As sweepstakes casinos continue to explode in popularity despite legal challenges, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has made his stance very clear on their place in his state.
Key Takeaways
- Ellison has ordered 14 illegal gambling websites to stop operating in the state.
- The crackdown follows earlier enforcement efforts by the Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division.
- The operators have been warned that their casinos are illegal under Minnesota law, and that ongoing violations despite warnings could impact future licensing and legislative decisions.
In a statement released Wednesday, Ellison announced the distribution of a letter to 14 operators of illegal gambling sites – including online casino and sweepstakes sites – demanding that they cease operation in the state.
“Online platforms offering sportsbooks and casino games run by out-of-state and overseas operators may make it look as though online gambling is legal and safe in Minnesota, but let me be clear: it is not,” said Ellison. “Trying to rebrand poker chips as virtual currencies does not change the fact that these online gambling operations are unlawful.”
Ellison expressed concerns that the operators were violating state consumer-protection laws, with the use of virtual coins substituting for chips prohibited under Minnesota laws.
The sites that were addressed were VG LuckyLand, Zula Casino, Fortune Coins, BetAnySports, BetUs, XBet, BetNow, BetWhale, EveryGame Sportsbook, BetOnline, Slotsandcasino, Bovada, MyBookie.com, and Sportsbetting.com.
Continued full court press on sweepstakes casinos
The sites previously received letters from the state’s Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGE), similarly demanding that the sites cease operations or change their business practices to comply with Minnesota laws.
The response saw “mixed results,” according to the AGE, as an inability to issue cease-and-desist orders, given their offshore nature, has severely hampered the division’s ability to effectively enforce its efforts.
“By continuing to operate online gambling sites in Minnesota, these operators are likely openly defying our State’s laws, and I will not stand for it,” Ellison added.
“There’s no accountability, no protection for players and no way to know if the betting will be run fairly,” Minnesota Department of Public Safety commissioner Bob Jacobson said in the release. “Through our Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement division, we will work with the Attorney General to hold these operators accountable, protect Minnesotans and ensure the integrity of Minnesota’s gaming industry.”
Notably, in addition to concerns relating to the online casinos, sports betting's ongoing regulation and illegality in Minnesota further complicates matters, as the book has often been found to offer undisguised illegal gambling, such as sports books or wagering on horse racing.
That could prove vital should the state decide again on Minnesota sports betting in 2026. AGE director Carla Cincotta has expressed that prior actions will factor into future decisions on who to award gaming licenses to in the state.
“We did note in that letter that failure to either comply with Minnesota law or cease those operations here will definitely impact a licensing decision in the future,” Cincotta said of the June letter.
