Maine has become the current state to prohibit sweepstakes gambling . Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 2007 into law April 6, shutting down sweepstakes platforms constructed around dual-currency systems.

- Maine now categorizes dual-currency sweepstakes gambling establishments as illegal gaming under state law.

- Operators face fines in between $10,000 and $100,000 per infraction, with funds directed to addiction programs.

- The law revokes gambling licenses connected to prohibited sweepstakes activity and targets uncontrolled operators.

The expense, introduced by Sen. Craig Hickman to the Senate Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee in December, draws a hard line in between certified Maine online casinos and the gray-market design used by sweepstakes casinos. It enhances enforcement in the Maine Criminal Code, with high fines and licensure effects consisted of in the update.

The costs targets platforms that imitate slots, poker, table video games, or sports wagering and utilize a dual-currency payment system, permitting an individual to purchase virtual coins and exchange them for cash awards and other real-world prizes.

Each infraction of the new law brings obligatory fines from $10,000 to $100,000. Money collected from these charges will flow into the state's Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund, which the state has been constructing along with more comprehensive gaming growth.

There is also a licensing trigger. Anyone holding a betting license in Maine dangers immediate revocation if connected to these platforms. That is substantial because the state has actually currently legislated online sports wagering and is expected to expand into tribal iGaming.

The measure made quick work of Maine's legislature, passing the Senate on March 12 and then being advanced from your home to the Governor's desk March 26 with a vote of 87-55. Maine now joins a growing list of states that have actually just recently disallowed sweepstakes gambling establishments.

Indiana contributes to growing crackdown

Indiana closed the exact same door weeks before Maine did. Gov. Mike Braun signed HB 1052 after the bill cleared both chambers with broad margins. The focus once again landed on dual-currency or multi-currency systems.

Lawmakers there offered the Indiana Gaming Commission authority to provide cease-and-desist orders. That moves enforcement from theory to action. Operators can be told to stop, then face effects if they don't.

The expense proceeded a tight timeline. It reached the guv March 5, starting a seven-day window for signature or veto. It would have become law anyhow after that duration, which signified how little resistance remained.

Indiana followed a broader pattern. Six states passed anti-sweepstakes measures in 2025, including significant markets such as New york city, New Jersey, and California. New Jersey might revisit its stance with a proposition to manage rather than ban.

However, the bill has actually faced pushback from industry groups. The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) argued regulated sweepstakes could produce $20 million yearly for Indiana.

The SGLA's efforts did help reopen a different conversation. With sweepstakes platforms pushed out, pressure is developing to legalize complete online casino gaming in the state. Indiana legislators are anticipated to review the concern in the next session.