Sweepstakes Casino Bans: Connecticut Bill Signed, Louisiana Legislation Vetoed

^{Connecticut legislators approved a statewide sweepstakes casino ban at the Capitol in Hartford, joining Montana in crackdowns on the controversial gaming model. (Photo: Sean Pavone / Alamy)}

Connecticut became the second state to officially ban sweepstakes casinos on June 11, as Governor Ned Lamont signed a bill that will outlaw this form of online gambling sites beginning on Oct. 1, 2025. 

Lamont signed the bill after it received unanimous support in both houses of the Connecticut state legislature.

SPGA Blasts Connecticut Ban as Overly Broad 

The bill also sets stricter rules and enforcement penalties for unlicensed sweepstakes that take place offline as well. 

The decision was blasted by the Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA), a trade group for the online sweepstakes casino industry. 

“Connecticut’s sweeping legislation fails to distinguish between lawful promotional sweepstakes and unregulated gambling, despite the absence of any meaningful evidence of consumer harm,” a statement from the SPGA said. “Instead of engaging with operators who prioritize consumer protections, compliance, and responsible standards, lawmakers have chosen a path that will harm innovation, limit consumer choice, and push compliant businesses out of the state.”

Connecticut officials might disagree with the SPGA’s assertion that there has been no “meaningful evidence of consumer harm.” In late May 2025, the state’s Department of Consumer Protection announced a $1.5 million settlement with sweepstakes casino operator High5Games, which was charged with operating an illegal online casino. That sum included more than $643,000 in restitution to Connecticut consumers who lost money on the company’s site.

Connecticut joins Montana, which passed its own sweepstakes casino ban in late May

Louisiana Governor Vetoes Sweepstakes Casino Legislation

A similar story nearly played out in Louisiana, though that ban was stopped at the last possible moment by the state’s governor. 

Senate Bill 181 was passed unanimously by both the Louisiana State Senate and House, with the latter chamber making its 99-0 vote on June 2. The bill would have specifically banned casinos that use a dual-currency system in order to attempt to conform to sweepstakes laws, and would have set punishments including up to five years in jail for illegal operators.

However, Governor Jeff Landry chose to veto the bill on June 12, calling the legislation unnecessary to prevent illegal gambling.

“This bill attempts to criminalize certain secondary gambling activities on the internet that are already prohibited in Louisiana,” Gov. Landry said in a letter to the Louisiana Senate. “Our current Louisiana Gaming Control Board has the regulatory authority, control, and jurisdiction over all aspects of gaming activities and operations pursuant to the Louisiana Gaming Control Law.” 

“The Board is already taking active steps to combat illegal gambling in Louisiana, especially against illegal offshore wagering and illegal online sweepstakes companies operating in Louisiana,” the letter continued. “As such, this bill is a solution in search of a problem that is already being solved by our current system, and some of the language in this bill is overly broad and could be interpreted in an adverse manner which may harm or impede our current enforcement actions taken against these bad actors.”

As expected, the SPGA applauded Gov. Landry’s decision. 

“Governor Landry’s veto is a powerful affirmation that not all online games are gambling and that innovation should not be met with prohibition,” an SPGA spokesperson said in a statement. “This legislation blurred critical legal distinctions and risked punishing legitimate businesses that comply with well-established sweepstakes laws and offer free-to-play experiences.”

Many states have been pushing for stronger regulations or outright bans on sweepstakes casinos over the past year. The SPGA notes that efforts in states such as Maryland, Mississippi and Florida have fallen short, though it’s unclear if these efforts may be picked up again in future legislative sessions, while states such as New York and New Jersey have also considered stronger regulations on sweepstakes casinos.