Published on: March 5, 2026, 12:33h.
Updated on: March 5, 2026, 12:33h.
- Baltimore initiates legal action against various online sweepstakes casinos
- The lawsuit claims the sites are involved in unlawful gambling practices
- Previously, Baltimore sued DraftKings and FanDuel in the prior year
The City of Baltimore has launched another lawsuit aimed at enhancing the protection of its citizens against gambling-related issues.
On Wednesday, the Baltimore City Law Department, working alongside DiCello Levitt, LLP, filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Baltimore targeting six social sweepstakes casino companies. The complaint asserts that these entities have breached Baltimore’s Consumer Protection Ordinance by promoting illegal online casino gambling masquerading as legitimate sweepstakes.
“This lawsuit aims to establish a definitive boundary: illegal gambling activities will not be tolerated in Baltimore. These companies are preying on our communities, including youth and minors, while profiting unlawfully. No entity, particularly those based overseas, should be allowed to benefit here while disregarding our regulations and putting residents at risk,” stated Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
The lawsuit names VGW Holdings as a defendant, the company behind popular social sweepstakes casinos like Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots. Additional defendants include Stake, High 5 Casino, McLuck, Fortune Coins, and Pulsz Casino.
Charges of Illegal Gambling
The complaint from Baltimore accuses these online sweepstakes casinos of facilitating illegal gambling.
Sweepstakes casinos provide a dual-currency digital platform wherein an alternative currency, often referred to as “sweeps coins,” can be purchased. Players can then use these sweeps coins on various interactive slots and table games, with the potential to exchange winnings for cash.
Many critics argue that sweepstakes casinos are specifically designed to bypass state gaming legislation. Maryland has banned online casinos.
“These corporations are operating illegal gambling sites while utilizing misleading techniques to evade regulation and accountability. The City is employing its consumer protection powers to halt these illicit practices and to mitigate the legitimate harm they wreak on Baltimore residents,” asserted Baltimore City Solicitor Ebony Thompson.
Sweepstakes casinos claim to provide complimentary social casino games. They liken their sweeps coins to promotional offers from businesses and retailers, comparable to McDonald’s Monopoly promotion or CVS’s app featuring a spinning wheel for discount codes.
Although sweepstakes casinos do provide some free sweeps coins, the overall value of these complimentary tokens is usually under $1 per day for simply logging in.
Baltimore’s Enforcement Initiatives
In April 2025, Baltimore, in collaboration with DiCello Levitt, filed a lawsuit against FanDuel and DraftKings, claiming that the online sportsbooks prey on and exploit vulnerable individuals, a practice prohibited by the Consumer Protection Ordinance.
“DraftKings and FanDuel prioritize corporate profits over the welfare of Baltimore residents, trapping users within their gambling platforms and leveraging extensive data to identify and target the most susceptible individuals. Their predatory tactics have inflicted considerable damage on our community, and we are taking steps to ensure accountability and safeguard our citizens,” remarked Thompson.
In November, the case was reverted to state court after FanDuel and DraftKings sought intervention from Maryland’s federal court.