Sweepstakes Casino Legal States: Every Ban, Block and Crackdown Tracked

Sweepstakes casinos are banned by statute in nine states, blocked under existing law in four more and under regulator or attorney general pressure in another ten. Oklahoma becomes the tenth statutory ban on November 1, 2026. That still leaves 26 states and Washington DC with no statewide ban. Each operator also keeps its own list of excluded states on top of the law.

This tracker sets out every state’s status, the bill or action behind it and the date it took effect, with links to official sources where they exist.

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Sweepstakes casino legal status at a glance

Status	States
Banned by statute	California, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee
Ban scheduled	Oklahoma (November 1, 2026)
Blocked under existing law	Idaho, Michigan, Nevada, Washington
Regulator or AG action	Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, West Virginia
No statewide ban	Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Washington DC

States that ban sweepstakes casinos by law

These states have passed legislation that specifically targets online sweepstakes casinos, usually by defining a “dual-currency system” and making it unlawful to operate or support one.

State	Law	Effective	Key detail
Montana	SB 555	October 1, 2025	Among the first wave of statutory bans
Connecticut	SB 1235 (Public Act 25-112)	October 1, 2025	Bars sweepstakes that facilitate real or simulated online casino gaming unless licensed
New Jersey	A5447	August 15, 2025	Passed in a state with a licensed online casino market
New York	S5935-A (Chapter 605 of 2025)	Signed December 5, 2025	Fines of $10,000 to $100,000 per violation
California	AB 831	January 1, 2026	Signed October 2025; the largest market to close
Indiana	HB 1052	July 1, 2026	Signed March 12, 2026; bars dual-currency games online and on mobile
Maine	LD 2007	July 14, 2026	Signed April 6, 2026; fines plus loss of state gaming licenses
Louisiana	HB 883 (Act 182) and HB 53 (Act 48)	August 1, 2026	Brings sweeps-style gaming under the state’s anti-racketeering framework
Tennessee	SB 2136 / HB 1885	Signed May 22, 2026	Adds Tennessee to the prohibition list
Oklahoma (scheduled)	SB 1589	November 1, 2026	Enacted over the governor’s veto on May 14, 2026; a Class C2 felony

How the bans are written

New York’s S5935-A is the template many states have followed. It defines an online sweepstakes game as one using a dual-currency system that lets players exchange currency for cash prizes and simulates casino gaming. It then makes running one unlawful. It also bars payment processors, geolocation providers, game suppliers, platform providers and media affiliates from supporting one. The State Gaming Commission, State Police and Attorney General’s office can all enforce it.

Connecticut took a different route. Public Act 25-112 amended the state’s existing sweepstakes statute. Now no sweepstakes may facilitate “real or simulated online casino gaming or sports wagering” without a gaming license, and violations count as unfair trade practices.

Oklahoma’s law goes furthest on penalties. SB 1589 makes offering online casino games for anything of value a felony, with exemptions for tribal gaming under federal law and charity games. Lawmakers overrode Governor Kevin Stitt’s veto, 34-10 in the Senate and 68-19 in the House.

Sweepstakes ban timeline

The bans arrived in two waves. The first, in 2025, came mostly from states with mature regulated markets. The second, in 2026, spread to states with tribal gaming compacts and no online casino licensing at all.

1. June 24, 2025: Connecticut’s Public Act 25-112 is approved, with its sweepstakes section taking effect on October 1, 2025.
2. August 15, 2025: New Jersey’s A5447 takes effect, closing one of the oldest licensed online casino states to sweeps play.
3. October 1, 2025: Montana’s SB 555 and Connecticut’s ban take effect. Nevada’s SB 256 reinforces its existing position the same day.
4. December 5, 2025: New York’s S5935-A is signed as Chapter 605 of 2025, having passed the Senate 57-2 in June.
5. January 1, 2026: California’s AB 831 takes effect.
6. March 12, 2026: Indiana’s HB 1052 is signed, effective July 1.
7. April 6, 2026: Maine’s LD 2007 is signed, effective July 14.
8. May 14, 2026: Oklahoma’s legislature overrides the governor’s veto of SB 1589.
9. May 22, 2026: Tennessee’s ban is signed.
10. August 1, 2026: Louisiana’s HB 883 and HB 53 take effect.
11. November 1, 2026: Oklahoma’s ban starts.

States that block sweepstakes casinos under existing law

These states did not need a new bill. Their gambling statutes or constitutions already rule the model out, and operators treat them as off-limits.

State	Basis	Notes
Idaho	Idaho Constitution, Article III, Section 20	Long-standing prohibition on casino gaming
Michigan	Michigan Gaming Control Board enforcement	Cease-and-desist letters to operators from January 2025
Nevada	NRS Chapter 463 and SB 256 (2025)	Reinforced from October 1, 2025
Washington	RCW 9.46.240	Online gambling is a felony

States with regulator or attorney general action

There is no statewide ban in these states, but regulators or attorneys general have sent cease-and-desist letters, issued subpoenas or gone to court. Several of the biggest brands have already pulled out of some of them.

State	Action	Date
Arizona	Department of Gaming cease-and-desist orders	2025
Delaware	Division of Gaming Enforcement cease-and-desist	February 2023
Florida	Attorney General lawsuits against sweepstakes operators	August 19, 2026
Illinois	Gaming Board and Attorney General letters to 60+ operators	February 5, 2026
Iowa	SF 2289 gives the Racing and Gaming Commission cease-and-desist power	Effective July 1, 2026
Maryland	Cease-and-desist letters; ban bills died in the Senate	Session ended April 13, 2026
Minnesota	Attorney General letters to 14 operators; SF 4474 died	November 2025; May 18, 2026
Mississippi	Gaming Commission cease-and-desist letters; SB 2104 died in committee	2025 and April 2026
Pennsylvania	Gaming Control Board cease-and-desist letters; HB 2801 pending	2025 onwards
West Virginia	Attorney General subpoenas and warnings	2025

Iowa’s SF 2289 is worth watching. It stops short of a ban but shifts the default, so unlicensed gaming is presumed prohibited. It also gives the state regulator a direct enforcement tool.

Where sweepstakes casinos are still legal

Twenty-six states and Washington DC have no statewide ban. That includes the two biggest remaining markets, Texas and Florida, although Florida’s attorney general is now in court against operators.

Bills to watch

• Washington DC: B26-0656 would legalize online casinos and ban dual-currency sweepstakes. First hearing held May 2026.
• Massachusetts: H 4431 would pair online casino legalization with a sweepstakes ban. Sent to study in March 2026.
• Ohio: HB 298 and SB 197 have stalled.
• Hawaii and Virginia: ban efforts stalled in 2026.

“Legal” here means no state law or enforcement action specifically targets the model. It does not mean every brand accepts players. Operators exclude states on their own judgment, and civil class actions in Alabama and Georgia have pushed some brands to tighten their lists.

Partner availability by brand

Each sweepstakes casino publishes its own excluded states in its terms. Our four partners list the following.

Casino	Excluded under its terms	Play-only (no prizes)
RealPrize	CT, ID, MI, MT, NV, NY, WA, plus later exits including DE, LA and NJ, and any state with a statutory ban	None listed
NoLimitCoins	CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY	CA, IN, ME, MD
Funrize	CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY	CA, IN, ME, MD
FunzCity	CT, DE, ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, RI, TN, WA, WV, WY	CA, IN, ME, MD

Oklahoma is expected to join every brand’s list when its ban starts. The sign-up screen checks your location, so it will tell you on the spot if a brand is closed where you are.

How to check whether you can play in your state

State law is only the first filter. We would check things in this order.

1. Find your state in the tables above. If it is banned, blocked or scheduled, stop there.
2. Read the operator’s terms of use. Every legitimate brand lists its excluded states, usually in the eligibility section. Funrize, for example, sets its list out in section 3.4 of its terms.
3. Check for play-only states. Some brands accept players from a state but switch off prize play there, as the A1 Development sites do in California, Indiana, Maine and Maryland.
4. Let the sign-up screen confirm it. Location checks run at registration and again at redemption.
5. Check again after a move or a new law. Bans have taken effect mid-year in several states, and operators close accounts when they do.

How we keep this tracker accurate

We build each row from the bill text, the signing record or the regulator’s own announcement, and link the official source wherever the state publishes one. When an operator’s terms list a state that the law does not, we record that in the brand table rather than in the state status. When a bill dies or stalls, it moves to the watch list instead of disappearing.

What a ban means for players

The new laws aim at the businesses, not at you. Fines and license penalties fall on operators, payment processors, suppliers and affiliates. The practical effect for players is that legitimate brands geolocate and block accounts, refuse redemptions from excluded states, and in some cases close accounts outright.

If you move to or travel through a banned state, do not try to play around it with a VPN. Operators’ terms treat that as grounds to void prizes and close the account.

Alternatives in states that have closed the door

In several banned states, licensed real-money options exist. New Jersey and Michigan have regulated online casinos and sportsbooks, and New York has licensed mobile sports betting. Our New York betting guide and state betting hub cover what is available. Event contracts are another route in many states, with live court fights of their own, covered in our prediction markets legal states tracker.

Why the sweepstakes model is under pressure

Three forces are behind the wave of bans. States that license online casinos and sportsbooks see untaxed competition. Tribal nations, whose compacts give them gaming exclusivity in states such as California and Oklahoma, have lobbied hard. And consumer groups point to age checks and spending controls that fall short of regulated operators.

The industry’s answer has been self-regulation, tighter KYC and voluntary state exits ahead of the law. Whether that slows the momentum will become clearer in the 2027 legislative sessions. Our best sweepstakes casinos guide covers the brands still operating and how each one handles redemptions.

Free, confidential support is available around the clock from the National Council on Problem Gambling.