Florida’s Sweepstakes Ad Deadline for Big Tech Arrives
Published · Gamebridge News
October 23, 2026 is the deadline Florida set for some of the biggest names in tech. The question is simple: have they stopped showing sweepstakes casino ads to people in Florida?
In late September, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent letters to Google, Meta, Reddit, Snap and TikTok. Covers reported that his office had found ads for online sweepstakes casinos that it says are not allowed to operate in the state. The companies were given until October 23 to confirm in writing that they had stopped promoting sites such as Stake, Chumba, LuckyLand and Global Poker to Florida residents. They were also asked to explain the steps they would take to keep those ads out.
Uthmeier did not frame this as a polite request. In his letter to Google, as quoted by Covers and Lines.com, he wrote that Google “therefore cannot advertise these illegal ‘sweepstake’ websites” on its platforms in Florida.
The letters came after earlier action against operators. According to Covers, in August his office filed two complaints in Hillsborough County Circuit Court against Stake and VGW, the company behind Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker, and against payment processors linked to the platforms. Those are allegations made in a lawsuit, not court findings.
So what happened as the deadline arrived? Lines.com reported on October 22 that none of the five platforms had publicly confirmed compliance. It also pointed out an awkward timing issue. On October 21, according to Lines.com, Google’s YouTube opened its masthead ad space to gambling operators, including sweepstakes casinos licensed in applicable states.
Florida is not alone. Covers noted that Maine and Indiana passed laws this year aimed at dual-currency sweepstakes platforms, and that Tennessee, Louisiana and Oklahoma also moved on measures targeting the sector.
Our take: this story is now about advertising as much as about games. If big platforms pull back on ads in some places, brands will lean harder on word of mouth, agents and direct support. A fast reply on WhatsApp and a backend that just works matter more than ever.
We will post an update here if Florida announces its next step, with a link to the original report.