Sportzino has shut down its sports-related sweepstakes operations in Tennessee, the state’s Sports Wagering Council (SWC) announced earlier this month. The council confirmed last week that Sportzino had ended its online social sportsbook in the Volunteer State.
Sportzino Launched In Tennessee In 2023
Launched in late 2023 and owned by Blazesoft, Sportzino combined social casino games with free-to-play sports and esports contests. It offered more than 1,000 casino-style titles to players.
Sportzino’s exit from the Tennessee market follows a shutdown by Legendz in April and Bovada in November 2024. Eliminating social gaming sportsbooks has been a primary focus of the SWC.
“Offering sports wagering in Tennessee is a taxable privilege, and we’re exploring every tool available to us as regulators in our effort to shut down illegal sportsbooks,” SWC Executive Director Mary Beth Thomas said.
“Licensed sportsbooks offer critical consumer protections that unlicensed operators do not, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in this effort.”
The SWC noted that Tennessee is the largest “online-only” sports betting market in the U.S. with $5.6 billion wagered last fiscal year through online sportsbooks licensed by the council.
To date the SWC has issued $600,000 in fines to 12 illegal sportsbooks, including $200,000 in July 2025 alone.
VGW, Carnival Citi, Ruby Sweeps Exit More Territories
VGW, the parent company of Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker, also announced in June that it would discontinue its Sweeps Coins in Mississippi, effective July 31.
Sportzino’s withdrawal also comes shortly after Carnival Citi announced its exit from Arizona and California. The platform updated its Terms & Conditions to include 20 states on its excluded territories list:
“You will not use the Services, if (i) doing so is illegal in your jurisdiction, (ii) you live outside of the United States, (iii) you live in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New York, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, West Virginia.”
The site’s terms note, “If you live in Hawaii, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee or Vermont, you are eligible to participate in the Promotions or to receive or use Sweeps Chips, but you may not play the Games using Coins.”
Users can purchase Coins, play casino-style games, and then convert the Coins back into real money.
Sweeps Chips are given for free by Carnival Citi when certain conditions are met. The terms state, “Sweeps Chips cannot be purchased and hold no real-world or cash value.”
In addition, Ruby Sweeps announced its exit from Arizona earlier this month.
Despite not receiving a cease-and-desist order, Ruby Sweeps opted to shut down its sweepstakes operations in the Grand Canyon State on Sept. 5. The site sent emails to players announcing the decision.