High 5 Games updated its terms and conditions on Feb. 18, stating that it’s shutting down its sweepstakes casinos offering, High 5 Casino, as of March 14 in six states which offer legal online casino gaming.
High 5 Casino Banning Sweeps Players In Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, And West Virginia
In an update to its terms and conditions, High 5 Casino announced that it is no longer accepting new sweeps players or purchases from existing players in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
However, existing players will be able to continue to play and redeem sweeps coins until March 14, at which point all sweepstakes gaming accounts will be closed. High 5 Casino classic play will continue to be available in all of those states.
Those six jurisdictions, as well as Michigan and the poker-only Nevada, are the states in which online casino is legal. High 5 Casino already lists Michigan and Nevada, along with Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, and Washington as the “excluded sweeps territories” in which it does not offer its sweepstakes casinos.
Earlier this month, High 5 Gaming was ordered to pay $25 million in damages as part of a class action lawsuit filed in Washington state, after the social casino platforms were ruled illegal.
Sweeps Play Is Also Unavailable In Canada
In addition, High 5 Casino sweeps play is also unavailable in Canada, including the regulated Ontario gaming market. It no longer accepted sweeps play north of the border on of Feb. 3, and accounts will be closed on Feb. 28.
States including Connecticut, Maryland, and Mississippi have debated proposals to ban sweepstakes casinos this legislative session. The Mississippi Senate became the first state legislative bid to approve a full prohibition on the vertical last week, sending the legislation to the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, lawmakers filed a bill last month that would bring sweepstakes casinos under regulation, similar to what has been done for online casino and sports betting.
High 5 Gaming is a member of the Social and Promotional Gaming Association (SPGA), a group formed last year to “highlight the well-established legality and legitimacy of social sweepstakes games, providing regulators, policymakers and consumers with a comprehensive understanding of these offerings.”