(AsiaGameHub) – Tennessee did not enact a law that would have specifically outlawed sweepstakes casinos. A failure to agree on legislation between the Senate and House meant no bill was sent to Governor Lee Marks prior to the session’s conclusion on Friday.
A bill moving through the House sought to ban online sweepstakes games operating with dual-currency systems. The Senate had also given its approval to the ban the previous month.
Just as an official state ban seemed imminent, last-minute complications halted the bill’s advancement.
Amended Bill Stalls Progress
In a strategic shift, the House passed an amendment to HB1885 that eliminated all references to sweepstakes casinos, with a 67-20 vote in favor of HA1152.
The revised bill addressed illegal gambling in broader terms instead of singling out sweepstakes casinos.
The Senate did not accept the amendment. A separate proposal to authorize a study on the effects of legalizing and regulating sweepstakes casinos in Tennessee was also not approved.
Current Status of Tennessee Sweepstakes Casinos
Despite the lack of a new law prohibiting sweepstakes casinos, most operators have already ceased operations within the state.
According to CasinoBeats, at least 39 platforms now list Tennessee as a restricted jurisdiction. This follows action by Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who issued numerous cease-and-desist letters to companies he accused of running illegal gambling operations.
“The only certainty with an online sweepstakes casino is that it will take your money,” stated Attorney General Skrmetti. “Considerable effort is made to present these sweepstakes casinos as legitimate, but ultimately, they are not. They evade any regulatory oversight that would guarantee honesty or fairness. Our Office was glad to chase these shady operations out of Tennessee and will keep working to protect Tennesseans from illegal gambling.”
Louisiana Renews Efforts to Ban Platforms
Similar to Tennessee, Louisiana has utilized existing laws to take action against sweepstakes casinos. However, legislators have once more introduced new bills proposing an official ban on the platforms.
The House passed the most recent bill last week with a 99-0 vote. This approval occurred even though Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry vetoed comparable legislation the year before.
Landry pointed to current state laws banning illegal gambling, along with the enforcement authority of the Attorney General and the Gaming Control Board. Mirroring Tennessee’s approach, the state dispatched dozens of cease-and-desist letters to operators considered to be functioning illegally.
An examination of major platforms showed that 60 companies list Louisiana as a restricted state, a significantly higher number than in Tennessee, though lower than in states that have formally banned sweepstakes casinos.
In California and Nevada, which passed bans last year, 67 platforms have exited the state. This indicates that while states like Tennessee and Louisiana possess enough authority to force out a majority of operators, enacting specific legislation remains the most effective method for halting the controversial gambling enterprises.
This article is provided by a third-party. AsiaGameHub (https://asiagamehub.com/) makes no warranties regarding its content.
AsiaGameHub delivers targeted distribution for iGaming, Casino, and eSports, connecting 3,000+ premium Asian media outlets and 80,000+ specialized influencers across ASEAN.