VGW begins phasing out sweepstakes casinos in West Virginia amid ongoing U.S. exits

VGW’s sweepstakes casinos, Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots, will phase out Sweeps Coin play in West Virginia starting Tuesday, a VGW spokesperson told Sweepsy. 

The move continues a broader pattern of U.S. market withdrawals by the Australia-based gaming operator, which has now exited 12 states and jurisdictions.

West Virginia players were notified of a three-stage phaseout. The process begins with the suspension of free Sweeps Coin collection and code generation. Sweeps Play will end on November 18, and all redemptions will cease a week later, on November 25. VGW’s third platform, Global Poker, is expected to follow a similar exit schedule.

VGW said that users will still be able to engage in entertainment-only play using Gold Coins after the phaseout. The company’s retreat from West Virginia mirrors earlier exits from Mississippi and New Jersey, driven by regulatory uncertainties around sweepstakes gaming.

The 12 jurisdictions now excluding VGW’s platforms include Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and West Virginia. Most of these withdrawals occurred within the past year, highlighting increased regulatory enforcement.

VGW is also phasing out Canadian operations. Chumba Casino and Global Poker users lost access on October 23. Gold Coin purchases stopped on August 28, and remaining Sweeps Coins had to be redeemed by October 23.

The move follows VGW’s restructuring under full ownership of Laurence Escalante, who recently completed a buyout of the company. Canadian users could no longer purchase Gold Coins after August 28, lost game access by September 25, and were required to redeem remaining Sweeps Coins before October 23.

VGW described the withdrawal as a strategic decision to realign business priorities and concentrate on more sustainable markets amid growing regulatory scrutiny in North America.

The regulatory crackdown continues in the U.S., with California becoming the largest state to ban sweepstakes casinos. Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 831, effective January 1, 2026, prohibiting sweepstakes-style gaming statewide.

The legislation, supported by the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, reinforces tribal gaming rights. California’s population of over 39 million, roughly double New York’s, makes the ban particularly significant. A similar bill in New York awaits Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature.

Sweepstakes industry groups, including the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance, urged Newsom to veto the measure, citing survey data indicating that 85% of Californians favor regulation and taxation rather than prohibition. Analysts say the move signals growing opposition by U.S. lawmakers to dual-currency sweepstakes models.