Louisiana and Mississippi gaming regulators have ordered dozens of illegal online gaming companies to cease operating in their states.
Key Takeaways
- Louisiana ramps up its enforcement efforts days after the governor vetoed an anti-sweepstakes bill.
- Mississippi tells residents they can be prosecuted for using illegal gaming sites.
- VGW sites are reportedly under attack by both states.
The Louisiana Gaming Board announced on Tuesday that it sent 40 cease-and-desist letters to “combat the rise of illegal offshore wagering and unauthorized online sweepstakes operations targeting Louisiana residents.”
“These actions send a clear message,” Christopher B. Hebert, chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, said. “Louisiana will not tolerate illegal operators who put our citizens at risk and undermine the fairness and integrity of our gaming industry. We will continue to use every enforcement tool available to protect the public and uphold the law.”
Louisiana officials said the companies’ business models circumvent state laws, but they didn’t specify in their releases which sweepstakes operators were sent cease-and-desist orders. Gaming lawyer Daniel Wallach posted on X that it’s believed VGW, which owns popular sweepstakes sites Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots, is on the list.
NEW: The Louisiana Gaming Control Board has issued over 40 cease-and desist orders to online sweepstakes and offshore casinos. It’s believed that VGW — which lobbied heavily for the Governor’s veto — received one of the cease-and-desist letters. pic.twitter.com/0CxvNYSp8v
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) June 17, 2025
Magnolia State says to get out
Mississippi regulators announced on Tuesday that they filed 10 cease-and-desist orders against what the state deems illegal gaming companies. The state offers in-person sports betting in Mississippi, as well as land-based casino games, but statewide online gaming is illegal.
Regulators warned residents that sweepstakes games advertised as free to play but “provide consideration and win something of value, and an element of chance exists in the game outcome,” are gaming under state law.
“Our laws are clear that casino-style gaming and sports wagering are not allowed online in Mississippi, outside of a licensed casino,” Mississippi Gaming Commission executive director Jay McDaniel said. “The MGC will aggressively pursue both domestic and offshore illegal operators, and the MGC is currently providing criminal case files to our state and federal law enforcement partners and requesting prosecution.”
Mississippi listed 10 “illegal” gaming operators: betwhale.ag, betus.com.pa, betonline.ag, mybookie.ag, bovada.lv, americascardroom.eu, ignitioncasino.eu, lasatlantis.com, slotsandcasino.ag, and chumbacasino.com.
The MGC cited several laws that these operators are breaking and cautioned residents that they could be subject to criminal prosecution and forfeiture of funds deposited if they use illegal gaming sites.
“These sites often promote themselves as legal, but there are no legal exceptions for online sports books or so-called ‘sweepstakes' casinos,” the MGC wrote in their release.
No law necessary
Louisiana’s gaming board ramped up regulatory efforts less than a week after Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed a bill that would’ve made sweepstakes gaming illegal and created punitive measures. The governor argued that the legislation was unnecessary because gaming regulators were already going after sweepstakes companies, and the new law could’ve impeded or harmed those actions.
“The Board's firm stance against such operations is aimed at protecting Louisiana residents from unregulated gambling activities that violate state laws,” Landry wrote in his veto letter to the Senate. “The Board, the Louisiana Attorney General's Office, and the LSP Gaming Division are all monitoring this type of activity and will continue to issue additional cease-and-desist letters to similar illegal offshore wagering and illegal online sweepstakes companies that intentionally design their business models to circumvent Louisiana gaming laws and regulations.”
Louisiana sports betting is legal in the Pelican State, but it does not offer online casino gaming.
Ongoing battle
The battle against offshore gaming operators has been raging for decades, although it's picked up at the state level since sport betting became legal in 40 U.S. jurisdictions since PASPA was overturned in 2018.
Sweepstakes gaming, however, is still a relatively new frontier. Regulators in several other states have taken measures to stop the spread of dual-currency online casinos that aren’t regulated or taxed in any U.S. market. New York’s legislature recently passed an anti-sweepstakes bill that is awaiting the governor’s signature to go into effect.
Mississippi and Louisiana, however, joined Florida and Maryland among states that killed legislation that would’ve banned sweepstakes gaming in those jurisdictions.
