mont. Code Ann. 23-5-154 (MCA 2023), text before SB 555", "publisher": "Montana Legislature", "url": "https://archive.legmt.gov/bills/2023/mca/title_0230/chapter_0050/part_0010/section_0540/0230-0050-0010-0540.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "SB 555 fiscal note, 2027 Biennium, as introduced (April 3, 2025)", "publisher": "Montana Governor's Office of Budget and Program Planning, via Montana Legislature", "url": "https://api.legmt.gov/docs/v1/documents/getBillFiscalNotes?legislatureOrdinal=69&sessionOrdinal=20251&billType=SB&billNumber=555", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "NC", "name": "North Carolina", "slug": "north-carolina", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no North Carolina statute, bill or state enforcement aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "electronic sweepstakes with an entertaining display", "summary": "G.S. 14-306.4 (enacted 2010) makes it unlawful to operate an electronic machine or device to conduct or promote a sweepstakes “through the use of an entertaining display, including the entry process or the reveal of a prize”, such as video poker, video bingo or slot-style games. The statute defines the machine as one owned, leased or possessed by a sweepstakes sponsor or promoter and intended to be used by an entrant; it does not mention the internet or online play, although it applies whether or not the machine is server-based or remotely activated. A first offense is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with felonies for repeat offenses.", "cite": "N.C. Gen. Stat. section 14-306.4", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "North Carolina Department of Justice, Consumer Protection (Sweepstakes and Prizes)", "url": "https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/sweepstakes-and-prizes/" }, "notes": [ "A bill-text search of the 2025-2026 session on the General Assembly's site returned 16 hits for “sweepstakes” across four House bills (H916 and H936 on telemarketing, H920 on virtual currency kiosks, enacted as S.L. 2026-45, and H921, an ABC and gaming omnibus that mentions consumer sweepstakes in an alcohol-pricing clause); searches for “sweepstakes casino,” “dual currency,” “online casino,” “simulated gambling” and “sweeps coins” returned none (S2, S3).", "The Department of Justice's sweepstakes page addresses prize and lottery scams, not sweepstakes casinos (S4).", "Our crackdown timeline does not mention North Carolina; nothing here conflicts with it." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Attorney General or North Carolina Lottery Commission action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03 (site searches of ncdoj.gov for “sweepstakes” and “casino” and web searches); the Lottery Commission's site was not searched directly.", "No state agency statement applying G.S. 14-306.4 to online sweepstakes casinos was found; whether it applies is not addressed in the sources checked." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "G.S. 14-306.4, Electronic machines and devices for sweepstakes prohibited", "publisher": "North Carolina General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_14/GS_14-306.4.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill Text Search, 2025-2026 Session (queries run October 3, 2026)", "publisher": "North Carolina General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ncleg.gov/Search/BillText", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "House Bill 921 (2025-2026 Session), ABC & Gaming Omnibus Bill, edition 2 text", "publisher": "North Carolina General Assembly", "url": "https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/House/PDF/H921v2.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Sweepstakes & Lotteries", "publisher": "North Carolina Department of Justice", "url": "https://ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/sweepstakes-and-prizes/sweepstakes-and-lotteries/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "ND", "name": "North Dakota", "slug": "north-dakota", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or enforcement action found in the sources checked; the Attorney General's Gaming Division says state law prohibits online gaming.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition and offenses", "summary": "North Dakota defines a lottery as any plan for distributing a thing of value to people selected by chance from among participants, some or all of whom have given consideration for the chance of being selected. Except as permitted by law, selling, buying, receiving or transferring a chance in a lottery, or spreading information to encourage participation in one, is a class A misdemeanor, and engaging or participating in the business of gambling, which the statute says includes conducting a wagering pool or lottery, is a class C felony.", "cite": "N.D. Cent. Code 12.1-28-01(4), 12.1-28-02(2), (3)", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "North Dakota Attorney General, Gaming Division", "url": "https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/licensing-and-gaming/gaming/" }, "notes": [ "The Attorney General's Gaming Division page states that state law prohibits online gaming in North Dakota, with an exemption for licensed charitable gaming organizations offering online raffles through a licensed North Dakota distributor (S3). The page does not mention sweepstakes casinos.", "The 69th Legislative Assembly (2025) bill index lists gaming bills on charitable gaming prize limits, Attorney General fines, electronic pull tabs, gaming sites, historic horse racing and a tribal compact, among others; none concerns online sweepstakes casinos or dual-currency games (S2). The same index links the 17 measures of the January 2026 and September 2026 special sessions; none concerns gambling, gaming or sweepstakes (S2)." ], "gaps": [ "The legislature's /regular/bill-index pages returned HTTP 403 to curl, WebFetch and a browser; the index at /assembly/69-2025/bill-index.html was used instead.", "A site search of attorneygeneral.nd.gov for sweepstakes on 2026-10-03 returned scam-prevention posts, biennial reports and older opinions; no Attorney General action aimed at sweepstakes casinos was found (S4)." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "North Dakota Century Code chapter 12.1-28, Gambling and related offenses", "publisher": "North Dakota Legislative Branch", "url": "https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t12-1c28.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "69th Legislative Assembly (2025) Bills and Resolutions Index", "publisher": "North Dakota Legislative Branch", "url": "https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/bill-index.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Gaming (Gaming Division page)", "publisher": "North Dakota Attorney General", "url": "https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/licensing-and-gaming/gaming/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "North Dakota Attorney General", "url": "https://attorneygeneral.nd.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "NE", "name": "Nebraska", "slug": "nebraska", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or enforcement action found in the sources checked; Nebraska's gift enterprise law bars charging an entry fee for a business sweepstakes.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "no-purchase and disclosure rules for business sweepstakes (gift enterprises)", "summary": "A gift enterprise is a contest, game of chance or game promotion run in connection with the sale of consumer or trade products or services solely as a business promotion. The operator may not require an entry fee or any other consideration to enter or win, except proof of a purchase whose price is not raised because of the promotion; filling out an entry blank and entering by mail at no more than first-class postage are not consideration. The operator must disclose all terms and conditions, may not rig the game or arbitrarily reject entries, must award the prizes offered, and may not use false or misleading advertising. A violation is a Class II misdemeanor and can also bring a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation, and the Department of Revenue may sue to enjoin a gift enterprise it has reason to believe is operating in violation of the section. The definition excludes bingo, keno, slot machines and any non-telecommunication-related, player-activated electronic or electromechanical facsimile of a game of chance.", "cite": "Neb. Rev. Stat. 9-701, as amended by LB1001 (2026), operative July 1, 2026", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Nebraska Attorney General, Consumer Protection", "url": "https://ago.nebraska.gov/consumer-protection" }, "notes": [ "LB1001, approved by the governor on March 16, 2026, amended section 9-701 among other racing and gaming changes; its section 40 makes the act operative July 1, 2026 (S1).", "Full-text keyword searches of 109th Legislature (2025 and 2026) documents on the legislature's site found the word sweepstakes only in LB609, a 2025 cryptocurrency-kiosk fraud act whose required consumer warning mentions sweepstakes scams; a search for online casino returned only LB421 and LB438, two 2025 bills to authorize online sports wagering, and LB1001. None of these addresses online sweepstakes casinos or dual-currency games (S2, S3, S6).", "A Nebraska Attorney General release dated August 5, 2025 says Attorney General Mike Hilgers co-led a bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general in a letter, dated August 4, 2025, asking the U.S. Department of Justice to help curb illegal offshore gaming. Neither the release nor the letter mentions sweepstakes or social casinos (S4)." ], "gaps": [ "A site search of ago.nebraska.gov for sweepstakes on 2026-10-03 returned consumer-complaint items about prize and sweepstakes scams, none about sweepstakes casinos (S5).", "Site searches of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission site for sweepstakes and for online casino, and of the Department of Revenue site (which includes the Charitable Gaming Division) for sweepstakes, returned no results on 2026-10-03 (S7, S8)." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "LB1001 (2026), slip law, Approved by the Governor March 16, 2026", "publisher": "Nebraska Legislature", "url": "https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Slip/LB1001.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill search by keyword (sweepstakes, online casino, dual currency, casino), 109th Legislature", "publisher": "Nebraska Legislature", "url": "https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/search_by_keyword.php", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "LB609 (2025), slip law, Controllable Electronic Record Fraud Prevention Act", "publisher": "Nebraska Legislature", "url": "https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Slip/LB609.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Attorney General Hilgers Leads Bipartisan Effort Urging U.S. Department of Justice to Help Curb Illegal Offshore Gaming (August 5, 2025), with linked letter", "publisher": "Nebraska Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.nebraska.gov/attorney-general-hilgers-leads-bipartisan-effort-urging-us-department-justice-help-curb-illegal", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Nebraska Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.nebraska.gov/search/node?keys=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "LB421 and LB438 (2025), introduced copies (LB438 at https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Intro/LB438.pdf)", "publisher": "Nebraska Legislature", "url": "https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/109/PDF/Intro/LB421.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes and for online casino", "publisher": "Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission", "url": "https://nrgc.nebraska.gov/search/node?keys=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Nebraska Department of Revenue", "url": "https://revenue.nebraska.gov/search/node?keys=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "NH", "name": "New Hampshire", "slug": "new-hampshire", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no New Hampshire statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or regulator action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "when a sweepstakes entry counts as something of value", "summary": "In the gambling statute, “something of value” includes a sweepstakes ticket or other item obtained with a purchase of goods or services that entitles the holder to a chance in a sweepstakes where, but for the chance to enter, the value of the purchased goods or services is insufficient to justify the purchase, or the inducement to buy is the chance to play a gambling machine. Under paragraph I, a person who knowingly and unlawfully gambles, permits gambling in a place under the person's control, or possesses a gambling machine is guilty of a misdemeanor.", "cite": "N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. section 647:2, I and II(d)", "source": "S1" }, { "topic": "statutory definition of sweepstakes", "summary": "The same section defines a sweepstakes as any game, advertising scheme or plan, or other promotion which, with or without payment of any consideration, a person may enter to win a prize determined by chance, and limits the term, for that chapter, to sweepstakes that an entrant can enter, play or interact with “using a gambling machine furnished by the sweepstakes operator” or an affiliate or contractor, in an establishment the operator controls, is affiliated with or contracts with.", "cite": "N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. section 647:2, II(h)", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "New Hampshire Lottery Commission", "url": "https://www.nhlottery.com/" }, "notes": [ "SB 168 (2025), a bill to regulate online gambling, contains no reference to sweepstakes in the introduced text we opened (S6). Its Senate status reads “DIED ON THE TABLE” as of November 3, 2025 (S7).", "Section 647:2 was last amended by 2026, 322:2, effective July 15, 2026 (S1). That amendment, in HB 1194, rewrote paragraph V(f) to exempt “The conduct of a sports book, or participation in sports wagering, authorized by RSA 287-I” and does not concern sweepstakes (S8)." ], "gaps": [ "Bill coverage is a title search of the General Court bill status system: “sweepstakes” returned “Bills Found : 0” for both 2025 and 2026 (S2, S3), and “gambling” returned only SB 168 (2025) and HB 1194 (2026) (S4, S5). Further title searches on October 3, 2026 for casino, gaming, games of chance, lottery, online, wager and prize in 2025 and 2026 (same search form as S2) returned no bill on sweepstakes or online sweepstakes casinos. The system offers no full-text search through the interface we used, so a bill whose title does not use these words could be missing.", "The New Hampshire Department of Justice site (doj.nh.gov) returned HTTP 403 to our requests on October 3, 2026, so we could not search Attorney General releases for action against sweepstakes casinos. The Lottery Commission site search is rendered by script and returned no readable results." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "RSA 647:2 Gambling Offenses", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LXII/647/647-2.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill status title search, 2025, sweepstakes", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/results.aspx?txtsessionyear=2025&txttitle=sweepstakes&sortoption=", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Bill status title search, 2026, sweepstakes", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/results.aspx?txtsessionyear=2026&txttitle=sweepstakes&sortoption=", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Bill status title search, 2025, gambling", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/results.aspx?txtsessionyear=2025&txttitle=gambling&sortoption=", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Bill status title search, 2026, gambling", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/results.aspx?txtsessionyear=2026&txttitle=gambling&sortoption=", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "SB 168-FN-LOCAL (2025), as introduced", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2025&id=968&txtFormat=html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "SB 168 (2025) bill status", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0958&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txttitle=gambling", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "HB 1194-FN (2026), chaptered text (Chapter 322, approved July 15, 2026)", "publisher": "New Hampshire General Court", "url": "https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/billText.aspx?sy=2026&id=1956&txtFormat=html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "NJ", "name": "New Jersey", "slug": "new-jersey", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Since August 15, 2025, P.L.2025, c.128 makes a sweepstakes people can enter by paying unlawful gambling unless it meets the act's safe-harbor conditions; its definition names dual-currency systems.", "laws": [ { "name": "A5447 / S4282 (P.L.2025, c.128)", "cite": "N.J.S.A. 52:17B-139.14 to 52:17B-139.26 and 5:12-112.1 to 5:12-112.10, with new N.J.S.2C:37-10 and amendments to N.J.S.2C:21-11, 2C:37-1, 2C:37-2, 2C:37-4 and 5:12-113", "enacted": "2025-08-15", "enacted_note": "approved by the governor", "effective": "2025-08-15", "summary": "Defines a sweepstakes as a promotional, advertising or marketing event, contest or game, online or in person, that awards something of value directly or indirectly, including through a dual currency system of payment that lets a participant exchange the currency for a prize. Section 2 makes offering or conducting a sweepstakes in which a person present in New Jersey may take part by paying or proffering something of value unlawful gambling under the state constitution, unless it meets section 3. Section 3 sets a safe harbor: a free method of entry, paid entry only ancillary to food, non-alcoholic drinks or merchandise worth $20 or less (excluding coins, tokens or online credits that only permit entry or can be exchanged for money or merchandise), no prize determined by sports results unless all entry is free, disclosure of rules and odds, and identical odds for paid and free entries. The Division of Consumer Affairs enforces section 2 with civil penalties of up to $100,000 for a first offense and $250,000 for each later offense, each day a separate offense, and penalties of up to $25,000 for each violation of a cease-and-desist order. Section 30 says the act takes effect immediately.", "quote": "offering or conducting a sweepstakes in which a person present in New Jersey may participate by paying or proffering something of value", "covers_players": "Section 2 attaches liability to the operator or sponsor and any officer, employee or agent; it does not name participants. Section 3(a) says that participating in a sweepstakes that meets subsection b. does not subject the participant to civil or criminal liability under the gambling laws.", "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "A5447 (2024-2025 session)", "status": "approved as P.L.2025, c.128", "date": "2025-08-15", "summary": "Synopsis (S3): prohibits the sweepstakes model of wagering, establishes new penalties for unlawful gambling operations, and directs the Division of Consumer Affairs and the Division of Gaming Enforcement to enforce them. Introduced March 17, 2025; passed the Assembly 69-10-1 and the Senate 34-5 on June 30, 2025.", "source": "S2" }, { "name": "S4282 (2024-2025 session)", "status": "identical Senate bill; A5447 was substituted for it on Senate passage", "date": "2025-06-30", "summary": "Same synopsis as A5447.", "source": "S4" }, { "name": "A5196 (2024-2025 session)", "status": "withdrawn from consideration", "date": "2025-04-10", "summary": "Synopsis: designates sweepstakes casinos as internet gaming and requires their licensure, oversight and taxation within the internet gaming framework. Introduced January 16, 2025 and referred to the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee.", "source": "S5" }, { "name": "S4109 (2024-2025 session)", "status": "referred to committee; no further action recorded before the session ended", "date": "2025-02-03", "summary": "Identical to A5196 (licensing sweepstakes casinos as internet gaming). Referred to the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee.", "source": "S6" }, { "name": "S1500 (2026-2027 session)", "status": "pending in committee", "date": "2026-01-13", "summary": "Reintroduction of S4109/A5196 (synopsis and prior-session link, S9): would designate sweepstakes casinos as internet gaming and require licensure, oversight and taxation. Introduced and referred to the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee on January 13, 2026; no later action recorded on October 3, 2026.", "source": "S8" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "paid-entry sweepstakes safe harbor", "summary": "A sweepstakes that people in New Jersey can enter by paying is not unlawful gambling under section 2 of the 2025 act if it meets every condition in section 3(b) (section 2 also excepts a sweepstakes authorized under any other state law); the conditions include a no-cost method of entry, paid entry tied to a purchase of food, non-alcoholic beverages or merchandise worth no more than $20, disclosure of rules, odds and prizes on the entry form or website, parental consent before a person under 18 claims a prize over $1,000, and identical odds whether the entry was bought or free.", "cite": "N.J.S.A. 52:17B-139.16 (P.L.2025, c.128, section 3)", "source": "S1" }, { "topic": "what counts as something of value", "summary": "The criminal gambling chapter defines “something of value” to include money or property, any token, object or article exchangeable for money or property, and any form of credit or promise contemplating a transfer of money or property; the 2025 act uses this definition for sweepstakes.", "cite": "N.J.S.2C:37-1(d), as amended by P.L.2025, c.128, section 26", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs", "url": "https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/" }, "notes": [ "Enforcement is split: the Division of Consumer Affairs handles violations of the sweepstakes section (sections 4 to 13 of the act), while the Division of Gaming Enforcement gains civil powers over other unlawful gambling, expressly “other than a sweepstakes offered or conducted in violation of section 2” (sections 14 to 23) (S1).", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline lists A5447 as signed August 15, 2025 and effective immediately, which agrees with the act and the bill history (S1, S2). The timeline describes penalties of up to $25,000 per violation for continued operation after a cease-and-desist; that matches section 12, but the act also sets civil penalties of up to $100,000 for a first offense and $250,000 for each later offense, with each day counted separately (section 5) (S1).", "The Division of Gaming Enforcement's highlights page says that during the year it “worked on newly enacted legislation to combat sweepstakes and illegal providers” (S10). It does not describe an action against a named operator." ], "gaps": [ "We found no cease-and-desist order, penalty or lawsuit by the Division of Consumer Affairs or the Division of Gaming Enforcement against a named online sweepstakes casino on the pages we opened on October 3, 2026: the Attorney General site search for “sweepstakes” (S11) and the Division of Gaming Enforcement highlights page (S10). We also downloaded the 34 rulings summaries and petitions lists for 2025 and 2026 linked from the Division of Gaming Enforcement's Director's Actions and Orders page (S12); none contains the word sweepstakes. Orders issued under section 12 may not be published.", "Bill coverage comes from the Legislature's keyword search for “sweepstakes” in the 2024-2025 and 2026-2027 sessions (S4, S7). A bill on the subject that does not use that word in its indexed text could be missing." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "P.L. 2025, Chapter 128, An Act concerning unlawful gambling operations in this State (approved August 15, 2025)", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/PL25/128_.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "A5447 (2024 session) bill history", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billDetailHist/billHistory/A5447/2024", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "A5447 (2024 session) bill description and synopsis", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billDetailHist/billDescription/A5447/2024", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Bill search, 2024-2025 session, keyword sweepstakes", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billSearchHist/combinedSearch/empty/sweepstakes/empty/empty/empty/empty/2024", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "A5196 (2024 session) bill history", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billDetailHist/billHistory/A5196/2024", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "S4109 (2024 session) bill history", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billDetailHist/billHistory/S4109/2024", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Bill search, 2026-2027 session, keyword sweepstakes", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billSearch/combinedSearch/empty/sweepstakes/empty/empty/empty/empty/2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "S1500 (2026 session) bill history", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billDetail/billHistory/S1500/2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "S1500 (2026 session) bill description and synopsis", "publisher": "New Jersey Legislature", "url": "https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/api/billDetail/billDescription/S1500/2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Division of Gaming Enforcement Highlights", "publisher": "New Jersey Office of Attorney General", "url": "https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-gaming-enforcement-home/division-of-gaming-enforcement-highlights/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "New Jersey Office of Attorney General", "url": "https://www.njoag.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Director's Actions and Orders (rulings and petitions, 2025 and 2026)", "publisher": "New Jersey Office of Attorney General, Division of Gaming Enforcement", "url": "https://www.njoag.gov/about/divisions-and-offices/division-of-gaming-enforcement-home/about-the-director/directors-actions-and-orders/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "NM", "name": "New Mexico", "slug": "new-mexico", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute or 2025-2026 bill found; an undated Gaming Control Board notice says online real-money gambling, including sweepstakes casinos, is illegal in New Mexico.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [ { "date": null, "agency": "New Mexico Gaming Control Board", "action": "public service announcement (consumer warning) on the Board's website", "target": "Online real-money gambling generally; the announcement lists online casinos, poker, sweepstakes casinos and sports betting and names no operator", "summary": "The announcement says the Board \"urges residents to refrain from participating in any online gaming activities\" and states that online real-money gambling, listing online casinos, poker, sweepstakes casinos and sports betting, is illegal in New Mexico. It adds that the Board \"is unable to resolve complaints or disputes arising from illegal gaming sites\" and points consumers to the Department of Justice complaint lines. The page shows no issue date; we read it on October 3, 2026.", "status": "issued", "source": "S5" } ], "promotion_rules": [], "regulator": { "name": "New Mexico Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.gcb.nm.gov/" }, "notes": [ "In the Legislature's lists for the 2025 Regular, 2025 First and Second Special, and 2026 Regular sessions, the bill titles touching gambling concern bingo and raffle exemptions, Gaming Control Board director qualifications and background checks, Gaming Control Act definitions, gaming machine standards, racetrack and gaming operator licensing, gaming tax relief in disaster areas, horse racing and lottery tuition deposits; none mentions sweepstakes (S1). Three 2025 gaming bills (HB 155, SB 302, SB 303) passed both chambers and are recorded as pocket vetoed (S1). The introduced texts of HB 241, SB 302, SB 303, SB 323 and SB 328 (2025) contain no occurrence of the word sweepstake (S7 to S11).", "The Attorney General's site search for sweepstakes returned two older scam alerts, from August 21, 2017 and May 31, 2018, about callers posing as sweepstakes officials; these are prize scams, not actions against sweepstakes casinos (S2).", "The New Mexico Attorney General is among the attorneys general listed as joining an August 2025 multistate letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to help address illegal offshore gaming, per the Alaska Department of Law's release (S4). The release does not mention sweepstakes, so we do not list it as an action aimed at sweepstakes casinos.", "The Board's FAQ page, in its list of definitions, says: \"Sweepstakes – used to promote legitimate business objectives. Entry obtained with purchase but must also provide a no purchase necessary alternative method of entry.\" (S6). This is the Board's description, not statute text." ], "gaps": [ "Bill coverage is by title in the Legislature's session lists (S1); bill texts were read only for HB 241, SB 302, SB 303, SB 323 and SB 328 (S7 to S11), so a bill that addresses sweepstakes without saying so in its title could be missed.", "We could not retrieve the gambling definitions in NMSA 1978 section 30-19-1 from the official compilation (NMOneSource loads its text by script) or from a mirror (HTTP 403), so no promotion rule is listed.", "The Gaming Control Board's site search for sweepstakes returns its FAQ page and its Home page (S3); the Home page carries the public service announcement listed above (S5). Its news pages were not reviewed one by one.", "The announcement carries no issue date, so we cannot say when the Board first published it; we list it because it was published on the Board's site when we read it on October 3, 2026 and names sweepstakes casinos." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Legislation lists, 2025 Regular (Session=69), 2025 1st Special (70), 2025 2nd Special (71) and 2026 Regular (72)", "publisher": "New Mexico Legislature", "url": "https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation_List?Session=69", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Site search: sweepstakes", "publisher": "New Mexico Department of Justice (Attorney General)", "url": "https://nmdoj.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Site search: sweepstakes", "publisher": "New Mexico Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.gcb.nm.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "AG Taylor Joins 50 States Urging U.S. Department of Justice to Help Address Illegal Offshore Gaming (August 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Alaska Department of Law", "url": "https://www.law.alaska.gov/press/releases/2025/080525-Gaming.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Home page, New Mexico Gaming Control Board Public Service Announcement", "publisher": "New Mexico Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.gcb.nm.gov/home/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "New Mexico Gaming Control Board FAQs and Info", "publisher": "New Mexico Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.gcb.nm.gov/new-mexico-gaming-control-board-faqs-and-info/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "House Bill 241 (2025), as introduced", "publisher": "New Mexico Legislature", "url": "https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/house/HB0241.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Senate Bill 302 (2025), as introduced", "publisher": "New Mexico Legislature", "url": "https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0302.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Senate Bill 303 (2025), as introduced", "publisher": "New Mexico Legislature", "url": "https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0303.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Senate Bill 323 (2025), as introduced", "publisher": "New Mexico Legislature", "url": "https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0323.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Senate Bill 328 (2025), as introduced", "publisher": "New Mexico Legislature", "url": "https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0328.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "NV", "name": "Nevada", "slug": "nevada", "status": "law-related", "status_line": "No Nevada statute naming sweepstakes casinos found; SB 256 (in force October 1, 2025), which presenters tied to sweepstakes sites, added disgorgement to general illegal-gaming penalties.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 256 (83rd Session, 2025)", "status": "enacted (Statutes of Nevada 2025, Chapter 337), in force October 1, 2025", "date": "2025-06-05", "summary": "Approved by the Governor June 5, 2025 (Chapter 337 assigned June 6, 2025); effective October 1, 2025. Per the enrolled text (S1), it requires the court, in addition to existing penalties, to order disgorgement of any profit, gain, gross receipts or other benefit from certain illegal gaming violations, paid to the State Treasurer for the State General Fund: operating without a state gaming license (NRS 463.160, already a category B felony under NRS 463.360), cheating and related offenses (NRS 465.070 to 465.086), and knowingly accepting or receiving, from within or outside Nevada and through any medium of communication, a wager from a person physically present in Nevada (NRS 465.092). It raises the penalty for the NRS 465.092 offense from a misdemeanor to a gross misdemeanor. The text does not use the words sweepstakes or dual-currency, so we list it here rather than as a law that names or clearly covers online sweepstakes casinos. Introduced February 27, 2025 by Senator Nguyen. Passed the Senate 20 to 0 with 1 excused on April 7, 2025; passed the Assembly as amended (Amendment No. 657) 42 to 0 on May 22, 2025; the Senate concurred on May 29, 2025.", "source": "S2" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery as \"any scheme for the disposal or distribution of property, by chance, among persons who have paid or promised to pay any valuable consideration for the chance of obtaining that property\". A person has not paid valuable consideration merely by making a fair-value purchase, accepting a trial product or service, or being present at a time and place, where that is the sole basis for a chance in an occasional and ancillary promotion by an organization whose primary purpose is not running such promotions.", "cite": "NRS 462.105", "source": "S5" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Nevada Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://gaming.nv.gov/" }, "notes": [ "Why this is not labelled law-in-force: this database uses that label only for a statute whose text names or clearly covers online sweepstakes casinos, and SB 256's enrolled text does not mention them (S1). The committee record presents the bill as aimed in part at them. At the Assembly Judiciary hearing on May 1, 2025, a legislative intern presenting for the sponsor described the bill as \"holding illegal online gaming apps and unauthorized sweepstakes sites accountable for unlawful gaming activities that target Nevada residents\" (S4). At the Senate Judiciary hearing on March 12, 2025, the Nevada Resort Association testified: \"The illegal sweepstakes industry is alive and well, and we need to work against that.\" (S3). Whether a particular sweepstakes casino falls within NRS 463.160 or 465.092 is not answered by the statute's text, and we draw no conclusion about it. As amended, NRS 463.360(3) adds: \"The court shall also order any profits, gain, gross receipts or other benefit from the violation to be disgorged and paid to the State Treasurer for deposit in the State General Fund.\" (S1).", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline gives SB 256 as signed June 5, 2025 and effective October 1, 2025, which matches the Legislature's bill record (S2). It also describes the bill as \"Felony penalties and disgorgement for unlicensed operators, sweeps sites included; passed unanimously\". Against the enacted text (S1): disgorgement is new; the category B felony for willful violation of NRS 463.160(1) is existing text in NRS 463.360(3) that the bill did not change; the bill raised the NRS 465.092 wager offense to a gross misdemeanor, not a felony; and \"sweeps sites included\" reflects the committee testimony, not the text. The recorded final passage votes were 20 to 0 (1 excused) in the Senate and 42 to 0 in the Assembly; the record we read does not show a vote count for the Senate's concurrence on May 29, 2025 (S2). The timeline also counts Nevada among the states with laws against the model; because the enacted text does not name or clearly cover sweepstakes casinos, this database does not label Nevada law-in-force.", "Other 2025 bills: the Legislature's list of bills signed by the Governor in 2025 shows six with gaming or wagering summaries (AB 58, SB 46, SB 203, SB 256, SB 459, SB 474); the enrolled texts of AB 58, SB 46, SB 459 and SB 256 contain no occurrence of the word sweepstake (S6). A title scan of all 1,209 measures of the 83rd (2025) Session adds AB 549, AJR 5, SB 362 and SB 482 to the gaming-related list; the introduced text of SB 362 contains no occurrence of the word sweepstake, and none of the 27 measures of the 36th (2025) Special Session has a gaming title (S9, S10, S11)." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Nevada Gaming Control Board or Attorney General action naming an online sweepstakes casino in the sources checked on 2026-10-03. The Board's press releases and public statements page lists civil enforcement actions against prediction-market operators (Kalshi, Polymarket, Coinbase) and illegal sports-betting arrests, none naming a sweepstakes casino (S7). Its Notice 2026-04, Industry Guidance for Online Gaming Products (January 16, 2026), does not mention sweepstakes (S8). We did not search the Attorney General's news pages in depth (a fetch of the news listing returned no matching items).", "Bill coverage for 2025 is by title in the Legislature's NELIS lists for the 83rd Session and the 36th (2025) Special Session (S9, S11); texts were read only for AB 58, SB 46, SB 256, SB 362 and SB 459. NELIS lists no session after the 36th (2025) Special Session other than the 84th (2027) Session (S2), so we found no 2026 bills to check." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Senate Bill No. 256, 83rd Session (2025), as enrolled", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/83rd2025/Bills/SB/SB256_EN.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "SB256 (2025) bill overview and history, NELIS", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/83rd2025/Bill/12404/Overview", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Minutes of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, March 12, 2025", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/83rd2025/Minutes/Senate/JUD/Final/426.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Minutes of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary, May 1, 2025", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/83rd2025/Minutes/Assembly/JUD/Final/1016.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "NRS Chapter 462 (Lotteries), section 462.105", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-462.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Bills Signed by the Governor, 83rd Session (2025), NELIS", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/83rd2025/Bills/SignedByGovernor", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Press Releases / Public Statements", "publisher": "Nevada Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.gaming.nv.gov/about-us/press-releases-public-statements/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Notice to Licensees 2026-04, Industry Guidance for Online Gaming Products (January 16, 2026)", "publisher": "Nevada Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://www.gaming.nv.gov/siteassets/content/about/industry-notices/notice-2026-04.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Bills and resolutions list, 83rd (2025) Session, NELIS", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/83rd2025/HomeBill/BillsTab?selectedTab=List&Filters.DisplayTitles=true&Filters.PageSize=2000", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Senate Bill No. 362, 83rd Session (2025), as introduced", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/83rd2025/Bills/SB/SB362.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Bills and resolutions list, 36th (2025) Special Session, NELIS", "publisher": "Nevada Legislature", "url": "https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/NELIS/REL/36th2025Special/HomeBill/BillsTab?selectedTab=List", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "NY", "name": "New York", "slug": "new-york", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "A law in force since December 5, 2025 bars operating or promoting dual-currency online sweepstakes games; the Attorney General reached an $8 million settlement with VGW in 2026.", "laws": [ { "name": "S5935A (Laws 2025, ch. 605)", "cite": "N.Y. Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law section 912", "enacted": "2025-12-05", "enacted_note": "signed by the Governor as Chapter 605", "effective": "2025-12-05", "summary": "Defines an \"online sweepstakes game\" as an internet or mobile game, contest or promotion that uses a dual-currency system of payment letting the player exchange the currency for cash prizes, cash awards or cash equivalents and that simulates casino-style gaming, including slot machines, video poker, table games, lottery games, bingo or sports wagering. Makes it unlawful for any person or entity to operate, conduct or promote such games in New York, and for licensees, financial institutions, payment processors, geolocation providers, gaming content suppliers, platform providers and media affiliates to support them. Sets fines of $10,000 to $100,000 per violation, plus loss of or ineligibility for a gaming license, and lets the Gaming Commission, State Police or Attorney General investigate, hold hearings, issue cease and desist letters and issue subpoenas. The act states that it \"shall take effect immediately\"; the Senate bill page records the Governor's signature on December 5, 2025.", "quote": "It shall be unlawful for any applicant, licensed entity, gaming employee, key employee, individual investor or investment firm, board member, or any other person or entity to operate, conduct, or promote online sweepstakes games within the state of New York.", "covers_players": null, "source": "S3" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "A6745A (2025-2026 session)", "status": "substituted by S5935A", "date": "2025-06-13", "summary": "Assembly companion of S5935A. The Senate bill page lists the Assembly action of June 13, 2025 as \"Substituted For A6745a\"; S5935A then passed the Assembly on June 17, 2025 and was signed as Chapter 605 on December 5, 2025.", "source": "S1" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-06-06", "agency": "New York State Office of the Attorney General, working with the New York State Gaming Commission", "action": "cease-and-desist letters (announced)", "target": "Operators of 26 platforms, listed in the release as Chanced, Chumba, DingDingDing, Fliff, Fortune Coins, Fortune Wheelz, Funrize, FunzCity, Global Poker, Golden Hearts Games, High 5 Casino, Jackpota, Luckyland, McLuck, Mega Bonanza, NoLimitCoins, Play Fame, RealPrize, Sidepot, SpinBlitz, Sportzino, SweepSlots, Sweeptastic, TaoFortune, Yay Casino and Zula Casino", "summary": "The Attorney General announced that her office, working with the Gaming Commission, identified 26 online platforms offering slots, table games and sports betting with virtual coins that could be exchanged for cash and prizes, and sent cease and desist letters demanding that the operators stop all prohibited gambling activity in the state. The release states that \"as a result, all 26 platforms are ending the sale of sweepstakes coins in New York.\"", "status": "issued", "source": "S4" }, { "date": "2026-09-09", "agency": "New York State Office of the Attorney General", "action": "Assurance of Discontinuance No. 26-052 (effective August 31, 2026; announced September 9, 2026)", "target": "VGW Holdings Pty. Ltd., VGW Luckyland Inc., VGW Malta Limited and VGW GP Limited", "summary": "The Assurance sets out the Attorney General's findings that the respondents' Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker brands offered casino-style games played with gold coins and sweeps coins, with only sweeps coins redeemable for cash or gift cards; that in most specially marked packages the sweeps coins received were roughly equal to the dollar price; that the Attorney General warned VGW by letter on April 25, 2025; and that VGW stopped offering sweeps coins to New York residents on June 2, 2025. The respondents \"neither admit nor deny\" the findings. VGW agreed to pay $8,000,000 in disgorgement, restitution, penalties and costs, to comply with Penal Law sections 225.05, 225.10, 225.15 and 225.20, and, for one year from the effective date, to let New York consumers who did not receive its earlier notice request redemption of sweeps coins held on June 2, 2025.", "status": "settled", "source": "S7" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "registration and bonding", "summary": "A game, contest or promotion tied to the sale of consumer products or services that offers prizes determined by chance, without consideration, must be filed with the Secretary of State at least 30 days before it starts when the total announced prize value exceeds $5,000, with a $100 filing fee. The promoter must keep a trust account or post a bond equal to the total prize value, and must file a list of winners of prizes worth more than $25 within 90 days after the promotion ends. Failure to file the statement is a class B misdemeanor.", "cite": "N.Y. General Business Law section 369-e", "source": "S8" } ], "regulator": { "name": "New York State Gaming Commission", "url": "https://gaming.ny.gov/" }, "notes": [ "Section 912 leaves the definition of the currency model to the regulator: \"The state gaming commission shall determine what constitutes a dual-currency system pursuant to this paragraph.\" (S3)", "Section 912 addresses operators, promoters and those who support them; the word \"player\" appears only in its definition of an online sweepstakes game, and the text sets no prohibition or penalty for players. In a cease and desist letter it published, dated March 7, 2025 with the recipient redacted, the Attorney General's office wrote in a footnote that \"The Penal Law imposes no criminal liability on individual bettors\". That is the office's statement in a letter, not a provision of section 912. (S3, S5)", "The VGW Assurance refers to the 2025 law in paragraph 11 as \"Senate Bill S5925A\"; the Senate bill page and the printed bill identify it as S5935A, Chapter 605. (S1, S2, S7)", "The Attorney General's September 9, 2026 release says that, after the 2025 letters, \"the operators ended the sale of sweepstakes coins in New York.\" (S6)", "A date-sorted search of the Attorney General's press releases for \"sweepstakes\" on 2026-10-03 returned two releases on sweepstakes casinos (June 6, 2025 and September 9, 2026); the other 2026 results concerned prediction markets, Coinbase and Gemini, and a video game developer. (S9)", "The Assembly's bill pages, retrieved 2026-10-03, show the same history as the Senate page: A6745A (sponsor listed as Woerner) was \"substituted by s5935a\" on June 13, 2025, and S5935A \"passed assembly\" on June 17, 2025, was delivered to the Governor on December 1, 2025 and was \"SIGNED CHAP.605\" on December 5, 2025. (S10, S11)", "Comparison with our crackdown timeline: it lists S5935A (Ch. 605), signed December 5, 2025 and effective immediately, which matches the primary record. It says the Attorney General stated that all 26 platforms stopped selling sweeps coins; the June 6, 2025 release itself says they \"are ending the sale\", and the September 9, 2026 release says they ended it. The timeline does not yet record the September 9, 2026 VGW Assurance. (T1, S4, S6)" ], "gaps": [ "We found no 2026 New York bill specific to online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03. Bills surfaced by search were A11432 (historical horse racing, which would add a different section 912) and A11629 (live fish as prizes). The nysenate.gov keyword search did not apply our filter, so no full-text session search was completed.", "We did not locate a Gaming Commission determination of what constitutes a dual-currency system, or any Gaming Commission enforcement action; gaming.ny.gov returned HTTP 403 to our client on 2026-10-03.", "We found no published action brought under section 912 itself; the VGW Assurance cites Penal Law sections 225.10 and 225.20 and Executive Law section 63(12).", "nysenate.gov pages were read in a browser because direct requests received a Cloudflare challenge; the public comment section on the bill page was not saved because it contains private individuals' names." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Senate Bill S5935A, 2025-2026 Legislative Session (status and actions)", "publisher": "New York State Senate", "url": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5935/amendment/A", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "S. 5935--A, printed bill text", "publisher": "New York State Senate, Open Legislation", "url": "https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2025/S5935A", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law section 912 (revision from 2025-12-12)", "publisher": "New York State Senate, Open Legislation", "url": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PML/912", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Attorney General James Stops Illegal Online Sweepstakes Casinos (June 6, 2025)", "publisher": "New York State Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-stops-illegal-online-sweepstakes-casinos", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Cease and desist letter on sweepstakes casinos, dated March 7, 2025 (recipient redacted)", "publisher": "New York State Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/letters/sweepstakes-casinos-letters-letters-2025.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Attorney General James Secures $8 Million from Leading Operator of Illegal Online Sweepstakes Casinos (September 9, 2026)", "publisher": "New York State Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-secures-8-million-leading-operator-illegal-online", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Assurance of Discontinuance No. 26-052, In the Matter of VGW Holdings Pty. Ltd. et al. (effective August 31, 2026)", "publisher": "New York State Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/settlements-agreements/vgw-holdings-pty-ltd-aod-2026.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "General Business Law section 369-e, Use of games of chance in selling commodities (revision from 2014-09-22)", "publisher": "New York State Senate, Open Legislation", "url": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/GBS/369-E", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Press release search for \"sweepstakes\", sorted by date", "publisher": "New York State Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://ag.ny.gov/press-releases?search_api_fulltext=sweepstakes&sort_by=field_date&sort_order=DESC", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Assembly Bill A06745 (A6745A), 2025-2026 session, summary and actions", "publisher": "New York State Assembly", "url": "https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=A06745&term=2025&Summary=Y&Actions=Y", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Senate Bill S05935 (S5935A), 2025-2026 session, summary, actions and text", "publisher": "New York State Assembly", "url": "https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=&leg_video=&bn=S05935&term=2025&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Text=Y", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "T1", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (site page, compared against primaries)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "OH", "name": "Ohio", "slug": "ohio", "status": "bills-only", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found. HB 298, which would prohibit online dual-currency sweepstakes games, has been in a House committee since May 21, 2025.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "HB 298 (136th General Assembly, 2025-2026)", "status": "pending in committee: referred to the House Finance Committee May 21, 2025; the committee held hearings on May 27 and June 3, 2025; no vote or later action listed", "date": "2025-06-03", "summary": "Would authorize internet gambling regulated by the Ohio Casino Control Commission with a 28% tax on receipts, and would prohibit any person from conducting online sweepstakes games in Ohio. The Legislative Service Commission analysis says the bill defines an online sweepstakes game as a game, contest or promotion available online or through a mobile app or similar device that uses a dual-currency system of payment letting a player exchange the currency for a cash prize, cash award or cash equivalent (or a chance to win one), that simulates a gambling game, and that is not a form of gambling expressly permitted by law. Introduced May 20, 2025.", "source": "S1" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "definition of a sweepstakes", "summary": "Ohio's gambling chapter defines a sweepstakes as a promotion in which no consideration is required to enter: “any game, contest, advertising scheme or plan, or other promotion where consideration is not required for a person to enter to win or become eligible to receive any prize, the determination of which is based upon chance.”", "cite": "Ohio Rev. Code 2915.01(BBB)", "source": "S6" }, { "topic": "sweepstakes terminal devices (in-person)", "summary": "Conducting a sweepstakes with a sweepstakes terminal device at a sweepstakes terminal device facility requires a current annual certificate of registration from the Attorney General, and such a sweepstakes may not award, among other limits, a merchandise prize with a wholesale value over ten dollars as a single entry. These rules concern physical terminal devices, not online sweepstakes.", "cite": "Ohio Rev. Code 2915.02(A)(5) and (A)(6)", "source": "S7" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Ohio Casino Control Commission", "url": "https://casinocontrol.ohio.gov/" }, "notes": [ "HB 298's status page lists two actions: introduced May 20, 2025 and referred to the House Finance Committee May 21, 2025 (S2). Its committee activity page lists a first hearing in the House Finance Committee on May 27, 2025 and a second hearing on June 3, 2025, with no committee vote listed (S9). Its long title says the bill would “prohibit online sweepstakes games” (S3). The legislature's site lists the 136th General Assembly as 2025-2026 (S8), so the bill remains pending in committee as of October 3, 2026.", "Per the Legislative Service Commission analysis, HB 298 would expand the criminal offense of gambling in Ohio Rev. Code 2915.01 and 2915.02 to include conducting, or participating in the conduct of, a sweepstakes in the form of an online sweepstakes game (S1).", "SB 197 (136th General Assembly), an internet-gambling bill introduced May 13, 2025 and referred to the Senate Select Committee on Gaming May 14, 2025 (S4), is not listed as a sweepstakes-casino bill: its Legislative Service Commission analysis describes its sweepstakes provisions as transferring oversight of sweepstakes terminal devices from the Attorney General to the Casino Control Commission as of January 1, 2027, and does not describe an online sweepstakes prohibition (S5)." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Ohio Casino Control Commission or Ohio Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03. The commission's news pages (casinocontrol.ohio.gov/news) load through a portal that returned no searchable release text to our fetch, and we could not run a keyword search of the Attorney General's releases, so this is a bounded negative.", "The Ohio Legislature's legislation search loads its results by script and returned nothing to our fetch. Bills other than HB 298 and SB 197 were not systematically searched, so a 2026 bill on the subject could be missing.", "Private lawsuits by players against sweepstakes-casino operators were not surveyed for this record; they are not state action." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "H.B. 298 Bill Analysis, As Introduced (May 20, 2025)", "publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission", "url": "https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/download?key=25325", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "House Bill 298 Status, 136th General Assembly", "publisher": "Ohio Legislature", "url": "https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb298/status", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "House Bill 298, 136th General Assembly (summary and long title)", "publisher": "Ohio Legislature", "url": "https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb298", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Senate Bill 197 Status, 136th General Assembly", "publisher": "Ohio Legislature", "url": "https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/sb197/status", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "S.B. 197 Bill Analysis, As Introduced (May 13, 2025)", "publisher": "Ohio Legislative Service Commission", "url": "https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/download?key=25254", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Ohio Revised Code 2915.01 Gambling definitions (effective September 30, 2025)", "publisher": "Ohio Legislature (codes.ohio.gov)", "url": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2915.01", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Ohio Revised Code 2915.02 Gambling", "publisher": "Ohio Legislature (codes.ohio.gov)", "url": "https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2915.02", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Search Legislation (General Assembly selector)", "publisher": "Ohio Legislature", "url": "https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/search", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "House Bill 298 Committee Activity, 136th General Assembly", "publisher": "Ohio Legislature", "url": "https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb298/committee", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "OK", "name": "Oklahoma", "slug": "oklahoma", "status": "law-pending", "status_line": "Senate Bill 1589, enacted over the governor's veto on May 14, 2026, adds online casino games played with dual-currency systems to a felony gambling statute effective November 1, 2026.", "laws": [ { "name": "SB 1589 (Laws 2026, c. 394)", "cite": "21 O.S. section 941", "enacted": "2026-05-14", "enacted_note": "veto overridden: Senate 34 to 10 and House 68 to 19, both on May 14, 2026; the Senate Journal records the governor's veto as dated May 7, 2026", "effective": "2026-11-01", "summary": "Amends Oklahoma's gambling statute. It defines \"online casino games\" as internet games, on devices including phones, smart watches and tablets, that upon risking any representative of value simulate a gambling game, and defines \"representative of value\" to include currency in a dual-currency system that can be exchanged for a prize, cash or cash equivalent. Anyone who opens, conducts or carries on such games, or who as owner, employee, geolocation provider, gaming supplier, platform provider, promoter or media affiliate deals or provides support for them, is guilty of a Class C2 felony, with a fine of $500 to $2,000 plus imprisonment under 21 O.S. section 20M. Games under the Oklahoma Charity Games Act and tribal gaming conducted under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act are excepted. Section 2 of the enrolled bill reads: \"This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.\"", "quote": "any and all currency used as part of a dual-currency system of payment that allows a person to exchange such currency for any prize, award, cash, or cash equivalent", "covers_players": "The amended section does not use the words player or bettor. A separate section that SB 1589 does not amend, 21 O.S. section 942 (S4), makes it a misdemeanor for \"Any person who bets or plays at any of said prohibited games\", punishable by a fine of $25 to $100, one to 30 days in county jail, or both. We draw no conclusion about whether or how that section applies to online sweepstakes play.", "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 1589 (2026 session)", "status": "enacted over the governor's veto (see laws)", "date": "2026-05-14", "summary": "Passed the Senate 48 to 0 on March 2, 2026 and the House 65 to 21 on May 4, 2026; vetoed; veto overridden in both chambers on May 14, 2026 and filed with the Secretary of State the same day.", "source": "S2" }, { "name": "HB 4130 (2026 session)", "status": "not enacted; last recorded action was a committee report on 2026-02-26 (do pass, as amended by committee substitute, Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight Committee)", "date": "2026-02-26", "summary": "House measure authored by Representative Fetgatter, with Senator Gollihare added as principal Senate author, captioned \"Crimes and punishments; gambling games; scope of crime to include online casino games; specifying types of providers and suppliers\". The bill history records no floor vote.", "source": "S7" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery as any scheme for distributing property by chance among persons who have paid or agreed to pay valuable consideration for the chance, whatever it is called, and states that valuable consideration \"shall be construed to mean money or goods of actual pecuniary value\". The section lists exceptions, including the state lottery and certain merchant ticket drawings run with a Chamber of Commerce.", "cite": "21 O.S. section 1051", "source": "S8" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Unit", "url": "https://oklahoma.gov/oag/about/divisions/cpu/consumer-resources.html" }, "notes": [ "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline row for Oklahoma, as corrected on October 3, 2026, gives the veto override as May 14, 2026 and the effective date as November 1, 2026. The bill history (S2) and the Senate Journal for May 14, 2026 (S6) agree. Before the correction the timeline gave May 15, 2026.", "The governor's veto message (S5) states: \"This bill is so broad that it criminalizes everyday apps people use for fun.\" The Legislature overrode the veto seven days after the veto date.", "The Oklahoma State Courts Network lists the amended text of 21 O.S. section 941 as Laws 2026, SB 1589, c. 394, effective November 1, 2026, with the earlier version in force until then (S3).", "On August 6, 2025 the Attorney General announced that he and a coalition of 50 attorneys general had asked the U.S. Department of Justice to help combat what the release calls illegal offshore gaming (S9). The release does not mention sweepstakes casinos, and we do not count it as enforcement aimed at them." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Oklahoma bill on online sweepstakes casinos from the 2025 session in the sources checked on 2026-10-03: web searches limited to oklegislature.gov, oksenate.gov and okhouse.gov, and trade-press searches. We did not run the legislature's full-text search of measures.", "We found no Oklahoma Attorney General or other state enforcement action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos since 2022 in a search of the Attorney General's newsroom on oklahoma.gov on 2026-10-03.", "We found no state guidance addressed to players in the legislative record we opened." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Enrolled Senate Bill No. 1589", "publisher": "Oklahoma Legislature", "url": "https://www.oklegislature.gov/cf_pdf/2025-26%20ENR/SB/SB1589%20ENR.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill Information for SB 1589 (2026 Regular Session), history", "publisher": "Oklahoma Legislature", "url": "http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1589&Session=2600", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "21 O.S. section 941, Definitions - Conducting - Penalty (effective 11/01/2026)", "publisher": "Oklahoma State Courts Network", "url": "https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=69441", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "21 O.S. section 942", "publisher": "Oklahoma State Courts Network", "url": "https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=69442", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Veto message, Enrolled Senate Bill 1589", "publisher": "Office of the Governor of Oklahoma (govdelivery attachment)", "url": "https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OKGOV/2026/05/13/file_attachments/3650097/Veto%20Message%20SB%201589.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Senate Journal, May 14, 2026", "publisher": "Oklahoma State Senate", "url": "https://www.oksenate.gov/sites/default/files/2026-07/sj20260514.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Bill Information for HB 4130 (2026 Regular Session), history", "publisher": "Oklahoma Legislature", "url": "http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB4130&Session=2600", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "21 O.S. section 1051, Lottery Defined - Exceptions", "publisher": "Oklahoma State Courts Network", "url": "https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=69564", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Drummond asks U.S. Justice Department to help combat illegal offshore gaming (Aug. 6, 2025)", "publisher": "Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://oklahoma.gov/oag/news/newsroom/2025/august/drummond-asks-us-justice-department-to-help-combat-illegal-offshore-gaming.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "OR", "name": "Oregon", "slug": "oregon", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Oregon statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or state enforcement action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "sweepstakes solicitation disclosures", "summary": "A person soliciting participation in a sweepstakes in the course of business must clearly and conspicuously disclose the odds of winning in Arabic numerals (or that the odds depend on the number of entries), the sponsor's name and address, and \"The procedure for entry without purchase.\" The section defines a sweepstakes as a procedure for awarding a prize based on chance, including ones where a purchase or payment is required or appears to be required.", "cite": "ORS 646A.803(1)(b), (3)", "source": "S2" }, { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery as \"an unlawful gambling scheme in which: (a) The players pay or agree to pay something of value for chances\", winning chances are determined by a drawing or other method, and holders of winning chances receive something of value.", "cite": "ORS 167.117(12)", "source": "S3" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Oregon Department of Justice, Consumer Protection", "url": "https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/" }, "notes": [ "The Legislature's open-data measure records for the 2025 and 2026 regular sessions contain no measure whose catchline or summary mentions sweepstakes, casino or gaming; the only match for gambling is SB 914 (2025), on problem-gambling helpline information on lottery billboards (S1).", "Oregon's definition of gambling excludes contests of chance played for tokens other than money where, among other conditions, a contestant may not buy more than $100 of tokens in any 24-hour period and the tokens may be exchanged only for property other than money (ORS 167.117(7)(b)) (S3). We do not assess whether any online product meets those conditions.", "The Oregon Attorney General is among the attorneys general listed as joining an August 2025 multistate letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to help address illegal offshore gaming, per the Alaska Department of Law's release (S4). The release does not mention sweepstakes, so we do not list it as an action aimed at sweepstakes casinos." ], "gaps": [ "The open-data search matched measure catchlines and summaries, not full bill text (S1).", "The Oregon Department of Justice site search did not return server-rendered results for sweepstakes to our query, so it is not a reliable negative; a web search limited to doj.state.or.us on October 3, 2026 returned sweepstakes scam alerts and charitable gaming pages, none about sweepstakes casinos. The Oregon State Lottery and the Oregon State Police were not checked." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "OData Measures queries for sessions 2025R1 and 2026R1 (keywords sweepstake, casino, gaming, gambling, prize)", "publisher": "Oregon Legislature open data API", "url": "https://api.oregonlegislature.gov/odata/odataservice.svc/Measures", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "ORS Chapter 646A, section 646A.803", "publisher": "Oregon Legislature", "url": "https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors646a.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "ORS Chapter 167, section 167.117", "publisher": "Oregon Legislature", "url": "https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors167.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "AG Taylor Joins 50 States Urging U.S. Department of Justice to Help Address Illegal Offshore Gaming (August 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Alaska Department of Law", "url": "https://www.law.alaska.gov/press/releases/2025/080525-Gaming.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "PA", "name": "Pennsylvania", "slug": "pennsylvania", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found; the Gaming Control Board told lawmakers in April 2025 it had sent about 18 cease-and-desist letters, and a 2026 bill with a sweepstakes ban sits in committee.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "HB 2801 (2025-2026 session)", "status": "referred to the House Gaming Oversight Committee; no later action shown", "date": "2026-09-24", "summary": "A broad gaming bill (printer's number 3912, sponsored by Representative Russ Diamond) that, among many other changes, would add 4 Pa.C.S. section 13B64, \"Sweepstakes games prohibited.\" The text makes it unlawful for a person or entity to operate, conduct or promote online sweepstakes games in the Commonwealth, or to support or assist them, with fines of $50,000 to $500,000 per violation, revocation of a gaming license and a bar on receiving one. It defines an online sweepstakes game as an internet or mobile game, contest or promotion that uses a dual-currency system of payment allowing the player to exchange the currency for a prize, award, cash or cash equivalent and that simulates casino-style gaming, and excludes games that do not award cash prizes or cash equivalents. The Gaming Control Board and the Attorney General could investigate and issue cease and desist orders. (Status: S1; text: S2.)", "source": "S1" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-04-07", "agency": "Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, Office of Enforcement Counsel", "action": "cease-and-desist letters, as described in testimony to the House Gaming Oversight Committee", "target": "Online sweepstakes casino operators, not named in the testimony", "summary": "At an April 7, 2025 House Gaming Oversight Committee hearing on sweepstakes, the Board's Chief Enforcement Counsel testified that the Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement investigates these sites and \"if found illegal, the Office of Enforcement Counsel issues Cease and Desist Letters\", adding: \"To date, we've issued approximately eighteen such letters, all of which have been promptly complied with.\" The Board's Chief Counsel told the committee that the Board can act only against entities that voluntarily submit to its oversight and lacks authority to pursue legal action for criminal law violations.", "status": "issued", "source": "S3" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery offense", "summary": "Makes it a first-degree misdemeanor to set up or maintain any lottery or numbers game, to sell or hold for sale unlawful lottery tickets or devices, or to advertise a lottery; declares unlawful lotteries common nuisances; states that the purchaser of a ticket or device is not liable to prosecution; and defines \"unlawful\" as \"not specifically authorized by law.\" The section does not itself define a lottery.", "cite": "18 Pa.C.S. section 5512", "source": "S5" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board", "url": "https://gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov/" }, "notes": [ "In the same testimony the Board's Chief Enforcement Counsel said: \"Sweepstakes casinos, despite their misleading presentation, are, in our assessment, illegal online gambling.\" That is the Board's stated assessment, not a court ruling. (S3)", "The Board's Chief Counsel testified that sweepstakes \"challenge the element of ‘consideration’\", while in-person skill games challenge the chance element, and the Chief Enforcement Counsel said the Board had \"shifted our focus to platform providers like Google, Microsoft, and Apple, urging them to restrict or remove these illegal sites from their platforms.\" (S3)", "A House co-sponsorship memo circulated April 7, 2025 by Representative Joe McAndrew, \"Ending Sweepstakes Loopholes for Unregulated Online Social Casinos and Gaming Providers\", announced plans to introduce legislation; the memo page showed no bill introduced from it on 2026-10-03. (S4)", "Our crackdown timeline does not list Pennsylvania; the primary record above is consistent with that, since no statute was found. (T1)" ], "gaps": [ "The testimony does not name the recipients or dates of the roughly 18 letters, and we found no published list of them in the sources checked on 2026-10-03. The Board's 2024-2025 annual report mentions cease-and-desist orders against unlicensed operators generally without naming sweepstakes sites.", "The Pennsylvania Attorney General's site search for \"sweepstakes\" on 2026-10-03 returned one result, a \"Protecting Seniors\" page, and no action on sweepstakes casinos; we found no Attorney General action on sweepstakes casinos. (S6)", "We did not complete a full-text search of all 2025-2026 Pennsylvania bills. HB 2801 and the McAndrew memo were located by web search and confirmed on palegis.us; other bills surfaced by the same search (SB 465, HB 2790, SB 810, SB 442, SB 1314, HB 1919) were opened and do not concern sweepstakes casinos. A site-restricted web search of palegis.us for \"sweepstakes\" on 2026-10-03 also surfaced SB 376, SB 423, SB 450, SB 1023, HB 1050, HB 2400 and HR 60, which were opened and do not concern sweepstakes casinos, and House co-sponsorship memo 48824 (June 3, 2026), which concerns safeguards for licensed online gambling and names no sweepstakes legislation.", "palegis.us statute pages load their text in a frame; section 5512 was read from the frame URL." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "House Bill 2801, 2025-2026 Regular Session (bill information and history)", "publisher": "Pennsylvania General Assembly", "url": "https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/2025/hb2801", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "HB 2801, printer's number 3912, bill text", "publisher": "Pennsylvania General Assembly", "url": "https://www.palegis.us/legislation/bills/text/PDF/2025/0/HB2801/PN3912", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "House Gaming Oversight Committee, 7 April 2025, Hearing on Sweepstakes: testimony of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board's Chief Counsel and Chief Enforcement Counsel", "publisher": "Pennsylvania General Assembly", "url": "https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/TR/Transcripts/2025_0134_0003_TSTMNY.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "House Co-Sponsorship Memo 46324, Ending Sweepstakes Loopholes for Unregulated Online Social Casinos and Gaming Providers (April 7, 2025)", "publisher": "Pennsylvania House of Representatives", "url": "https://www.palegis.us/house/co-sponsorship/memo?memoID=46324", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Title 18, section 5512, Lotteries, etc.", "publisher": "Pennsylvania General Assembly", "url": "https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=18&div=0&chapter=55§ion=12&subsctn=0&iFrame=true", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Site search results for \"sweepstakes\"", "publisher": "Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General", "url": "https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "T1", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (site page, compared against primaries)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "RI", "name": "Rhode Island", "slug": "rhode-island", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Rhode Island statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or regulator action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "registration of retail game promotions", "summary": "A person proposing a game, contest or other promotion in which a retail establishment offers prizes determined by chance to promote its retail business, where the total announced prize value offered to the public is over $500, must file a statement with the Secretary of State giving the number of participating and prize-winning objects, the odds, the minimum prize value and the rules, including the period and geographic area. The filing fee is $150, and failure to file is a misdemeanor.", "cite": "R.I. Gen. Laws section 11-50-1", "source": "S1" }, { "topic": "posting of prizes, rules and winners", "summary": "A promotion covered by section 11-50-1 must post, in a conspicuous location in every participating retail establishment, the minimum number and value of prizes, the rules, and the names and addresses of prize winners. Failure to post is a misdemeanor.", "cite": "R.I. Gen. Laws section 11-50-2", "source": "S2" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Rhode Island Attorney General's Office, Protect Rhode Island Consumers", "url": "https://riag.ri.gov/what-we-do/protect-rhode-island-consumers" }, "notes": [ "The Legislature's status reports list ten 2025 bills and ten 2026 bills in the Gambling category, and nine 2025 and five 2026 bills in the Lottery category. None of their titles or descriptions mentions sweepstakes or dual-currency games. The only item that mentions iGaming is 2025 S 623 / H 5643, which amends casino crime provisions for iGaming and age limits; the rest concern sports wagering, bingo, fantasy sports, social gaming in private settings, casino employment and the Twin River master contracts, among others (S3, S4, S5, S6). The Consumer Affairs category lists three 2025 bills and thirteen 2026 bills, none of which mentions sweepstakes (S8)." ], "gaps": [ "Bill coverage relies on the Legislature's Legislative Status Report for the Gambling and Lottery subject categories in 2025 and 2026 (S3 to S6). The system has no keyword search, so a sweepstakes bill filed under another subject category could be missing.", "The Attorney General's site search returned HTTP 403 to our request on October 3, 2026 (https://riag.ri.gov/search?keys=sweepstakes), and we did not locate a searchable archive of Division of Lottery releases. The Attorney General's press-release listing, 16 pages running from June 11, 2025 to September 29, 2026, shows no release about sweepstakes; its gambling-related release concerns a suit against Kalshi and Polymarket over sports event contracts, not an online sweepstakes casino (S7). We found no Rhode Island action against an online sweepstakes casino in the sources we opened, which is a bounded result, not a complete review of state agency records." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "R.I. Gen. Laws section 11-50-1, Filing requirement", "publisher": "State of Rhode Island General Assembly", "url": "https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE11/11-50/11-50-1.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "R.I. Gen. Laws section 11-50-2, Posting of available prizes, rules and winners", "publisher": "State of Rhode Island General Assembly", "url": "https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE11/11-50/11-50-2.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Legislative Status Report, Session Year 2025, Category Gambling", "publisher": "State of Rhode Island General Assembly", "url": "https://status.rilegislature.gov/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Legislative Status Report, Session Year 2025, Category Lottery", "publisher": "State of Rhode Island General Assembly", "url": "https://status.rilegislature.gov/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Legislative Status Report, Session Year 2026, Category Gambling", "publisher": "State of Rhode Island General Assembly", "url": "https://status.rilegislature.gov/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Legislative Status Report, Session Year 2026, Category Lottery", "publisher": "State of Rhode Island General Assembly", "url": "https://status.rilegislature.gov/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Press releases listing (pages 1 to 16)", "publisher": "Rhode Island Attorney General's Office", "url": "https://riag.ri.gov/press-releases", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Legislative Status Report, Session Years 2025 and 2026, Category Consumer Affairs", "publisher": "State of Rhode Island General Assembly", "url": "https://status.rilegislature.gov/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "SC", "name": "South Carolina", "slug": "south-carolina", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no South Carolina statute, bill or state enforcement aimed at sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "prize promotion disclosures and fees", "summary": "Under the Prizes and Gifts Act, anyone who, in connection with a sale or lease, tells a person they have a chance to win must clearly disclose who runs the promotion and all material conditions, including each prize's actual retail value, the number of each prize and the odds. A separate section bars requiring payment of excessive shipping or handling charges as a condition of receiving a prize; a violation is an unfair trade practice. Section 37-15-40(D) says that section does not apply where a participant is asked only to complete and mail or deposit an entry blank, or call in an entry, or is never required to listen to a sales presentation to receive the prize, or is never required to pay for anything other than as disclosed in the award rules.", "cite": "S.C. Code Ann. sections 37-15-40, 37-15-70 and 37-15-90", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "South Carolina Attorney General", "url": "https://www.scag.gov/" }, "notes": [ "A search of 2025-2026 (Session 126) legislation on the Legislature's site for “sweepstakes” returned one match, a resolution honoring a high school marching band; searches for “dual currency,” “online casino,” “simulated gambling” and “internet gambling” returned none (S2).", "H. 4176 (2025), titled Gaming Commission, was introduced March 6, 2025, reported by the House Ways and Means Committee April 30, 2025, and recommitted to that committee January 28, 2026, where it sits; the retrieved text does not contain the word sweepstakes (S3).", "Our crackdown timeline does not mention South Carolina; nothing here conflicts with it." ], "gaps": [ "The Attorney General's site search for “sweepstakes” did not return a results list on 2026-10-03; the negative on enforcement rests on that attempt and on web searches, not on a full review of the office's releases.", "We found no South Carolina gaming regulator with authority over online play; no agency list of unlicensed sites was found." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 37, Chapter 15, Prizes and Gifts", "publisher": "South Carolina Legislature", "url": "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t37c015.php", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Legislation search, Session 126 (2025-2026), query “sweepstakes”", "publisher": "South Carolina Legislature", "url": "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/query.php?search=SEARCH&searchtext=sweepstakes&category=LEGISLATION&conid=0000&session=126", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "2025-2026 Bill 4176: Gaming Commission", "publisher": "South Carolina Legislature", "url": "https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4176.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "SD", "name": "South Dakota", "slug": "south-dakota", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or enforcement action found in the sources checked; a 2000 law makes running an internet gambling business from South Dakota a felony.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "South Dakota's gambling chapter defines a lottery as a plan in which, for a valuable consideration, money is raised by selling chances to share in the distribution of prizes.", "cite": "S.D. Codified Laws 22-25-24", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "South Dakota Commission on Gaming (Department of Revenue)", "url": "https://dor.sd.gov/individuals/gaming/" }, "notes": [ "South Dakota's internet gambling chapter, enacted in 2000, bars a person engaged in a gambling business from using the internet to bet or wager and bars anyone from establishing a location or site in the state to conduct a gambling business over the internet; a first offense is a Class 6 felony, and the Attorney General may notify a gambling business that its website is illegal in the state (S2, S3, S4, S5). The chapter does not mention sweepstakes.", "On August 4, 2025 the South Dakota Commission on Gaming alerted the public to fraudulent online casinos falsely claiming to be affiliated with licensed South Dakota gaming establishments, some imitating the branding of Deadwood and tribal casinos, and stated that under South Dakota law any online platform offering casino-style games such as slots, table games, sports wagering or digital card games is not authorized (S6). The alert does not mention sweepstakes casinos, so it is not listed as enforcement aimed at them.", "Bill titles in the 2025 and 2026 sessions include video lottery limits, gaming revenue distribution, online pari-mutuel wagering licensure, bingo for booster clubs and proposed constitutional amendments on mobile sports wagering; none concerns online sweepstakes casinos (S7)." ], "gaps": [ "The Attorney General's site search for sweepstakes returned an error page on 2026-10-03. The press release list as served covers October 6, 2025 to October 2, 2026 and contains no item about sweepstakes casinos or online gambling; earlier releases were not reviewed (S8).", "We filtered bill titles, not full bill text.", "The Department of Revenue site search (dor.sd.gov/search) returned no results for sweepstakes and also for the control term casino on 2026-10-03, so it was not a usable check of the Commission on Gaming's own pages." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "S.D. Codified Laws 22-25-24, Lottery defined", "publisher": "South Dakota Legislature", "url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-25-24", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "S.D. Codified Laws 22-25A-7, Internet betting by person engaged in gambling business prohibited", "publisher": "South Dakota Legislature", "url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-25A-7", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "S.D. Codified Laws 22-25A-8, Establishment of internet gambling business prohibited", "publisher": "South Dakota Legislature", "url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-25A-8", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "S.D. Codified Laws 22-25A-10, Violation a felony", "publisher": "South Dakota Legislature", "url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-25A-10", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "S.D. Codified Laws 22-25A-12, Notification of illegal web site and penalties", "publisher": "South Dakota Legislature", "url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/22-25A-12", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Beware of Fraudulent Online Casinos Targeting Individuals (August 4, 2025)", "publisher": "South Dakota Department of Revenue, Commission on Gaming", "url": "https://dor.sd.gov/newsroom/beware-of-fraudulent-online-casinos-targeting-individuals/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Bills by session, 2025 (session 70) and 2026 (session 71)", "publisher": "South Dakota Legislature", "url": "https://sdlegislature.gov/api/Bills/Session/71", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Press releases", "publisher": "South Dakota Attorney General", "url": "https://atg.sd.gov/OurOffice/Media/pressreleases.aspx", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "TN", "name": "Tennessee", "slug": "tennessee", "status": "law-in-force", "status_line": "Public Chapter 1117, in effect since May 22, 2026, makes operating or promoting online sweepstakes games a Consumer Protection Act violation; the AG announced letters on December 29, 2025.", "laws": [ { "name": "SB 2136 / HB 1885 (Public Chapter 1117, 2026)", "cite": "Tenn. Code Ann. sections 47-18-5901 to 47-18-5904 (new part added by Pub. Ch. 1117, section 1)", "enacted": "2026-05-22", "enacted_note": "signed by the governor; Public Chapter number assigned May 27, 2026", "effective": "2026-05-22", "summary": "Defines an “online sweepstakes game” as gambling in a game, contest or promotion that is available on the internet, uses a virtual, dual or multi-currency system in which a currency that is bought, received as a bonus, or received free with another purchase can be exchanged for a prize or cash, and simulates gambling such as slots, table games, lottery games, bingo or unlicensed sports wagering. Declares the operation, conducting or commercial promoting of such games unlawful, makes a violation an unfair or deceptive act under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977, reaches anyone who supports, facilitates or assists in their operation, and expands the Attorney General's investigative powers. Section 11 says the act takes effect upon becoming a law.", "quote": "the operation, conducting, or commercial promoting of online sweepstakes games and other forms of online or app-based gambling are unlawful", "covers_players": "The remedies in section 47-18-5902(b) attach to a person who offers or accepts wagers or entry fees, operates or commercially promotes online sweepstakes games, sells or hosts gambling devices, or supports or facilitates their operation; that list does not name players. Subsection (a) states that gambling is unlawful.", "source": "S1" } ], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 2136 / HB 1885 (114th General Assembly, 2026)", "status": "enacted as Public Chapter 1117", "date": "2026-05-22", "summary": "Passed the Senate 32 to 0 on March 2, 2026 and the House as amended 67 to 20 on April 21, 2026; the chambers adopted a conference committee report on April 23, 2026 (Senate 25 to 5, House 69 to 17); signed by the governor May 22, 2026.", "source": "S2" } ], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-12-29", "agency": "Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter", "action": "cease-and-desist letters", "target": "38 brands listed in the release, from American Luck to Zula Casino (full list in notes)", "summary": "The release says the office sent formal cease-and-desist letters to “almost forty online sweepstakes casinos” and that every recipient had disabled the components the office called unlawful or agreed on a wind-down date. It states the office's position that the promotional sweepstakes model “constitutes an illegal lottery prohibited by the Tennessee Constitution”.", "status": "issued", "source": "S5" }, { "date": "2025-10-23", "agency": "Tennessee Sports Wagering Council", "action": "cease-and-desist letters (announced in a release)", "target": "ReBet (named in the same release as BetWhale.ag and Kickr)", "summary": "The Council's release says ReBet “offered social sportsbook sweepstakes” and that ReBet, BetWhale.ag and Kickr “have all shut down these offerings after the SWC issued cease and desist letters”. The release concerns sports-related offerings, not casino-style games.", "status": "issued", "source": "S7" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery prohibition", "summary": "The state constitution bars the legislature from authorizing lotteries other than the state education lottery and certain annual charitable events approved by a two-thirds vote, and directs it to prohibit the sale of lottery tickets: “The Legislature shall have no power to authorize lotteries for any purpose, and shall pass laws to prohibit the sale of lottery tickets in this state”. The Attorney General's December 29, 2025 release says the sweepstakes model “constitutes an illegal lottery prohibited by the Tennessee Constitution” but does not cite a section (S5).", "cite": "Tenn. Const. art. XI, section 5", "source": "S6" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter, Consumer Affairs", "url": "https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/working-for-tennessee/consumer-affairs.html" }, "notes": [ "Brands listed in the Attorney General's December 29, 2025 release as recipients that indicated intent to comply: American Luck, Cazino, Chanced, Chumba, Crown Coins Casino, Fortune Coins, Fortune Wheelz, Funrize, FunzCity, Global Poker, Golden Hearts Games, Hello Millions, High 5 Casino, iCasino, Jackpota, Legendz, LoneStar, Luckyland, McLuck, Mega Bonanza, MegaFrenzy, Modo, Moonspin, NoLimitCoins, PlayFame, Punt, RealPrize, Rolla, SpinBlitz, Sportzino, Spree Social Casino, Stake, StormRush, Tao Fortune, The Money Factory, WOW Vegas, Yay Casino, Zula Casino.", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline lists SB 2136 / HB 1885 as signed May 22, 2026 with the effective date left unstated. The General Assembly's bill page records “Effective date(s) 05/22/2026” and Public Chapter 1117 assigned May 27, 2026, and section 11 of the act says it takes effect upon becoming a law (S1, S2). The signature date agrees.", "Timeline check: the timeline says the Attorney General announced letters to nearly 40 platforms on December 29, 2025. The release says “almost forty” and names 38 brands (S5).", "The Fiscal Review Committee memorandum dated February 13, 2026 rated the fiscal impact of the bill as amended “NOT SIGNIFICANT” (S4). The enacted text is the conference committee version (S3).", "The Sports Wagering Council also announced that Legendz, “an online social entertainment platform that offered a social sportsbook,” stopped offering those services in Tennessee on April 8, 2025 after the Council sent it a letter about potential violations of the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act (S8), and that Sportzino “has shut down its sports-related sweepstakes operations in Tennessee” (release dated September 18, 2025, which does not say what action preceded the exit) (S9). Both concern sports wagering offerings.", "“Chanced” is one of the online sweepstakes casinos named in the Attorney General's December 29, 2025 release. It is not Chance Infinite, the app operated by this site's publisher, Luck Incorporated LLC; Chance Infinite does not appear in the release (S5)." ], "gaps": [ "We found no Tennessee enforcement action under Public Chapter 1117 itself (lawsuit or settlement) in the sources checked on 2026-10-03; the Attorney General's site was checked only for the December 2025 release, and the Sports Wagering Council's newsroom list was reviewed (S10).", "We found no other 2025 or 2026 Tennessee bill on online sweepstakes casinos in a web search limited to capitol.tn.gov; the General Assembly's keyword search was not run directly.", "We found no state-run site publishing Tennessee Code Annotated; the act text is cited from the Secretary of State's Public Chapter PDF, which is a scanned image with some OCR errors (for example subsection (B) reads as (8))." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Public Chapter No. 1117 (Senate Bill No. 2136), 2026", "publisher": "Tennessee Secretary of State", "url": "https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc1117.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill Information: SB 2136 / HB 1885, 114th General Assembly", "publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly", "url": "https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=SB2136&GA=114", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Conference Committee Report on House Bill No. 1885 / Senate Bill No. 2136 (CC0017)", "publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly", "url": "https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/CCRReports/CC0017.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "HB 1885 - SB 2136 Fiscal Memorandum (February 13, 2026)", "publisher": "Tennessee General Assembly, Fiscal Review Committee", "url": "https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/FM1572.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Tennessee Attorney General's Office Cracks Down on Illegal Online Sweepstake Casinos (December 29, 2025)", "publisher": "Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter", "url": "https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/news/2025/12/29/pr25-61.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Constitution of the State of Tennessee (2023 publication), Article XI, Section 5", "publisher": "Tennessee Secretary of State", "url": "https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/pub/2023%20TN%20Constitution.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Three More Illegal Sports Gaming Entities Stop Operations In Tennessee (October 23, 2025)", "publisher": "Tennessee Sports Wagering Council", "url": "https://www.tn.gov/swac/about/tennessee-sports-wagering-council-newroom/2025/10/23/three-more-illegal-sports-gaming-entities-stop-operations-in-tennessee.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Legendz No Longer Offering Sportsbook Services In Tennessee (April 29, 2025)", "publisher": "Tennessee Sports Wagering Council", "url": "https://www.tn.gov/swac/about/tennessee-sports-wagering-council-newroom/2025/4/29/legendz-no-longer-offering-sportsbook-services-in-tennessee.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Sportzino No Longer Offering Services In Tennessee (September 18, 2025)", "publisher": "Tennessee Sports Wagering Council", "url": "https://www.tn.gov/swac/about/tennessee-sports-wagering-council-newroom/2025/9/18/sportzino-no-longer-offering-services-in-tennessee.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Sports Wagering Council newsroom", "publisher": "Tennessee Sports Wagering Council", "url": "https://www.tn.gov/swac/about/tennessee-sports-wagering-council-newroom.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "TX", "name": "Texas", "slug": "texas", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Texas statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or state enforcement action specific to online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery as \"any scheme or procedure whereby one or more prizes are distributed by chance among persons who have paid or promised consideration for a chance to win anything of value\", whatever it is called.", "cite": "Tex. Penal Code section 47.01(7)", "source": "S4" }, { "topic": "mail sweepstakes rules", "summary": "Chapter 622 applies only to sweepstakes conducted through the mail whose most valuable prize is worth $50,000 or more. Such a sweepstakes may not require an order or purchase to enter or automatically enter purchasers, and section 622.101(a) bars an entry mechanism that is connected to ordering, is not identical for all entrants, and lacks the printed statement beginning \"Buying Will Not Help You Win.\" The Attorney General may sue for civil penalties of $5,000 to $50,000 per violation; there is no private right of action.", "cite": "Tex. Bus. & Com. Code sections 622.051, 622.052, 622.101, 622.202 and 622.205", "source": "S5" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Texas Attorney General, Consumer Protection (Lotteries and Sweepstakes)", "url": "https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/financial-and-insurance-scams/lotteries-sweepstakes" }, "notes": [ "SB 517 of the 89th Legislature (2025) passed the Senate on May 8, 2025 and was received in the House the same day, its last recorded action (S1). Its engrossed text would have amended the Penal Code definitions of \"gambling device\" and \"thing of value\" (adding gift cards and other representations of value) and raised several gambling offenses to third-degree felonies (S2). The text does not mention the internet, online play or sweepstakes. Trade press (S6, secondary) suggested its definitions could affect online sweepstakes platforms. We do not count it as a sweepstakes-casino bill.", "The legislature's GAMBLING subject report for the 89th Regular Session lists 19 measures (S3). None of their captions mentions sweepstakes or online play, and the introduced texts of HB 487, HB 2996 and HB 4132 that we opened do not contain the words sweepstakes, internet or online (S7, S8, S9).", "Our crackdown timeline does not mention Texas." ], "gaps": [ "We did not obtain bill lists for the 2025 called (special) sessions; the subject-report URLs we tried for them returned no data.", "We found no Texas Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in a search of texasattorneygeneral.gov on 2026-10-03.", "statutes.capitol.texas.gov now serves a JavaScript application; statute text was retrieved from the legislature's tcss.legis.texas.gov resource files." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "History for 89(R) SB 517", "publisher": "Texas Legislature Online", "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB517", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "89(R) SB 517, engrossed version, bill text", "publisher": "Texas Legislature Online", "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB00517E.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Bills By Subject: GAMBLING, 89th Legislature Regular Session", "publisher": "Texas Legislature Online", "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/Reports/Report.aspx?LegSess=89R&ID=subject&Code=S1232", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Penal Code Chapter 47, Gambling", "publisher": "Texas Legislature (tcss.legis.texas.gov)", "url": "https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/PE/htm/PE.47.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Business and Commerce Code Chapter 622, Sweepstakes", "publisher": "Texas Legislature (tcss.legis.texas.gov)", "url": "https://tcss.legis.texas.gov/resources/BC/htm/BC.622.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Texas Bill Could Quietly Kill Sweepstakes Casinos (July 2, 2025)", "publisher": "SCCG Management", "url": "https://sccgmanagement.com/sccg-articles/2025/7/2/texas-bill-could-quietly-kill-sweepstakes-casinos-heres-what-you-need-to-know/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S7", "title": "89(R) HB 2996, introduced text", "publisher": "Texas Legislature Online", "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB02996I.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "89(R) HB 487, introduced text", "publisher": "Texas Legislature Online", "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB00487I.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "89(R) HB 4132, introduced text", "publisher": "Texas Legislature Online", "url": "https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB04132I.htm", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "UT", "name": "Utah", "slug": "utah", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino-specific statute, bill or regulator action found in the sources checked; Utah's general gambling code penalizes online gambling and what it calls fringe gambling.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "when a business promotion becomes fringe gambling", "summary": "Utah defines fringe gambling as any de facto form of gambling, lottery, fringe gaming device or video gaming device offered by a business in exchange for anything of value or incident to the purchase of another good or service. A promotion is excluded only if it is clearly ancillary to the business, which the statute says requires, among other things, that it run for a limited time, not require a purchase to participate or gain an advantage, and not, through a machine or device, simulate a gambling environment, look or operate like a casino machine, show casino-style game displays, or create a pretextual transaction to facilitate a sweepstakes.", "cite": "Utah Code 76-9-1401(6), (16)", "source": "S4" }, { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "A lottery is any scheme for distributing property by chance among persons who have paid or promised to pay valuable consideration for the chance, whether called a lottery, raffle or gift enterprise; lotteries fall within Utah's definition of gambling.", "cite": "Utah Code 76-9-1401(8)(b), (13)", "source": "S4" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Utah Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/" }, "notes": [ "Utah's criminal code defines online gambling as gambling, fringe gambling or gaming by use of the internet or a mobile device (S4). Participating in gambling, fringe gambling or online gambling is a class B misdemeanor for a first offense (S5), and intentionally providing or offering online gambling to an individual in Utah is a third degree felony (S6). Section 76-9-1404 shows as enacted by chapter 173 of the 2025 General Session, which renumbered Utah's gambling provisions; we did not establish when its substance was first enacted. These provisions do not name sweepstakes casinos or dual-currency games.", "Utah Code 76-9-1412 lets an individual who suffers an economic loss from a fringe gaming device, video gaming device or gambling device or record sue the operator or a person receiving revenue from it and recover twice the loss (S7). Covers reported on November 4, 2025 that at least 15 class actions against sweepstakes casino operators had been filed in Utah within the previous week, and pointed to the state's double-damages provision as a reason (S11, secondary). We did not pull the dockets, and the outcome of those suits is not established here.", "HB 243 (2026 General Session), Gambling Revisions, was signed by the governor on March 25, 2026 and took effect May 6, 2026 (S1, S2). Its enrolled text adds a definition of proposition bet and states that gambling includes a proposition bet; it does not mention dual-currency games or online sweepstakes casinos. Gambling Insider reported, in an article marked as updated January 14, 2026, that HB 243 would place sweepstakes-style and dual-currency casino platforms under fringe gambling (S10, secondary). The fringe gambling and promotional-activity definitions that article quotes already appear in the version of Utah Code 76-9-1401 effective May 7, 2025, before HB 243 (S3), so we do not treat HB 243 as a sweepstakes-casino bill.", "SB 38 (2026 General Session), Consumer Protection Modifications, was signed March 17, 2026 (S8). It renumbers and amends Division of Consumer Protection statutes; its enrolled text contains no reference to casinos or gambling, and its one use of the word sweepstakes concerns telecommunications provider change authorizations. The same Gambling Insider article described it as giving regulators new tools against sweepstakes operators (S10, secondary).", "Utah's 2025 and 2026 bill lists show HB 243 as the only bill with gambling in its title (S9)." ], "gaps": [ "No Utah Attorney General or Division of Consumer Protection action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos was found. A site search of attorneygeneral.utah.gov for sweepstakes on 2026-10-03 returned two scam-warning posts (S12); the Division of Consumer Protection site search URL we tried returned a 404 page, and a search of commerce.utah.gov, which hosts the Division's pages, returned scam-education pages for sweepstakes and nothing for casino (S13).", "An aggregator claim that Utah's Attorney General issued subpoenas to sweepstakes casino operators in 2025 could not be traced to a primary document and is not used.", "Text extracted from Utah bill PDFs does not preserve underlining, so new language was identified from the bill's own highlighted provisions and by comparing code versions effective May 7, 2025 and May 6, 2026." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "H.B. 243 (2026 General Session), Gambling Revisions, enrolled copy", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/Session/2026/bills/enrolled/HB0243.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "H.B. 243 (2026) bill status data", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/data/2026GS/HB0243.json", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Utah Code 76-9-1401, Definitions, version effective May 7, 2025", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter9/C76-9-S1401_2025050720250507.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Utah Code 76-9-1401, Definitions, version effective May 6, 2026", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter9/C76-9-S1401_2026050620260506.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Utah Code 76-9-1402, Participating in gambling", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter9/C76-9-S1402_2025050720250507.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Utah Code 76-9-1404, Online gambling promotion", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter9/C76-9-S1404_2025050720250507.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Utah Code 76-9-1412, Cause of action", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter9/C76-9-S1412_2025050720250507.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "S.B. 38 (2026 General Session), Consumer Protection Modifications, bill status data and enrolled copy (https://le.utah.gov/Session/2026/bills/enrolled/SB0038.pdf)", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/data/2026GS/SB0038.json", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Bill lists, 2026 and 2025 General Sessions", "publisher": "Utah State Legislature", "url": "https://le.utah.gov/billlist.jsp?session=2026GS", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Oklahoma and Utah Escalate Crackdown on Sweepstakes Casinos in 2026 (January 14, 2026)", "publisher": "Gambling Insider", "url": "https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/103423/oklahoma-utah-sweepstakes-casino-bills-2026", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Multiple Sweepstakes Casino Class Action Lawsuits Filed in Utah (November 4, 2025)", "publisher": "Covers", "url": "https://www.covers.com/industry/utah-becomes-hotspot-for-sweepstakes-casino-class-actions-nov-4-2025", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Utah Office of the Attorney General", "url": "https://attorneygeneral.utah.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes and for casino", "publisher": "Utah Department of Commerce", "url": "https://commerce.utah.gov/?s=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "VA", "name": "Virginia", "slug": "virginia", "status": "bills-only", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute or enforcement found; 2026 bills that would have barred unlicensed sweepstakes failed in conference, and SB 579 was continued to 2027.", "laws": [], "bills": [ { "name": "SB 579 (2026 session)", "status": "continued to 2027 in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee (14-Y 1-N)", "date": "2026-02-11", "summary": "Introduced by Senator Bryce E. Reeves. As introduced, it would add operating, conducting or promoting online sweepstakes games, and supporting or assisting them, to the definition of illegal gambling, defining an online sweepstakes game as an internet or mobile game, contest or promotion awarding prizes by chance that uses a dual currency system of payment exchangeable for a prize, award, cash or cash equivalent and simulates casino-style gaming, with a civil penalty of $10,000 to $100,000 per violation. On February 11, 2026 a committee substitute was offered that would instead direct the Virginia Lottery Board to convene a work group, including representatives of the online sweepstakes and social games industry, to study interactive online sweepstakes games and report by December 1, 2026; the committee continued the bill to 2027 the same day. (Status and summary: S1; substitute: S2.)", "source": "S1" }, { "name": "HB 161 (2026 session)", "status": "failed to pass from conference", "date": "2026-03-14", "summary": "Introduced by Delegate Marcus B. Simon to authorize internet gaming regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board. The House-passed substitute would add a section, \"Unlicensed sweepstakes games prohibited; civil penalties\", under which offering or conducting a sweepstakes in which a person present in Virginia may participate by paying or proffering something of value for the chance to win cash or a cash equivalent, except by a licensed internet gaming operator, would be illegal internet gaming, with civil penalties up to $100,000 for a first offense and $250,000 for each later offense, each day a separate offense. It passed the House 67-30 on February 17, 2026 and the Senate with a substitute 21-17 on March 4; the House rejected the Senate substitute 0-94 and the bill failed to pass from conference on March 14, 2026. (Status: S3; text: S4.)", "source": "S3" }, { "name": "SB 118 (2026 session)", "status": "failed to pass from conference", "date": "2026-03-14", "summary": "Introduced by Senator Mamie E. Locke to authorize internet gaming regulated by the Virginia Lottery Board. The Senate-passed substitute contains the same \"Unlicensed sweepstakes games prohibited; civil penalties\" section. It passed the Senate 19-17 on February 16, 2026 and the House with a substitute 70-29 on March 4; the Senate rejected the House substitute 0-40 and the bill failed to pass from conference on March 14, 2026. (Status: S5; text: S6.)", "source": "S5" } ], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "when a purchase counts as a bet", "summary": "Defines illegal gambling as making, placing or receiving a bet or wager of money or other consideration for a chance to win a prize dependent on an uncertain or chance outcome, and states that a bet or wager includes \"the purchase of a product, Internet access, or other thing made in exchange for a chance to win a prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value by means of the operation of a gambling device\", \"regardless of whether the chance to win such prize, stake, or other consideration or thing of value may be offered in the absence of a purchase.\" The purchase rule applies to chances played through a gambling device as the section defines it.", "cite": "Va. Code section 18.2-325(1)", "source": "S8" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Virginia Lottery", "url": "https://www.valottery.com/" }, "notes": [ "The House-passed HB 161 substitute and the Senate-passed SB 118 substitute both define \"Sweepstakes\" as a promotional, advertising or marketing event, contest or game in which a prize is awarded, directly or indirectly, through means such as a dual currency system of payment, as determined by the Board. (S4, S6)", "The 2025 internet gaming bill SB 827 (passed by indefinitely in Senate General Laws and Technology, 12-Y 0-N, on January 22, 2025) contains no sweepstakes or dual-currency language in its introduced text. HB 271 (2026, Virginia Gaming Commission, continued to 2027) mentions sweepstakes only in its amusement device definition. Neither is counted above. (S7, S9)", "Comparison with our crackdown timeline: it lists Virginia among states where bills \"failed or died\". HB 161 and SB 118 failed to pass from conference on March 14, 2026, which matches; SB 579 was continued to the 2027 session rather than defeated. (T1, S1, S3, S5)" ], "gaps": [ "We found no Virginia regulator or Attorney General action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on 2026-10-03. The Attorney General's news-release search page returned no results in the text we retrieved, and we did not find a Virginia Lottery notice on the subject.", "legacylis.virginia.gov returned \"source database is temporarily unavailable\"; bill pages were read on lis.virginia.gov in a browser. The LIS keyword search could not be pointed at the 2025 session, so the 2025 check rests on SB 827 and web search rather than a full-text search.", "We did not read the conference reports or the final Senate substitute of HB 161 in full; the sweepstakes section was confirmed in the introduced, House and Senate versions." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "SB 579, 2026 Regular Session (summary and history)", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB579", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "SB 579, Courts of Justice amendment in the nature of a substitute, offered February 11, 2026", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1142010.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "HB 161, 2026 Regular Session (summary and history)", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB161", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "HB 161, House substitute HB161H2 (as passed by the House)", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1148637.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "SB 118, 2026 Regular Session (summary and history)", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB118", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "SB 118, Senate substitute SB118S2 (as passed by the Senate)", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1140148.PDF", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "SB 827, 2025 Regular Session (history and introduced text)", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB827", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Code of Virginia section 18.2-325, Definitions", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Virginia Law", "url": "https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter8/section18.2-325/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "HB 271, 2026 Regular Session (history) and House substitute HB271H1", "publisher": "Virginia General Assembly, Legislative Information System", "url": "https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB271", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "T1", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (site page, compared against primaries)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "VT", "name": "Vermont", "slug": "vermont", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "We found no Vermont statute, 2025 or 2026 bill, or regulator action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos in the sources checked on October 3, 2026.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "free-entry contests and sweepstakes", "summary": "Notwithstanding the gambling and lottery chapter, a person may organize, execute or participate in a contest or game of chance, including a sweepstakes, provided entrants are not required to venture money or other valuable things. The statute adds: “The cost of mailing an entry shall not be considered a venture of money or other valuable things.”", "cite": "13 V.S.A. section 2143b", "source": "S1" }, { "topic": "lottery offense", "summary": "Except as provided in section 2143, a person who sets up or promotes a lottery for money or other property, or aids in doing so, may be imprisoned up to one year or fined up to $10,000, or both, for a first offense, and imprisoned up to three years or fined up to $10,000, or both, for each later offense.", "cite": "13 V.S.A. section 2101", "source": "S1" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Office of the Vermont Attorney General, Consumer Assistance Program", "url": "https://ago.vermont.gov/cap" }, "notes": [ "The Attorney General's Top 10 Scams of 2025 release, dated January 12, 2026, ranks “Sweepstakes/Lottery” scams tenth with 133 reports to the Consumer Assistance Program (S6). The release counts consumer reports in that category; it does not describe any action against a sweepstakes casino.", "The 2025-2026 bills that full-text searches matched for “casino” are S.318 (casino gaming) and S.319 (limited wagering event permits for poker) (S4); the same full-text index returned nothing for “sweepstakes” (S2)." ], "gaps": [ "Bill coverage is the Legislature's title-keyword and full-text document searches for the 2025-2026 biennium (session 2026 on the site), which returned no results for “sweepstakes” (S2, S3). A control search for “casino” returned bills, which shows the full-text index was working (S4).", "The Attorney General's site search for “sweepstakes” returned only annual scam lists and scam-prevention pages (S5); the Department of Liquor and Lottery site search returned one raffle release (S7). We found no action against an online sweepstakes casino on those pages on October 3, 2026." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "13 V.S.A. Chapter 51, Gambling and Lotteries (sections 2101, 2143b)", "publisher": "Vermont General Assembly", "url": "https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/13/051", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Bill document full-text search, 2025-2026 biennium, sweepstakes", "publisher": "Vermont General Assembly", "url": "https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/loadBillSolrResults/2026?FullTextKeyword=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Bill keyword search, 2025-2026 biennium, sweepstakes", "publisher": "Vermont General Assembly", "url": "https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/loadBillSearchResults/2026?keyword=sweepstakes&sponsor=", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Bill document full-text search, 2025-2026 biennium, casino (control search)", "publisher": "Vermont General Assembly", "url": "https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/loadBillSolrResults/2026?FullTextKeyword=casino", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Office of the Vermont Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.vermont.gov/search/node?keys=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Attorney General Clark Releases Top 10 Scams of 2025 (January 12, 2026)", "publisher": "Office of the Vermont Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.vermont.gov/blog/2026/01/12/attorney-general-clark-releases-top-10-scams-2025", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Site search results for sweepstakes", "publisher": "Vermont Department of Liquor and Lottery", "url": "https://liquorandlottery.vermont.gov/search/node?keys=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "WA", "name": "Washington", "slug": "washington", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "No Washington statute, bill or agency action aimed at sweepstakes casinos found in sources checked October 3, 2026; a 2025 Gambling Commission statement calls Larsen-type games likely illegal.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "promotional contests of chance", "summary": "Authorizes a business to run a promotional contest of chance in which prize and chance are present but consideration is not, solely to advertise its goods or services. Entrants may not be required to pay consideration or buy anything, although outside direct-mail contests \"the promoter or sponsor may give additional entries or chances upon purchase of service, goods, wares, or merchandise if the promoter or sponsor provides an alternate method of entry requiring no consideration.\"", "cite": "RCW 9.46.0356", "source": "S5" }, { "topic": "lottery definition", "summary": "Defines a lottery as \"a scheme for the distribution of money or property by chance, among persons who have paid or agreed to pay a valuable consideration for the chance.\"", "cite": "RCW 9.46.0257", "source": "S6" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Washington State Gambling Commission", "url": "https://wsgc.wa.gov/" }, "notes": [ "Gambling Commission position: a statement titled Regarding Virtual Casinos, posted as an undated web page and linked as a PDF dated January 21, 2025 (S1, S15), summarizes Kater v. Churchill Downs (9th Cir. 2018) and Larsen v. PTT, LLC, says \"games of chance such as those in Kater and Larsen that ask the player to wager virtual currency for the potential of winning more virtual currency are likely to constitute illegal gambling\", and states that \"WSGC encourages all companies that offer virtual casino games to Washington residents to review their games and ensure compliance with Washington State law\" (S1). The statement does not mention sweepstakes or name an operator, so we do not list it as an enforcement action.", "The Commission's Sweepstakes FAQ says sweepstakes marketed online by some businesses as a legal alternative to raffles combine elements of raffles and promotional contests of chance into a third type of contest that is not authorized in Washington, and that in Washington law the word sweepstakes refers only to golfing and bowling sweepstakes (S2). Its online gambling FAQ says \"you are violating Washington State law if you knowingly gamble through an online gambling website\" (S3).", "RCW 9.46.240, last amended in 2020, provides that whoever knowingly transmits or receives gambling information by means including the internet \"shall be guilty of a class C felony\", except for activities authorized by the gambling chapter (S4). It predates the period this database tracks and does not mention sweepstakes.", "Larsen v. PTT, LLC, No. 3:18-cv-05275 (W.D. Wash.), is a private class action, not regulator enforcement, filed in 2018 against PTT, LLC, doing business as High 5 Games (S9). The class certified on January 21, 2021 was individuals in Washington who purchased virtual coins in High 5 Casino or High 5 Vegas after April 9, 2014 (S10). On June 11, 2024 the court granted partial summary judgment holding High 5 liable to the damages class under the Recovery of Money Lost at Gambling Act (RCW 4.24.070) and the Consumer Protection Act; the order states that \"High 5 is liable as a matter of law for damages pursuant to the RMLGA\" (S10). A jury returned its verdict on February 7, 2025 (the verdict form is sealed). On June 11, 2025, after denying High 5's motion to vacate the enhanced damages award or apply a statutory cap, the court entered judgment on the jury's verdict for the damages class of $24,928,712.17 ($17,742,855.64 actual and $7,185,856.53 enhanced damages) (S9, S11). Claims against High 5 Entertainment LLC for its own operations after it took over the games were dismissed without prejudice for lack of standing on December 12, 2024 (S9).", "Larsen settlement: on August 14, 2026 the court preliminarily approved a class settlement for individuals in Washington who played or purchased virtual coins on the High 5 Casino or High 5 Vegas apps after April 9, 2014 and before October 1, 2022, with \"a non-reversionary Settlement Fund with a minimum value of $12,000,000 and a maximum of $30,000,000\"; that order set the claims, objection and exclusion deadlines for November 13, 2026 and the final approval hearing for December 14, 2026, and names the settlement website as www.high5lawsuit.com (S12). On September 10, 2026 the court entered an order on a motion to continue that reset deadlines or hearings (docket entry 732; its text is not in the free archive) (S9). As of October 3, 2026 the settlement website gives January 4, 2027 as the deadline to file a claim, exclude yourself or object, and February 8, 2027 for the final approval hearing, and states that the defendants deny all claims (S16). The settlement is not final until approved.", "Timeline check: our crackdown timeline says a federal jury in Larsen v. PTT, LLC awarded roughly $24.9 million in February 2025, following a 2024 summary judgment under Washington's gambling-loss recovery and consumer-protection laws. The docket matches: summary judgment June 11, 2024, verdict February 7, 2025, judgment of $24,928,712.17 entered June 11, 2025 (S9, S10, S11). The docket also shows that the judgment, including the enhanced damages, was entered on the jury's verdict (S9). The timeline does not yet mention the August 2026 preliminary settlement approval or the current January 4, 2027 claim deadline (S12, S16).", "High 5 Casino's Terms of Use, Version 45.0 dated June 26, 2026, retrieved October 3, 2026, list Washington among the Restricted Territories for both its sweepstakes platform and its Gold Coin-only Classic platform, and include this notice: \"FOR PLAYERS LOCATED IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON: BY ACCEPTING THIS ARBITRATION PROVISION, YOU GIVE UP ANY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN OR OBTAIN ANY RELIEF IN THE FOLLOWING PENDING ACTION\", followed by a case identified with the same case number as Larsen (S13). Read together with the docket, that is the Larsen case under an earlier caption." ], "gaps": [ "Bill coverage is the Legislature's web service list of all 5,245 legislation records introduced in the 2025-26 biennium, matched on short and long descriptions: none mentions sweepstakes; the gambling-related measures concern Gambling Commission records, a diversion court, bingo, electronic raffles at sporting events, lottery promotional entries and sports wagering (S8). Of these, HB 1222 (Gambling Commission records, effective July 27, 2025) and SB 6137 (the regulated sports wagering industry, Chapter 246, Laws of 2026, effective June 11, 2026) were enacted (S8); SB 6137's text contains no occurrence of the word sweep (S17). Other bill texts were not read.", "We found no Gambling Commission order, release or letter naming a sweepstakes casino. Its all-press-releases listing for 2022 through 2026 shows one cease-and-desist release, a second notice to Bovada.lv on September 19, 2025, and a December 9, 2025 item on prediction markets (S14). The Commission's site search returned no results for sweepstakes even though its Sweepstakes FAQ and a June 2025 Sweepstakes Scam Alert exist, so it is not a reliable negative (S7). The Attorney General's site was not searched in depth (its search page returned no usable results to a scripted query).", "The Regarding Virtual Casinos web page carries no date; the PDF of the statement linked from it is dated January 21, 2025 (S15). We did not establish whether an earlier version existed." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Regarding Virtual Casinos", "publisher": "Washington State Gambling Commission", "url": "https://wsgc.wa.gov/regarding-virtual-casinos", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Sweepstakes FAQ", "publisher": "Washington State Gambling Commission", "url": "https://wsgc.wa.gov/sweepstakes-faq", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Online gambling FAQ", "publisher": "Washington State Gambling Commission", "url": "https://wsgc.wa.gov/online-gambling-faq", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "RCW 9.46.240, Gambling information, transmitting or receiving", "publisher": "Washington State Legislature", "url": "https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.46.240", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "RCW 9.46.0356, Promotional contests of chance authorized", "publisher": "Washington State Legislature", "url": "https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.46.0356", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "RCW 9.46.0257, Lottery", "publisher": "Washington State Legislature", "url": "https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.46.0257", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Site search for sweepstakes, and news listing", "publisher": "Washington State Gambling Commission", "url": "https://wsgc.wa.gov/search/node?keys=sweepstakes", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "LegislationService GetLegislationIntroducedSince (since 2024-12-01)", "publisher": "Washington State Legislature web services", "url": "https://wslwebservices.leg.wa.gov/LegislationService.asmx/GetLegislationIntroducedSince?sinceDate=2024-12-01", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S9", "title": "Larsen v. PTT, LLC, No. 3:18-cv-05275 (W.D. Wash.), docket entries", "publisher": "U.S. District Court, W.D. Washington, via the CourtListener RECAP archive", "url": "https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6359229/larsen-v-ptt-llc/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "Order granting in part plaintiff's motion for partial summary judgment, Dkt. 408 (June 11, 2024)", "publisher": "U.S. District Court, W.D. Washington, via the CourtListener RECAP archive", "url": "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.257966/gov.uscourts.wawd.257966.408.0_1.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "Judgment in a Civil Case, Dkt. 629 (June 11, 2025)", "publisher": "U.S. District Court, W.D. Washington, via the CourtListener RECAP archive", "url": "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.257966/gov.uscourts.wawd.257966.629.0.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Order granting preliminary approval of class action settlement, Dkt. 726 (August 14, 2026)", "publisher": "U.S. District Court, W.D. Washington, via the CourtListener RECAP archive", "url": "https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.257966/gov.uscourts.wawd.257966.726.0.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S13", "title": "High 5 Casino Terms of Use, Version 45.0 (dated June 26, 2026)", "publisher": "High 5 Casino (operator)", "url": "https://high5casino.com/terms-of-use/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S14", "title": "All press releases (listing)", "publisher": "Washington State Gambling Commission", "url": "https://wsgc.wa.gov/about-us/news/all-press-releases", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S15", "title": "Regarding Virtual Casinos (statement PDF dated January 21, 2025)", "publisher": "Washington State Gambling Commission", "url": "https://wsgc.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Re%20virtual%20casino%20-%20200kb%20pdf.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S16", "title": "Larsen v. PTT, LLC settlement website (court-appointed administrator)", "publisher": "JND Legal Administration", "url": "https://www.high5lawsuit.com/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S17", "title": "Senate Bill 6137, Chapter 246, Laws of 2026 (certification of enrollment)", "publisher": "Washington State Legislature", "url": "https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/Senate/6137.SL.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "WI", "name": "Wisconsin", "slug": "wisconsin", "status": "none-found", "status_line": "Nothing sweepstakes-casino-specific found: no statute, no 2025-2026 bill on online sweepstakes casinos and no regulator or Attorney General action in the sources checked.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery definition and what is not consideration", "summary": "A lottery is “an enterprise wherein for a consideration the participants are given an opportunity to win a prize, the award of which is determined by chance, even though accompanied by some skill.” In any game, drawing, contest, sweepstakes or other promotion, listed acts are not consideration, including listening to or watching a broadcast, and filling out a mailed or published entry form if facsimiles or handwritten entries are accepted or if no purchase is required.", "cite": "Wis. Stat. 945.01(5)", "source": "S2" }, { "topic": "prize notices", "summary": "If a solicitor tells a person they have been selected or may be eligible to receive a prize, no payment may be requested or accepted before the person receives a written prize notice with the solicitor's and sponsor's names and addresses, the verifiable retail value of each prize and, where several prizes are listed, the odds of receiving each. Notices of a prize actually won through a prior entry in a game, drawing, sweepstakes or other contest are excluded.", "cite": "Wis. Stat. 100.171", "source": "S3" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Wisconsin Department of Administration, Division of Gaming", "url": "https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/AboutDOA/Gaming.aspx" }, "notes": [ "The Legislature's search of the 2025 biennium for sweepstakes returned statutes and two bills, AB 606 and SB 681, whose hits concern hemp-derived cannabinoid regulation and alcohol-premises promotions; neither concerns online sweepstakes casinos (S1). Searches for dual-currency returned no results (S4).", "The Division of Gaming describes its role as regulating Indian and charitable gaming (S5).", "The statute history of Wis. Stat. 945.01 lists 2025 Wisconsin Act 247 (S2). That act, enacted April 9, 2026, creates 945.01(1)(h) to exclude certain event or sports wagers placed through servers on tribal lands from the definition of bet; it does not mention sweepstakes (S6)." ], "gaps": [ "We could not run a keyword search of the Wisconsin Department of Justice's releases (the site's search is script-driven), and a general web search run on 2026-10-03 surfaced no report of one; no Attorney General or regulator action aimed at online sweepstakes casinos was found in the sources checked on 2026-10-03, which is a bounded negative.", "The search covered the 2025 biennium only; earlier bienniums were not searched." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Search results: sweepstakes, 2025 biennium", "publisher": "Wisconsin State Legislature", "url": "https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/search/results?q=sweepstakes&filter=biennium%3A2025", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Wis. Stat. 945.01 Definitions (gambling)", "publisher": "Wisconsin State Legislature", "url": "https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/945/01", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "Wis. Stat. 100.171 Prize notices", "publisher": "Wisconsin State Legislature", "url": "https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/100/171", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "Search results: \"dual-currency\", 2025 biennium", "publisher": "Wisconsin State Legislature", "url": "https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/search/results?q=%22dual-currency%22&filter=biennium%3A2025", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "Division of Gaming", "publisher": "Wisconsin Department of Administration", "url": "https://doa.wi.gov/Pages/AboutDOA/Gaming.aspx", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "2025 Wisconsin Act 247 (2025 Assembly Bill 601)", "publisher": "Wisconsin State Legislature", "url": "https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/acts/247", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "WV", "name": "West Virginia", "slug": "west-virginia", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute or 2025-2026 bill found; per a July 2025 press report, the Attorney General's office issued 47 subpoenas to sweepstakes casino operators.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-xx-xx", "agency": "West Virginia Attorney General", "action": "subpoenas (reported by the press; no primary document found)", "target": "Sweepstakes casino operators, not named in the report", "summary": "WV News reported on July 14, 2025 that \"Attorney General John McCuskey recently announced that his office issued 47 subpoenas to sweepstakes casino operators\", and that although none had responded formally, more than 20 platforms had withdrawn from the state. The report does not say when the subpoenas were issued. We found no Attorney General release or filing on the subpoenas, so this entry rests on secondary reporting.", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "lottery offense", "summary": "Makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, to set up, promote or help manage or draw a lottery or raffle for money or other thing of value, or to sell or hold for sale lottery chances, tickets or devices entitling a person to a prize drawn in a lottery. The section states that it does not apply to the forms of lottery known as \"policy\" or \"numbers\", which section 61-10-11a addresses separately.", "cite": "W. Va. Code section 61-10-11", "source": "S4" }, { "topic": "prize notices", "summary": "Under the Prizes and Gifts Act, a person may not, in connection with a sale or solicitation, tell someone they have won anything of value or are a contest winner unless the prize is given without obligation and delivered at no expense to the recipient within ten days; phrases such as \"Congratulations\" or \"You have won\" count as such a representation.", "cite": "W. Va. Code sections 46A-6D-1 and 46A-6D-3", "source": "S5" } ], "regulator": { "name": "West Virginia Lottery Commission", "url": "https://wvlottery.com/" }, "notes": [ "In a statement quoted by Casino Reports (secondary; article first published January 29, 2025 per the page metadata, updated June 18, 2026), the Attorney General said: \"We have serious concerns about West Virginia consumers, specifically our children, being targeted by illegal gambling operations,\" adding that his office could not comment on specific cases. The same article reported, citing an unnamed source, that the Attorney General was preparing to either subpoena or send cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes operators. (S2)", "On August 5, 2025 the Attorney General announced that he joined a 50-attorney-general letter urging the U.S. Department of Justice to address illegal offshore gambling; the release does not mention sweepstakes casinos. (S6)", "Comparison with our crackdown timeline: it says the Attorney General \"issued 47 investigative subpoenas beginning February 2025, after which more than 20 platforms quietly left the state, per trade coverage.\" The report we opened supports the 47 subpoenas and the more than 20 departures, but gives no start month; we could not confirm \"beginning February 2025\" from it or from any state document. The Casino Reports article of January 29, 2025 (S2) described subpoenas or letters as being prepared, which is consistent with, but does not establish, a February 2025 start. (T1, S1, S2)" ], "gaps": [ "No primary document for the subpoenas: the Attorney General's news listing, read back to January 13, 2025 (148 articles), contains no release on sweepstakes casinos. (S3)", "The West Virginia Lottery Commission's website renders by script and could not be searched by our client; we found no Lottery Commission action on sweepstakes casinos.", "The Legislature's 2025 and 2026 regular-session bill lists contain no bill whose title concerns sweepstakes casinos or dual-currency games; the 2026 rule bills on interactive wagering (SB 296, HB 4249) were identified by title; SB 296's introduced text, opened 2026-10-03, only authorizes the Lottery Commission's interactive wagering rule and does not mention sweepstakes, and the rule text itself was not read. HB 4343 (2026, \"Individual Gaming Restrictions\") amends the resort gaming facility entry rules in section 29-25-24 and does not mention sweepstakes. (S7, S8)" ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Sweepstakes Casinos Exit West Virginia Amid Statewide Crackdown (July 14, 2025)", "publisher": "WV News", "url": "https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/sweepstakes-casinos-exit-west-virginia-amid-statewide-crackdown/article_c2cfb26c-f672-43f2-b1fa-640bfa50b09b.html", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S2", "title": "WV AG Poised To Go On Offensive Against Sweepstakes Casinos (first published January 29, 2025 per the page metadata; updated June 18, 2026)", "publisher": "Casino Reports", "url": "https://www.casinoreports.com/news/west-virginia-poised-offensive-sweepstakes-operators/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S3", "title": "News listing, pages 0 to 4", "publisher": "Office of the West Virginia Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.wv.gov/news?page=0", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "W. Va. Code section 61-10-11, Lotteries or raffles; penalty", "publisher": "West Virginia Legislature, West Virginia Code", "url": "https://code.wvlegislature.gov/61-10-11/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "W. Va. Code sections 46A-6D-1 (Prizes and Gifts Act) and 46A-6D-3", "publisher": "West Virginia Legislature, West Virginia Code", "url": "https://code.wvlegislature.gov/46A-6D-3/", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "Attorney General McCuskey joins bipartisan effort urging U.S. Department of Justice to address illegal offshore gambling (August 5, 2025)", "publisher": "Office of the West Virginia Attorney General", "url": "https://ago.wv.gov/article/attorney-general-mccuskey-joins-bipartisan-effort-urging-us-department-justice-address", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "All bills, 2025 and 2026 regular sessions", "publisher": "West Virginia Legislature", "url": "https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_all_bills.cfm?year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill&orderby=", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "SB 296 (2026), introduced text, and HB 4343 (2026), introduced text", "publisher": "West Virginia Legislature", "url": "https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=sb296%20intr.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=296", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "T1", "title": "The sweepstakes casino crackdown: a dated timeline (site page, compared against primaries)", "publisher": "SweepstakeReport", "url": "https://sweepstakereport.com/news/sweepstakes-casino-crackdown-timeline", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true } ], "history": [] }, { "code": "WY", "name": "Wyoming", "slug": "wyoming", "status": "enforcement", "status_line": "No sweepstakes-casino statute found in the sources checked; on May 22, 2025 the Wyoming Gaming Commission warned that sweepstakes or social casino sites paying real money are not licensed by it.", "laws": [], "bills": [], "enforcement": [ { "date": "2025-05-22", "agency": "Wyoming Gaming Commission", "action": "public warning (press release)", "target": "Unlicensed iGaming websites and applications, including certain sweepstakes or social casino sites that offer real-money payouts; no operator is named", "summary": "The Commission warned residents and visitors that online casinos, poker rooms and other iGaming are not licensed or regulated by it, gave certain sweepstakes or social casino sites that offer real-money payouts as examples of unlicensed platforms, said it cannot help with disputes over winnings or accounts on such sites, and said it would try to shut down illegal operations it becomes aware of. Its executive director is quoted as saying that no online casino, iGaming or sweepstakes site is licensed by the Commission.", "status": "issued", "source": "S1" } ], "promotion_rules": [ { "topic": "prize notices and payments", "summary": "If a solicitor tells someone they have been selected or may be eligible to receive a prize, the solicitor may not request, and the solicitor or sponsor may not accept, any payment before the person receives a written prize notice. The notice must give the names and addresses of the solicitor and sponsor, the verifiable retail value of each prize, the odds when more than one prize is listed, any fees the person must pay, and any restrictions or eligibility limits. A notice that a person has won a prize stated in the notice through an actual prior entry in a sweepstakes or contest is excluded from the definition of prize notice.", "cite": "Wyo. Stat. 40-12-201 to 40-12-203", "source": "S2" } ], "regulator": { "name": "Wyoming Gaming Commission", "url": "https://gaming.wyo.gov/" }, "notes": [ "SF0044 (2026), Enrolled Act 38, chapter 51, signed March 6, 2026 and effective July 1, 2026, revises exceptions to the gambling offense in Wyo. Stat. 6-7-101. According to the Legislative Service Office summary, it limits the social-gambling exception to games incidental to a bona fide social relationship that are conducted in private, not advertised, and in which no one is compensated for facilitating the activity other than by winnings; limits the charitable raffle exception to raffles or drawings that give 100 percent of net proceeds to charity; redefines profit; and defines bona fide social relationship. Its text does not mention sweepstakes, online play or the internet (S3, S4, S11). The compiled title 6 statutes PDF retrieved on 2026-10-03 shows section 6-7-101 with these changes, including profit defined as any financial gain and the new definition of bona fide social relationship in 6-7-101(a)(xiv) (S12).", "HB0162 (2025), Interactive gaming, would have authorized online casino gaming regulated by the Wyoming Gaming Commission. It died in committee on March 3, 2025, and its introduced text does not mention sweepstakes (S5). We found no 2025 or 2026 bill on online sweepstakes casinos in the legislature's subject indexes (S9, S10).", "A working draft for the 2027 session, 27LSO-0098 version 0.2, titled Online casinos and sweepstakes prohibited, is posted among the 2026 interim materials of the Legislature's Select Committee on Gaming under a file name dated July 30, 2026, and is marked draft only, not approved for introduction (S6, S7). It would add operating an online casino or sweepstakes game, and knowingly providing services such as payment processing, geolocation, hosting or advertising for one, to the definition of professional gambling; would define representative of value to include any unit used in a dual-currency or sweepstakes-entry system; states that the new subparagraph does not apply to a person participating solely as a player; and would take effect July 1, 2027. A draft is not a bill.", "Wyoming Public Media reported on July 31, 2026 that the Select Committee on Gaming heard testimony on the draft, including from a company the article identifies as Virtual Gaming World, and decided it lacked the information needed to advance it, and that the committee was scheduled to meet again on September 29, 2026 (S8, secondary)." ], "gaps": [ "We did not establish what, if anything, the Select Committee on Gaming did with draft 27LSO-0098 at its September 29, 2026 meeting; later draft versions were not found at the legislature's interim-committee URLs we tried.", "No cease-and-desist letter, lawsuit or other action naming an online sweepstakes casino operator was found on the Commission's news page on 2026-10-03. A site search of ag.wyo.gov for sweepstakes could not be reproduced during fact-checking on 2026-10-03 (the site's search runs in the browser and returned no server-side results), so the Attorney General's pages are not confirmed as checked." ], "last_verified": "2026-10-03", "sources": [ { "id": "S1", "title": "Wyoming Gaming Commission Warns Against Illegal iGaming Operations; Unable to Assist with Unlicensed Winnings (May 22, 2025), on the News and Press Releases page", "publisher": "Wyoming Gaming Commission", "url": "https://gaming.wyo.gov/news-press-releases", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S2", "title": "Wyo. Stat. 40-12-201 to 40-12-203, compiled title 40 PDF", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title40.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S3", "title": "SF0044 (2026), Enrolled Act No. 38, Gambling amendments", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://wyoleg.gov/2026/Enroll/SF0044.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S4", "title": "SF0044 (2026) bill information", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://web.wyoleg.gov/LsoService/api/BillInformation/2026/SF0044", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S5", "title": "HB0162 (2025), Interactive gaming, bill information (introduced text at https://wyoleg.gov/2025/Introduced/HB0162.pdf)", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://web.wyoleg.gov/LsoService/api/BillInformation/2025/HB0162", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S6", "title": "27LSO-0098, Working Draft 0.2, Online casinos and sweepstakes prohibited", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature, Legislative Service Office", "url": "https://wyoleg.gov/InterimCommittee/2026/S44-2026073027LSO-0098v0.2.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S7", "title": "Select Committee on Gaming, committee detail record", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://web.wyoleg.gov/LsoService/api/committeeDetail/2026/S44", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S8", "title": "Lawmakers consider regulating casual gambling but fail to move bill drafts forward (July 31, 2026)", "publisher": "Wyoming Public Media", "url": "https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/politics-government/2026-07-31/lawmakers-consider-regulating-casual-gambling-but-fail-to-move-bill-drafts-forward", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": true }, { "id": "S9", "title": "2026 subject cross index", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://wyoleg.gov/2026/Index/subjectindex.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S10", "title": "2025 subject cross index", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://wyoleg.gov/2025/Index/subjectindex.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S11", "title": "SF0044 (2026) bill summary, Legislative Service Office", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature, Legislative Service Office", "url": "https://wyoleg.gov/2026/Summaries/SF0044.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false }, { "id": "S12", "title": "Wyo. Stat. 6-7-101, compiled title 6 PDF", "publisher": "Wyoming Legislature", "url": "https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title06.pdf", "retrieved": "2026-10-03", "secondary": false } ], "history": [] } ] }