USA
June 2026 was a month of contrasts for the sweepstakes casino industry. Operators continued to invest in new promotional formats, sports partnerships, and innovative player-engagement campaigns, while regulators and lawmakers intensified their scrutiny of sweepstakes casino platforms. From World Cup-themed giveaways to landmark legal challenges and proposed legislative bans, the month highlighted both the industry's continued commercial evolution and the growing regulatory headwinds it faces across the United States.
TL;DR: A Bite-sized Overview
- Crown Coins launched Crown Sports: The operator introduced its largest-ever World Cup promotion, giving players the chance to win a share of 6 million Sweepstakes Coins through free prediction contests.
- Betr hedged its World Cup promotion: The sweepstakes operator used a $1.776 million Polymarket position to offset the potential cost of its nationwide free spins campaign.
- Stake expanded into action sports: The company signed skateboarding superstar Nyjah Huston as its first global ambassador from the sport, further diversifying its sponsorship portfolio.
- Kentucky sued VGW: The state's Attorney General filed a landmark lawsuit against the operator of Chumba Casino, Global Poker, and LuckyLand, arguing its sweepstakes platforms constitute illegal gambling.
- Minnesota's proposed sweepstakes casino ban stalled: Although lawmakers failed to pass the legislation before the end of the session, Tennessee and Oklahoma both advanced new restrictions on dual-currency gaming platforms.
Crown Coins Launched World Cup Sweepstakes Promotion
Sweepstakes casino Crown Coins launched Crown Sports, its largest free-to-play promotion to date, giving players the opportunity to predict FIFA World Cup 2026 match results for a share of 6 million Sweepstakes Coins (SC). The promotion featured group-stage prediction contests, knockout-round brackets, daily score predictions, and a grand prize raffle tied to the tournament's conclusion.
The promotion highlighted a growing trend among sweepstakes casinos to expand beyond traditional casino games by introducing sports-themed promotions and interactive prediction experiences. The next step for Crown Coins would be to introduce online sports betting, in the form of a sweepstakes sportsbook, similar to what Sportzino and Legendz have already done.
Betr Hedged World Cup Sweepstakes Promotion Through Polymarket
Sweepstakes site Betr hedged the risk associated with its 10 million bonus spins World Cup promotion by placing a $1.776 million position on Polymarket backing the United States to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The trade, the largest single Team USA position on the platform, was designed to offset the cost of the promotion should the US win the tournament.
120+ FREE spins per user are being paid out today to everyone who opted into 80th Minute Spin It to Win It after the USA scored in the 80th minute or later 🇺🇸
Reminder: all tournament long, every goal scored after the 80th minute earns free spins for everyone opted in. pic.twitter.com/W4igdDLWAF
— betr (@betr) June 13, 2026
It’s not unlikely that US online sportsbooks used the same strategy to hedge risks associated with FIFA World Cup betting markets.
Stake Signed Nyjah Huston as Global Ambassador
Stake signed professional skateboarder Nyjah Huston as its new global ambassador, marking the online casino and sportsbook's first sponsorship agreement with a professional skateboarder. Quite possibly it is the first-ever deal between an iGaming company and a pro skateboarder, unless someone like Tony Hawk beat Nyjah to it. The partnership expanded Stake's growing presence in action sports ahead of the X Games Summer League Championship where odds are available among leading sports betting sites.
The agreement built on Stake's existing relationships with X Games and Street League Skateboarding, further strengthening its investment in the sport. Huston, a seven-time Street League Super Crown champion, 15-time X Games gold medalist, and Olympic bronze medalist. I find it strange that more sportsbook brands aren't tapping into extreme sports, given that many of these sports are mainstream today.
Kentucky Attorney General Sued VGW Over Sweepstakes Casinos
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman filed a civil enforcement lawsuit against VGW, the operator of Chumba Casino, Global Poker, and LuckyLand Slots, alleging that the company's sweepstakes platforms constitute illegal gambling under Kentucky law. The lawsuit seeks to recover losses incurred by Kentucky players, impose statutory damages, and prevent the company from continuing to operate within the state.
The case argues that VGW's dual-currency model, which uses Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, functions as a disguised form of real-money gambling rather than a lawful sweepstakes promotion. The action was filed under Kentucky's gambling loss-recovery and consumer protection laws and followed similar legal action by the Attorney General against prediction market operators Kalshi and Polymarket as part of a broader enforcement effort targeting unlicensed gambling products.
Minnesota Sweepstakes Casino Ban Stalled as More States Tightened Restrictions
Minnesota lawmakers failed to pass legislation that would have banned sweepstakes casino platforms before the state's 2026 legislative session concluded. Senate File 4474 cleared the Senate but stalled in the House after advancing through several committees, leaving the proposal unfinished despite support from tribal gaming interests and lawmakers who argued that dual-currency sweepstakes casinos violate existing gambling laws.
The proposed legislation would have prohibited online sweepstakes casino gameplay while also imposing restrictions on payment processors, geolocation providers, gaming suppliers, and affiliate marketers that support the industry. Opponents argued the bill's language was overly broad and could unintentionally affect legitimate promotional sweepstakes and consumer rewards programs beyond the gaming sector.