Rising Confrontation
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA), a rising voice for the sweepstakes casino world, has come out swinging and they’re not holding back. In back-to-back statements this week, the VGW-led coalition slammed Louisiana and Connecticut for passing sweeping bans on online sweepstakes gaming.
The alliance claims the bans were rushed, misinformed, and more helpful to black-market operators than to consumers.
Who’s the SGLA?
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) may be new on the scene, but it’s backed by some of the biggest players in the sweepstakes industry.
- Led by Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), the company behind Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker
- Alongside VGW, you’ll find B-Two Operations, known for running brands like McLuck and Hello Millions, and Nuvei, a heavyweight Canadian payment processor that handles transactions for online gaming firms worldwide.
- Leading the charge is Jeff Duncan, a former U.S. Congressman from South Carolina, now serving as the alliance’s executive director.
While most of the public fight against anti-sweeps legislation has come from the Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA), the SGLA is now stepping forward, and it’s bringing heavyweight credibility and serious firepower with it.
What Happened in Louisiana and Connecticut?
Both Louisiana and Connecticut have passed legislation that effectively bans sweepstakes-style online casinos—the kind that use virtual currency systems to simulate real-money gambling.
- Louisiana’s Senate Bill 181, introduced in mid-April, sailed through the state legislature with unanimous votes in both chambers. The bill explicitly bans online platforms that use dual-currency systems to simulate casino play.
- Connecticut’s Senate Bill 1235 follows a similar path, banning sweepstakes-style promotions linked to simulated casino or sports betting games. It also passed with zero opposition in both the Senate and House.
Both bills are now on the desks of Governor Jeff Landry (LA) and Governor Ned Lamont (CT) awaiting final signatures to become law.
The Industry’s Response: “Lawmakers Fell for It”
Jeff Duncan didn’t mince words in his official statements. In back-to-back statements, the SGLA executive director accused both states of rushing through legislation based on bad intel and shutting out the very companies most affected.
He called the bills “hastily passed based on incomplete information,” and claimed lawmakers were misled by a “campaign of deliberate misinformation” cooked up by groups with something to gain from knocking out the competition.
According to Duncan, the legislative process in both states gave critics a loud voice while sidelining legitimate operators who wanted a seat at the table.
While his take on Louisiana was blunt: the legislature got duped, end of story.
What the SGLA Says Happens Next
According to the SGLA, these bans don’t protect consumers, they just push them into riskier territory. Millions of players will lose access to legitimate, free-to-play entertainment, while black market operators, Duncan says, will be “laughing all the way to the bank.”
States, meanwhile, aren’t just blocking games, they’re missing out on real opportunities for oversight, innovation, and revenue. In his Connecticut statement, Duncan went further to call the ban a “loss for innovation, competition, free choice, and potential economic benefits.”
SGLA’s Pitch: Work With Us
Despite the sharp tone, the group says it’s still open to collaboration.
The SGLA says it’s willing to work with lawmakers to build a “robust regulatory framework”, one that would ensure player safety while still allowing sweepstakes gaming to operate above board.
They’re advising that legislators don’t kill the model, but rather regulate it.
SPGA Chimes In Too
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA), a separate coalition from the SGLA, also weighed in on Louisiana’s sweepstakes ban this week. While the SGLA is led by heavyweights like VGW, the SPGA represents a different slice of the industry, including operators like Blazesoft, Fliff, and High 5 Entertainment.
In a statement, the SPGA called Louisiana’s new law a “step backward,” arguing that it:
- Blurs the line between fun games and real gambling
- Shuts the door on innovation
- Forces out legit operators trying to play by the rules
- Hurts consumer choice
So now both major industry coalitions, SPGA and SGLA, are fully aligned against the wave of sweepstakes bans.
Final Word
The sweepstakes industry is officially on the defensive. With back-to-back bans, high-profile exits, and public criticism stacking up, operators are scrambling to salvage what’s left of their legal gray zone.
But with groups like SGLA and SPGA turning up the heat, the conversation isn’t over; it’s just getting louder.
The question now: Will states regulate, restrict, or shut it all down?
Blaise Luis
