Sweepstakes casino brands Modo and BigHit, as well as Lucky Hands and Royal Hands, have been described by influencers/promoters as sister brands.
With BigHit and Royal Hands both being very recent additions to the sweepstakes casino market, we wanted to investigate whether there is any substance behind those claims.
Here’s what the available evidence does, and doesn’t, tell us.
Modo and BigHit.us Link
Modo is one of America’s most popular sweeps casinos. Launched in 2023 by ARB Gaming LLC, it’s grown into a feature-rich platform offering a wide range of gaming experiences, going beyond just casino games. Just last week, it released a new ‘super app’ combining those casino games, arcade games, and Modo Rips (card pack opening) all in one place, with prediction markets also on the way soon.
BigHit launched much more recently and is apparently operated by Pistachiu Technologies LTD, a Cyprus company. Its lobby already includes games from BGaming, JILI, and even BigHit originals, although we’re still reviewing the site at this time.
To start with, one of the strongest connections between the two brands is the trademark history.
The ‘BigHit’ trademark was originally registered to a company called BigHit LLC in 2018 for online marketplace services, including event tickets. However, ownership later moved to ARB Gaming LLC, Modo’s operator, in 2024.
Then the trademark registration was canceled in May 2026, and we haven’t found evidence establishing whether ARB licensed, sold, or otherwise transferred the name to the people behind BigHit.us. Or whether it’s still essentially ARB pulling the strings.
Similar Sweepstakes Rules
Another point in common is that Modo and BigHit have very similar sweepstakes rules and terms of use, with both brands using remarkably similar wording, terminology, clause structures, and eligibility provisions.
Of course, similar legal documents don’t necessarily mean two brands are connected. They could be using the same legal template or service provider, or BigHit could have simply adapted Modo’s terms.
When it comes to restricted states, all 13 states excluded by BigHit are also excluded by Modo, although Modo excludes five more states.
There are different age requirements, too, with Modo requiring players to be at least 21 and BigHit allowing players aged 18 and over. This is a meaningful difference between the two platforms.
Another point certainly worth mentioning is that both sites have similar color schemes and presentation, with dark blue backgrounds and bright pink and blue accents. However, BigHit’s website does appear less polished in its current state.
Overall, it’s a mixed bag of similarities and differences. The trademark history and overlapping legal language make the sister-brand theory plausible, but we haven’t found solid evidence establishing that ARB owns or works with Pistachiu Technologies LTD.
Patrick Fechtmeyer, who heads up ARB, is one of the sweepstakes industry’s most outspoken public figures, regularly speaking to the press and lawmakers about regulation.
In an interview earlier this year, Fechtmeyer drew a clear distinction between ARB and offshore operators, saying:
“What separates ARB and Modo from offshore operators is that we’re not offshore — we’re in the United States.
There’s a big difference between onshore companies, which pay taxes, engage with lawmakers, and play by the same rules, and offshore companies, which don’t pay the same taxes and don’t play by the same rules.”
Considering this, it might be seen as contradictory for ARB to be working with Cyprus-based Pistachiu.
Lucky Hands and Royal Hands Link
Next, Lucky Hands is an established sweepstakes casino operated by Lucky Hands LLC and launched in 2024. Our review rated it highly for its hundreds of games powered by reputable software providers like Hacksaw and Evolution, as well as its instant SC redemptions.
Royal Hands, meanwhile, was launched much more recently by RH Gaming LLC, and people are already asking whether the two brands are linked. One reason to consider this possibility, aside from the naming similarity, is that both sites share many of the same gaming providers, down to slightly more obscure suppliers like JDB and AJOY.
Also, both sites use near-identical legal terms again, with remarkably similar wording, clause structures, and section numbering.
Both sites have similar website appearances too. For example, they both use a dark green background, although this isn’t an uncommon color choice for social casinos, truth be told.
As for restricted states, both platforms list the same 14 states in the same order, although Lucky Hands additionally excludes Oklahoma. There are also some differences in the wording in the sweeps rules: Royal Hands explicitly says players must not be residents of restricted states, whereas Lucky Hands’ wording focuses on where players access the service.
Overall, we have some clear similarities here, particularly when it comes to the legal documents. However, Lucky Hands LLC and RH Gaming LLC are separate named legal operators, and we still haven’t found solid evidence establishing a link.
Our Thoughts
So, are these brands sister sites? There are certainly reasons to ask the question.
But it’s important to distinguish between shared ownership and shared resources. Two sweeps casinos can use the same marketing team, legal provider, website developer, or technology partner without being owned by the same company.
There’s also the possibility that newer sites might copy established sites in various ways, without any link whatsoever.
We’ll continue looking into both pairings as more information becomes available. We also have reviews of BigHit and Royal Hands coming later this week, so stay tuned for a closer look at the two newer platforms.
Author: Jon Ridehalgh
Updated:
