Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed Senate Bill 2136 on 22 May, prohibiting online sweepstakes casinos in the state, the report said. The law takes effect immediately and excludes legal sports betting, fantasy sports, the Tennessee Education Lottery, nonprofit gaming and free-to-play games.
Operators must stop offering the covered sweepstakes casino model in Tennessee, while the law expressly preserves several other gaming categories.
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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.
Tennessee’s House State & Local Government Committee approved HB 1885 by a 21-0 vote, with one abstention, sending it to the Finance, Ways & Means Committee before a possible full House vote. The proposed ban would allow fines of up to $15,000 per violation. In Maryland, a Senate committee heard HB 1226 but did not vote; the bill had passed the House 135-1 on 23 March.
Reportedly, New Jersey's Senate passed Assembly Bill A5447 by 34 votes to 5, sending it to Governor Phil Murphy. The bill would ban sweepstakes casinos that use dual-currency systems, with penalties of $100,000 for a first offence and up to $250,000 for repeat violations. The Social and Promotional Games Association has urged the governor to reject the measure.
Oklahoma’s legislature voted to override Governor Kevin Stitt’s veto of Senate Bill 1589, reportedly making sweepstakes casino operations illegal. The report did not identify the vote date or provide further details.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed Senate Bill 1589 on 7 May, according to the bill history, stopping a proposed ban on online sweepstakes casinos. The bill had passed the Senate 48-0 and the House 65-21; lawmakers had until 29 May to attempt an override, and Stitt gave no reason for the veto.