California (AB 831, effective January 1, 2026) and New York (S-5935A, effective December 5, 2025) banned the dual-currency sweepstakes model, and the major operators pulled out of both states. A few sites still operate under different legal structures — collectible card-game, parimutuel horse racing, and skill-based formats. The list below pulls live from the SweepsGuard database.
California (AB 831, effective January 1, 2026) and New York (S-5935A, effective December 5, 2025) both banned the dual-currency sweepstakes-casino model. Several other states have introduced or are weighing similar bills, so the list is likely to grow.
Yes — the dual-currency sweepstakes model still operates in most U.S. states. The 2026 bans are state-by-state; a site banned in California or New York generally still runs elsewhere, subject to each operator’s own restricted-state list.
A few sites operate under different legal structures that fall outside the bans: collectible card-game sites, parimutuel horse-racing sites, and skill-based arcade sites. Each carries an independent SweepsGuard grade. None is a regulator-approved casino.
No. These laws target operators, payment processors, and affiliates — not individual players. There is no provision penalizing someone for having played.