West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey took decisive action earlier this month by serving subpoenas to several sweepstakes casino operators in the Mountain State, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke with Casino Reports. This legal move marks the latest effort by McCuskey, who has made consumer protection a top priority since taking office, to address concerns over potentially illegal gambling practices and the exposure of vulnerable groups—especially children—to unregulated gaming operations.
The subpoenas are part of a broader investigation into how these digital platforms operate and whether they comply with state regulations, underscoring West Virginia’s commitment to cracking down on any activities that may jeopardize consumer safety and the integrity of the legal gambling market.
Attorney General JB McCuskey Makes Statement
McCuskey sent this statement to Casino Reports last month:
“We have serious concerns about West Virginia consumers, specifically our children, being targeted by illegal gambling operations,” McCuskey stated on Jan. 29.
“From day one, my priority has been to protect consumers and ensure our children are not being exposed to these operations or their advertising — while at the same time supporting those which are licensed and operating within the confines of the law. At this time, we cannot comment on specific cases or provide any further details.”
McCuskey’s message uses typical political jargon and lacks details. It remains unknown which operators, or how many, received subpoenas from McCuskey, who has been in office as AG in West Virginia since Jan. 13.
Casino-style games via sweepstakes casinos are not played with real money but virtual tokens. Although players can win real cash prizes and purchase extra virtual tokens, all players can participate for free, and they can claim tokens at no cost.
Jackpota Announced Its Exit From West Virginia Market
After McCuskey issued his subpoenas, sweepstakes casino Jackpota announced its exit from the market in the wake of the state’s crackdown on social gaming operators.
Residents who are already registered at Jackpota will be barred from making purchases starting Feb. 20. All state-registered accounts will be fully closed on March 31, and no remaining funds will be redeemable beyond that point.
The latest development makes West Virginia the 14th restricted state for Jackpota players.
The territory is one of seven U.S. states with legal, regulated online casino play — the others are Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
In addition, West Virginia ranks fourth among those states based on its number of licensed operators, with seven iCasinos regulated by the West Virginia Lottery Commission (WVLC).
BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings, Fanatics, FanDuel, and Golden Nugget all launched online casino sites in the Mountain State between 2020 and 2023.