Real-money sweepstakes casinos? Nope, not here. In 2025, New York banned every platform offering cashable Sweeps Coins – and backed it with felony charges and shutdown orders. So sites like Chumba, Global Poker, and Fliff had to cut access entirely.
But not everything vanished. A few platforms still let you play in New York – legally. They just work differently. There’s no redemption. No gift cards. Nothing to cash out. What they offer: slots, blackjack, video poker, and live tables powered by virtual-only currency.
Here are the best New York sweepstakes-style casinos you can still access without breaking state law:
Jovan I.
Content Writer
Last updated
13 June 2025
Every social casino listed above has one thing in common: they removed all redemption features for New York users. That’s the only reason they’re still accessible here. Once a platform blocks prize cashouts, it no longer fits the state’s legal definition of gambling – which is exactly what Article I, §9, Penal Law §156.40, and Racing Law §912 all target.
So these platforms aren’t loopholes. They’re stripped-down, compliant versions of themselves – legal because they don’t let you win anything of value.
Here’s how that breaks down, site by site:
| Platform | Virtual Currency Only | Notes |
| BetRivers.net | ✅ Yes | NY-friendly from the start; no redemptions offered at all |
| High 5 Casino | ✅ Yes | Based in NY, purely for entertainment, no prize functionality |
| WOW Vegas | ✅ Yes (in NY) | Sweepstakes mode geo-blocked; Gold Coins only in NY |
| McLuck | ✅ Yes (in NY) | Dual-currency in other states; NY locked to non-redeemable gameplay |
| Pulsz | ✅ Yes (in NY) | Known for SC redemptions elsewhere, but that mode is disabled in NY |
📝 Note: All five are still live from New York IPs. None of them let you redeem anything of value – which is exactly why they’re legal here. If a platform does offer redemption in NY, it’s either geofencing incorrectly… or breaking the law.
This line from the New York Constitution isn’t open to interpretation:
“…no lottery or the sale of lottery tickets, pool-selling, book-making, or any other kind of gambling, except [those] specifically authorized… shall hereafter be authorized or allowed within this state.”
→ New York Constitution, Article I, §9
That covers everything not specifically licensed. Sweepstakes casinos don’t have licenses in New York. They’re not listed under exceptions like the state lottery or regulated casinos. That makes them flat-out illegal by default.
🔍 If you’re a player: There’s no such thing as a gray area here. If the platform isn’t listed on a state-authorized license, you can’t play on it from New York, regardless of whether the site calls itself a legal sweepstakes casino or how it structures its “dual currency” system.
This 2024 law – New York Penal Law § 156.40 – tightened the screws.
Operating or promoting any electronic sweepstakes involving chance (even if there’s a “free entry” option) through a device, app, or website is a Class E felony.
That includes simulated sweeps slot machines, digital prize wheels, and anything where gameplay and prizes are algorithmically determined.
🔍 If you’re a player: The felony charge is aimed at operators – but that won’t shield you if the platform pulls you into its operation. There’s no safe harbor in “I was just playing.” If the AG decides you’re part of the loop, you’re exposed.
This section doesn’t ban sweepstakes – it sets rules for when they’re legit. Under New York General Business Law § 369-e, any sweepstakes tied to a commercial product, with over $5,000 in total prizes, has to register with the Secretary of State at least 30 days before launch, post official rules, disclose odds, escrow the prize money, and publish a winners’ list.
None of the major sweepstakes casinos do this in New York. They aren’t registered. They don’t escrow prize pools. And they don’t file with the state. That alone should tell you something.
🔍 If you’re a player: If the site doesn’t link you to state-filed rules and prize protections, there’s zero legal or financial recourse. You could lose access, prizes, or even balances – and nobody’s required to help you get them back.
Between March and June 2025, the New York Attorney General’s office and Gaming Commission made their big move.
26 sweepstakes platforms – including Chumba, Fliff, and Global Poker – were hit with formal cease-and-desist orders. Every one of them stopped selling coins to New York users.
There was no warning, no phase-out. One day you could log in; the next, your account was geo-blocked, your balance frozen, and your customer support messages unanswered.
🔍 If you’re a player: This is what happens when a state flips the switch. You don’t get to cash out, argue your case, or claim your wins. You’re done. And if you try to VPN around it, you could face fraud charges on top of the original ban.
👉 Source: “Attorney General James Stops Illegal Online Sweepstakes Casinos”
| Law / Statute | Key Rule | Player Impact |
| NY Constitution Art I, §9 | Outlaws all unauthorized gambling | No sweepstakes casino is legal unless licensed |
| Penal Law § 156.40 | Bans digital sweepstakes with prizes and chance | Operators risk felony; you risk being pulled in |
| General Business Law § 369-e | Requires full registration, bonding, and disclosure for sweepstakes | Unlicensed sites are unprotected and unregulated |
| Racing Law § 912 (S5935, 2025) | Explicit ban on online sweepstakes casinos | All of them are now illegal in New York |
| AG Cease-and-Desist Orders (2025) | 26 platforms ordered to shut down NY access | You can’t play them, buy coins, or log in anymore |
If you’re in New York, here’s what holds up – and what’s now completely off the board.
✔ Stick to platforms licensed by the NY State Gaming Commission
✔ Don’t assume “free-to-play” means legal
✔ If a site has no state registration or odds disclosure, walk away
✘ Don’t buy coins, spins, gold, tokens, or credits on any sweepstakes casino
✘ Don’t use VPNs to fake your location – New York law treats that as intent to defraud
Yes. Technically, yes. Even if charges are rare, the legal framework now exists. You don’t need to operate a casino to be at risk. A bad interpretation, one test case, or one aggressive DA could rope players in alongside promoters.
Is it happening right now? No. Could it start tomorrow? That’s entirely possible
Short answer: yes – but only if the winnings are legal.
New York taxes personal income, which includes sweepstakes cashouts, prizes, or gift cards. But here’s the real twist: if you’re playing on an illegal platform and somehow manage to redeem something before it shuts down, that income is still taxable.
And if the platform vanishes before you cash out? The IRS might still expect a report – because the moment funds become available, they’re technically income. Even if you never saw the money in your account.
🧾 What that means for you:
If you ever redeem anything of value (outside NY, or during a legal window), keep records. A basic spreadsheet or email receipts are enough. Waiting until tax season to untangle it all is how mistakes – or audits – happen.
If you’re in New York, the sweepstakes casino chapter is closed. The laws are written. The platforms are gone. There’s no ambiguity left.
In 2025, the state didn’t just tighten the rules – it enforced them. Article I, §9 of the New York Constitution, Penal Law §156.40, and Racing Law §912 now combine to fully outlaw dual-currency sweepstakes games. And if a site still offers Sweeps Coins here, it’s not a clever workaround — it’s likely violating felony-level statutes.
That said, not all platforms disappeared. Social casinos like BetRivers.net and High 5 still let you play slots, blackjack, and other casino-style games using virtual currency only. No redemptions. No real prizes. No legal gray area.
🔒 That’s the difference:
Stick to platforms that follow the rules. Don’t chase sketchy VPN routes. Don’t assume “free-to-play” always means legal – look at what the platform actually offers.
And if you’re ever unsure: ask one question – “Can I win anything that holds real value?”
If the answer is yes, it’s not allowed here. Not anymore.
Compare New York with its closest U.S. sweepstakes-friendly states.
No. Every law that matters – including Article I, §9 of the NY Constitution, Penal Law §156.40, and Racing Law §912 – now bans sweepstakes casinos in New York. If the site lets you redeem coins or tokens for cash or prizes, it’s illegal to access from this state.
You can, but you shouldn’t. It’s considered intentional evasion of state law – especially after the 2025 cease-and-desist orders. If a platform finds out, they can freeze your account, and if law enforcement gets involved, it could count as fraud.
None of the dual-currency ones. Platforms like Chumba, Pulsz, and McLuck only qualify in New York when they disable real-money prize redemption. If they’re offering Sweeps Coins here, they’re violating the law.
Yes – if your winnings are legal. The IRS considers redeemed prizes as taxable income, even if the platform doesn’t send you a form. But in New York, those winnings aren’t even supposed to happen – so if a site goes dark before you cash out, you’re likely unprotected and still liable.
It’s a site that only uses virtual currency, with no real prizes or redemptions. Think: BetRivers.net, High 5 Casino, or WOW Vegas in free-play mode. These are legal because there’s nothing to win of value, and that keeps them outside the state’s gambling ban.
Sweepstakes casinos use two currencies: one for fun, one you can redeem for cash or prizes (like Sweeps Coins). Social casinos use only one – and it’s never worth anything outside the game. Sweepstakes casinos are banned in New York. Social casinos are not.
