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 BioThe Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) has introduced a new term, “Social Plus,” to describe the category of “freemium” social casino games that include sweepstakes elements. The announcement follows Minnesota’s Attorney General labeling several sweepstakes platforms “illegal gambling” and Google reclassifying them alongside regulated online casinos.
In a press release published on November 7, SGLA Managing Director Sean Ostrow described the term “Social Plus” as a simpler and more positive way to categorize social games with sweepstakes promotions.
“Let’s face it, ‘online social games with sweepstakes promotions’ is a mouthful,” Ostrow wrote. “‘Social Plus’ gives us a bite-sized term that can positively describe online social games with sweepstakes promotions in an understandable and easy-to-share way.”
Ostrow emphasized that the “Plus” represents more than the opportunity to win prizes. It stands for “a higher standard of consumer protection and player safety.” All SGLA member platforms, he said, are limited to adults 21 and older, compared to many others that accept users over 18. The trade group also claims that members implement strict verification, responsible gaming tools, and data security safeguards.
SGLA’s members include VGW (Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots), Yellow Social Interactive (Pulsz, Pulsz Bingo), ARB Interactive (Modo), and B-Two Operations (McLuck, Jackpota, Hello Millions, Mega Bonanza, SpinBlitz).
Response to Regulatory & Tech-Sector Pressure
The timing of the announcement was notable. It arrived just two days after Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison formally warned a few sweepstakes operators — including VGW’s LuckyLand Slots— to halt operations, calling them potential illegal gambling sites that violated state consumer-protection laws.
As with most such regulatory enforcement threats, SGLA responded by urging the AG’s office to reconsider its “mischaracterization” of Social Plus games. The trade group claims the games its members offer are “lawful, free-to-play social games enjoyed by millions of Americans.”
Just days before the Minnesota developments, the sweepstakes industry took another hit. On October 28, Google updated its advertising policies and removed sweepstakes casinos from its “social casino games” category. Instead, it categorized the platforms under online gambling, similar to regulated platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel.
The update is significant. Sweepstakes casinos will no longer be able to advertise as social casino platforms on Google, as ads are permitted only for games that resemble casino play but do not involve monetary prizes.
Together, the Minnesota warning and Google’s ad policy shift underscored the growing consensus among regulators and tech platforms that sweepstakes casinos fall closer to gambling than social gaming.
The SGLA’s “Social Plus” launch appears to be a strategic rebranding effort amid the mounting scrutiny. It attempts to describe sweepstakes-style casinos as entertainment products that operate under self-imposed protections rather than unregulated gambling.
A Pivot After California’s Legislative Battle
The rebrand also comes a month after California banned dual-currency sweepstakes casinos. The prohibition is significant as the state represents nearly 20% of the US sweepstakes revenue, according to some reports.
SGLA fought a long battle against the ban bill, AB 831. The trade group, and VGW in particular, worked hard to assemble an opposition coalition. That included organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Association of National Advertisers.
VGW also got backing from a few smaller Native American tribes, which formally joined the opposition to the ban.
Still, SGLA’s efforts did not move lawmakers. AB 831 advanced through the legislature without a single opposing vote in either chamber.
California’s ban marked the latest setback for the industry. Previous similar bans passed this year include those in Montana, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Nevada.
Additionally, several other gaming regulators and Attorneys General have issued cease-and-desist orders, accusing sweepstakes casinos of operating illegal gambling platforms.
Defining a New Category
The “Social Plus” branding may also signal SGLA’s effort to separate its member platforms from the unregulated gray market and “some bad actors” in the sweepstakes casino segment.
In the release, Ostrow stated that the SGLA’s mission is to promote “responsible innovation, player protections, and integrity in the growing sub-industry.” Prospective members must agree to strict standards — from identity verification to responsible-play systems — before joining.
“SGLA partners have always put consumer protections first,” Ostrow wrote. “We remain committed to advocating for state regulatory and taxation frameworks that will benefit players, communities, and the industry.”
By highlighting age limits, safeguards, and responsible-play tools, the alliance is positioning “Social Plus” as a distinct, consumer-safe alternative to what regulators have described as illegal gambling.
Still, efforts by SGLA’s members have gained little sympathy from regulators and lawmakers across the US so far. Whether “Social Plus” will help shift that perception remains uncertain. Still, it marks the industry’s latest attempt yet to rewrite its narrative.
