VGW said Laurence Escalante has resigned permanently with immediate effect, after taking leave from his chief executive role in January 2026. The company said he chose to focus on personal matters and his private business, investing and philanthropic interests; the charges against him are unrelated to VGW, it said.
The departure changes the leadership of a sweepstakes and social gaming operator with US market operations.
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
Arizona’s Department of Gaming reportedly said it still considers VGW’s activities illegal and is assessing possible enforcement action. The department issued a cease-and-desist order in November 2024, while VGW disputed that its sweepstakes platforms fall under state gambling laws. VGW has not commented on its continued Arizona operations, according to the report.
A spokesperson for the state's gaming regulator, Jessica Roza, said the agency's view of VGW's conduct remains that it is unlawful, and that it is weighing what enforcement steps to take. In November 2024, the Arizona Department of Gaming told VGW to stop through a cease-and-desist order. Nearly two years on, the operator of Chumba Casino, Global Poker and Luckyland Slots is said to be still running in the state.
Wyoming’s Select Committee on Gaming unanimously sponsored draft legislation to ban online sweepstakes games and make their operation a felony. The proposal seeks to clarify which state body handles complaints; representatives for Bally’s and VGW challenged aspects of the draft, while the Wyoming Gaming Commission said the current referral process creates a recurring cycle.
Several US sweepstakes casinos closed or tightened state access in September. Citing Deadspin, it said LuckyLand Slots closed on 14 September after parent VGW reached an $8m settlement with New York regulators. CoinFrenzy also closed, while Playstudios’ The Win Zone stopped purchases on 22 September and subsequently ended gameplay.
LuckyLand Slots ceased operations on 14 September after its parent company VGW reached an $8m settlement with New York regulators, according to a report citing Deadspin. CoinFrenzy also stopped operating in September, the report said, without a detailed public explanation. The Win Zone, operated by Playstudios, halted purchases on 22 September and ended gameplay shortly afterwards.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent Reddit, Snap and TikTok letters demanding that they stop carrying adverts for sweepstakes gambling platforms in the state. The companies have until 23 October to confirm removal and explain how they will prevent future adverts; the letters cite Stake and VGW brands including Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has told Google, Meta and TikTok to remove advertisements for online sweepstakes casinos and confirm this in writing by 23 October, according to the report. He said the state had sued operators including Stake and VGW brands, as well as payment processors, seeking injunctions, consumer restitution and civil penalties.