A number of US states have restricted play at sweepstakes casinos in the past calendar year, so it helps to have an updated list of where you can legally play in the United States. In the space below, we go over the restricted states and list the legal sweeps casino states.
Along the way, we cover the key new laws that players should note. We also take a brief look at how states view social casinos.
Below is a list of states with bans on dual-currency sweepstakes sites that offer rewards for casino-style games:
Some states have longstanding bans on online sweepstakes sites. For instance, Washington state imposed a ban on most forms of online gaming years ago.
The following states do not have statutory bans on sites offering dual-currency casino games with rewards:
It is interesting to note that Hawaii and Utah do not regulate any form of gambling, but their laws do not mention online sweepstakes games or dual-currency systems. State agencies have not sent cease-and-desist letters, so operators continue to accept players in those states.
Throughout 2025 and 2026, a new wave of US states began imposing restrictions or sending cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes operators. In this section I will discuss the latest and most notable bans.
On August 15, 2025, former Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Assembly Bill A5447, which banned online sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks. Upon Murphy’s signing the bill, dual-currency systems pairing Gold Coins with redeemable Sweeps Coins became illegal.
The fines imposed ranged from $100,000 for a first offense to $250,000 for subsequent offenses. Operators who ignore official cease-and-desist orders face fines of $25,000 per violation.
New Jersey’s ban was influential because it was the first to criminalize promoting such platforms. The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) and Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) were empowered to enforce the ban.
The bill had carve-outs for traditional sweepstakes, offering a legal exception for sweepstakes tied to food or soft drink purchases with prizes valued under $20.
On October 11, 2025, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 831, banning dual-currency online sweepstakes casino sites. The bill took effect on January 1, 2026.
AB831 allowed California courts to impose fines ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 per violation. Also, violators could face up to 1 year in jail. Courts also could impose both penalties in the same case.
Like several other states that passed bans around the same time or later, California also targets third-party associates of the sweepstakes sites that “knowingly and willfully” support or promote banned multi-party sweepstakes operators.
On December 5, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul signed S5935A into law. This penalized operators, payment processors, game suppliers, technology providers, geolocation companies, and media marketing affiliates for sites that use dual currency systems to operate casino-style games for rewards.
Civil penalties for violations range from $10,000 to $100,000. Violators risk losing their gaming license or their ability to obtain one in the future.
The new law went into effect immediately when signed by Gov. Hochul. With the New York State Gaming Commission, New York AG Letitia James, and the State Police empowered to enforce such laws, major operators have exited the New York market.
On March 12, 2026, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed into law House Bill 1052 to ban sweepstakes casino sites. The new law went into effect on July 1, 2026.
Under the new law, the Indiana Gaming Commission could impose fines of up to $100,000 on operators in the Indiana market. Unlike Louisiana and Oklahoma, the Indiana ban enforces strictly civil penalties and no criminal charges.
On April 6, 2026, Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 2007 into law, banning sites that offer sweepstakes casino games. The bill, which went into effect on July 15, imposes a fine of between $10,000 to $100,000 per violation.
LD 2007 has a more wide-ranging list of activities than most states. It not only bans sweepstakes sites with slots and table games, but also bingo, poker, lottery games, and sports betting.
On May 14, 2026, the Oklahoma legislature overwhelmingly passed Senate Bill 1589. The margin was so large that it overrode Gov. Kevin Stitt’s veto, and the bill became law on May 19. Once it goes into effect on November 1, sweepstakes casinos will be illegal in the Sooner State.
The fines for violations are smaller than in other states: between $500 to $2,000. On the other hand, Oklahoma makes it a Class C felony offense to operate dual-currency websites with sweepstakes casino rewards. The bill offers a carve-out for tribal gaming operators.
Due to the wind-down period, some sweepstakes sites continue to operate in Oklahoma as of publication.
In May 2026, Governor Jeff Landry signed two separate bills that banned dual-currency sweepstakes sites in Louisiana. On May 11, he signed House Bill 53, which made illegal online gambling activities a case of racketeering.
On May 15, he signed House Bill 883, which classified operating sweepstakes casino sites as a banned activity. The bill goes into effect on August 1.
The Louisiana ban stands out because its penalties include up to $1,000,000 in fines and 50 years of hard labor. Operators have exited the Louisiana market.
Certain states do not have outright statewide bans by statutes, but they target sweepstakes casino operators in ways that have caused top sites to exit the state.
For instance, Delaware’s regulatory pressure caused many platforms to leave the Delaware marketplace.
On February 5, 2026, the Illinois Gaming Control Board sent cease and desist letters to dozens of operators and payment processors, which caused some to voluntarily exit the state or switch to social casino status. Even so, Illinois has not passed an outright ban, so sweepstakes casinos remain legal there.
While Kentucky does not have a ban, Attorney General Russell Coleman filed a lawsuit against VGW, the owner of Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots. This has caused some operators to voluntarily exit the market.
Maryland and Minnesota debated sweepstakes bans in 2026, but did not pass measures during the 2026 legislative session. They remain on this list of legal places to play for now.
Most US states do not ban social casinos. Washington has filed lawsuits against social casinos, prompting all operators to exit the market.
