Georgia doesn’t hand out many green lights when it comes to gaming. The laws are strict, the penalties are clear, and the room for error is narrow. But here’s what most people miss: Georgia sweepstakes casinos don’t operate in that same zone. You’re not betting. You’re not breaking rules. You’re entering a promotional contest that’s built to comply with Georgia’s very specific laws – and if a site doesn’t meet those rules, it’s off the table here.
This guide is here for one reason: to show you exactly which sweepstakes casinos play by Georgia’s rules, which ones don’t, and what the law actually says about every step you take.
Jerard V.
Content Manager
Last updated
24 June 2025
No dedicated Georgia sweepstakes law
Legal, but only if structured right
Cash wins in-game = illegal
If money comes directly from a spin or card flip, it qualifies as gambling under § 16-12-20 – and that’s not legal here.
Some sites block Georgia
GBI has taken action before
No regulator has your back
Winnings are always taxable
You must be in Georgia to play
Let’s get clear on something: Georgia doesn’t license sweeps platforms. There’s no local regulator handing out approvals, and there’s no official stamp saying “this one’s good.”
Instead, sweepstakes casinos stay legal in Georgia by designing themselves around the state’s promotional contest laws – not its gambling laws.
Under Georgia Code § 16-12-20, gambling is defined as betting anything of value on a game of chance. That includes online games, even if you’re just playing poker from your couch. And under § 16-12-21, just placing a bet is a misdemeanor. You don’t have to run a site to get in trouble, playing counts.
Because they remove the key element that makes a game gambling: mandatory payment.
According to Georgia Code § 16-12-36, a promotional contest is allowed if:
✔️ It’s run in good faith to promote a product or brand
✔️ It doesn’t require you to pay anything to enter
✔️ It doesn’t force you to attend a sales pitch
✔️ It offers only non-cash prizes during gameplay
✅ A free entry option (like daily bonuses or a no-purchase mail-in)
✅ Clear separation between Gold Coins (fun) and Sweeps Coins (prizes)
✅ Cash redemptions only after you leave the game – not from the reels
Yes, but only if you tick the right boxes. If you miss one, your account – and any prize tied to it – is at risk.
Here’s exactly what matters.
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 13-3-20) says you have to be a legal adult to enter into any enforceable agreement. That includes a sweepstakes site’s terms. No gray area here.
Why this matters:
If you’re under 18, your account’s not legally valid. Sites will block redemptions if you can’t verify your age.
You don’t need to live here. But you do need to be physically in the state at the time of play. That’s the standard for sweepstakes eligibility, and yes, sites check. Most use location data automatically.
If you’re flagged as out-of-state (even by mistake):
You’ll need to verify who you are before you get paid. If you’re using a fake name, wrong birthdate, or borrowed ID, platforms have the right to void your winnings – backed by O.C.G.A. § 13-3-24 and § 16-12-36.
Quick tip:
Don’t wait until redemption day to get your info in order. If your name and details don’t match, your account can be locked with no payout.
Sweepstakes platforms allow one verified account per user. That’s it. Doubling up for extra no deposit sweeps bonuses or faster coin earners? That can get both accounts wiped.
Legal backup:
Under O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393, that counts as deceptive behavior. Sites don’t need to give you a warning.
If you’re 18+, inside Georgia, and playing with your own verified account, you’re absolutely fine. But if anything about your setup blocks your location or identity, the site won’t wait to act on it.
Even though most sweepstakes casinos know how to stay legal in Georgia, a few still miss the mark – or they tap out early.
Some sites just don’t follow the rules. Others block Georgia by choice, worried about how fast the laws could shift.
Either way, there’s a growing list of platforms – McLuck, Zula, MegaBonanza, and others – that you simply can’t access here.
Here’s why that happens, one rule at a time:
Under Georgia law, a sweepstakes site must let you enter without buying anything. That’s non-negotiable. It’s what separates a promotion from an illegal lottery.
Example: A platform offers a “free” entry method – but only if you complete a long ID verification, mail in a request to a non-U.S. address, and wait 15+ days to get tokens. That’s not a usable path, and Georgia’s laws require a method that gives you equal access without forcing a purchase.
Georgia prohibits games of chance that deliver something of value during gameplay. That’s straight from § 16-12-20(2). If a site lets you unlock cash or gift cards just by hitting a spin – with no sweepstakes layer, it’s much too close to gambling.
Example: A site awards $5 in redeemable sweepstakes coins directly when you land a specific combination of symbols in a slot game. There’s no drawing or sweepstakes mechanic, you basically just “win.” Under Georgia law, that’s functionally a payout, and that’s not allowed.
To comply, sweepstakes casinos must clearly separate Gold Coins (entertainment) from Sweeps Coins (redeemable). If the system is confusing – or if one type of coin quietly converts into the other, it violates the structural requirements of § 16-12-36.
Example: You buy Gold Coins, but the site also “rewards” you with Sweeps Coins in the same bundle, and there’s no clear way to get Sweeps separately. That setup risks implying that purchase = prize chance, which breaks the no-consideration rule in Georgia’s lottery definition.
Georgia expects any sweepstakes contest to publish the odds of winning, number of prizes, and how entries are selected. This isn’t optional, bur rather written into fair promotion requirements under both § 16-12-36 and Georgia’s Fair Business Practices Act (O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393), which prohibits deceptive or unfair advertising. This especially when promotional contests fail to clearly disclose prize odds or entry methods.
Example: You browse the site but can’t find how many Sweeps Coins you need to redeem for $5, or how winners are selected. There’s no FAQ, no legal T&Cs. That kind of opacity puts the platform on shaky ground, and Georgia doesn’t give second chances here.
Sometimes the issue isn’t a violation. It’s a decision. A few sites geo-restrict Georgia players simply because they don’t want to risk future scrutiny. With the state regularly amending laws and exploring gambling-related bills, some platforms exit voluntarily.
Example: McLuck Casino previously accepted Georgia users but quietly updated its terms to exclude Georgia “until further notice.” The reason? Likely a strategic retreat, playing it safe while legislative conversations continue. It’s a legal grey area they’d rather avoid entirely.
Restricted sweepstakes casinos in Georgia
Georgia doesn’t play around when it comes to unlicensed gambling. If you’re using a sweepstakes site that doesn’t follow the rules – or if you slip up on the rules yourself – there’s more at stake than just losing coins.
Here’s what can realistically happen if you don’t stay sharp.
If the platform doesn’t follow Georgia Code § 16-12-36, then the game you’re playing isn’t a sweepstakes, it’s an illegal lottery. And any prize you think you’ve earned? Not legally protected. You can’t force a payout. You can’t take them to court. The prize, legally, doesn’t exist.
Example:
If a site skips the free entry requirement or ties prizes to purchases, it could legally be treated as a lottery under § 16-12-20. That makes your “win” part of an illegal scheme – which means you have no legal right to that prize.
Sweepstakes platforms don’t need much reason to shut your account down, especially if they spot duplicate accounts, unverifiable ID, or mismatched personal info. And under § 13-3-24, contracts can be voided if they were entered under false or misleading terms.
What that means for you:
If your account gets flagged – even for something like using a different name or birthdate – you could lose everything tied to it: coins, rewards, even pending redemptions. No warning required.
The GBI’s Commercial Gambling Unit has a track record of dismantling illegal gambling setups, especially those disguised as sweepstakes. Most past actions have hit physical cafés, but the same logic applies to digital platforms.
What that means for you:
If a GA sweepstakes casino you’re using gets flagged under § 16-12-36 or § 16-12-22, your account vanishes with it. There’s no refund process. No regulator to complain to. No payout on hold.
Georgia Code § 16-12-21 makes it a misdemeanor to place bets in any unlicensed game of chance. If a sweepstakes casino accessible in Georgia doesn’t follow the legal structure – and you’re playing anyway – you might unintentionally be gambling illegally. Georgia law doesn’t care if the platform told you otherwise.
Win $5 or $5,000 – it doesn’t matter. If you’re redeeming real prizes from a sweepstakes casino, the tax man expects a cut.
Georgia doesn’t treat this like “just playing a game.” Every prize you cash out is taxable income.
Here’s what that means for you:
Doesn’t matter if it’s cash, a gift card, or redeemable Sweeps Coins. If it has value and you received it from a sweepstakes, it’s reportable income.
If your total redemptions from one site hit $600+ in a calendar year – and the prize was at least 300x your original entry – you may get a 1099-MISC form from the platform.
Some sites send them, some don’t.
If they don’t, you still have to report the income – form or not.
(Source: IRS Form 1099-MISC Instructions)
There’s no minimum threshold to start reporting. A $20 payout? A $10 gift card? It still goes on your return. Georgia doesn’t carve out an exemption just because it feels small.
Most sweepstakes sites operate outside Georgia, and some are even offshore. That means they might not send tax forms at all. But that doesn’t let you off the hook. If you win it, you report it.
Not every sweepstakes casino that looks legal actually is. Georgia has zero tolerance for sloppy setups, so if something’s off, the law won’t back you. Before you play, run through this:
Ask yourself:
✅ Can I play without spending anything at all?
✅ Are Sweeps Coins and Gold Coins clearly split?
✅ Can I find the prize rules in plain English?
✅ Do I win coins – not cash – while playing?
✅ Will I need to verify who I am before cashing out?
If you answered “no” to even one of those, close the tab. Georgia law doesn’t allow half-measures.
Right now, Georgia’s stance is clear: sweepstakes casinos are only legal if they follow a strict promotional contest model. No real-money gambling, no casino licenses, and no signs of that changing soon.
Lawmakers have floated bills to bring land-based casinos or sports betting to Georgia, but none have passed. And even if one does, the odds of legalizing online real-money casinos remain low. If anything, future changes may tighten rules on digital sweepstakes, not really loosen them.
Our advice from SweepCasinos.com:
Stick with platforms that are already playing by the rules. Georgia gives them legal breathing room – but it can take that away fast if abuse shows up.
The same structure that makes sweepstakes casinos legal here also holds up in most U.S. states, at least when it’s done by the book.
Compare Georgia with its closest neighbor states
Yes, you can – as long as the site follows Georgia law under § 16-12-36. That means no purchase is required to enter, prizes are redeemed outside the game, and everything follows a promotional structure. If those pieces aren’t in place, it’s not legal in Georgia.
Yes. You must be at least 18 to legally agree to a site’s terms and redeem any prize. If you’re underage or can’t verify your age, you won’t be able to cash out.
Yes. If you redeem anything with real-world value – cash, coins, gift cards – it counts as income. The IRS requires you to report it, and Georgia includes it in your state income through § 48-7-27.
Yes, as long as you’re physically located in Georgia when you play. You don’t need to be a resident. But if the site can’t confirm your location, it won’t let you enter or redeem.
Check for a few key things: the site should let you play for free, keep prize and play coins separate, offer prize info upfront, and redeem outside the game. It should also ask for ID before any payout. If it doesn’t do all of that, it’s not built for Georgia players.
You could lose your balance, your account, and any right to your winnings. If the structure doesn’t match Georgia’s law, those prizes aren’t protected – and you could unintentionally be part of illegal gambling under § 16-12-21.
