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State of Play
- The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) is rebranding sweepstakes casinos as “Social Plus” to reshape industry perception and highlight responsible practices.
- This move comes as sweepstakes operators face increasing scrutiny from lawmakers, consumers, and major platforms like Google, impacting how these games are advertised and regulated nationwide.
The SGLA announced this week its intention to rebrand sweepstakes casino games as “Social Plus,” aiming to distance itself from the negative associations associated with the term “sweepstakes casino.”
Sean Ostrow, SGLA’s managing director, explained that the new term better captures the essence of the industry: social gaming combined with the opportunity to win real prizes. He emphasized that while traditional social games involve buying coins with no prize potential, Social Plus games allow players to win actual rewards, clearly distinguishing them.
Additionally, he said the rebrand underscores members’ commitment to responsible gaming, including stringent consumer protections and efforts to prevent minors from accessing the platforms. Ostrow acknowledged challenges from bad actors but stressed that the industry largely upholds self-regulation and player safety.
Sweepstakes casinos still face major obstacles
This rebranding and ongoing dialogue with Google come amid significant challenges for sweepstakes casinos in the US.
Google has updated its advertising policies, effectively banning uncertified sweepstakes casino ads by reclassifying them as online gambling content, which requires stricter certification standards. The SGLA is actively engaging with Google to advocate for recognition of its responsible practices and influence policy adjustments.
The broader sweepstakes casino industry is also facing legal and legislative pressures, including class-action lawsuits against key operators such as Stake.com and VGW, as well as a recent ban on sweepstakes casinos in California.
It’s leaving many inside the industry and out to wonder what is next. Will other states follow California’s lead in banning sweepstakes and social casino sites? Will states work to legalize and regulate real-money online casinos? The latter would effectively end the gray area surrounding sweepstakes casinos, especially when considering regulated casino states like New Jersey, which banned sweepstakes casinos earlier this year.
What comes next for this industry is anyone’s best guess, as well as whether this move by the SGLA to rebrand is enough.
Based on reporting by Brant James for Casino Reports.
