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...
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A wave of state-level bans and regulatory actions is reshaping the sweepstakes casino landscape in the US, forcing dozens of operators to retreat from key markets. This year, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Montana, and Nevada passed laws to prohibit the unregulated platforms, while others have intensified regulatory pressure.
However, even as regulators tighten the noose, some casinos continue to operate in areas where they are banned.
Five States Lead With a Ban
Since May, when Montana banned sweepstakes casinos, four others have followed suit with similar prohibitions. According to a CasinoBeats review of operator terms and conditions, over 50 platforms have now ceased operations in these states.
In New Jersey, which became the latest to ban the sites earlier this month, the number is less than 40. However, that’s likely to increase as more platforms update their terms.
Interestingly, while there are some runaways in most of these states, almost nobody operates in Nevada. That’s despite the state not explicitly banning the platforms. Instead, it passed a law allowing gambling regulators to prosecute and fine out-of-state operators without a Nevada license.
While several other attempts have failed, California remains on track to join the list. Recently, a ban bill advanced from Senate committees to the Senate floor for a vote. However, it’s facing a tight deadline as the last day of California’s 2025 legislative session is September 12.
Other States Leading the Charge
Beyond the five bans, several states have emerged as partial battlegrounds where regulators are scrutinizing the sweeps model or operators are voluntarily exiting.
Earlier this year, the Louisiana Legislature passed a ban bill, but Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed it, saying it was unnecessary. Soon after his veto, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board announced that it had targeted 40 unlicensed offshore and sweepstakes casinos.
As a result, CasinoBeats has confirmed that at least 40 platforms (we can’t confirm whether these are the targeted ones), including Chumba, High5 Casino, Stake.us, and McLuck, have ceased offering their services.
West Virginia’s Attorney General John McCuskey shared in July that he has sent 47 subpoenas to sweepstakes casinos. As a result, at least 26 platforms, including Pulsz, Stake.us, High5 Casino, and NoLimitCoins, have left the Mountain State.
Delaware is another state that has seen a significant number of sweepstakes casinos leave. CasinoBeats has confirmed that at least 34 platforms, including LuckyLand Slots and Chumba, list the state as ineligible for participation.
Other states that have witnessed over a dozen exits include:
- Maryland: At least 21 operators have pulled out, including WOW Vegas, Modo, Sidepot, and Lucky Stake.
- Alabama: At least 12 operators left the state, including Funrize, Fliff, and Thrillz.
- Arizona: At least eight operators, such as Stake, High5, Carnival Citi, and Modo, withdrew.
The Runaways
Despite widespread exits, some platforms have yet to comply fully.
For instance, Luckybird, Crown Coins, Rebet, Spinfinite, Speed Sweeps, and Casino Click do not list New York as excluded, despite the state having enacted a ban. Several of those same sites—including Casino Click, Crown Coins, Rebet, Spinfinite, and Speed Sweeps—continue to accept players from Connecticut as well.
In New Jersey, platforms such as LuckyBird, Vegas Gems, Casino Click, Crown Coins, Lonestar, Rolla, Speed Sweeps, Rich Sweeps, Rebet, and The Money Factory are still among those offering access despite the new law.
Meanwhile, Chumba Casino and Funzpoints have also faced scrutiny for continuing to allow access in restricted states after bans took effect.
While most operators update terms of service to reflect new exclusions, enforcement gaps suggest that some platforms are willing to test regulators’ resolve.
Outlook
The bans in five states have already pushed dozens of operators out of the market. New York, Connecticut, and Nevada each tally more than 50 exits. Secondary states that have relied on regulatory enforcement, like Louisiana and Delaware, are also reporting visible success.
Still, there’s a persistence of “runaway” casinos in banned states. That highlights the challenges regulators face in policing an industry that operates across borders with little federal oversight.
