Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker are no longer 18-plus.
Starting Feb. 19, VGW, the operator behind these three behemoth sweepstakes gaming sites, will increase its minimum player age requirement from 18 to 21. In fact, the footer menu of VGW sites already say 21+, not 18+. The terms and conditions say it, too.
This is part a phased approach to barring 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds from playing games on VGW sites, in what is no doubt an effort to boost responsible gaming efforts as a handful of states consider bills banning sweepstakes sites.
18+ players will be locked out starting Feb. 19
This decision was emailed out to players last week. And it was shared more publicly this week, when a user posted the messaging from VGW on Chumba Casino’s Reddit page.
“Last day of gameplay for under-21s is February 18, 2025,” the Reddit post read. “Play quickly (and responsibly!)”
This process actually began on Feb. 12. That day, players younger than 21 were no longer allowed to sign up for Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, or Global Poker.
“However, not all access to the site by those 18-20 (was) prohibited (Feb. 12),” the Reddit post read. “It will be done in 3 steps.”
Those three steps:
- Feb. 12 — Any existing players on VGW sites 18-20 years old could no longer make any Gold Coin package purchases. They were, however, allowed to continue playing with whatever game currency they had left in their account.
- Feb. 19 — Players 18-20 years old will no longer be able to play any games on Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, or Global Poker, even just for Gold Coins. Sweeps Coins redemptions will also no longer be permitted from 18-, 19-, and 20-year-old players.
- April 17 — All players 18-20 years old will no longer be able to access VGW sites and will be “locked out” until they turn 21. And when they turn 21, they will have to contact support to re-access their account. It will not be an automatic process.
So, in summary …
“If you’re under 21 (ages 18-20) … (2/12/2025): No more currency purchases allowed, gameplay still allowed with whatever currency you have left,” the Reddit post read. “2/19/2025: No more gameplay allowed, only SC redemptions allowed … 4/17/2025: All access locked until you turn 21. You must contact support once you are 21 to get back your account.”
Timing of this VGW change is likely intentional
Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker are the first known sweepstakes gaming sites to become 21-plus instead of 18-plus.
The timing of this decision is no coincidence.
Sweepstakes gaming has come under fire in recent weeks, as the unusually large deluge of gambling related bills to start the 2025 legislative session has included quite a few directly related to sweepstakes sites.
Connecticut, Maryland, and Mississippi are all considering bills that would ban sweeps sites. New York is considering an online casino bill that would effectively oust any sweeps casino. In fact, the Mississippi Senate has already passed the bill and sent it over to the House.
“We doubt voters in Mississippi appreciate their elected officials dictating what games adults can and can’t play on their phones,” the Social and Promotional Games Association said in a statement. “It’s a waste of time and a transparent and misguided attempt to pay out protectionist favors for the casino industry. Voters deserve better than lawmakers who prioritize the protection of a slot machine maker over individual freedom.
“Rather than enacting punitive measures that reduce innovation and consumer choice, we urge lawmakers to consider a regulatory approach that enshrines transparency and consumer protections while allowing Mississippi adults to continue enjoying the fun, fair, and free-to-play games offered by social sweepstakes operators.”
New Jersey is doing just that, as lawmakers consider a bill that would regulate sweeps gaming in their state. But it’s the only state taking that approach.
Meanwhile, the West Virginia attorney general has sent subpoenas to sweeps operators and the Arizona gaming regulatory body released a PSA specifically warning residents about such sites.
On the judicial side, lawsuits continue to be filed against sweepstakes operators as well. And even though VGW just secured a huge win in Florida, new suits filed in California could be troubling for the industry, as they are taking a “public relief” approach rather than suing for gambling-related damages.
Will revenue losses be worth the gain in perception?
So, all that is to say …
Now is the right time to make a change specifically geared toward boosting responsible gaming, which is at the forefront of many sweeps opponents’ arguments as to why the sites should be banned.
VGW clearly made a thought-out decision here: Any potential losses from dropping its 18-20-year-old players is worth the potential gains of showing power-brokers and lawmakers that they take responsible gaming seriously. There are peer-reviewed studies out there that show the younger populations can be more susceptible to gambling problems.
We’ll see if this starts a trend, or if VGW stands on a 21-plus island.