We’re seeing a trend lately where casino game suppliers are pulling games in specific states as legal pressure on the sweepstakes casino format grows.
Original gaming selection at Stake.us
Yes, recent enforcement actions and new laws are driving suppliers to take precautionary measures so that they’re not falling foul of state authorities.
It seems many are working on the philosophy of ‘better safe than sorry’ and removing games in states that are – or may soon be – introducing legal obstacles.
Sweepstakes Casinos Adapt with Original Titles
As a result, some sweepstakes casinos seem to be responding by creating their own original game portfolios, affording more control over what members can play.
Currently there are only a handful of such sites – meaning they’re certainly in the minority – but here are some examples of casinos with their own proprietary ‘Originals’ lineup:
As for the types of games you can expect, you’ll often find titles like:
- Chicken
- Plinko
- Limbo
- Dice
- Tower
- Mines
- Keno
- Crash
- Roulette
- Hilo
- Baccarat
Pepe’s River Run at Rolla
These games do generally fall into the instant/arcade or table category, with some players arguing that they don’t reach the complexity and excitement of video slots. It’s also common to see the various casinos recycle the same games and mechanics.
So video slots still remain the most popular form of online casino gaming, and this is why slot suppliers pulling out of a state can be such a headache.
Providers Limiting Access Beyond Operator Restrictions
Let’s look at some concrete examples of big slot providers who have started to pull their catalogs from certain states, due to various legal pressures.
After being named in a civil enforcement action by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s office in September last year, popular distributor Evolution withdrew from California, taking the catalogs of subsidiary studios like Red Tiger, Nolimit, NetEnt, and Big Time Gaming with it. Later on, Evolution did the same thing in Arizona.
Then earlier this year, we read reports of the company pulling out of Illinois too, at least on the Stake.us platform. Then it came to light that the Illinois Gaming Board had sent a wave of cease-and-desists to 60+ sweepstakes operators – perhaps this was the reason for Evolution’s withdrawal?
On a Q3 earnings call, Evolution CEO Martin Carlesund ended up stating the company’s policy in clear terms:
“Sweepstakes is a popular product in the US, and we offer it in states where it’s not prohibited or in any way under regulatory scrutiny…If any regulator or authority would send a letter…stating ‘don’t do it here,’ we would immediately go away.”
We’ve also heard about withdrawals from the likes of Relax Gaming, Playson, Hacksaw Gaming, Slotmill, and Skywind Group, who all reportedly pulled out of Louisiana and Mississippi last year. Louisiana did indeed later crack down on sweeps operators, while Mississippi is currently looking into a full sweeps ban via SB 2104.
And we can’t forget the most seismic withdrawal of all – when Pragmatic Play withdrew from the sweepstakes format completely following the LA City Attorney’s enforcement action last year. This left many operators in the lurch, especially those who relied heavily on Pragmatic slots.
Trend Implications
It’s obvious that operators with in-house studios can gain more control over their gaming content through original titles, but we’d be remiss not to mention that these games are often more simplistic compared to established third-party slots.
So while there is a fanbase for original titles, most players still flock to sweeps sites for the third-party slots, meaning operators and gaming suppliers will need to navigate this evolving landscape carefully as legislation and enforcement continues to tighten and shift in 2026.
Author: Bogdan Lunkan
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