Two more states are moving aggressively to shut down sweepstakes casinos. In Maine, LD 2007 has cleared its committee vote and now heads to the full Senate. In Illinois, SB 3439 sits in the Senate Gaming, Wagering, and Racing committee with an April 24 deadline looming. Together, these bills represent the next wave of state-level action against the sweepstakes casino model, following bans already enacted in Connecticut, New York, California, Montana, New Jersey, and Indiana.
Maine LD 2007 Heads to Full Senate
The Joint Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs voted 8-2 on February 18 to advance LD 2007, with three members absent. The bill defines sweepstakes casinos as a form of unlawful gambling under Maine law and would impose civil fines ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per violation. All fine revenue would flow into the state's Gambling Addiction Prevention and Treatment Fund.
The bill goes further than simple prohibition. Licensed gambling companies found to be supporting or partnering with sweepstakes casino operators would face mandatory license revocation. LD 2007 also amends the Maine Criminal Code to criminalize the operation and promotion of sweepstakes casinos, meaning operators could face criminal charges in addition to civil penalties.
During committee testimony, Milton Champion of the Maine Gambling Control Unit told legislators that more than 50 unlicensed sweepstakes operators are currently active in the state. Champion described a patchwork of platforms operating without any state oversight, consumer protections, or responsible play requirements. His testimony underscored the enforcement challenge that Maine faces even before new legislation takes effect.
The timing of LD 2007 creates a notable paradox in Maine's approach to online gaming. Governor Janet Mills recently allowed LD 1164 to become law, granting the Wabanaki Nations exclusive rights to operate regulated iGaming in the state. Maine is simultaneously welcoming licensed, tribal-operated online gaming while moving to ban the unregulated sweepstakes model entirely. Supporters of LD 2007 argue this is precisely the point: the state should channel online gaming through a regulated framework rather than allowing unlicensed operators to fill the void.
If the full Senate passes LD 2007 and it is signed into law, it would take effect approximately 90 days after the legislative session ends, placing the likely effective date around mid-July 2026. Maine would then join Connecticut, New York, California, Montana, New Jersey, and Indiana as states that have formally banned sweepstakes casinos.
Illinois SB 3439 Faces April 24 Committee Deadline
In Illinois, Senator Bill Cunningham filed SB 3439 on February 4, 2026. The bill takes a different approach from Maine by targeting the legal definition of gambling devices. SB 3439 would redefine "gambling device" under Illinois law to explicitly include sweepstakes casino machines that use a dual-currency system. Under this expanded definition, operating or possessing such devices would constitute a Class 4 felony.
SB 3439 is currently assigned to the Senate Gaming, Wagering, and Racing committee. The committee deadline has already been extended twice: first from the original filing deadline to March 27, and then again to April 24, 2026. The extensions suggest that the bill faces substantive debate but has not been shelved outright. Whether it receives a committee vote before the April 24 deadline will determine whether it advances to the full Senate this session.
The legislative effort is separate from the Illinois Gaming Board's ongoing enforcement campaign. As covered in our earlier reporting, the IGB and Attorney General Kwame Raoul have issued more than 65 cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes casino operators, though compliance has been minimal. SB 3439 would give Illinois a statutory framework for criminal prosecution rather than relying solely on administrative enforcement actions.
Illinois lawmakers are also considering alternative approaches. HB 4797 has been filed to legalize and regulate iGaming in the state, which would create a licensed online gaming market. If both bills advance, Illinois could follow Maine's model of banning unregulated sweepstakes operations while simultaneously establishing a regulated alternative. However, the two bills are moving through separate committees on different timelines, and neither is guaranteed to pass.
If SB 3439 clears committee and passes the full legislature, Illinois would formally criminalize sweepstakes casino operations. Combined with the IGB's existing enforcement campaign, this would make Illinois one of the most hostile regulatory environments for sweepstakes operators in the country.
What This Means for Players
Players in Maine and Illinois should monitor both bills closely. If LD 2007 passes in Maine, players should plan to redeem any outstanding Sweeps Coins balances before the expected mid-July 2026 effective date. In Illinois, the timeline is less certain, as SB 3439 must first survive its April 24 committee deadline. Neither bill would penalize individual players, but both would require operators to block access from those states.
The broader trend is clear: state legislatures are moving to close the regulatory gap around sweepstakes casinos. With Connecticut, New York, California, Montana, New Jersey, and Indiana already having enacted bans or prohibitions, Maine and Illinois represent the next likely additions to that list.