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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has warned major tech companies that they must stop hosting ads for online “sweepstakes” casinos or face legal consequences.
In a letter sent to Google’s general counsel, Uthmeier said his office had already filed lawsuits against operators like Stake and VGW’s Chumba Casino, LuckyLand, and Global Poker, along with the payment processors that support them.
Those suits, filed in August, seek injunctions, restitution for Florida consumers, and civil penalties. He stressed that promoting illegal gambling is a crime under state law and gave companies until October 23 to confirm in writing that they have removed such ads from their platforms.
Operators and payment providers part of August lawsuit
Florida law tightly restricts gambling, and none of the sweepstakes casinos named are authorized to operate in the state. Uthmeier pointed out that advertising such sites is also unlawful.
“Google therefore cannot advertise these illegal ‘sweepstake’ websites on its social media platforms in Florida,” he wrote.
In the August suits, the state argued in detail these sites were not simply offering harmless social games but are running casino‑style operations around the clock while avoiding the licensing, taxation, and consumer protections required under state law.
“If it looks like a casino, takes real money like a casino, and pays out like a casino, it is a casino, and it is illegal under Florida law,” Uthmeier said in a statement at the time.
The case focuses on how money flow through these platforms. Customers buy packages of Gold Coins, which come bundled with a second currency, called Stake Cash or Sweeps Coins depending on the site. While Gold Coins are used for the social gaming side, the bundled credits can be wagered and later redeemed for cash, cryptocurrency, or gift cards once certain play‑through conditions are met.
Florida contends that this dual‑currency system is a disguise, and that players are still risking money on games of chance with the possibility of extracting real value afterward.
The lawsuits describe familiar casino games, slots, blackjack, roulette, and poker, being marketed as free or social entertainment. It also called out celebrity endorsements and influencer campaigns for promoting big wins and misleading Floridans. Payment processors alongside the operators are named in the suit, with the state challenging the entire system.
The attorney general is seeking permanent injunctions to block the defendants from operating in Florida, restitution for consumers, forfeiture of gambling proceeds, and civil penalties under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
