Virtual Gaming Worlds said founder, chief executive and executive chairman Laurence Escalante has resigned. Mats Johnson will continue as acting CEO while the company searches globally for a permanent chief executive. Escalante had been on leave since January, the company said.
VGW’s acting CEO will lead while the company searches globally for a permanent chief executive.
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PlayUSA reported on 14 October 2026 that Pennsylvania and Wyoming lawmakers are pursuing separate proposals to restrict online sweepstakes games; neither proposal has become law. Pennsylvania’s House Bill 2801 would allow fines of $50,000 to $500,000 per violation, while Wyoming’s draft would classify operating a sweepstakes game as felony professional gambling.
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 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.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed separate civil lawsuits against Stake and VGW in the 13th Judicial Circuit. The complaints allege that their sweepstakes platforms operate unlicensed online casinos and breach gambling and consumer protection laws. The actions also name payment providers Trustly, Worldpay, Breeze Labs and Praxis.