Tennessee Sweepstakes Casinos

The situation changed overnight for all fans of sweepstakes casinos in the Volunteer State. However, the good news is that players still have alternatives, most notably card-based, next-gen gaming sites, and social casinos.

Card Crush is our overall best substitute for sweepstakes casinos in Tennessee because it offers the most sweepstakes-like experience you can get under the new regulations. Although it is primarily a card-battling platform where you collect cards and compete against other players, you still get over 350 casino-style games, including slots and live casino games.

However, there is no sweepstakes element because the platform uses a single currency called Mystery Coins. You primarily obtain them by purchasing Mystery Boxes, which also contain additional cards.

Free promotions are limited, though the platform offers a no deposit bonus and referral rewards. It also features a loyalty club and jackpots.

ZumbaCards is very similar to Card Crush, offering an even larger library, closer in size to that of a typical TN sweepstakes casino. The catalog also includes specialty and instant-win games alongside slots. Card battles and tournaments form the core of the experience, with participation earning XP toward loyalty-club progression.

However, the platform has several drawbacks, including a 5x playthrough requirement for bonus SC, its single virtual currency. There’s also a hefty $15 purchase fee, while fiat options typically have a $3 fee.

Acebet.cc is a sweepstakes casino available throughout the US, although in Tennessee it operates as a mystery box site with SC only. The rest functions like a regular sweepstakes site. This also means lots of free promos, like rakebacks and even purchase cashback.

Acebet’s library is another one of its strong points, as there are well over 2,000 casino-style games you can play. These include slots, live casino games, and even originals. The only downside is that the live casino is fairly limited, though it still offers a diverse selection of titles, including Sic Bo and Andar Bahar.

Casino.click Social is an entertainment-only version of a sweepstakes casino. Its large catalog consists mainly of slots, with live casino games and casual titles also available. Casino.click Social boasts a strong exclusive game section as well, featuring releases from providers like Hacksaw Gaming, Playnetic, and Relax Gaming.

Another highlight is the promotions, since Casino.click Social offers a good deal of free promos even though there’s no sweepstakes play. You start with a no deposit bonus and can claim daily bonuses and referral rewards. A loyalty program is also available.

Part of the Hard Rock brand, Hard Rock Games is a Tennessee social casino offering over 300 games, mainly slots, along with a small selection of table games. There’s no sweepstakes element, so you can’t make redemptions, but you can win prizes through giveaways and the loyalty program.

Regular missions, events, and promotions help keep the experience varied. Ways to earn free GC include a daily prize wheel, an hourly treasure chest, referral rewards, and the option to watch ads for more coins.

Tennessee Sweepstakes Casinos Legal Status

As of May 22, 2026, sweepstakes casinos are banned from operating in Tennessee. This is the date HB 1885 and SB 2136 were signed into law. This new companion legislation specifically targeted the dual-currency system sweepstakes casinos use across the nation, not just in Tennessee. The law prohibits online sweepstakes games that:

1. Operate as internet-based games, promotions, or contests

2. Use a virtual currency, dual-currency, or multi-currency model

3. Allow players to exchange virtual tokens for cash, real-world prizes, or gift cards.

Tennessee, like most other states, had a bunch of sweepstakes casinos on the market before the new regulation took effect. All were allowed to operate under the same sweepstakes model as the rest of the U.S.

The state’s sweepstakes laws required a “no purchase necessary” policy, which sweepstakes casinos met by operating on a dual-currency model and allowing players to obtain free Sweeps Coins through mail-in requests and daily login bonuses.

As the sweepstakes casino industry grew into a multibillion-dollar US market, regulatory scrutiny increased. By 2025, many states were already looking to put guardrails in place or ban it entirely, a trend especially prevalent in states with strong real-money retail or online gambling industries.

In an effort to maintain a tough stance on gambling in Tennessee, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti launched a coordinated campaign against sweepstakes platforms, sending almost 40 cease-and-desist letters to operators near the end of 2025. They all complied, with some, like High 5 Casino and Stake.us, leaving the state preemptively, sensing a change looming. Others left between January and March 2026.

In late January 2026, the companion bills were introduced in the state House and Senate. HB 1885, introduced to the House by Rep. Scott Cepicky on January 21, and SB 2136, introduced to the Senate by Sen. Ferrell Haile, were passed by April 23. Governor Bill Lee officially signed the bill on May 22.

Because it included an emergency clause, the bill went into effect immediately.

What Legal Online Gaming Options Are There for Tennesseans Currently?

With sweepstakes casinos now banned in Tennessee, the main legal option in the state is social casinos, which offer the same experience but eliminate the real-prize element, meaning there are no Sweeps Coins and no redemption.

The best alternatives are still collectible card and mystery box sites like Card Crush and ZumbaCards. However, it’s still not entirely clear how the new regulations affect them. For now, they are permitted as they generally use a single currency.

Skill-gaming sites like GetGud may also be available, provided their games are based entirely on skill. Casino-style games do not fall into this category. This generally limits the category to online tournaments involving chess, puzzles, and similar activities.

Interestingly, subscription-based or alternative tournament poker sites like ClubWPT Gold are allowed, while real-money online poker and sweepstakes poker remain illegal.

The legal online gaming options in Tennessee are fairly limited due to the state’s tough stance on gambling and anything that mimics gambling.

Tennessee Gambling Laws

The bipartisan SB 2136 amended the Tennessee Code, making sweepstakes casinos illegal. This is in line with the state’s tough stance on gambling and casino-style gaming. In essence, everything that the state doesn’t deem legal is effectively illegal in this regard.

The Tennessee Code Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 5. Gambling defines what gambling is and what’s illegal. Participating in an unauthorized game of chance is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $50.

One of the state’s main real-money gaming options is online sports betting. It’s defined by the Tennessee Sports Gaming Act, enacted in 2019 and now part of Tennessee Code Title 4, Chapter 49, Part 1 of the chapter deals with mobile sports betting and Part 2 with daily fantasy sports, another major legal gambling form in the state.

Interestingly, Tennessee became the first state to have a fully online sports betting market and remains one of the few to have an online-only one. This is largely because retail casinos are illegal in the state. There are no tribal casinos either.

Tennessee also has a state lottery governed by Title 4, Chapter 51 of the Tennessee Code, called the Tennessee Education Lottery Implementation Law. It’s a traditional state-run lottery that offers both multi-state drawings and scratch-offs.

As in most states, charitable gaming (mainly raffles and bingo) and pari-mutuel horse racing are also legal. The former is covered by Title 3, Chapter 17 of the Act and the latter by Tennessee Code Title 39, Criminal Offenses § 39-17-501 (7).