The Wild West world of sweepstakes casinos just got a little less wild as popular sites like Pulsz, Global Poker, LuckyLand Slots, and Chumba exit the Montana market.
For years, these social online casinos have been taking advantage of sweepstakes laws in states across the US to effectively offer real money casino games without a license and in places where online gambling is prohibited.
To combat these gaming sites, a few states, like Michigan and Washington, have created specific laws to ban sweepstakes casinos. However, they still remain legal and operate in a gray area in 47 states.
Montana has not officially banned sweepstakes casinos just yet, but there is a pending law that is expected to pass. Certain sites like Chumba are front-running this law as they’ve already faced significant legal actions and are definitely in the crosshairs of the authorities.
Despite the regulatory uncertainty, many sweepstakes casinos like WOW Vegas, Stake.us, and McLuck continue to operate in The Treasure State, but the question is for how long?
Pulsz & VGW Casinos Closing Shop in Montana
Here are all of the sweepstakes casinos that are restricted in Montana:
If the Montana Senate and the House of Representatives pass a law that bans sweepstakes casinos, all sites will be forced to leave the market. We’ll keep you updated on the latest legal situation.
Currently, Montana players trying to register or log in the above sites will get a message informing them about the new T&Cs and the actions they must take, i.e., withdraw their available SC.
Did Sweepstakes Laws Change in Montana?
Sweepstakes laws have not currently changed in Montana. However, local brick-and-mortar casino operators have been lobbying hard to get sweepstakes casinos banned in the state. There is currently a piece of legislation waiting to be voted on that would outlaw sweepstakes casinos in MT.
VGW Holdings, the parent company that owns Chumba, LuckyLandSlots, and Global Poker, is concerned that the bill will be passed shortly and has pre-emptively left the market. At the moment it’s unclear what this bill would exactly entail and when it will be voted on.
It’s likely that Montana will follow next-door neighbor Idaho’s example and, at a minimum, prevent players from using sweeps coins and earning cash prizes. Let’s hope for Montana players’ sake that the bill doesn’t pass!
Author: Jon Ridehalgh
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