Social and Promotional Games Association celebrates withdrawal of “out of touch” legislation targeting sweepstakes
The Social and Promotional Games Association has expressed optimism about the failure of legislation to ban sweepstakes games in Maryland, Arkansas, and Mississippi.
Responding to the recent withdrawal of several bills, a spokesperson from the advocacy group said, “When legislation threatens everyday perks from airlines, hotels, and your local coffee shop, it’s clear the bills aren’t just misguided, they’re dangerously out of touch.”
SB 0860 to ban sweepstakes gaming in Maryland, mainly aimed at online sweepstakes casinos, passed the Senate but did not make it out of the House before the Maryland legislative session ended on 7 April and is therefore dead.
Meanwhile, HB 1861 was a bill in Arkansas that made the operation of illegal online casinos or sports betting a felony.
It explicitly included language to exclude sweepstakes games that do not award cash or cash equivalents but prohibited dual-currency systems that allowed players to exchange currency for prizes or cash. HB 1861 was withdrawn on 7 April.
The Mississippi bill to ban sweepstakes casinos, SB 2510, died in conference on 31 March after passing the Senate, then returning from the House with amendments.
A Social and Promotional Games Association spokesperson said, “These bills shared the same fatal flaw: no facts and no foundation. Legislators are consistently rejecting efforts to criminalize safe, digital entertainment enjoyed by millions of adults across the US.”
