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Florida Attorney General Demands Social Media Platforms Stop Running Ads for Sweepstakes Casinos

Legal Writer

Publish Date: Sep 29, 2026

Fact checked by: Matt Moreno

Key Points

Florida AG James Uthmeier sent letters to Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap, and TikTok
Correspondence demands that companies desist displaying such advertisements to people located in Florida
Uthmeier's office is involved in litigation against sweepstakes casino operators

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has broadened the scope of his efforts to derail sweepstakes casino play ongoing in the state. Litigation that Uthmeier's office initiated targets the casino operators and payment providers that work with them.

Hiis latest demands target advertising partners for the gaming platforms. The strategy may be more effective in getting sweepstakes casino operators to restrict their businesses in Florida than actually producing penalties for current activities.

According to a Sept. 25 social media post from Uthmeier, the correspondence questions ad sales for five social media service providers.

Google
Meta
Reddit
Snap
TikTok

"It has come to my attention that your company may be advertising illegal 'sweepstakes' casinos on its social media platforms to residents of Florida," the letter reads. "Please confirm to me by October 23, 2026, in writing the steps... to ensure that it is not promoting or otherwise advertising these online 'sweepstakes' casinos... to residents of Florida."

The letter refers to the outstanding lawsuit against multiple sweepstakes casino providers and payment processors that work with them. These companies are not among the defendants in that action at this time.

This correspondence acts as a type of warning on that basis, though.

Thomas Haugh #10 of the Florida Gators celebrates after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs 92-77 in the game at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on January 06, 2026 in Gainesville, Florida.

(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Campaigns against sweepstakes casinos have produced results out of court

Uthmeier isn't the first or only state attorney general in the United States to take enforcement action against sweepstakes casino operators. For example, New York Attorney General Letitia James also sued sweepstakes casino operator Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW) for violations of that's state's gambling laws.

That action led to an out-of-court settlement between New York and VGW. The settlement consisted of James dropping the lawsuit in exchange for VGW agreeing to a fine and a commitment to continue its policy of not offering dual-currency prizes to people in New York.

Other sweepstakes casinos have also restricted their businesses in New York. Similar policies may become commonplace in Florida. Legal consequences for service providers for sweepstakes casinos seem unlikely at this point.

Actions against casino partners more negotiation tactic than threat

Legal experts have questioned whether Uthmeier's enforcement actions against advertisers and payment processors that work with sweepstakes casino will actually produce any legal ramifications should the litigation actually proceed. However, the intent behind that expanded scope could be leverage to motivate sweepstakes casino operators.

Uthmeier's lawsuit targets dual-currency games with sweepstakes-based real-money prizes. In theory, the sweepstakes casino operators could curtail their businesses in Florida to single-currency gaming.

That might inspire Uthmeier to drop his lawsuit while allowing the companies to maintain a revenue channel in Florida. It's an important state for the sweepstakes casino operators.

With California and New York having enacted laws that explicitly ban the dual-currency sweepstakes-based casino sites, Florida is the second-most populous state in which no such statute exists. Texas is the most populous such state.

A reduction in revenue opportunities for companies in Florida might be preferential to the consequences that litigation could bring. Uthmeier's letter to social media providers might be further inspiration to settle for that lesser evil for sweepstakes casinos.

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