VGW said Laurence Escalante would temporarily step aside as chief executive after appearing in a Perth court on eight charges. Escalante's lawyers said he intends to contest the charges; the court granted him bail subject to conditions.
VGW's leadership arrangements are changing temporarily while its chief executive faces criminal charges.
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Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed separate lawsuits against Kalshi and VGW on Wednesday, alleging that both offered illegal gambling in the state. He seeks financial penalties, customer-loss restitution and unpaid taxes; Kalshi did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin filed separate suits on Wednesday against Kalshi, a prediction markets operator, and VGW, a sweepstakes operator. The complaints say both firms run unlawful gambling in the state. Griffin also wants large monetary penalties, with money returned to customers and tax payments returned to the state.
Alabama governor candidate Tommy Tuberville said he would not obstruct efforts to let voters decide whether to authorise gambling, reportedly. A referendum would require a three-fifths majority in both legislative chambers before voters could consider a constitutional amendment; Tuberville said he would not promote a proposal without a full plan.
Tommy Tuberville, the Republican candidate for governor of Alabama, said he would not block an effort to let voters decide whether to authorise gambling in the state, according to an interview with the Capital Journal. Tuberville, a former Auburn Tigers football coach who has represented Alabama in the US Senate since 2021, is seeking the governor's office in the election on 3 November. The Alabama Constitution bars the legislature from authorising any new form of gambling, including casinos, lotteries and sports betting; changing that would require a statewide ballot referendum amending the state's legal framework.
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.