Stake.us is facing mounting challenges in California as multiple content providers have withdrawn their games from the platform. The exits come at a time when legal and legislative pressure on the sweepstakes model is intensifying.

CasinoBeats’ recent review of the Stake.us lobby revealed that Booming Games, Fat Panda, and Just Slots have pulled their titles from California. This includes 24 games from Booming Games, 17 from Fat Panda, and six from Just Slots. 

Legal Pressure Mounts in California

The timing of these withdrawals suggests that legal action in California is influencing provider decisions. While sweepstakes casinos have already faced a series of class action lawsuits across the country, Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto recently became the first U.S. official to file a direct case against the model.

The lawsuit names Stake.us and its founders as defendants, along with Kick Streaming, Evolution and its subsidiaries, and Hacksaw Gaming. It alleges violations of California’s gambling and consumer protection laws, raising serious questions about the legality of sweepstakes operations in the state. For international suppliers, the lawsuit has created new risks that many appear unwilling to accept, leading to a wave of withdrawals.

Impact on Stake.us Players

For Stake.us customers in California, the impact is substantial. The platform’s live dealer section has been reduced to 12 options out of 30, while its slot selection is missing many of the titles with the highest active user counts. 

The latest removals add to earlier losses, including Evolution’s withdrawal of 14 live dealer games and the absence of Pragmatic Play, NoLimitCity, Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, and NetEnt titles. Collectively, this accounts for nearly half of Stake’s 1,861 slot games, leaving under 1,000 options in California. However, the missing games include many of the platform’s most popular titles, significantly affecting user engagement.

Legislative Action Nears Conclusion

Beyond the courts, legislative action could soon reshape the sweepstakes casino landscape in California. Assembly Bill 831, which includes a provision banning dual-currency sweepstakes casinos, recently passed in the state Senate. The bill now awaits concurrence in the Assembly’s Committee on Governmental Organization. If approved and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, Stake.us and similar operators would be forced to cease operations in California.

This move will be a significant setback for the industry. California accounts for 17.3% of the U.S. sweepstakes casino market according to a report by Eilers & Krejcik. Losing access to such a large and lucrative market is a critical blow to operators, many of whom are already struggling with mounting legal scrutiny in other states.