Tennessee is the latest state to see a ban on sweepstakes casino websites proposed
A new bill has been filed in Tennessee by Rep. Scott Cepicky, which targets online sweepstakes casinos and could see some categorized as being unlawful in the Volunteer State.
The House Bill 1885 opens by suggesting there is a “growing presence in Tennessee of illegal online sweepstakes casinos and other forms of online gambling that are often marketed as legal, free-to-play, social gaming platforms and that utilize a promotional sweepstakes model…”
It describes online sweepstakes casinos as generally using a system where people can play casino-style games with virtual currency and exchange the virtual currency for cash or other real-world prizes.
According to the bill, “under this promotional sweepstakes model, consumers are induced to purchase virtual currency under the false impression that they are not engaged in illegal gambling when in fact their payments allow them to participate in games of chance that award real-world prizes…”
It was on January 21 that the partisan bill was introduced, in its very early stages. While there is still a very long way to go, other states have seen similar bills brought in.
It was at the beginning of January when Virginia Delegate Marcus Simon pre-filed House Bill 161 (HB161). This bill would prohibit any form of sweepstakes gambling not conducted by a licensed operator in Virginia, outside of online casino gambling.
If approved, any violations of the bill would lead to a “civil penalty of not more than $100,000 for the first offense and not more than $250,000 for the second and each subsequent offense. Each day that such violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense.”
“The Board, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Department of State Police may conduct investigations into violations of this section,” reads HB161. “The Board and the Office of the Attorney General shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this section, including conducting hearings, issuing cease and desist letters, and issuing subpoenas to ensure compliance with the provisions of this section.”
Amongst the wave of anti-sweepstakes bills, other states to see similar bills include Florida, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, and others.
Featured Image: Via HAL333 on Wikimedia Commons
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