Florida Leads Sweepstakes Casino Ads Crackdown on Big Tech
Florida's attorney general has told Google, Meta, TikTok and others to stop running sweepstakes casino ads. Here's what the letters demand and why.
Florida has launched a sweepstakes casino ads crackdown aimed at five of the biggest social platforms. Attorney General James Uthmeier has told Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok to stop running ads for sweepstakes casinos to state residents, giving them until October 23 to respond. The letters follow lawsuits Uthmeier filed in August against Stake and VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker.
- Letters went to Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok on September 24.
- Platforms have until October 23 to respond in writing.
- Uthmeier filed lawsuits against Stake and VGW on August 19.
- Named sweepstakes brands include Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker.
- Payment processors named in the suits include Worldpay, Trustly, Praxis and Breeze Labs.
What is Florida demanding from Big Tech?
Florida's sweepstakes casino ads crackdown has moved beyond operators and straight to the platforms carrying their marketing. Casino.org reports that James Uthmeier sent near-identical letters to Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok on September 24.
The letters warn that advertising illegal gambling is itself a crime under Florida law. Uthmeier told each company that promoting sweepstakes casinos to Florida residents could expose the platform to liability alongside the operator running the ad.
Casino.org reports that Uthmeier's letter to Google states plainly that it may be advertising illegal sweepstakes casinos on its platforms to Florida residents. The same language appears in the letters sent to the other four companies.
Why is Florida targeting these platforms now?
The letters follow lawsuits Uthmeier filed on August 19 in Hillsborough County Circuit Court against Stake and VGW. According to Casino.org, those suits also name payment processors, including Worldpay and Trustly for VGW, and Praxis and Breeze Labs for Stake.
The lawsuits argue that the dual-currency sweepstakes model hides real-money gambling behind virtual coins. Players buy packages of Gold Coins bundled with a second currency that can later be redeemed for cash or prizes, according to Casino.org.
Pokerlistings.com frames the letters as part of a wider US crackdown on sweepstakes casino advertising, not an isolated Florida move. Uthmeier's own language suggests he wants to cut off the marketing pipeline that keeps these sites growing rather than chase operators one at a time.
Uthmeier has said his office intends to pursue both the companies running illegal gambling operations and those facilitating them. That stance, reported by Casino.org, explains why payment processors and now advertising platforms are both in his sights.
What are Chumba, LuckyLand and Global Poker accused of?
Casino.org reports that Uthmeier's letters specifically name Stake and VGW's Chumba Casino, LuckyLand, and Global Poker as brands he wants kept off Florida feeds. All three were already named in the August lawsuits.
Uthmeier's office is seeking permanent injunctions against the companies, along with recovery of consumer losses, disgorgement, restitution and civil penalties. He also wants attorneys' fees covered as part of any judgment.
The operators have previously argued that their sweepstakes structure complies with applicable law, since players are not required to pay for the second currency to play. Florida's lawsuits dispute that the system is genuinely free of real-money gambling.
How big is sweepstakes casino advertising on social media?
Sweepstakes operators spend heavily on social platforms to reach new players. Casino.org cites a 2025 American Gaming Association analysis of Sensor Tower data showing Chumba Casino advertising across Reddit, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, X and Instagram, while other sweepstakes brands concentrated heavily on YouTube.
The industry also relies on affiliates, influencers and athletes to promote sweepstakes sites. Stake.us runs an affiliate program that pays commissions for referred players, and its partnerships have generated content featuring UFC fighters, according to Casino.org.
That marketing reach is exactly what Florida's letters target. By pushing platforms to police the ads themselves, Uthmeier is trying to shrink the audience these sites can reach without suing every influencer or affiliate individually.
What it means for players
Wherever you play, this crackdown matters because regulators are now targeting the ad pipeline itself, not just the sites running sweepstakes games. If platforms start pulling sweepstakes casino ads more broadly to avoid liability, players everywhere could see fewer of these offers in their social feeds, regardless of where they live. It is a useful reminder that sweepstakes casinos sit in a legal gray zone that differs by state, so understanding the line between free-play games and real-money gambling still matters. Players who want the fun without the legal questions can find free poker and casino games elsewhere, well outside this dispute.
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Frequently asked
What did Florida's attorney general ask social media companies to do?
James Uthmeier asked Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok to stop running sweepstakes casino ads aimed at Florida residents. Casino.org reports the platforms have until October 23 to explain what steps they have taken.
Which sweepstakes casinos are named in the Florida lawsuits?
The lawsuits, filed August 19, target Stake and VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker. Payment processors including Worldpay, Trustly, Praxis and Breeze Labs are also named as facilitators.
Is this part of a bigger crackdown on sweepstakes casinos?
Pokerlistings.com reports the Florida letters are part of a growing US effort to curb sweepstakes casino advertising. Other states and lawmakers have raised similar concerns about the dual-currency model these sites use to offer prizes.
What is Florida trying to achieve by targeting advertising platforms?
Uthmeier appears to want to cut off the marketing that drives new players to sweepstakes sites, rather than only pursuing operators and payment processors. Casino.org reports his letters frame advertising illegal gambling as unlawful in its own right.
Sources
- Florida Goes After Sweepstakes Casino Ads as US Crackdown Grows — pokerlistings.com
- Florida Demands Google, Meta, TikTok Stop Sweepstakes Casino Ads — Casino.org