New York City Bans 26 Sweepstakes Casinos

Author

Vargoso

Published

6/10/2025

Updated

6/10/2025

New York has joined the states that have banned sweepstakes gambling sites. This was announced in a special press release by the state's attorney general, Letitia James. Twenty-six casinos received special letters from the attorney general's office.

New York Attorney General Targets Sweepstakes Sites

Recently, a press release appeared on the website of the New York State Attorney General's office, which stated that:

"Attorney Letitia James has banned online casino sweepstakes from operating in the state. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG), in cooperation with the New York State Gaming Commission, has identified 26 such platforms."

Chanced
Chumba
DingDingDing
Fliff
Fortune Coins
Fortune Wheelz
Funrize
FunzCity
Global Poker
Golden Hearts Games
High 5 Casino
Jackpota
Luckyland
McLuck
Mega Bonanza
NoLimitCoins
Play Fame
RealPrize
Sidepot
SpinBlitz
Sportzino
SweepSlots
Sweeptastic
TaoFortune
Yay Casino
Zula Casino

It turned out that two months ago, all of these sites received official letters from the attorney general's office demanding that they stop accepting New York citizens starting March 25, 2025.

The letter states that despite the fact that sweepstakes casino games are played with virtual currency, which players cannot buy for real money but can exchange for cash, the state authorities still classify such games as gambling. And according to New York law, gambling in the state is prohibited without permission from the gaming commission.

According to Letitia James, sweepstakes casinos are “unscrupulous, unsafe, illegal, and can cause serious harm to citizens, especially minors.”

It is worth noting that, the ban is unlikely to greatly increase the audience of legal sites; online poker in New York, casinos and sports betting can also be played on classic offshore sites.

Industry Reaction

The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) expressed disappointment with the actions of the Attorney General.

The SPGA claims that its members are acting legally because sweepstakes are legal under federal law and are being unfairly prosecuted. The association called for dialogue to change gambling laws.

The SPGA had a similar reaction to the bill S5935 in the state Senate, which provided for a complete ban on sweepstakes casinos.

This year, many states have taken similar steps. In Montana, a ban on sweepstakes casinos has already been adopted. In Louisiana, the law is awaiting the governor's signature. In West Virginia, Connecticut, and New Jersey, bills are still being discussed. It is worth noting that in Arkansas, Maryland, and Mississippi, legislators rejected amendments and did not restrict the operation of sweepstakes sites in these states.

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