Illinois’ sweepstakes crackdown has produced little movement so far. Earlier this month, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) sent out 65 cease‑and‑desist letters ordering operators to stop serving residents.
Two weeks later, Gambling Insider reports that only Jumbo 88 and JefeBet have updated their terms to block Illinois players. Rolling Riches also added Illinois to its list of restricted states, though it was not named in the letters.
Most of the platforms targeted, including well-known names like WOW Vegas, McLuck, Chumba, Stake.us, LuckyLand Slots, and Modo, continue to operate in the state despite warnings that failure to comply could bring civil or criminal penalties.
The slow response is not surprising. Cease‑and‑desist campaigns often deliver uneven results unless backed by new legislation.
Operators react differently to C&D letters in different states
Illinois’ enforcement drive shows how uneven cease‑and‑desist campaigns can be across the country. In some places, regulators have managed to push dozens of platforms out quickly. Tennessee and West Virginia saw more than 40 operators leave after receiving orders, suggesting stronger compliance there.
Maryland’s experience was very different. The state regulators told lawmakers last month that 75 letters had gone out, but only about a third of platforms stopped serving residents. In some cases, operators only left after repeated action. VGW pulled out of Delaware in 2025 after a second order, two years after the first, while Stake.us exited Maryland following a second warning.
SB 1705 is still alive, so sweepstakes operators might soon face enforcement action
Around the US, states continue to push bills to either ban or give regulators stronger enforcement powers against sweepstakes operators. Last week saw neighboring Indiana advance a bill that would outlaw these casinos.
Illinois has not introduced a new prohibition bill in 2026, and the deadline for filing was February 6. However, SB 1705, first introduced in 2025, remains technically active because of the state’s two‑year legislative cycle.
The bill is pushing to expand the definition of illegal gambling devices and strengthen enforcement tools. It stalled in committee last year but could be revived during the current session. Lawmakers would need to move it forward by March 17 for it to stay alive and following the low compliance rates with the cease and desist orders, they might be encouraged to actually take action this time.
Author:Chidubem Ovute
February 17, 2026
1 min.read