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You may still see the commercials for Chumba Casino and McLuck as well as a host of other sweepstakes casinos, but effective October 1, 2025, you will no longer be able to play at any of these sites from the state of Montana.
That state has officially banned all online sweepstakes casinos.
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 555 into law, which explicitly prohibits online gambling platforms that allow consumers to place bets or wagers using any form of currency and make payouts of any form of currency.
The currency focus has everything to do with the sweepstakes casinos loophole.
These sites have long argued they are legal due to the idea they do not allow for real money deposits, per se.
Instead, sweepstakes casinos operate using so-called virtual currencies.
For example, Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC) are redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards if certain conditions are met.
Sites like Chumba Casino, by far one of the largest of the sweepstakes casinos, aren't likely to stick around waiting for that October 1 date.
The Social and Promotional Games Association condemned the new law.
“Montana just criminalized everyday digital promotions with a law so broadly written it fails to name what it bans,” said a spokesperson for SPGA. “It’s a dangerous precedent that could undermine consumer trust, business innovation, and long-standing legal marketing practices.”
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