Acquisition of Publishers Clearing House by Sweeps Casino Leaves Lottery Winners Unfulfilled
Publishers Clearing House (PCH), a household name in sweepstakes and promotions, has undergone a significant transformation. Following a bankruptcy in April 2025 and a subsequent acquisition by ARB Interactive in July 2025, the status of prize payments has become divided.
ARB Interactive, a mobile and social gaming company, plans to modernize PCH with a focus on delivering modern, free-to-play experiences. However, this modernization comes with a caveat: ARB will only honor and pay prizes awarded after July 15, 2025, through a new system designed to keep prize funds separate from company finances. This move aims to prevent future payment disruptions, but it leaves winners who received prizes prior to that date, including lifetime prize recipients like disabled veterans Tamar and Matthew Veatch, in a state of uncertainty.
The Veatchs, winners of the "$5,000 A Week Forever" promotion in February 2021, have not received their prize winnings since PCH entered bankruptcy and was acquired by ARB Interactive. They must now pursue repayment through the slow and uncertain bankruptcy court process, with no guarantee of full reimbursement. ARB states it is not legally obligated to pay debts incurred before its acquisition of PCH.
The acquisition was approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The Veatchs are not alone in their struggle; many past winners face similar challenges. Critics argue that this exclusion of prior liabilities leaves past winners financially vulnerable.
The bankruptcy was a result of financial strain, rising costs, shifting consumer habits, legal settlements, and high liabilities compared to assets at the time of filing. ARB Interactive’s acquisition aims to modernize PCH's legacy, but it does not include assuming responsibility for prior liabilities. This means future winners are more secure, but former winners face delays and financial uncertainty.
Sweepstakes casinos, including ARB Interactive's Modo Casino, have gained popularity across the U.S., even in states where online casino gambling isn't allowed. However, critics argue that sweeps operators like ARB are illegal gambling operations because they sell a secondary digital token, sweeps coins, that can be played with on slots and table games, and winnings can be redeemed for cash.
Despite these concerns, the iconic Prize Patrol, a feature of PCH where winners of promotional sweepstakes are informed of their wins, will be preserved. The acquisition by ARB Interactive has raised concerns among some former PCH sweepstakes winners about the company's commitment to trust and preserving the brand's legacy.
[1] Source: The Wall Street Journal [2] Source: Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York [3] Source: ARB Interactive [4] Source: Forbes
Meanwhile, many longtime PCH players claim to have never won or received much value from the platform. The acquisition by ARB Interactive brings a new chapter to PCH, one that promises modernization and a focus on future winners. However, it is a chapter that leaves past winners in a state of uncertainty, hoping for a resolution to their unpaid prize winnings.
- The acquisition of Publishers Clearing House (PCH) by ARB Interactive in July 2025 has introduced a divide in prize payment status.
- ARB Interactive, a mobile and social gaming company, is focusing on modernizing PCH by delivering free-to-play experiences, while only honoring prizes awarded after July 15, 2025.
- Past winners like the Veatchs, who won a lifetime prize in February 2021, are facing uncertainty as they have not received their prize winnings since PCH entered bankruptcy and was acquired by ARB Interactive.
- Critics argue that ARB Interactive's acquisition does not include assuming responsibility for prior liabilities, leaving past winners financially vulnerable.
- Sweepstakes casinos, including ARB Interactive's Modo Casino, have gained popularity, despite concerns that they operate illegally by selling digital tokens and offering cash redemption for winnings.
- The iconic Prize Patrol, a feature of PCH, will be preserved amid concerns about the company's commitment to trust and preserving its legacy.
