Florida’s fight against sweepstakes casinos has taken a new turn, as the state has begun pressuring companies advertising their services. Google, Meta, Reddit, TikTok, and Snapchat recently received letters from the Attorney General over their sweepstakes casino ads.
They are expected to respond on October 23, outlining the steps they’ve taken to prevent ads from reaching Florida residents. But why has Florida taken this approach? Here, we’ll examine what led to this crackdown, the pending lawsuits against major operators, the implications of the latest developments, and the future of sweepstakes gaming for Florida players. Let’s begin.
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Stake.us and VGW sued
On August 19, two lawsuits were filed against Stake.us, one of the most popular sweepstakes casinos, and VGW, the company behind top sweepstakes brands like Global Poker and Chumba Casino. The lawsuits also named the payment processors these brands use. According to the lawsuits, the platforms were operating an illegal online gambling business, which is against existing state laws. Although these platforms operate under sweepstakes regulations, the lawsuits cited the dual-currency model as the problem, especially Sweeps Coins, which can be redeemed for cash prizes. The state argued that there’s still underlying gambling activity involved, even with the structure.
Ads have also been targeted
Ads also became a focus recently, when Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent letters to Meta, Google, Reddit, TikTok, and Snapchat. In these letters, he requested that the platforms stop all advertisements for Stake.us, LuckyLand, Global Poker, and Chumba Casino to Florida residents.
The companies were given a deadline of October 23 to provide a written response outlining the steps they’ve taken to ensure that sweepstakes casino ads don’t reach users in Florida. This is only a deadline, but the companies’ response may determine the state’s next move.
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Why’s Florida clamping down on sweepstakes casinos?
Uthmeier is of the opinion that sweepstakes casinos fall under the category of unlicensed gambling platforms that do not operate in the state’s legal gambling framework. His office also argued that establishments that help promote these platforms’ activities may face enforcement action.
Florida’s approach is not unusual in the US, as many other states, including Indiana and Maine, recently cracked down on dual-currency sweepstakes gaming in 2026. Following this trend, many other states have also considered or already restricted these sites. One difference is that the Attorney General is making moves to enforce restrictions through existing laws, instead of waiting for new ones that ban sweepstakes casinos.
So, is Florida banning sweepstakes casinos?
Well, not exactly, or at least not now. However, this crackdown means uncertainty for players in the state. To avoid further legal issues, operators may restrict accounts of users in Florida, remove Sweeps Coin functionality, or reduce promotions. In worse cases, they may cease operations in the state entirely, as has happened in many other states that have begun cracking down on sweepstakes casinos.
Still, this does not mean sweepstakes casinos are being banned from Florida, since the August lawsuit has not been concluded yet. No outcome has been reached, and until a ruling makes them illegal, you can still play on platforms still offering their services in the state. For now, October 23 is the next milestone date, as the responses from Meta, Google, and other platforms could set the pace for what happens next.
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