Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioCalifornia moved one step closer toward banning sweepstakes casinos as Assembly Bill 831 (AB 831) passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on August 29. The measure advanced during the committee’s Suspense Day hearing, a high-stakes, vote-only session where the fate of hundreds of bills is decided in rapid order.
On Suspense Day, a unique part of California’s budget process, committee members do not debate bills or take pubic comments. Instead, they quickly move and vote through hundreds of bills placed in a “Suspense File”, such as AB 831.
With a 7-0 vote, the committee unanimously advanced the sweepstakes casino ban bill to the Senate’s Third Reading file. That positions it for a floor vote.
The bill, sponsored by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, has already passed the Assembly, albeit in a version that does not include the ban on sweepstakes platforms. It also unanimously advanced through the Senate Governmental Organization Committee and the Senate Public Safety Committee.
With the latest committee action, it now faces a final vote in the state Senate.
What’s Next: Senate Deadline Looms
By moving to the Third Reading file, AB 831 is now eligible for a Senate vote at any time. To pass, it needs a simple majority of 21 votes from the 40-member chamber.
The proposal faces a tight deadline. The California Legislature’s last day for the 2025 session is September 12. That means before that date, the Senate must pass it and return it to the House for concurrence. That’s because the Senate amended AB 831 to include the provision banning sweepstakes casinos. Initially, the bill dealt with state and tribal gaming compact timelines.
If AB 831 passes both chambers in time, it will then move to Governor Gavin Newsom for signature or veto. The governor has until October 12 for either action.
Even if lawmakers cannot pass the bill on time, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s dead. As California operates on a two-year legislative cycle, the Legislature can pick up where it left off when the 2026 session starts.
Growing Opposition Has Not Stopped Progress
As AB 831 advanced through the Legislature, it attracted mounting opposition. VGW, the operator of Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker, has led the effort.
In July, the Social & Promotional Games Association, a trade group in which VGW is a founding member, announced that several high-profile organizations had joined efforts against the bill. They include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Association of National Advertisers, and the American Transaction Processors Coalition.
VGW has also sought allies among California tribes. Earlier this month, it struck a landmark partnership with the Kletsel Dehe Wintun Nation of the Cortina Rancheria tribe, a federally recognized Native American tribe in California. The tribe became the first Californian tribe to oppose the ban.
A week later, the Big Lagoon Rancheria tribe also came out in opposition to banning sweepstakes casinos. Shortly after, the Sherwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians followed. The three tribes warned that a prohibition undermines tribal sovereignty and could set a precedent for limiting tribal economic development.
Still, they represent a minority view. A coalition of more than 50 California tribes backs the ban.
Other opponents to the ban include the Publishers Clearing House, which is now owned by ARB Interactive, the operator of sweepstakes casino Modo.
Despite these objections, lawmakers have so far shown little hesitation in advancing AB 831, suggesting momentum remains firmly behind prohibition.
Closing Context: California’s Gambling Crossroads
AB 831 is not just about sweepstakes casinos—it’s part of a broader debate over gambling in California. The state has repeatedly rejected sports betting initiatives (something that could change), leaving tribal gaming interests as the dominant force.
California’s tribes have long contested that their exclusivity over gambling in the state is threatened by unregulated gambling such as sweepstakes casinos. They have launched legal battles with the state’s cardrooms and the prediction market platform Kalshi and Robinhood. Additionally, they’ve backed the Attorney General‘s recent opinion, which labels daily fantasy sports as illegal.
Given California’s size and market potential, prohibition of sweepstakes casinos or victories for the tribes in other sectors could influence lawmakers in other states whether to regulate, restrict, or tolerate these unregulated types of gambling.
The Senate’s upcoming vote, followed by the Assembly’s concurrence decision, will determine whether California becomes the sixth state to ban sweepstakes casinos in 2025 or whether the battle extends into 2026.
