PA the Latest State to Issue Cease and Desist Letters to Sweepstakes Casinos

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania last week sent cease and desist letters to 18 sweepstakes casinos.

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While the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) revealed in a Gaming Oversight Committee hearing it does not have the authority to take action against these free-to-play online casino sites, all 18 are said to have complied.

Chief Counsel, Steve Cook, noted that gambling language in the law makes it easy for sweepstakes casinos to circumvent and find loopholes.

Because these sites do not require real money deposits, sweepstakes operators insists the sites are fully legal.

All sweepstakes casinos use some form of virtual currency for their players to enjoy social casino games, without needing to make a purchase.

“Unfortunately, in the area of interactive gaming, we are significantly hamstrung by the specific language of our enabling statute," Cook presented during the hearing.

“Specifically Chapter 13B of the Gaming Act includes sections that appear to ban online gaming by unlicensed operators. These prohibitions ultimately come into conflict, however, with the definitions found in the Act.”

Cook called for a legislative change to the language of the Gaming Act, which could give the PGCB more authority in weeding out unlicensed gambling.

It wasn't immediately clear which sweepstakes casinos were issued the cease and desist order.

By  Gilbert Horowitz Gilbert is the esteemed reporter for Gambling911 covering all gamuts of the industry.  He has been with the site for the better part of a decade.  Gilbert works out of the Miami Beach bureau.