Published: 04/09/2026 | Updated: 04/09/2026
What Florida Is Alleging
The lawsuits focus on the dual-currency models used by Stake and VGW.
According to the complaints, players purchase Gold Coins, which have no cash value. Those purchases come bundled with Stake Cash or Sweeps Coins, which can be used to play casino-style games and later redeemed for cash prizes, subject to each platform’s rules.
Florida argues that calling Stake Cash and Sweeps Coins promotional bonuses does not change how the products operate.
“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.
The complaints also accuse the companies of presenting their platforms as free-to-play entertainment while operating what Florida describes as unlicensed online casinos.
Uthmeier further alleges the sites were available to minors and older adults around the clock while operating outside Florida’s gambling laws.
Who Florida Is Suing
The lawsuit against VGW covers Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker. It also names payment and financial technology companies Yodlee, Trustly and Worldpay.
According to the complaint, VGW generated more than $5 billion in revenue during 2025, with approximately $3.7 billion coming from Chumba Casino alone.
The separate Stake complaint names Sweepsteaks Ltd., Easygo, Medium Rare, Kick Streaming and Stake co-founders Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven.
Payment companies Praxis and Breeze Labs Payments are also listed as defendants.
Why Payment Companies Are Included
Florida alleges that the payment companies provided financial services that allowed customers to move money into and out of the sweepstakes platforms.
The VGW complaint says Yodlee linked customers’ bank accounts, Trustly handled bank transfers and Worldpay processed card payments.
In the Stake lawsuit, Florida makes similar allegations against Praxis and Breeze Labs Payments. The complaint says the companies processed payments for Stake while either knowing, or being wilfully blind to, the legal questions surrounding the platform’s sweepstakes casino business.
What Florida Wants From The Court
Florida is asking the court to stop Stake and VGW from operating their sweepstakes casino platforms in the state.
It also wants the companies to repay money the state says Florida consumers lost, surrender profits allegedly earned through the businesses, pay legal costs and face civil penalties.
The complaints seek penalties of up to $10,000 for each wilful violation. That increases to as much as $15,000 where a violation involves someone aged 60 or older or a person with a disability.
Florida Is Using Existing Gambling Laws
Florida did not pass a law specifically targeting sweepstakes casinos during its 2026 legislative session.
Instead, the Attorney General’s Office filed both lawsuits under the state’s existing gambling laws and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
