Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has asked Google, Meta, TikTok, Reddit and Snap to stop carrying advertisements for online sweepstakes casinos that he considers unauthorised in the state.
The companies have until 23 October to confirm that they have ended the advertising. Announcing the letters on X, Uthmeier said that “promoting illegal gambling is a crime”.
His letter stated: “It has come to my attention that your company may be advertising illegal sweepstakes casinos on its social media platforms to residents of Florida. Promoting illegal gambling is a crime under Florida law.”
Florida Lawsuits Target Sweepstakes Operators And Their Payment Providers
The warning follows two lawsuits filed by Uthmeier’s office on 19 August 2026 against major sweepstakes casino operators and their payment processors. Stake, Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker were among the named platforms.
The lawsuits seek “permanent injunctions prohibiting the defendants from operating or soliciting in Florida, forfeiture and recovery of money lost by Florida consumers, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, civil penalties, restitution, and attorney’s fees”.
“Through these lawsuits, my office has made it clear that Florida will not tolerate illegal gambling, and we will pursue both those who operate and those who facilitate these criminal operations,” Uthmeier said.
The complaints allege that the defendants used a dual-currency system “ designed to disguise real-money gambling”. Customers bought gold-coin packages bundled with stake cash or sweeps coins, which could operate as wagering credits and be redeemed for cash, cryptocurrency or gift cards after gameplay requirements were met.
Uthmeier said Florida law “strictly limits the operation and facilitation of gambling within the state”. He maintained that the sites were not authorised to offer gambling or online casino services and that advertising them was also unlawful. “Google therefore cannot advertise these illegal sweepstake websites on its social media platforms in Florida,” he wrote.
The case is unresolved, but Florida’s action adds to pressure on sweepstakes casinos across the United States, after moves against California, Indiana, New York and Louisiana.
Florida is extending enforcement beyond operators to the digital platforms through which sweepstakes casinos reach customers. If its approach succeeds, advertising access and payment support may become as important to enforcement as the lawsuits against the casinos themselves.
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