Share
Sweepstakes casinos took center stage at a NASCAR race this past weekend in Indianapolis. Indiana’s neighbor, Ohio, however, took a hit after Gov. Mike DeWine shared his stance on online casinos. Meanwhile, Miami-based sweepstakes casino MyPrize secured a significant round of funding.
Chumba Casino hits jackpot at Indy
Chumba Casino landed in NASCAR’s victory lane when Bubba Wallace took the checkered flag at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chumba’s multicolored branding wrapped Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota, which endured a rain delay and two overtimes to clinch the win at the storied track. Wallace’s victory marked the first time this season that a sweepstakes casino served as a primary sponsor for the race winner.
Chumba’s success isn’t limited to the racetrack. The sweepstakes casino holds a 4.7 out of 5 stars from PlayUSA and ranks among the most popular online casinos in the country. New users can earn 2 million Gold Coins and 32 free Sweeps Coins without making a deposit. Those who deposit at least $10 can earn an additional 10 million gold coins and 30 Sweeps Coins.
DeWine douses Ohio’s IGaming hopes
Any chance of legalizing online casinos in Ohio took a major blow this past weekend when DeWine made his opposition clear. Speaking to reporters at the Ohio State Fair, the governor said he believes the risk online casinos pose to people with gambling addictions is too great. While he stopped short of saying he’d veto a bill legalizing online casinos, DeWine’s comments all but closed the door on any legislative movement. Lawmakers may have to wait until he leaves office in 2027 to revive iGaming efforts in the Buckeye State.
Based on May revenue data from the seven states with legal iGaming, PlayUSA estimates that Ohio online casino operators could have generated nearly $240 million in annual revenue.
| State | May 2025 online casino revenue | Population | Per-capita revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $227,700,000 | 13,078,751 | $17.41 |
| Michigan | $251,500,000 | 10,140,459 | $24.80 |
| New Jersey | $246,800,000 | 9,500,851 | $25.98 |
| Connecticut | $52,100,000 | 3,675,069 | $14.18 |
| West Virginia | $28,600,000 | 1,769,979 | $16.16 |
| Delaware | $8,400,000 | 1,051,917 | $7.99 |
| Rhode Island | $4,800,000 | 1,112,308 | $4.32 |
| Total | $819,900,000 | 40,329,334 | $20.33 |
| Ohio (projected) | $239,882,778 | 11,799,448 | $20.33 |
At a modest 15% tax rate, the state could have collected roughly $36 million in tax revenue.
MyPrize social casino secures $21 million funding round
Sweepstakes casino MyPrize closed a $21 million funding round, reaching $250 million valuation. The Miami-based platform’s success reflects the growing investor interest in social casinos.
“The growth we are seeing at MyPrize proves that social gaming has fully arrived in the US market and there is massive demand for a more engaging, creator-driven approach to online gaming,” MyPrize CEO Zach Bruch said in a Morning Star news release.
Social casinos have seen explosive growth in recent years. According to gaming advisory firm SCGG Management, the industry grew from $460 million in 2019 to $3.1 billion in 2022. The firm projects that sweepstakes coins – virtual currency users can purchase to play – will generate $12.1 billion by 2031.
