Florida AG: TikTok, Instagram, Google Must Block Sweepstakes Casino Ads

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier ordered five major online platforms to stop promoting sweepstakes casinos.

A series of letters signed by Uthmeier were sent to Google (YouTube owner), Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Reddit, Snap (Snapchat) and Tiktok on Sept. 24. The letters all warned the companies that the promotion of illegal gambling sites was a crime under Florida state law.

Each company was given a deadline of Oct. 23 to respond in writing detailing the preventative steps they had taken to ensure additional promotion would not occur.

Florida cracks down on sweepstakes casinos

Sweepstakes casinos have long existed in a gray area of legislation. 

These platforms offer casino-style gaming, such as slot machines, table games, and blackjack, through a dual-currency system. Customers can, but do not need to, purchase native currency, such as Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, to play sweepstakes games. Winning games unlock rewards such as more Coins — which can be exchanged for cash — gift cards, and additional prizes.

“It has come to my attention that your company may be advertising illegal ‘sweepstakes’ casinos on its social media platforms to residents of Florida,” Uthmeier wrote in one letter addressed to Google. “Promoting illegal gambling is a crime under Florida law.”

The state attorney general highlighted popular platform Stake, which owns a global online casino brand and American sweepstakes platform, as well as Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker, all of which are owned and operated by VGW Holdings. All of these entities were also named in lawsuits filed by Uthmeier’s office in August.

According to Uthmeier, the five companies that helped advertise these illegal platforms were engaging in behavior “similarly unlawful” to operating them.

Means of promotion and operation

The previous lawsuits filed against VGW and Stake were submitted to Hillsborough County Circuit Court on Aug. 19. Also named in the lawsuits were payment processing companies and affiliates that helped conduct business, including Worldpay, Trustly, Praxis, and Breeze Labs.

The state office is hoping to obtain permanent injunctions that bar the named companies from conducting business or promoting their platforms in Florida. It also aims to procure disgorgement, restitution, civil penalties, have attorney fees covered, and restore all losses for users of the platforms. 

“Through these lawsuits, my office has made it clear that Florida will not tolerate illegal gambling, and we will pursue both those who operate and those who facilitate these criminal operations,” Uthmeier wrote in the letters.

Sweepstakes casinos have grown increasingly divisive across the country. Numerous states have mounted campaigns against operators and their affiliates, some pursuing legal action through cease-and-desist-orders and injunctions or invoking legislative changes.

A 2025 American Gaming Association report on data from Sensor Tower reported that Chumba Casino focused advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, TikTok, Snapchat and X, while other operators relied on YouTube. 

Operators have consistently contested the stance that they offer illegal gambling services.