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Virtual Gaming Works (VGW), the parent company of the popular sweepstakes platforms Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker, has announced it will end sweepstakes play in New York. 

However, unlike other sweepstakes operators who have exited the state entirely, the company plans to continue offering Gold Coin play for the foreseeable future.

In an email to customers, the company announced that they will still be able to acquire and use eligible Sweepstakes Coins until June 2. After that date, they can only redeem eligible coins until August 1, at which point sweepstakes play will cease.

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The VGW announcement is unsurprising. At the end of March, over a dozen operators, such as High 5, Zula, Fortune Coins, and McLuck, exited New York.

The mass exodus was seen as a precautionary move. At the time, a Senate bill to ban the platforms moved out of committee to the Senate floor. Notably, at the time, VGW decided to wait and continue operations.

While VGW initially held out, the decision to follow the others could be due to a companion assembly bill being passed by the Assembly Racing and Wagering Committee, signaling a momentum in a potential ban.

The Senate bill reached a third reading in March, but there has been no progress since then. Similarly, the Assembly proposal moved to the Codes Committee but has yet to receive a hearing.

The New York legislative session adjourns on June 12, leaving a limited time for the bills to pass, which makes the move by VGW surprising to some. 

However, that could mean there are indications that lawmakers may move quickly at the end to possibly follow Montana’s lead, which became the first state to officially ban sweepstakes casinos.

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VGW’s decision to cease offering sweepstakes play in New York marks the latest exit by the operator in recent months.

Most recently, the company exited Delaware after the state’s Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement issued a cease-and-desist order against VGW.

In December 2024, the company’s Global Poker platform announced its exit from Nevada, effective April 2025. Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots had already ceased operations in the state at the time.

Before that, in October 2024, VGW ceased operations in Connecticut after receiving a cease-and-desist letter.

Despite the exits, VGW has not been among the most compliant sweepstakes operators.

While it has exited Delaware, it did so after receiving a second such demand by the state’s regulator. Initially, the Delaware Division of Gaming ordered that the company withdraw its platforms in 2023. However, all three remained active.

Meanwhile, in March, Maryland sent cease-and-desist orders to several sweepstakes operators, including the VGW platforms. While others like McLuck and High 5 have complied, VGW still lists Maryland as an eligible state.

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The New York sweeps play exit comes on the heels of the announcement of the formation of the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA). SGLA is a trade group that represents the interests of sweepstakes operators.

The goal of SGLA is to educate the public and lawmakers, helping them understand the growing sweepstakes casino industry. The trade group promotes the free-to-play model, emphasizing responsible innovation, player protection, and industry integrity.

In addition to becoming a founding member of SGLA, VGW decided to raise its minimum age to 21 in February. The move was likely to demonstrate a commitment to regulator alignment. The change aligns VGW’s platforms to regulated online casinos, where the minimum age is 21. Traditionally, the minimum age for sweepstakes casinos is 18 years old.