Maryland Killed Its Sweepstakes Ban — Here Is Where Every State Stands Right Now

The 2026 wave of state action against sweepstakes casinos has produced the most dramatic reshaping of the industry in its short history. Some states passed bans. Some tried and failed. Some are still mid-fight. Maryland, which came closer than almost any state to passing a ban this year, ultimately let the session expire without one — leaving players there temporarily in the clear while other states are not so fortunate. Here is where things actually stand, state by state, for players trying to figure out whether the platform they use is on solid ground.

Maryland: Close Call, But No Ban — For Now

Maryland players breathed a significant sigh of relief when the state’s 2026 legislative session ended on April 13 without a sweepstakes ban becoming law. That was not the expected outcome for much of the session. Two separate House bills — House Bill 295 and House Bill 1226 — both passed out of the House of Delegates with overwhelming support. HB 295 cleared the House on March 20 by a 105-24 vote, and HB 1226 followed on March 23 by an extraordinary 134-2 margin.

Both bills were then referred to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. That is where they died. Neither bill advanced out of committee before the April 13 adjournment, leaving sweepstakes casinos technically legal in Maryland. The outcome echoed the previous year in reverse: in 2025, the Senate passed a sweeps ban and the House blocked it. In 2026, the House passed two sweeps bans and the Senate blocked them.

Maryland is still considered a restrictive market in practice. Several notable operators — including Funzpoints, McLuck, Hello Millions, Jackpota, Spree, and Mega Bonanza — have already exited the state or disabled Sweeps Coin gameplay there, largely in response to regulatory pressure and cease-and-desist activity that preceded the 2026 session. Players in Maryland can access many platforms, but the legal environment remains uncertain enough that another legislative attempt in 2027 is likely.

Indiana: Ban Signed, Effective July 1, 2026

Indiana is the clearest active ban in the current cycle. Governor Mike Braun signed House Bill 1052 on March 13, 2026. The law takes effect July 1, 2026. Indiana players should treat the current period as a wind-down window and redeem any Sweeps Coin balances before that date. After July 1, dual-currency sweepstakes casino operations will be prohibited in the state. The bill passed both chambers by comfortable margins — 87-11 in the House and 46-4 in the Senate on the conference committee report.

Maine: Banned — Governor Signed April 6

Maine went all the way. Governor Janet Mills signed LD 2007 on April 6, 2026, making sweepstakes casinos officially illegal in the state. The Maine ban takes effect in early July. The bill passed the House by an 87-55 vote. Maine had been considering the legislation for months, and the governor’s signature ended the debate. Operators have already begun exiting the market — Jackpota and Mega Bonanza were among the first to announce departures. Maine players who have active balances should redeem them before the effective date.

Louisiana: High Risk, Multiple Bills Active

Louisiana has been in a complex situation for over a year. The state attorney general declared sweepstakes casinos illegal under existing law, and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board sent cease-and-desist letters to approximately 40 operators. Many have already exited the state. In 2025, the legislature passed a sweepstakes ban, but Governor Jeff Landry vetoed it, arguing existing law already covered it.

In 2026, two new bills are advancing. House Bill 53, which categorizes sweepstakes casino operations as racketeering, has advanced through Senate Judiciary C Committee and heads to the full Senate. House Bill 883, a broader enforcement measure, has cleared the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee. Louisiana’s 2026 session gives these bills a real shot at passage. Players in Louisiana should assume the market is effectively closed regardless of formal legislation — the AG opinion and operator exits have already made the state inhospitable to sweepstakes play.

Tennessee: Effectively Gone, Formal Ban Imminent

Tennessee is functionally a banned market already. The state attorney general sent cease-and-desist letters to approximately 40 sweepstakes operators in December 2025, and virtually all major platforms exited the state in response. Formal legislation is advancing to make the ban statutory. Senate Bill 2136 passed the full Tennessee Senate by a 32-0 vote. House Bill 1885 has been moving through committee. The state’s 2026 session ends April 24, and passage before that deadline appeared likely. For Tennessee players, the sweepstakes market has been practically inaccessible since late 2025, and formal legislation is expected to confirm that status.

The Bigger Picture

The sweepstakes casino industry entered 2026 having already absorbed bans in California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Montana, among others. The 2026 session is adding Indiana and Maine to that list with certainty, and Louisiana and Tennessee are effectively closed regardless of whether legislation passes. The industry has lost access to what amounts to a significant share of its national player base in a span of roughly eighteen months.

For players still in legal states, the practical advice is to stay aware of your state’s status and maintain smaller balances on platforms rather than letting redemable Sweeps Coins accumulate. A ban can move quickly — Indiana went from bill introduction to governor signature in roughly eleven weeks. When a ban is signed, the window to redeem typically closes at the effective date, which usually arrives 90 days or less after signature.