Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said his office sent cease-and-desist letters to nearly 40 online sweepstakes casino websites last week. The sites indicated they would comply, while Skrmetti’s office said their dual-currency model amounted to an illegal lottery and breached state gambling and consumer protection laws.
The action signals enforcement exposure for sweepstakes casino operators serving Tennessee.
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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against Stake and VGW, accusing them of deceptive marketing, according to the report. The suit also alleges that Trustly and Worldpay facilitated gambling-related transactions.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed Senate Bill 2136 into law, prohibiting online services that use dual currencies for casino-style games with cash-redeemable winnings. The measure covers games resembling slots, poker, table games and bingo, as well as unlicensed sports wagering; it does not affect specified legal gambling activities, including licensed sports betting and the state lottery.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed Senate Bill 2136 into law, banning online sweepstakes casinos statewide. The law prohibits dual-currency gaming across slot simulations, video poker, table games, bingo and sports wagering.
Tennessee lawmakers ended their legislative session without agreeing on legislation to ban sweepstakes casinos. The House approved an amendment removing explicit references to the platforms, but the Senate rejected it; a proposed study of legalising and regulating them also failed. The attorney general has sent cease-and-desist letters to operators he alleges are running illegal gambling businesses.
Tennessee lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2136 in the House on 23 April, after rejecting it earlier that day, according to the report. The revised bill targets online sweepstakes casinos and related facilitators, gives the attorney general’s office expanded investigative powers and is awaiting final enrollment before going to Governor Bill Lee.