Sweepstakes Casino Bans Moving Forward in Two More States

^{Maine’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs discusses LD 2007 during a livestreamed hearing. The bill would ban online sweepstakes casinos and now heads to the Senate. (Photo: Maine Legislature / YouTube)}

Lawmakers in both Maine and Indiana have advanced bills that would outlaw sweepstakes casinos, adding to the growing list of states taking action against the controversial gaming platforms.

On Wednesday, Feb. 18, Maine’s Joint Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs voted 8-2 to advance LD 2007, “An Act Regarding the Prohibition of Online Sweepstakes Games.” The bill would modify Maine’s current gaming laws by adding a section specifically addressing online sweepstakes games. 

Maine Ban Follows Recent iGaming Bill

Sites that use dual-currency systems and offer casino-style games would be considered unlawful gaming, with fines of up to $100,000 for promoting or operating them.

The move comes weeks after Gov. Janet Mills allowed a bill authorizing online casinos to pass into law. LD 2007 would also be similar to actions taken in other states, as Maine Gambling Control Unit Executive Director Milton Champion noted during the work session on the bill.

“We now have active legislation in Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Iowa, Maryland, and Florida,” Champion told legislators. 

Champion said he hasn’t sent cease-and-desist letters to the estimated 50+ unlicensed sweepstakes operators active in Maine. But, he has sent warnings to Maine residents telling them to stick to authorized sites.

 “If you’re in Maine and you go to DraftKings, immediately it pops up and says authorized by the Maine Gambling Control Unit,” Champion said. “And if it doesn’t say that, then at least the consumer knows you haven’t authorized it…and you’re not regulating it, and therefore you go at your own peril.”

Derek Brinkman, the executive product advisor for sweepstakes operator Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), argued that Maine should regulate and tax sweepstakes sites rather than ban them. VGW operates sites including Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots.

“In the core game, there’s no prize redemptions,” Brinkman said. “The only prize redemptions come from the marketing promotion that uses the sweepstakes.”

LD 2007 will now head to the full Maine Senate for further consideration.

Indiana Legislature Passes Sweepstakes Ban in Omnibus Bill

On Tuesday, the Indiana Senate also passed its own ban on sweepstakes casinos as part of a larger omnibus bill.

House Bill 1052, introduced by State Representative Ethan Manning, passed the Indiana House by an overwhelming 87-11 vote before receiving a 37-8 vote in the Senate on Feb. 18. The Senate version does include amendments to the bill, which will require reconciliation in a conference committee before the bill can pass into law.

“They’re not breaking any current laws," said Representative Manning. "But if we don’t pass the prohibition, then we’re effectively saying we’re okay with the sweepstakes casinos continuing to operate as they are today."

As in Maine, the Indiana bill would allow state regulators to fine operators up to $100,000 for each violation of the sweepstakes ban. The initial House version of the bill included criminal penalties, but they were stripped from the Senate legislation.

According to the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC), legislation is necessary because the regulator lacks the authority to enforce laws against sweepstakes sites.

Several states imposed bans on sweepstakes casinos in 2025, including Montana – the first to do so – along with major markets like California, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.