Gaming company VGW officially announces that Sweep Coins will no longer be available in Mississippi and New Jersey.
In a move that signals increasing regulatory scrutiny of sweepstakes casino models, Australian-based operator VGW has suspended the use of Sweep Coins in New Jersey and Mississippi. This decision comes as the company faces pressure in both states, with New Jersey's A5447 legislation potentially outlawing sweepstakes casinos.
The Phase-Out of Sweep Coins in Mississippi and New Jersey
In Mississippi, the suspension of Sweep Coins will take effect from July 31, 2025. From this date, users will no longer be able to collect new Sweep Coins through promotions, mail-in requests, or free gifts with Gold Coin purchases. However, they can continue to use existing Sweep Coins to play until August 14, 2025. After this date, users cannot play with Sweep Coins anymore but can still submit redemption requests. VGW will stop processing redemption requests on September 4, 2025.
In New Jersey, the suspension of Sweep Coins began on Tuesday, July 29. While exact redemption deadlines like Mississippi’s are not publicly detailed, VGW’s phased exit indicates a comparable timeline around late July 2025 for ceasing Sweep Coin earning and usage.
Regulatory Action in Mississippi and New Jersey
The suspension in Mississippi follows a cease-and-desist letter from the local regulator, giving VGW 14 days to comply with the request. In New Jersey, the company has already stopped offering Sweep Coins.
The Social and Promotional Gaming Association (SPGFA) has opposed A5447, arguing that it would suppress innovation, kill jobs, and lessen the state's competitive edge. If the governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, does not act on A5447 within 45 days, it will become a law on August 14, 2025.
The Future of Sweepstakes Casinos
The phasing out of Sweep Coins in New Jersey and Mississippi is part of a broader exit from states increasing regulatory scrutiny of sweepstakes casino models. Besides Mississippi and New Jersey, regulatory action has been taken in states like New York, where the sweepstakes social casino model is under assault.
Players in both states have been given a window to use remaining Sweep Coins and submit redemption requests before the final shutdown. In Mississippi, the deadline for redeeming Sweep Coins is September 4, 2025, while in New Jersey, the deadline is yet to be publicly detailed but is expected to be around late July 2025. After these deadlines, players will no longer be able to use Sweep Coins to play accounts in Mississippi, and the use of Sweep Coins in New Jersey will have already ceased.
In light of the regulatory crackdown on sweepstakes casinos, VGW users in Mississippi will have until July 31, 2025, to collect new Sweep Coins, while those in New Jersey have already been prohibited from doing so. Furthermore, as both states move to outlaw gambling through sweepstakes, players in these regions will soon be inhibited from participating in sports betting or other forms of gambling using Sweep Coins.
