Sweepstakes Casinos in California (2026)

Are sweepstakes casinos legal in California?

Traditional sweepstakes casinos are banned in California. Assembly Bill 831, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 11, 2025, took effect on January 1, 2026. It makes it a crime to operate, conduct, offer or promote an online sweepstakes game that runs on the familiar dual-currency model of Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Every major dual-currency brand stopped serving California players by December 31, 2025.

The ban is narrower than it sounds. AB 831 only covers games that meet all three of these tests at the same time:

• Dual-currency consideration: players buy one virtual currency (for example Gold Coins) and receive a second, prize-redeemable currency (for example Sweeps Coins) alongside it, or through promotions and mail-in requests.
• Simulated gambling: the games imitate slots, video poker, table games, bingo, lotteries or sports wagering.
• Cash prizes: the redeemable currency can be turned into cash or cash equivalents such as gift cards.

Sites that fall outside that definition are not covered by the ban. That is why a small number of operators with a different business model still accept California players. The casinos listed on this page are the ones that state they remain open to Californians; they use formats such as a single in-game currency, prizes that are not cash equivalents, or collectible-card and skill-based games rather than the dual-currency casino structure. We list them for information only. We are not lawyers, and you should read each site's terms and California section before you play.

What AB 831 changed

AB 831 added Section 337o to the California Penal Code. The key points for players:

• Who it targets: operators of online sweepstakes games, plus anyone who knowingly and willfully supports them, including payment processors, financial institutions, geolocation providers, game content suppliers, platform providers and media affiliates that promote the sites.
• Penalties: a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $1,000 to $25,000 per violation, up to one year in county jail, or both. Violations can also be pursued as unfair business practices under the Business and Professions Code.
• Players are not penalised. The statute does not create any offence for the people who play. If you held a balance with a casino that left the state, contact its support team about redeeming or refunding it.
• What is exempt: the California State Lottery, licensed gambling enterprises regulated under the Gambling Control Act (the state's cardrooms), and genuine promotional sweepstakes that a business runs occasionally and incidentally to selling real products or services. Tribal casinos operating under state compacts are unaffected; the tribes were among the bill's main supporters.

Timeline

• June 2025: AB 831, carried by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, is amended to target dual-currency sweepstakes casinos after tribal gaming groups raise concerns about unregulated online gambling.
• September 2025: the bill passes the Senate 36-0 and the Assembly 63-0.
• October 11, 2025: Governor Newsom signs AB 831 into law.
• December 2025: brands including McLuck, Pulsz, WOW Vegas and Stake.us announce they will stop serving California; most close Californian accounts before the year ends.
• January 1, 2026: the ban takes effect. A handful of alternative-model sites launch or restructure specifically to stay within the new rules.
• 2026: no bill to repeal or soften AB 831 has advanced. Other states, including New York and Tennessee, have passed bans of their own.

What California players should check

• Model: confirm the site does not use a purchased currency paired with a separate prize currency redeemable for cash or gift cards. If it does, it is not permitted in California, whatever the marketing says.
• Terms: look for California in the site's terms of service or list of eligible states. Reputable operators publish it.
• Age: you must be at least 18, and some sites require 21+.
• Location: sites verify your state with geolocation. Using a VPN to reach a casino that has left California breaches its terms; accounts are closed and balances forfeited.
• Identity checks: expect KYC verification before your first prize redemption.

Other legal ways to play in California

California has no legal online casinos or online sportsbooks. Propositions 26 and 27, which would have legalised sports betting, were both rejected by voters in November 2022. Legal options are the state's tribal casinos, licensed cardrooms, the California State Lottery, and pari-mutuel horse-race betting, including licensed advance-deposit wagering apps.

Staying up to date

We monitor AB 831 enforcement, new legislation and every operator's California policy. The casino list and legal status on this page are updated as soon as anything changes, and the review date in the header shows when we last checked.