Guide · 2026-10-15 · BetWise Editorial Team
Where Sweepstakes Casinos Are Legal in October 2026: State-by-State Guide
The short answer: As of October 2026, nine states ban sweepstakes casinos by statute (CA, CT, IN, LA, ME, MT, NJ, NY, TN), and four more (ID, MI, NV, WA) block them under existing law. Oklahoma's ban starts on November 1, 2026. Most other states still allow them, but each casino sets its own exclusion list, which is often longer.
Two years ago, sweepstakes casinos could fairly claim to be available in "45-plus states". That's no longer true. A wave of state laws in 2025 and 2026, along with lawsuits and settlements, has shrunk the map, and the operators have responded with longer exclusion lists, Gold-Coin-only modes and redemption caps. This guide pulls it together. It's based on LuckyQuack's state tracker (checked October 11, 2026), each casino's official sweepstakes rules and SweepstakeReport's rules summaries. It isn't legal advice.
State status at a glance
| State | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| California | Banned by statute |
| Connecticut | Banned by statute |
| Indiana | Banned by statute |
| Louisiana | Banned by statute |
| Maine | Banned by statute |
| Montana | Banned by statute |
| New Jersey | Banned by statute |
| New York | Banned by statute |
| Tennessee | Banned by statute |
| Idaho | Blocked under existing law |
| Michigan | Blocked under existing law |
| Nevada | Blocked under existing law |
| Washington | Blocked under existing law |
| Oklahoma | Ban takes effect Nov 1, 2026 |
| Iowa | Regulator has enforcement powers |
| Florida | Legal, but the attorney general sued Stake and VGW (Aug 19, 2026); several brands cap Florida redemptions at $5,000 |
| Kentucky | State sued VGW (Jun 2026); several brands exclude KY |
| Illinois | Stake.us is redeem-only since May 2026; Zula, Sportzino, Fortune Wins and Rolling Riches exclude IL |
Statute bans: the nine states that closed the door
California, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New York and Tennessee have passed laws aimed squarely at the dual-currency model. In practice, operators either geo-block these states completely or (like Modo and Funrize) let residents use Gold or Tournament Coins only, with no prize redemption. Pulsz, for example, left California on December 15, 2025. SpinBlitz stopped serving Indiana and Maine in July 2026. VGW, the company behind Chumba and Global Poker, paid $8 million to settle with New York.
Blocked under existing law
Idaho, Michigan, Nevada and Washington haven't needed new laws. Regulators or attorneys general there treat sweepstakes casinos as illegal gambling under statutes already on the books, and every brand we review excludes all four. Washington is the most aggressive: Modo, which runs Gold-Coin-only mode elsewhere, doesn't operate there at all.
What's next: Oklahoma, Iowa and the courtroom fights
Oklahoma's ban takes effect on November 1, 2026, and Hello Millions, Spree and Mega Bonanza already list it. Iowa has given its regulator enforcement powers. In Florida, the attorney general sued Stake and VGW on August 19, 2026, and several operators (Jackpota, Hello Millions, Crown Coins) now cap Florida redemptions at $5,000. Kentucky sued VGW in June 2026, and the B-Two brands, Jackpota and Mega Bonanza exclude Kentucky. In Illinois, Stake.us has been redeem-only since May 2026, and the Blazesoft brands exclude the state.
Why each casino's list is different
Operators make their own risk calls, so the list you see in the rules is the one that applies to you. Delaware, Maryland and West Virginia appear on many lists even though they're not in the statute group. Rolling Riches has one of the longest lists, with 21 states including Hawaii, Iowa and Utah. Shuffle.us adds Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. Some examples from our reviews:
- McLuck: excluded in Not fully stated; state law bans sweepstakes casinos in CA, CT, IN, LA, ME, MT, NJ, NY and TN
- Modo.us: excluded in WA excluded entirely; Gold-Coin-only play in AZ, CA, CT, DE, ID, IN, LA, ME, MI, MT, NJ, NV, NY, OK, RI, TN, WV
- RealPrize: excluded in CT, ID, MI, MT, NV, NY, WA; has also left DE, LA and NJ
- Chanced: excluded in Not stated in our sources; state law bans sweepstakes casinos in CA, CT, IN, LA, ME, MT, NJ, NY and TN
- Punt.com: excluded in Site says it's available in 37 states + DC (list not stated in our sources)
How to check before you sign up
Open the casino's official sweepstakes rules (usually linked in the footer) and find the eligibility section. That's the binding list, and it can change faster than any review site. If you move or travel, remember that casinos check your location at play and at redemption. Playing from an excluded state, even briefly, can void your winnings. Never use a VPN to get around a block. It breaks the terms everywhere and is the fastest way to lose a balance.
Every BetWise review shows the casino's current exclusion list in a red box near the top. For the bigger picture of how prizes get paid, read our redemptions guide, or return to the full ranking.