Louisiana Sweepstakes Casino Bill Vetoed, Gov. Jeff Landry Says Legislation is Overkill
Posted on: June 13, 2025, 10:16h.
Last updated on: June 23, 2025, 08:06h.
- Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has vetoed sweepstakes legislation
- Landry says the state gaming board is already cracking down on illegal gambling websites
- Sweeps sites they offer free-to-play games, with purchases never required
Legislation in Louisiana that would have banned websites from conducting sweepstakes games that critics say violate online gambling laws has been vetoed by Gov. Jeff Landry (R).
Earlier this month, Senate Bill 181 cleared the Louisiana State Legislature.
The statute sought to bar any game, contest, or promotion via the internet from utilizing a “dual-currency system” that allows players to exchange the currency for any prize, award, cash, or cash equivalent. SB181 would have banned casino-style and lottery games from being included in online sweepstakes platforms.
The legislation comes amid the proliferation of social gaming websites offering free-to-play slots and table games that allow players to earn or purchase a secondary currency, often called sweeps coins, that can be redeemed for cash.
Governor Says Bill Unneeded
Despite the Louisiana State Legislature backing the anti-sweepstakes bill led by state Sen. Adam Bass (R-Bossier City) with unanimous support, the state’s top lawmaker says the legislation is unwarranted. Landry said the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB), which regulates all forms of commercial gaming in the state aside from the state-run lottery, is already ensuring that illegal gambling outfits don’t do business in the Bayou State.
The [Louisiana Gaming Control] Board is already taking active steps to combat illegal gambling in Louisiana, especially against illegal offshore wagering and illegal online sweepstakes companies operating in Louisiana. The Board’s firm stance against such operations is aimed at protecting Louisiana residents from unregulated gambling activities that violate state laws,” Landry wrote lawmakers.
“The Board and its regulatory partners will take further action as deemed necessary to enforce state gaming laws, protect patrons and bettors, and maintain the integrity of Louisiana’s gaming industry,” the governor in his first term continued. “This bill is a solution in search of a problem that is already being solved by our current system, and some of the language in this bill is overly broad and could be interpreted in an adverse manner which may harm or impede our current enforcement actions taken against these bad actors.”
In August 2024, the LGCB sent Bovada, a leading offshore, unregulated online casino website, a cease-and-desist letter. But Bovada, which bills itself as an online casino and sportsbook, is a far cry from the many controversial sweeps platforms that continue to operate in Louisiana that maintain they run sweepstakes promotions similar to how a retailer might facilitate an online coupon offer with a spinning wheel.
Sweeps Industry Celebrates
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) commended Landry for vetoing SB181, which the advocacy says would have “dramatically restricted lawful digital entertainment.”
Gov. Landry’s veto is a powerful affirmation that not all online games are gambling and that innovation should not be met with prohibition,” read a SPGA statement provided to Casino.org. “This legislation blurred critical legal distinctions and risked punishing legitimate businesses that comply with well-established sweepstakes laws and offer free-to-play experiences.”
The SPGA maintains that sweepstakes-based games are not gambling but operate within legal frameworks because they’re “free to play” and a purchase is never required to win.
The Louisiana State Legislature can override Landry’s veto by bringing the bill back for a vote. If a two-thirds majority is realized in each chamber, SB181 would become law.
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