Published on: November 12, 2025, at 08:21h.
Updated on: November 12, 2025, at 08:21h.
- The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance has adopted the term ‘Social Plus’ to describe online sweepstakes.
- The sweepstakes sector is striving for a legal framework across the United States.
The leading advocacy group for online social games featuring sweepstakes promotions has introduced a streamlined name for its offerings.
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) has introduced a fresh terminology for the online games it aims to make widely accepted. The organization now refers to sweepstakes casinos as “Social Plus.”
“Let’s be honest, ‘online social games with sweepstakes features’ is quite lengthy. ‘Social Plus’ provides a catchy term that effectively describes these online social games with sweepstakes, making it easy to understand and share. Our focus is on social games and entertainment, and the ‘Plus’ not only represents the chance to win rewards; it signifies our commitment to enhanced consumer protection and player safety that SGLA members uphold,” statedSean Ostrow, managing director of the SGLA.
Social Plus refers to free-to-play social gaming platforms that also offer an option to purchase a secondary digital currency, typically known as ‘sweeps coins,’ which can be exchanged for cash rewards.
Rebranding Amid Escalating Challenges
The SGLA has been facing a series of setbacks. Recently, Google has prohibited the promotion of online social sweepstakes, now termed Social Plus, in its advertising guidelines. The updated policy states that social casino games must be categorized strictly as “online simulated gambling-style games that do not provide any opportunity to win something of value.”
As a result, SGLA members, including Chumba Casino, Global Poker, VGW, Luckyland Slots, Modo Casino, McLuck, Spin Blitz, Hello Millions, and The Win Zone, are no longer permitted to advertise on platforms like YouTube or Google Search.
In October, California Governor Gavin Newsom enacted legislation that bans all online sweepstakes promotions, which allow individuals to increase their odds of winning through purchases.
California joins states like Connecticut, Montana, Nevada, and New Jersey in implementing laws that restrict sweepstakes casinos. Regulatory bodies and attorneys general in several other states have ordered Social Plus companies to halt operations within their boundaries.
Allegations of Malignment
Critics of Social Plus assert that these platforms resemble illegal gambling operations cloaked as sweepstakes promotions.
The SGLA argues that the highly regulated commercial and tribal gaming sectors have launched a smear campaign against Social Plus, claiming that these traditional industries are disseminating misinformation and falsehoods about the functioning of social casinos.
“Our partners prioritize consumer safety, and we are dedicated to advocating for state regulatory and taxation frameworks that benefit players, communities, and the industry at large,” Ostrow asserted.
The SGLA maintains that its members are committed to verifying the identity of players aged 21 and older. Additionally, they must implement responsible gaming tools and adhere to top-tier data and financial security measures.