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Sweepstakes Casino Bans by State (2026): Live Tracker & Map

As of November 6, 2026, 12 states ban sweepstakes casinos: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Washington. 14 more are restricted or under enforcement.

The most recent ban is Oklahoma’s SB 1589, in force since November 1, 2026. No further ban has a scheduled effective date. This tracker lists every banned and restricted state with its bill number, effective date and source, plus a dated changelog.

Last updated . Rows show the date each state was last re-checked. General information, not legal advice.

All 51 jurisdictions at a glance

Banned (12) Restricted / enforcement (14) Generally available (25)
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Tracker: banned and restricted states

StateStatusBillEffectiveSourceUpdated
CaliforniaBannedAB 831January 1, 2026Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
ConnecticutBannedSB 1235October 2025Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
IdahoBannedArt. III § 20Existing lawInfo Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
IndianaBannedHB 1052July 1, 2026Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
LouisianaBannedHB 53 / HB 883August 1, 2026Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
MaineBannedLD 2007July 14, 2026Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
MontanaBannedSB 555October 1, 2025Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
New JerseyBannedA5447August 15, 2025Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
New YorkBannedS5935-ADecember 5, 2025Primary sourceNovember 6, 2026
OklahomaBannedSB 1589November 1, 2026Primary sourceNovember 6, 2026
TennesseeBannedHB 1885 / SB 2136May 22, 2026Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
WashingtonBannedRCW 9.46.240Existing lawInfo Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
ArizonaRestricted or uncertain—2024 (ongoing enforcement)Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
ArkansasRestricted or uncertain—November 4, 2026 (lawsuit filed)Primary sourceNovember 6, 2026
DelawareRestricted or uncertain—2023 (ongoing enforcement)Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
HawaiiRestricted or uncertain——Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
IllinoisRestricted or uncertain—February 2026Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
IowaRestricted or uncertainSF 2289July 1, 2026Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
MarylandRestricted or uncertain—2024 (ongoing enforcement)Info Law · Gambling InsiderNovember 6, 2026
MichiganRestricted or uncertain——Info Law · Gambling InsiderNovember 6, 2026
MinnesotaRestricted or uncertain—November 2025Info Law · Gambling InsiderNovember 6, 2026
NevadaRestricted or uncertainSB 256October 1, 2025Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026
PennsylvaniaRestricted or uncertain——Info Law · Gambling InsiderNovember 6, 2026
UtahRestricted or uncertain—Existing lawInfo Law · Gambling InsiderNovember 6, 2026
Washington, D.C.Restricted or uncertainB26-0656—Info Law · Gambling InsiderNovember 6, 2026
West VirginiaRestricted or uncertain—2024 (ongoing enforcement)Info Law · Gambling InsiderOctober 1, 2026

The other 25 states are generally available. See the full state table. The “Updated” column is the date we last re-checked that row against a primary source; rows without a newer check carry the October 1, 2026 full review.

Changelog

  • · Arkansas: Attorney General Tim Griffin sues ten VGW entities (Chumba Casino, Global Poker, LuckyLand) in White County Circuit Court under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act and state gambling law. Arkansas moves to “restricted / enforcement”.
  • · Oklahoma: SB 1589 takes effect: conducting or supporting dual-currency online casino games is now a felony in Oklahoma.
  • · Florida: Response deadline for the five platforms named in the Florida AG’s cease-and-desist letters.
  • · Pennsylvania: HB 2801 introduced by Rep. Russ Diamond; proposes fines of $50,000–$500,000 per violation.
  • · Florida: Florida AG James Uthmeier sends cease-and-desist letters to Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok. Response deadline October 23, 2026.
  • · All: LuckyLand Slots closes permanently after a staged shutdown (purchases Aug 3, gameplay Aug 24, redemptions Sep 14).
  • · New York: VGW agrees to pay $8 million to settle the New York AG investigation into Chumba, LuckyLand and Global Poker.
  • · Louisiana: HB 53 (Act 48) and HB 883 (Act 182) take effect.
  • · Maine: LD 2007 takes effect.
  • · Indiana: HB 1052 takes effect.
  • · Louisiana: HB 53 and HB 883 signed.
  • · Tennessee: HB 1885 / SB 2136 signed.
  • · Oklahoma: Legislature overrides the governor’s veto of SB 1589.
  • · Maryland: Ban bills that passed the House (HB 1226, HB 295, SB 652) die without a Senate vote as the session ends.
  • · Maine: LD 2007 signed; takes effect July 14, 2026.
  • · Indiana: HB 1052 signed.
  • · Illinois: Cease-and-desist letters sent to more than 60 operators.
  • · California: AB 831 takes effect.
  • · Tennessee: Cease-and-desist letters sent to about 40 operators.
  • · New York: Governor Hochul signs S5935-A (Chapter 605), banning online sweepstakes games and the processors, suppliers and affiliates that support them. Effective immediately.
  • · Minnesota: Cease-and-desist letters sent to 14 operators, including LuckyLand, Zula and Fortune Coins.
  • · New Jersey: Bill A5447 takes effect, banning dual-currency sweepstakes operations.
  • · Connecticut: SB 1235 signed, prohibiting casino-style sweepstakes gaming.
  • · Louisiana: Cease-and-desist letters sent to multiple operators (June 2025).
  • · Montana: SB 555 signed; the ban takes effect October 1, 2025 with felony penalties.

Sweepstakes Casino Bans by State: The 2026 List

Sweepstakes casinos have gone from a legal gray area to a target for lawmakers. This guide summarizes which states have acted, when, and what it means for players. Information is compiled from primary sources (bill texts, attorney general releases) and B2B gaming press as of November 6, 2026 and changes quickly.

States with bans in place

Twelve states are banned, either through a new statute or existing gambling law. In order of effective date:

  • Idaho: existing constitutional prohibition on simulated casino gaming (Art. III § 20)
  • Washington: existing law (RCW 9.46.240)
  • New Jersey: A5447, effective August 15, 2025
  • Montana: SB 555, effective October 1, 2025
  • Connecticut: SB 1235, signed June 2025, effective October 2025
  • New York: S5935-A, signed December 5, 2025 and effective immediately
  • California: AB 831, effective January 1, 2026
  • Tennessee: HB 1885 / SB 2136, signed May 22, 2026
  • Indiana: HB 1052, effective July 1, 2026
  • Maine: LD 2007, effective July 14, 2026
  • Louisiana: HB 53 and HB 883, effective August 1, 2026
  • Oklahoma: SB 1589, effective November 1, 2026 after a veto override

Restricted or under enforcement

Fourteen more jurisdictions are not formally banned but see enforcement, lawsuits or heavy operator restrictions. Illinois, Minnesota and Maryland have issued cease-and-desist letters. Arizona and Delaware regulators have done the same. Iowa passed a law in 2026 that prohibits unlicensed sweepstakes. Nevada increased penalties. Michigan and Pennsylvania have regulated online casino markets and many operators block them. Hawaii, Utah and West Virginia are treated as no-play or uncertain. Washington, D.C. has a bill pending. Arkansas joined the list on November 4, 2026, when Attorney General Tim Griffin sued VGW (Chumba Casino, Global Poker, LuckyLand) in White County Circuit Court under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act and state gambling law; there is no Arkansas ban statute and most operators still accept Arkansas players while the case is pending.

Bills that failed or stalled in 2026

Not every bill has passed. Ban bills died in Florida (Senate, March), Mississippi (SB 2104, House committee, March 3), Massachusetts (H4431, sent to study March 16), Virginia (HB 161; SB 579 carried to 2027), Minnesota (SF 4474 passed the Senate 62–3 but the session ended May 18 without a House vote) and Maryland (HB 1226 and HB 295 passed the House but died when the session ended April 13). Missouri HB 1251 and Ohio HB 298 sit in committee. Pennsylvania HB 2801 (introduced September 24, 2026) is in the House Gaming Oversight Committee with no hearing scheduled; the session ends November 30, 2026. Wyoming has 2027 working drafts. Expect several of these to return in 2027.

What this means for players

  • Operators block banned states, so you may not be able to sign up or redeem there.
  • Using a VPN or false details to bypass location checks breaks the terms and can cost you your account and prizes.
  • If you move, check the new state’s rules and the casino’s terms before you play.
  • Always confirm on the operator’s own terms page: policies change faster than any guide.

Where to check your state

We keep a page for all 50 states and D.C. with the law, effective date and status. Start at our state-by-state guide. This is general information, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

As of November 6, 2026, 12 states ban sweepstakes casinos: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Washington. 14 more jurisdictions are restricted or under enforcement, including Arkansas, where the attorney general sued VGW on November 4, 2026.

In 2025: New Jersey (A5447, August 15), Montana (SB 555, October 1), Connecticut (SB 1235, October) and New York (S5935-A, signed December 5). In 2026: California (AB 831, January 1), Tennessee (HB 1885 / SB 2136, May 22), Indiana (HB 1052, July 1), Maine (LD 2007, July 14), Louisiana (HB 53 and HB 883, August 1) and Oklahoma (SB 1589, November 1). Idaho and Washington are treated as banned under laws that predate the sweepstakes model.

Oklahoma. SB 1589 took effect on November 1, 2026, making it a felony to conduct or support dual-currency online casino games. Before that, Louisiana’s ban took effect on August 1, 2026.

None is scheduled as of November 6, 2026. Oklahoma’s SB 1589 was the last dated ban. The live bills to watch are Pennsylvania HB 2801, which dies on November 30, 2026 unless it passes, and Washington, D.C.’s B26-0656, still in committee. New bills typically appear when 2027 sessions open in January.

Not as of November 6, 2026. There is no federal law that bans sweepstakes casinos and no bill in Congress that targets them; the only related federal bill, S. 4160 on prediction markets, concerns event contracts, not sweepstakes. Regulation is happening state by state, through statutes, cease-and-desist letters and attorney general lawsuits.

Not yet. HB 2801, introduced by Rep. Russ Diamond on September 24, 2026, would ban online sweepstakes games with fines of $50,000 to $500,000 per violation. As of November 6, 2026 it sits in the House Gaming Oversight Committee with no hearing or vote. The 2025–26 session ends November 30, 2026 and bills do not carry over, so it would need to be reintroduced in 2027. Pennsylvania already has a regulated online casino market, and several sweepstakes operators block the state on their own.

Utah already bans all gambling under its constitution, and Utah Code 76-9-1401 defines “sweepstakes” and “online gambling” as gambling. HB 243, signed March 25, 2026 and effective May 6, 2026, added proposition bets to that definition; it is not a sweepstakes-casino bill. No attorney general action against sweepstakes casinos is on record, but most major operators block Utah in their terms.

Both died in 2026. Minnesota’s SF 4474 passed the Senate 62–3 on April 30, 2026 but the House never voted before the session adjourned on May 18, and no special session has been called. Mississippi’s SB 2104 passed the Senate 52–0 on February 4, 2026 and died in the House Gaming Committee on March 3. Minnesota regulators still send cease-and-desist letters under existing law, so availability there varies by operator.

On November 4, 2026 Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin sued ten VGW entities, the owner of Chumba Casino, Global Poker and LuckyLand, in White County Circuit Court. The suit alleges illegal gambling and violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks restitution, civil penalties, unpaid taxes and an injunction. There is no Arkansas ban statute, so most operators still accept Arkansas players while the case is pending.

That depends on the operator’s terms and your situation. Casinos that comply with the law will restrict accounts in banned states and usually give a redemption window before the effective date, so contact support before assuming anything.

Sources