Are Sweepstakes Casinos Legal in California? (2026)

Legal status: Banned
Last verified: October 28, 2026

The law

Law: AB 831
Statute: Cal. Penal Code § 337o (Stats. 2025, Ch. 623)
Signed: October 11, 2025
Effective date: January 1, 2026
Applies to: operators, as well as any entity, financial institution, payment processor, geolocation provider, gaming content supplier, platform provider or media affiliate that knowingly and willfully supports operation or promotion
Covers affiliates and promoters: yes
Penalties: (d) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding one year, or by both the fine and imprisonment.
Source: Official text

What this means for players in California

Access. 35 of the 38 casinos whose terms we have read exclude California, either completely or for Sweeps Coins play. If a sweepstakes casino still lets you register from California, that is a reason for caution, not an opportunity: an operator ignoring the state's position is unlikely to be careful with your prize either.

Who the law is aimed at. Operators, and by name those who support or promote them — which is why this page carries no casino links.

Are players liable? We do not answer that here. The provisions we read are written against those who run or support the games. Whether playing is itself an offence depends on California's general gambling law, and that is a question for a lawyer, not for a guide.

Coins and pending prizes. There is no single rule. Operators leaving a state usually set a deadline for redeeming Sweeps Coins and then close accounts. The deadline is in the notice the operator sends, not in the law. If you have a balance, redeem it now and keep the confirmation.

Timeline

October 11, 2025 — AB 831 signed
January 1, 2026 — AB 831 takes effect

What remains legal

We do not list alternatives on this page. Which forms of gambling are licensed in California — a lottery, tribal or commercial casinos, sports betting — is a separate question we have not researched to the standard of the rest of this page. The authority to ask is the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Gambling Control. What we can say: a site that offers “sweepstakes” or “social” casino play with cash prizes to residents here is not one of them.

Frequently asked questions