Alabama Leads U.S. in Civil Lawsuits Targeting Sweepstakes Casino Operators

2025 was a busy year for sweepstakes casino operators, but for the wrong reasons. At least 15 US states introduced anti-sweeps bills, with California and New York leading the charge by banning their operations. 

This year, sweepstakes casinos find themselves in a familiar territory—lawsuits continue, and the most intense campaign is happening in an unlikely state: Alabama.

 Last January 5th, around 21 gambling class action lawsuits were filed in the state against different operators, bringing the total number of civil actions to 40. This makes Alabama the most prolific in terms of regulatory inquiries and in accepting complaints against these popular gaming platforms.

A Wave of Complaints Was Filed in the Last 2 Days

Last January 5th was a busy day for Alabama’s courts as it processed and accepted 21 additional class action gambling lawsuits against multiple operators. New filings push Alabama's civil actions against sweepstakes casinos past 40 since last year—tops in the US.

One of the new suits specifically names Heuston Gaming, the operator of MegaFrenzy and Cazino. The complaint was filed on January 5th, 2026, with Erica Mekinzie Borden as the plaintiff. Borden’s complaint was described as a “private attorney general action”, which means it was filed by an individual, and not a group of persons. 

Also, the lawsuit seeks to recover gambling losses for use by the family of the player who gambled, as allowed under the state’s legal framework.

What Are These Complaints About?

The rash of complaints filed in Alabama isn’t surprising since it boasts the strictest anti-gambling laws in the country. Commercial casinos and other forms of gambling are banned. In Alabama, players are legally allowed to sue and recover lost money in illegal gambling.

These latest developments suggest that plaintiffs in Alabama are focusing on civil litigation to hold operators accountable. The state isn’t banning these platforms outright, but these lawsuits pressure companies through financial liabilities and court rulings.

REFERENCES:

• Daniel Wallach X/Twitter’s page