What Is Sportzino?
Sportzino is a sweepstakes casino and social sportsbook launched in late 2023 as a free-to-play platform combining:
- Casino-style games like slots and table games
- Esports competitions
- A “sports predictor” mode allowing users to guess outcomes of real-life matches
- A dual-currency system (similar to many sweepstakes casinos)
Although no purchases are required, players could buy coins to enhance their gameplay which mirrors the model used by popular sweepstakes casinos.
Why Did Tennessee Shut It Down?
Tennessee’s Sports Wagering Council argued that Sportzino’s offer of “sports-related sweepstakes operations” crossed a legal line. While the site didn’t offer real-money sports betting, it included mechanics that regulators saw as too close to unlicensed wagering.
The SWC has taken similar action against other companies in the past year, including:
- Bovada, which exited Tennessee in late 2024
- Legendz, a crypto-based sportsbook pulled in April 2025
- A number of other offshore and social platforms that received fines or warnings
Tennessee is one of the strictest U.S. states when it comes to enforcing online gambling laws—even for sites that claim not to offer traditional betting.
What This Means for Players
If you're a Tennessee resident and you’ve used Sportzino, here’s what you should know:
- You can no longer access Sportzino from within Tennessee. The site has geoblocked access in response to the cease-and-desist order.
- You may still access your account from outside Tennessee, but it depends on how the platform handles geolocation and account data.
- There are currently no legal sweepstakes sportsbooks operating in Tennessee. While sweepstakes casinos (focused on slots or table games) still operate in some states, sites that mix sports predictions with prizes are coming under increasing scrutiny.
- Blazesoft’s other brands, like Fortune Coins and Zula Casino, do not currently offer sports prediction features and appear unaffected by this move—for now.
Will Other Sites Be Affected?
Possibly. While this decision specifically applies to Sportzino, it follows a broader trend:
- State regulators are increasingly questioning sweepstakes sites that mimic real-money gambling, especially in areas like sports betting or player-vs-player contests.
- Operators using dual-currency models (Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins) are being asked to prove their compliance with state law, even in states where sweepstakes games are generally allowed.
- Other social sportsbooks and sweepstakes sites could face similar orders if they offer sports-style gameplay with prize elements in Tennessee or other strict states.
What Are Your Options?
If you live in Tennessee and are looking for legal ways to play:
You can still access sweepstakes casinos that do not offer sports predictions and that operate in full compliance with the “no purchase necessary” model.
Many of these platforms offer free coins, daily bonuses, and giveaways—and let you redeem Sweeps Coins for real prizes if you're eligible.
Be cautious of sites that offer sports betting mechanics, even if they call themselves sweepstakes. In Tennessee, that distinction may not protect operators or players.
Final Thoughts
Tennessee’s decision to push Sportzino out of the state may be the first of many such moves as regulators look more closely at the rapidly growing sweepstakes casino space. If you're a fan of free-to-play gaming, now’s a good time to double-check that the site you’re using is:
- Legally accessible in your state
- Transparent about how its prizes work
- Not blending into unlicensed sports betting territory
We’ll keep tracking changes in state laws and platform availability to help you stay informed.
Blaise Luis
