Industry Interview – The Future of Sweepstakes Casinos with Jordan Marley from Casino.us

Industry Interview – The Future of Sweepstakes Casinos with Jordan Marley from Casino.us

As we enter a new year, sweepstakes casinos in the US continue to face multiple challenges. Changing state laws, attempting to co-exist with real-money casinos, and the emergence of prediction markets make it tough for them to keep up. However, it’s not all doom and gloom in the sweeps world. Casino.us expert Jordan Marley, who holds five years of experience in the iGaming industry, explores what to expect from sweepstakes casinos in 2026 and offers advice to beginners who want to get started in their quest for Sweeps Coins.

2025 was a difficult year for sweepstakes casinos, with many states passing bills banning any form of Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins play, accusing them of exploiting loopholes. Is the outlook for 2026 looking similar?

It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity surrounding sweepstakes casinos, as lawmakers want to drum up as much noise as possible to get their bills passed. However, even after a rough year, only eight states have placed full restrictions on sweepstakes casinos. While that number has increased, millions of Americans still have access to sweepstakes casinos and can play them legally. It’s easy to miss the positive news, too! For example, McLuck returned to Alabama and Georgia in 2025, and Ace.com made a comeback in Tennessee.

In 2026, we will likely see more states try to restrict them; it’s a given. However, at the time of writing, only Florida is seriously on the path to a full ban. Several states continue to have huge iGaming growth, and sweepstakes casinos would be silly not to jump on the train. To offset for the 2025 bans, especially in California, these casinos could opt to focus on smaller states by expanding their promotions and game libraries there. 

You mention that iGaming growth continues to boom across the US, including real-money casinos. Can sweepstakes casinos continue to co-exist with real-money casinos and US laws?

Absolutely! Regardless of their current growth, real-money online casinos are legal in only a few states. Whilst iGaming revenues are constantly increasing there, this hasn’t had much impact in states where it is illegal. Maine has recently approved a bill to legalize online casinos, but most remain strongly opposed. If any of them have a change of heart, it could be years before they can pass the correct legislation.

This is where sweepstakes casinos come into play. Not only do they offer a great alternative, but their free-to-play model is particularly enticing, allowing players to get an authentic casino experience without the worry of risking funds. The growth of online casinos only benefits sweepstakes casinos, as they can show how popular online slots and table games are with the American public. 

Prediction markets have exploded in the US over the last year. Are they more of a threat to sweepstakes casinos than initially thought?

Yes and no. While many in the industry could have seen the growth of prediction markets coming, it was still a surprise to see just how quickly they gathered momentum, especially in the sports arena. They may not directly take away competition from sweepstakes casinos, as they offer two different forms of gambling, but new players and beginners may opt to jump on the bandwagon of prediction markets instead. MyPrize was the first sweepstakes casino to introduce prediction markets, so there is some worry, but also awareness of the potential.

However, as sweepstakes casinos have found out over the years, legal regulations stand in the way. Lawmakers across the US have been scrambling over the last few months to form any sort of stumbling block for prediction markets. Some states have begun ordering prediction markets to cease operations. However, these platforms are pushing back, something that sweepstakes casinos have opted against. Kalshi has already taken Tennessee to federal court, and other disputes are taking place in other states in the US.

What advice would you give to new players and beginners when getting started at sweepstakes casinos for the first time?

Scout your options! There’s no limit on how many sweepstakes casinos you can sign up for, allowing you to use many welcome bonuses and no deposit bonuses for free. You may find you prefer one sweepstakes casino over another for its promotions, but enjoy a different casino for its live dealer games. Of course, you may find a favorite and solely stick to that one, but there’s no harm in claiming welcome bonuses elsewhere. 

Always be wary of fraudulent sweepstakes offerings, which frequently pop up to try to take advantage of players. At Casino.us, we evaluate all sweepstakes casinos with our strict guidelines, analyzed by our top experts. We have a list of many to avoid, but also detail our reasoning behind why we recommended some casinos over others. If we recommend it, you can be sure all your personal information is safe and secure.  

As we enter a new year, sweepstakes casinos in the US continue to face multiple challenges. Changing state laws, attempting to co-exist with real-money casinos, and the emergence of prediction markets make it tough for them to keep up. However, it’s not all doom and gloom in the sweeps world. Casino.us expert Jordan Marley, who holds five years of experience in the iGaming industry, explores what to expect from sweepstakes casinos in 2026 and offers advice to beginners who want to get started in their quest for Sweeps Coins.

2025 was a difficult year for sweepstakes casinos, with many states passing bills banning any form of Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins play, accusing them of exploiting loopholes. Is the outlook for 2026 looking similar?

It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity surrounding sweepstakes casinos, as lawmakers want to drum up as much noise as possible to get their bills passed. However, even after a rough year, only eight states have placed full restrictions on sweepstakes casinos. While that number has increased, millions of Americans still have access to sweepstakes casinos and can play them legally. It’s easy to miss the positive news, too! For example, McLuck returned to Alabama and Georgia in 2025, and Ace.com made a comeback in Tennessee.

In 2026, we will likely see more states try to restrict them; it’s a given. However, at the time of writing, only Florida is seriously on the path to a full ban. Several states continue to have huge iGaming growth, and sweepstakes casinos would be silly not to jump on the train. To offset for the 2025 bans, especially in California, these casinos could opt to focus on smaller states by expanding their promotions and game libraries there. 

You mention that iGaming growth continues to boom across the US, including real-money casinos. Can sweepstakes casinos continue to co-exist with real-money casinos and US laws?

Absolutely! Regardless of their current growth, real-money online casinos are legal in only a few states. Whilst iGaming revenues are constantly increasing there, this hasn’t had much impact in states where it is illegal. Maine has recently approved a bill to legalize online casinos, but most remain strongly opposed. If any of them have a change of heart, it could be years before they can pass the correct legislation.

This is where sweepstakes casinos come into play. Not only do they offer a great alternative, but their free-to-play model is particularly enticing, allowing players to get an authentic casino experience without the worry of risking funds. The growth of online casinos only benefits sweepstakes casinos, as they can show how popular online slots and table games are with the American public. 

Prediction markets have exploded in the US over the last year. Are they more of a threat to sweepstakes casinos than initially thought?

Yes and no. While many in the industry could have seen the growth of prediction markets coming, it was still a surprise to see just how quickly they gathered momentum, especially in the sports arena. They may not directly take away competition from sweepstakes casinos, as they offer two different forms of gambling, but new players and beginners may opt to jump on the bandwagon of prediction markets instead. MyPrize was the first sweepstakes casino to introduce prediction markets, so there is some worry, but also awareness of the potential.

However, as sweepstakes casinos have found out over the years, legal regulations stand in the way. Lawmakers across the US have been scrambling over the last few months to form any sort of stumbling block for prediction markets. Some states have begun ordering prediction markets to cease operations. However, these platforms are pushing back, something that sweepstakes casinos have opted against. Kalshi has already taken Tennessee to federal court, and other disputes are taking place in other states in the US.

What advice would you give to new players and beginners when getting started at sweepstakes casinos for the first time?

Scout your options! There’s no limit on how many sweepstakes casinos you can sign up for, allowing you to use many welcome bonuses and no deposit bonuses for free. You may find you prefer one sweepstakes casino over another for its promotions, but enjoy a different casino for its live dealer games. Of course, you may find a favorite and solely stick to that one, but there’s no harm in claiming welcome bonuses elsewhere. 

Always be wary of fraudulent sweepstakes offerings, which frequently pop up to try to take advantage of players. At Casino.us, we evaluate all sweepstakes casinos with our strict guidelines, analyzed by our top experts. We have a list of many to avoid, but also detail our reasoning behind why we recommended some casinos over others. If we recommend it, you can be sure all your personal information is safe and secure.