California's Sweepstakes Ban: Nine Months On

California's AB 831 banned online dual-currency sweepstakes casinos from 1 January 2026. Penalties reach up to one year in jail and fines of $1,000–$25,000, and liability extends to vendors such as payment processors and suppliers.^[1]

What happened

Major operators left before the law took effect: Pulsz stopped on 15 December 2025 and Global Poker on 30 December, and VGW's Chumba Casino switched Californians to Gold Coin play only. Because the law reaches vendors, game studios and payment providers also had to cut ties with operators serving Californians.

Why California mattered

California is the largest US state and has no legal online casino or sports betting. Its powerful tribal gaming nations pushed for the ban, and other states, such as Louisiana, followed in 2026. (New Jersey had already passed its own ban a few months before California, in 2025.)^[2]

See why US states are banning sweepstakes casinos and where it's legal.