Indiana and Maine sweepstakes bans are finally taking effect in July. And in the final days before the law takes hold, operators are wrapping up operations, while players are advised to redeem Sweeps Coins before the function is limited.
The Indiana sweeps casino July deadline has already prompted several brands to exit the state. By July 1st, there’s expected to be a mass exodus of hundreds of operators, leaving Hoosiers without any legal sweepstakes gaming solutions. A similar situation is unfolding in Maine, where the sweepstakes cutoff is in mid-July. Keep reading to know more.
Indiana was the first state to pass anti-sweepstakes laws earlier in March, and Maine followed not long after. The Indiana ban becomes official law on July 1st, according to House Bill 1052. While Maine’s Legislative Document 2007 did not indicate an effective date, the deadline is likely around mid-July, which would mark 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session. And this is in line with updates from sites like PlayFame and SpinBlitz, both of which have said they’ll end statewide operations on 15 July.
Before now, the vast majority of sweepstakes brands have catered to players in both the Hoosier State and the Pine Tree State. With both HB1052 and LD2007 making sweepstakes gaming illegal, anyone located in either of these states will no longer have access to sweepstakes casinos.
Legit sweepstakes brands prefer to take their business elsewhere when faced with intense scrutiny or opposition from legislators, and since the law was passed in Indiana, plenty of top operators have quickly responded to the new legal landscape. These include Pulsz and its sister site Pulsz Bingo, as well as the suite of social casinos run by B-Two Operations (McLuck, Jackpota, Hello Millions, PlayFame, etc.). ACE Casino, Baba Casino, and Modo.us have also moved to comply with the legislative action.
Sweeps sites such as Mega Bonanza and Jackpota closed shop immediately, while others, like Baba Casino, phased out gradually over several weeks. Brands like Hello Millions and McLuck are still active but have communicated their plans to end operations by the effective date. Modo.us and Pulsz are among the few that have chosen not to make a full exit. Instead, they’ve transitioned to proper social casinos, removing Sweeps Coin (SC) gameplay, but still running Gold Coin (GC) mode.
A similar situation is ongoing in Maine. And based on the latest industry news, Maine’s sweepstakes ban is accompanied by the state’s push for regulated online casinos. What’s clear is that come July, all legit sweeps sites will either have to exit the state or remove SC play, otherwise they face fines up to $100,000 per violation.
The new legislation means that Hoosiers and Mainers will no longer have access to legal sweepstakes gaming. But ahead of the effective date, there are a few things players can do:
The passing of HB1052 and LD2007 makes sweepstakes gaming illegal in Indiana and Maine, respectively. So these states will no longer have access to SC gameplay and prize redemptions. This isn’t a simple crackdown by enforcers like in Illinois. It’s a legislative ban, so there’s no going back, nor is there a way around it.
As of June 25, some operators are still active in Indiana, and if you play at such sites, we advise you to submit a redemption request as soon as possible to redeem any SC winnings left in your balance before July 1st. On the other hand, players in Maine have until mid-July, which is the deadline before platforms either shut down completely or limit their sweeps operations in the state.
