As debates warmth up over the authorized standing and regulation of sweepstakes casinos, a newly launched research by the American Gaming Association (AGA) reveals that customers of those platforms overwhelmingly acknowledge their exercise for what it’s: playing. The survey, performed on-line between June 11 and June 24, 2025, sheds mild on person conduct and motivations, highlighting rising issues concerning the influence of those unregulated platforms on the broader playing ecosystem.
According to the AGA’s findings, 90% of sweepstakes on line casino gamers consider the exercise constitutes playing, with 69% stating they view these websites as venues to wager actual cash. In reality, 68% of individuals cited the prospect of profitable cash as their major motive for taking part in. These numbers counsel a stark distinction with the best way sweepstakes casinos painting themselves — typically resembling regulated operators whereas sidestepping formal oversight and client protections.
Consumer Behavior and Legal Gray Areas
The AGA survey concerned 2,250 individuals throughout three person segments: sweepstakes on line casino gamers, iGaming customers in regulated states, and those that use free-to-play platforms. The outcomes reveal vital engagement and monetary exercise amongst sweepstakes customers. A considerable 80% reported spending cash on sweepstakes video games month-to-month, and almost half mentioned they make purchases weekly. These ranges of spending mirror conduct noticed in authorized, regulated on-line casinos, underlining the financial stakes concerned.
Additionally, about 65% of sweepstakes on line casino customers mentioned they started enjoying particularly to win actual cash or tangible rewards — a quantity shut to the 67% recorded amongst authorized iGaming individuals. By distinction, 73% of customers on purely free-to-play platforms indicated that enjoyable was their most important motivation, marking a transparent distinction in person intent throughout platform varieties.
“These operators present themselves like legal, regulated platforms – but they operate outside the law and regulation,” mentioned AGA Vice President of Government Relations Tres York. “There are few if any responsible gaming tools, no regulatory oversight, and no consumer protections. It’s a dangerous subterfuge that puts players at real risk.”
Aggressive Marketing and Loophole Exploitation
The AGA’s evaluation, utilizing Sensor Tower information, additionally highlighted a regarding development in promoting. In early 2025, roughly half of all on-line real-money on line casino adverts seen by shoppers have been selling offshore sweepstakes platforms. These unregulated entities focus their advert campaigns in closely populated U.S. states, the place laws round sweepstakes operations stays ambiguous or absent.
Digital platforms, significantly YouTube, have turn out to be a major channel for sweepstakes on line casino promotion. Sweepstakes operators funnel almost 59% of their advert budgets into YouTube. With fewer restrictions and decrease advert prices, these corporations can attain giant audiences — together with minors — with minimal oversight. As one author famous, their teenage son often sees such adverts, underscoring the widespread attain and potential dangers.
Yet, as the identical commentary factors out, the difficulty isn’t merely certainly one of morality however of uneven regulatory software. Legal operators face stringent promoting guidelines and better operational prices. Sweepstakes platforms, by exploiting loopholes and avoiding state-level restrictions, take pleasure in a substantial aggressive edge. “The genius was in finding a loophole big enough to drive an industry through while regulators stood around scratching their heads,” the article remarked.
Calls for Enforcement and Clearer Regulations
The AGA has made it clear that they’re pushing for higher enforcement in opposition to what they see as illegal playing operations masquerading as promotional platforms. York emphasised, “Consumers see right through the ‘sweepstakes’ casino facade and they’re calling it what it is: gambling. We look forward to policymakers continuing to enforce their laws and create clarity through new policy measures to protect their residents.”
A notable side of the report is the usage of “sweeps coins,” which might typically be redeemed for money prizes. Among gamers who spend cash on these platforms, 67% deal with buying sweeps cash fairly than the free, in-game gold cash, additional demonstrating the monetary incentive behind gameplay.
The information additionally present that in states the place sweepstakes playing isn’t prohibited, participation charges are considerably larger, with double the variety of month-to-month customers in contrast to states with express bans. This helps the AGA’s broader argument {that a} lack of authorized readability fuels the business’s fast growth.
As policymakers assess how to reply to these findings, the central query persists: can calling it one thing else really distinguish it from playing? The survey, and the general public’s notion, counsel not.
Source:
As Sweepstakes Casinos Ads Proliferate, Consumers Confirm They’re There to Gamble, americangaming.org, July 31, 2025
