The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) has issued a statement celebrating the failure of sweepstakes casino ban bills in Arkansas, Maryland, and Mississippi. The trade group, which represents social and sweepstakes casinos, praised the outcome as a win for what it describes as “safe, digital entertainment” that is enjoyed by millions of US adults, while supporting thousands of jobs and innovation.
In Arkansas, House Bill 1861 was withdrawn by its author on April 7. On the same day, Maryland’s Senate Bill 860 failed to pass in the House before the state’s 2025 legislative session ended. Earlier, Maryland’s Senate had become only the second legislative chamber in the US to pass a ban on sweepstakes casinos. The first was Mississippi’s Senate. However, a disagreement over mobile sports betting between the latter and the Mississippi House resulted in the effort’s failure.
The SPGA criticized the proposals, claiming the backlash against the sweeps industry lacks a foundation in facts. An anonymous spokesperson said that legislators constantly reject proposals threatening these social casinos, which they claim to be legitimate businesses enjoyed by millions. A ban on sweeps, they said, would also hurt game developers, payment processors, software vendors, banks, etc. The group vowed to continue defending Americans’ right to enjoy these games responsibly.
Regulatory pressure persists despite legislative failures
Although the legislative efforts have stalled, others in states like Illinois, New York, and New Jersey remain active. Meanwhile, some states have taken action through their regulatory agencies rather than wait for the passage of new laws.
In January 2024, Michigan led the way by issuing cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes casino operators, including VGW’s Chumba Casino. Now, almost no social gaming platforms operate in the state. Since then, additional states have followed suit, including Maryland. While the anti-sweeps bill failed, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has acted independently and issued a series of cease-and-desist letters to major sweepstakes platforms such as Stake.us, Chumba Casino, McLuck Casino, and High 5 Casino over the past year. Some, like High 5 and McLuck, have complied, while others have not responded.
High 5 Casino also exited Connecticut after the state’s Department of Consumer Protection suspended the supplier license of its parent company, High 5 Games, about a week before Maryland’s exit.
