Sweepstakes Casinos in New York (2026)

Are sweepstakes casinos legal in New York?

Traditional sweepstakes casinos are banned in New York. Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill S5935A (Assembly companion A6745) on December 5, 2025. It became Chapter 605 of the Laws of 2025 and took effect immediately, with no wind-down period. The law makes it unlawful to operate, conduct, promote or support an online sweepstakes game that runs on the dual-currency model of purchased Gold Coins and prize-redeemable Sweeps Coins.

In practice the market had already closed. In June 2025 Attorney General Letitia James sent cease-and-desist letters to 26 sweepstakes operators, all of which agreed to stop selling Sweeps Coins to New Yorkers, and VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker, completed its exit from the state on August 1, 2025.

The ban is targeted rather than total. It covers games that combine all of the following:

• A dual-currency system: one currency is bought, a second currency can be exchanged for cash, cash equivalents or other prizes.
• Casino-style play: the games simulate slots, table games, poker, sports betting, lottery products or bingo.
• Real prizes: the second currency can be redeemed for cash, gift cards or other cash equivalents.

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

What the law changed

Chapter 605 amends New York's racing and gaming law. The key points for players:

• Who it targets: operators of online sweepstakes games, together with licensed gaming entities, their employees and investors, and every business that knowingly supports the games, including financial institutions, payment processors, geolocation providers, gaming content suppliers, platform providers and media affiliates that promote them.
• Who enforces it: the New York State Gaming Commission, the Attorney General and the State Police. They can investigate, issue subpoenas and cease-and-desist letters and hold compliance hearings. The Gaming Commission also decides what counts as a dual-currency system.
• Penalties: a civil penalty of $10,000 to $100,000 for each violation, plus loss of any existing New York gaming licence and ineligibility for future licences. Fines go to the Commercial Gaming Revenue Fund for problem-gambling education and treatment.
• Players are not penalised. The law is aimed at operators and their partners; it creates no 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: ordinary promotional sweepstakes that promote a bona fide product or service, run for a limited period, disclose their terms and do not simulate casino gaming with cash-redeemable credits. New York's existing sweepstakes rules still apply to them, including registration and bonding when prizes exceed $5,000. Social casinos that offer Gold Coins only, with no way to redeem anything, are also unaffected, as are the State Lottery, licensed casinos and licensed mobile sportsbooks.

Timeline

• March 2025: Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. introduces S5935; the sponsor memo argues that dual-currency sweepstakes evade consumer-protection, responsible-gaming and anti-money-laundering rules and compete unfairly with licensed casinos.
• June 6, 2025: Attorney General Letitia James announces cease-and-desist letters to 26 sweepstakes operators; all agree to stop selling Sweeps Coins in New York.
• June 11, 2025: the Senate passes S5935A 57-2.
• June 17, 2025: the Assembly passes the companion bill 141-0.
• August 1, 2025: VGW completes its withdrawal from New York; most other dual-currency brands have already geoblocked the state.
• December 5, 2025: Governor Hochul signs the bill as Chapter 605. It takes effect immediately.
• December 2025: New York awards its three downstate casino licences (Resorts World New York City in Queens, Hard Rock Metropolitan Park in Queens and Bally's in the Bronx).
• 2026: no bill to repeal or soften the ban has advanced. California's AB 831 took effect on January 1, 2026, and Tennessee has passed a ban of its own.

What New York players should check

• Model: confirm the site does not pair a purchased currency with a separate prize currency redeemable for cash or gift cards. If it does, it is not permitted in New York, whatever the marketing says.
• Terms: look for New York in the site's terms of service or list of eligible states. Reputable operators publish it.
• Age: you must be at least 18; some sites require 21+.
• Location: sites verify your state with geolocation. Using a VPN to reach a casino that has left New York 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 New York

New York has one of the largest regulated gambling markets in the country, but no legal online casinos: bills to authorise iGaming have stalled every session. Legal options are licensed mobile sports betting (21+, live since January 2022, with operators including FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM and Fanatics), the four upstate commercial casinos, tribal casinos such as Turning Stone and the Seneca properties, the new downstate casinos as they open, nine video-lottery racinos, the New York Lottery, pari-mutuel horse racing and licensed advance-deposit wagering, and charitable bingo and raffles.

Staying up to date

We monitor Gaming Commission and Attorney General enforcement, new legislation and every operator's New York 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.