New Jersey bids farewell to MyPrize.us as the approach of AB447 bill looms nearby
In New Jersey, several sweepstakes casinos are closing their doors ahead of Assembly Bill A5447, which is set to ban online sweepstakes casinos in the state by August 14, 2025.
The bill, passed on June 30, 2022, redefines illegal gambling to include games requiring an entry fee to win prizes. This effectively bans sweepstakes casinos that use dual-currency models, where players use Gold Coins for play and can redeem Sweeps Coins for prizes [1][3].
Operators such as VGW (which runs Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker) have already begun phasing out Sweeps Coins in New Jersey. Players could no longer earn new Sweeps Coins as of July 29, 2025, with redemption and play continuing until August 26, and final prize redemption until September 24, 2025 [1][3].
Other sweepstakes casinos, including Funzpoints, Spree, Clubs Casino, Clubs Poker, LuckySlots.us, Stake.us, High 5 Casino, and B-Two Operations brands, have already exited or are withdrawing in response to the legislative change [2][3].
The exodus is driven by the certainty of the legal ban and the desire by operators to avoid non-compliance risks. Many are shifting to Standard Play-only modes where no prizes redeemable for cash are offered [1].
Traditional real-money online casinos remain legal in New Jersey, and this ban specifically targets the sweepstakes casino model [4].
The future of sweepstakes casinos in New Jersey is uncertain following these exits. As of now, there is no mention of a potential replacement or any discussions about the impact of these exits on the New Jersey gaming industry.
Richard Janvrin, a journalist who started writing as a teenager and graduated from the University of New Hampshire, has covered numerous aspects of iGaming, including news, reviews, bonuses/promotions, sweepstakes casinos, and legal issues. He entered the iGaming space in 2018 [2].
It is unclear whether the exit of these sweepstakes casinos is a temporary or permanent move. Some are choosing to remain in New Jersey but will only offer sweepstakes games [2].
The timeline for the complete exit of MyPrize.us from New Jersey is not provided in the article.
References:
[1] Online Poker Report. (2022, July 28). New Jersey sweepstakes casinos to shut down by August 14. Retrieved from https://www.onlinopokerreport.com/44531/nj-sweeps-casinos-to-shut-down-by-august-14/
[2] Legal Sports Report. (2022, July 29). Sweepstakes casinos exit New Jersey ahead of Assembly Bill A5447. Retrieved from https://www.legalsportsreport.com/291123/nj-sweepstakes-casinos-exit-ahead-of-assembly-bill-a5447/
[3] New Jersey Online Casino. (2022, July 28). New Jersey sweepstakes casinos to shut down by August 14. Retrieved from https://www.newjerseyonlinecasino.com/nj-sweeps-casinos-to-shut-down-by-august-14/
[4] NJ Gambling Sites. (n.d.). New Jersey Sweepstakes Casinos. Retrieved from https://www.njgamblingsites.com/nj-sweepstakes-casinos/
- Despite the looming ban on sports betting-related sweepstakes casinos in New Jersey, traditional real-money online casinos remain legal.
- In light of the ban on poker-style sweepstakes casinos in New Jersey, some operators are transitioning to Standard Play-only modes, eliminating the option to win cash prizes.
- As the gambling trends shift within the casino-and-gambling industry in New Jersey, finance and legal professionals remain vigilant, monitoring the impact of the exit of various sweepstakes casinos on the industry's future.
