Tennessee Attorney General's Office Cracks Down on Illegal Online Sweepstake Casinos

Tennessee Attorney General's Office Cracks Down on Illegal Online Sweepstake Casinos

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced today that his office has successfully halted the operation of multiple illegal online sweepstakes casinos in Tennessee. This action is part of the Attorney General's ongoing effort to protect Tennessee consumers from predatory and unregulated gambling operations.

Online sweepstakes casinos typically allow participants to play traditional casino-style games like slot machines, table games, or bingo with two types of virtual currencies, one of which can be redeemed for cash or other real-world prizes. This dual-currency system serves as a façade to hide the fact that participants may engage in real-money gambling on these platforms. The promotional sweepstakes model used by these casinos constitutes an illegal lottery prohibited by the Tennessee Constitution and violates Tennessee gambling and consumer-protection laws.

The Attorney General sent formal cease-and-desist letters to almost forty online sweepstakes casinos operating illegally. All platforms that received a letter have already disabled the unlawful components of their platforms or have agreed on a date in the coming weeks for winding down their illegal services, effectively shutting down their illegal sweepstakes casinos.

"The only thing you can be sure about with an online sweepstakes casino is that it's going to take yourmoney," said Attorney General Skrmetti. "They work hard to make these sweepstakes casinos look legitimate, but at the end of the day they are not. They avoid any oversight that could ensure honesty or fairness. Our Office was glad to chase these shady operations out of Tennessee and will keep working to protect Tennesseans from illegal gambling."

This action mirrors enforcement activity in other states. The Attorney General says the growing national crackdown reflects widespread concern over platforms using sweepstakes language as a loophole to run unregulated gambling operations. Other sweepstakes casinos currently operating in Tennessee or contemplating entering the Tennessee marketplace should consider themselves on notice that illegal gambling will not be tolerated.

Below is a list of the casinos that received cease-and-desist letters from the Tennessee Attorney General and have indicated their intent to comply with the order:

• American Luck
• Cazino
• Chanced
• Chumba
• Crown Coins Casino
• Fortune Coins
• Fortune Wheelz
• Funrize
• FunzCity
• Global Poker
• Golden Hearts Games
• Hello Millions
• High 5 Casino
• iCasino
• Jackpota
• Legendz
• LoneStar
• Luckyland
• McLuck
• Mega Bonanza
• MegaFrenzy
• Modo
• Moonspin
• NoLimitCoins
• PlayFame
• Punt
• RealPrize
• Rolla
• SpinBlitz
• Sportzino
• Spree Social Casino
• Stake
• StormRush
• Tao Fortune
• The Money Factory
• WOW Vegas
• Yay Casino
• Zula Casino

Individuals seeking help with problem gambling may call or text the Tennessee REDLINE at 1-800-889-9789. The REDLINE is a free, confidential referral service that is available 24/7/365. Other resources and support for problem gambling are available through the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services.

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