The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) seeks to force out the remaining sweepstakes casinos ahead of a potential legislative ban. The bill to prohibit the sweepstakes-based social casino model passed in the Senate last week and is now in the House for review.
Maryland Lottery And Gaming Control Agency Continues To Crack Down On Sweepstakes Casinos
The MLGCA has issued cease-and-desist letters to major sweepstakes platforms such as Stake.us, Chumba Casino, and High 5 Casino. Other operators were asked to leave earlier this year, in addition to illegal offshore casinos. Unlike offshore sportsbooks and casinos, sweepstakes casinos offer free-to-play games.
Sweepstakes gaming serves as the perfect alternative to online casinos in many states, including Maryland, which has yet to legalize iGaming. These sweeps platforms allow users to play casino-style games for fun or participate in sweepstakes promotions for a chance to redeem their winnings for cash prizes.
Although the aforementioned sweepstakes sites are legal in states that haven’t banned them, if Maryland moves forward with the ban, residents planning to place bets via legal online casinos would have to travel to neighboring states like Delaware, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania.
Even then, the MLGCA isn’t waiting on lawmakers to ban sweepstakes casinos. The regulator has issued cease-and-desist letters to several platforms, ordering them to end their operations.
Hello Millions, Jackpota, McLuck, Mega Bonanza, Rebet, And SpinBlitz Have All Exited
In May 2024, MLGCA targeted Stake.us, Golden Hearts, McLuck Casino, and the social sportsbook Rebet. While some have complied, others continue to operate. Rebet and McLuck, along with McLuck’s sister sites Hello Millions, Jackpota, Mega Bonanza, and SpinBlitz have all left the Old Line State.
Earlier this year, the MLGCA sent cease-and-desist letters to Zula Casino and Fortune Coins, but neither platform has complied. Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), the parent company of Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots, has ignored a March 12 cease-and-desist letter.
One operator that complied immediately is High 5 Casino. After receiving an MLGCA notice on March 18, it updated its terms and conditions the following day, announcing that Maryland users could no longer engage in sweepstakes gaming. Players with active accounts have until March 26 to use and redeem eligible Sweeps Coins.
High 5 Casino has already left several states recently, and its parent company, High 5 Games, had its Connecticut supplier license suspended. Then there are other sweepstakes casinos that have left Maryland voluntarily, including Carnival Citi, Modo.us, and Spree.