A federal judge in California has declined to send a lawsuit against VGW Holdings and its partners to arbitration. The ruling holds that the spouses suing the company are not bound by the arbitration terms their partners accepted. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issued the order on September 18, 2026, in Brown v. VGW Holdings US Inc., No. 4:25-cv-07071, in the Northern District of California. According to the order published …
Yellow Social Interactive, the operator behind Pulsz and Pulszbingo, has agreed to an estimated $14 million class action settlement over allegations that its sale of virtual coins violated gambling laws in six states. The agreement received preliminary court approval on Aug. 31, 2026, although the settlement still requires final approval. The case targeted the way consumers spent money playing Pulsz and Pulszbingo. The lawsuit alleged those purchases ran afoul of …
Washington, D.C. lawmakers are considering an approach to sweepstakes casinos that differs from the straightforward prohibitions gaining traction elsewhere. Rather than simply trying to remove sweepstakes casino platforms from the market, legislation before the D.C. Council would establish a regulated real-money online casino industry while addressing unlicensed sweepstakes sites. Bill B26-0656, the Internet Gaming and Consumer Protection Act of 2026, was introduced in April and received a public hearing on …
October is shaping up to be another consequential month for the U.S. sweepstakes casino market. Several platforms are either shutting down entirely or reducing where their sweepstakes products are available, giving players a series of deadlines to follow before the end of the month. GiddyUp and Coin Wizard Games are winding down on separate schedules, while Baba Casino and ACE Casino are retreating from the Oklahoma sweepstakes market. The changes …
Pennsylvania lawmakers are weighing another significant change to the state’s gambling landscape, this time targeting online sweepstakes casinos with a proposed penalty that could make violations particularly costly. House Bill 2801 would prohibit online sweepstakes casinos and establish fines of $500,000 per offense. The proposal arrives as Pennsylvania is already navigating a major shift involving skill-game machines. In June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed Commonwealth Court decisions that had allowed …
Indiana’s sweepstakes casino debate could look considerably different in its next legislative chapter. Ron Alting, one of the state Senate’s most prominent voices for considering regulation rather than prohibition, has stepped back from active campaigning while seeking medical evaluation and treatment. He remains on the Nov. 3 ballot for Senate District 22. The longtime Republican senator has represented District 22 since 1998 and is seeking another term against Democratic challenger …
Sweepstakes casinos are facing a complicated period in the U.S. gaming market. While lawmakers and regulators continue debating how casino-style sweepstakes platforms should be treated, the technology behind online casino products is becoming faster and more sophisticated. That combination has created an unusual divide. Sweepstakes casinos and social gaming platforms have broadened access to casino-style entertainment in states without legal real-money online casinos, while regulators are increasingly questioning whether dual-currency …
The US sweepstakes casino industry could continue growing in 2027 despite facing an increasingly difficult regulatory environment. Eilers & Krejcik Gaming projects the market will expand by 12.9% next year under its base-case forecast, suggesting state restrictions may not be enough to stop broader industry growth. The forecast comes as operators contend with challenges to the dual-currency model that has traditionally defined sweepstakes casinos. Several states have moved against platforms …
Oklahoma’s sweepstakes casino market is beginning to contract ahead of a major regulatory change, with Modo and Stake.us announcing restrictions for customers in the state. The changes arrive only weeks before Senate Bill 1589 takes effect on Nov. 1. The law expands Oklahoma’s gambling statutes to address online casino-style games and dual-currency systems in which virtual currency can ultimately be exchanged for prizes, cash or cash equivalents. Modo has already …
Wyoming lawmakers have moved a proposed crackdown on online sweepstakes casinos closer to consideration during the state’s 2027 legislative session. The Select Committee on Gaming voted unanimously to sponsor draft legislation that would bring online casino and sweepstakes operations under Wyoming’s professional gambling laws. The committee took up the proposal during its Oct. 5-6 meeting. However, the vote does not itself change Wyoming law. The proposal would still have to …
New details have emerged regarding a class-action settlement involving sweepstakes casino operator Pulsz and its companion platform, Pulsz Bingo. The agreement gives eligible players in six states a choice between receiving in-platform Gold Coins or electing a cash payment based on their historical spending. According to settlement information, the case stems from claims that purchases of virtual currency on the platforms amounted to illegal gambling under certain state laws. The …
The sweepstakes casino industry is expected to remain under the microscope in 2027 following two years of aggressive legislative activity across multiple states. According to Social Gaming Leadership Alliance Executive Director Sean Ostrow, the organization expects to remain heavily involved in policy discussions as lawmakers continue to evaluate how sweepstakes platforms should operate. Speaking with Sweepsy, Ostrow said the organization plans to spend significant time educating lawmakers about the Social …
Wyoming lawmakers are revisiting the state’s approach to sweepstakes casinos this week as members of the Select Committee on Gaming meet in Rock Springs to review two competing legislative drafts. The committee’s October 5-6 meeting discussed whether Wyoming should prohibit online sweepstakes casinos and similar gaming models or establish a legal framework to regulate and authorize them. While no vote had been reported at the time of the meeting, the …
September proved to be one of the most turbulent months the sweepstakes casino industry has faced in the United States. Multiple operators exited the market, several brands expanded state restrictions, and thousands of players were left navigating changing platform policies and redemption deadlines. The developments added to a growing trend throughout 2026, a year that has seen increasing regulatory pressure, market exits, and operational changes across the sweepstakes gaming sector. …
High 5 Games Reaches Washington Settlement Worth Up to $30 Million High 5 Games has agreed to a settlement worth between $12 million and $30 million, bringing a long-running legal dispute in Washington state closer to resolution. The agreement stems from allegations that the company’s social casino products violated Washington gambling laws by allowing users to purchase virtual coins used in casino-style games. The settlement follows years of litigation over …
Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a broad gaming measure that would not only establish a regulatory framework for skill-game machines but also prohibit sweepstakes casino-style platforms operating in the state. House Bill 2801 was introduced as part of a wider effort to address the future of skill games following a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling. While much of the discussion surrounding the legislation has focused on how skill games should be …
Florida’s efforts against sweepstakes casinos are moving into a new phase as state officials turn their attention toward the online advertisements that help those platforms reach consumers. After filing legal actions against several sweepstakes casino operators and related payment processors, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is now seeking assurances from major technology and social media companies that they are not promoting sweepstakes casino brands to Florida residents. The latest development …
Social casino operator Playstudios has agreed to a $3 million class action settlement that resolves allegations its virtual-chip sales violated gambling laws in six states. The agreement affects players in Alabama, Ohio, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Tennessee and Kentucky who spent money on virtual chips in several Playstudios-operated casino-style games. The settlement stems from litigation filed in Alabama that challenged the legality of virtual currency sold within the company’s social casino …
ClubWPT Gold, the sweepstakes poker platform associated with the World Poker Tour, has officially ended its Nevada operations after facing increasing regulatory scrutiny in the state. The move became effective over the weekend and reduces the platform’s availability from 42 states to 41. The departure adds another example to the growing list of sweepstakes-based gaming operators that have either restricted services or exited individual states as regulators continue examining dual-currency …
The Win Zone, a sweepstakes casino backed by social gaming company PLAYSTUDIOS, is officially shutting down after operating for a little more than a year. The closure marks the end of one of the more notable entries into the sweepstakes casino market because it came from an established gaming company rather than a startup operator. Purchases have already been disabled, and the platform is preparing to go offline permanently. While …
Ohio lawmakers are considering legislation that could significantly change the state’s online gaming landscape. House Bill 298 would establish a regulated online casino market while also prohibiting many sweepstakes-style gaming platforms that currently operate throughout the state. The proposal reflects a growing trend seen in several states where lawmakers are weighing the expansion of regulated internet gambling against the continued operation of sweepstakes casinos. If approved, the measure could force …
Texas lawmakers are beginning to shape conversations around potential gambling policy changes, but sweepstakes casinos do not appear to be a central focus of the latest discussions. Recent reports indicate that Texas officials examining so-called gambling loopholes are directing more attention toward other areas of the gaming sector, including prediction markets and broader wagering concerns. While sweepstakes casinos have faced increased scrutiny in several states over the past two years, …
California has officially joined a growing list of states taking action against the sweepstakes casino industry. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 831 into law, creating a statewide ban on online sweepstakes casinos that use dual-currency systems allowing players to redeem prizes with real-world value. The legislation marks one of the most significant regulatory developments for the sweepstakes gaming sector in recent years. As the most populous state in the …
A recent federal appeals court decision involving prediction market operator Kalshi is drawing attention beyond the sports prediction space. While the case does not directly involve sweepstakes casinos, legal observers note that some of the court’s reasoning overlaps with arguments currently being used in several ongoing sweepstakes-related disputes. The ruling stems from a challenge brought by two California tribal nations and focuses on whether certain sports event contracts should be …
Connecticut’s recent enforcement action against prediction market operators is drawing attention beyond that sector, with some legal analysts suggesting the move could signal increased scrutiny of sweepstakes casinos in the state. The development comes as regulators across the country continue examining alternative gaming models that operate outside traditional casino and sportsbook frameworks. While Connecticut has not announced any direct action against sweepstakes casinos, observers say the legal reasoning applied to …
VGW Holdings, the company behind Chumba Casino, Global Poker and the former LuckyLand Slots platform, has resolved a long-running investigation in New York. However, the settlement does not end the company’s broader legal challenges, as separate lawsuits in Florida and Kentucky continue to move through the courts. The New York agreement, announced on Sept. 9, requires VGW to pay $8 million in penalties, costs and disgorgement. The settlement closes an …
Crown Coins Casino, one of the larger names in the sweepstakes casino space, is facing increased scrutiny after a series of consumer complaints, regulatory action, and legal challenges. What began as a platform marketed as an alternative to traditional online gambling is now drawing attention for a growing list of issues that some players say have affected their ability to redeem prizes. The concerns have become significant enough to attract …
The first week of the NFL season delivered a result that could influence far more than traditional sports betting. Prediction market operator Kalshi recorded approximately $983 million in NFL-related trading activity during Week 1, contributing to more than $1 billion in tracked prediction market volume across major platforms. While prediction markets and sweepstakes casinos operate under different business models, the scale of engagement has drawn attention across the broader online …
The landscape of sweepstakes casinos in the US is changing regularly. 2026 has seen several states move to ban brands from operating within their borders while other motions have stalled in the House or Senate of respective juradisctions.
Our team of experts are follow every active bill closely as well as reporting on the current situation across the US and how sweepstakes casinos are adapting their services to meet the needs of players.
