In a June 9th report, the Maine Gambling Control Unit within the Department of Public Safety issued a warning to sweepstakes casinos, classifying sweeps sites as unlicensed illegal platforms.
The Maine Gambling Control Unit statement reads:
“Despite the legality of online advance deposit wagering, fantasy contests and sports wagering, online casino games like slots, blackjack, and roulette for real money remain strictly prohibited in the State.”
Sweepstakes casinos are referred to as “unregulated entities” that offer “illicit iGaming opportunities” through “real-money payouts, coin-titled substitutes, dual-currency systems, material prizes or gift cards.”
The Maine Gambling Control Unit emphasized that these platforms are unlicensed, advising users within the state to avoid these sites or participate at their own risk. “The Gambling Control Unit cannot provide assistance or intervention in the case of disputes regarding winnings or other account issues arising from participation in illegal iGaming.”
Whether this statement leads to further legal action or a move towards a sweepstakes ban is yet to be determined. Shortly after this statement was released, the Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) rejected these claims.
The SPGA stated that sweepstakes casinos can legally operate within the country because they comply with US sweepstakes laws, since users can participate in contests without having to make a purchase.
It is said to be based on a free-to-play system that operates with virtual currencies, which can be obtained through free promotions. Users can play with Sweeps Coins, which can later be redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards. There is also the option for users to just play with Gold Coins, which doesn’t involve any real prizes.
The SPGA’s position is that the Maine Gambling Control Board’s recent warning does not consider this compliance with sweepstakes laws.
Despite the SPGA’s speaking out in support of sweepstakes casinos as it has in other locations across the counry, its impact is yet to be determined. These recent developments in Maine are part of a nationwide trend turning against sweepstakes casinos.
Earlier this month, Louisiana moved towards banning sweepstakes casinos. Senate Bill 181 was unanimously approved (99-to-0) by the House. If Gov. Jeff Landry signs this bill into law, it would ban sweepstakes casinos as of August 1, 2025.
Popular sweepstakes operators are feeling these effects as well, with Stake.us facing a lawsuit in Alabama. The lawsuit alleges that Stake.us misled users into thinking that it was a legal platform. It calls for a full-scale ban on sweepstakes casinos in Alabama.
This has already come to fruition in Montana, the first state to ban sweepstakes casinos after Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 555 into law. The ban takes effect on October 1, 2025.
It remains to be seen how the Maine Gambling Control Unit’s statements will affect existing sweepstakes casinos within the state.
Some of the sweepstakes casinos that are still operational include popular operators like WOW Vegas, McLuck, Crown Coins Casino, and Stake.us, among several others. Each of these platforms is among the top operators in the sweepstakes casino space.
As seen in Montana, Maine Gambling Control Unit’s warning led to an official sweepstakes casino ban.
