WASHINGTON, DC – The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) today expressed disappointment with a recent Louisiana Attorney General opinion characterizing online social games which utilize sweepstakes promotion as unlawful under state law.
SGLA respectfully disagrees with this interpretation and remains committed to engaging with Louisiana officials to clarify the lawful and well-established sweepstakes frameworks under which our partners operate.
“We are disappointed by the Attorney General’s opinion and fundamentally disagree with the notion that these platforms are operating outside the bounds of the law,” said Jeff Duncan, Executive Director of SGLA and former Congressman. “Our partners offer free-to-play entertainment based on long-standing promotional sweepstakes models used legally by consumer brands across industries. This is not gambling—it’s marketing.”
These online social games provide free methods of entry, do not require payment to participate, and incorporate robust consumer protections that go well beyond industry norms. These include strict age verification, self-exclusion tools, anti-money laundering protocols, and security safeguards on par with major financial services platforms.
“Millions of Americans have safely enjoyed these games for more than a decade,” Duncan added. “We urge Louisiana officials to engage in a constructive, fact-based dialogue about how best to provide clear, modern regulations that protect consumers, encourage innovation, and reflect the reality of today’s digital entertainment landscape.”
SGLA looks forward to continuing the conversation with regulators, lawmakers, and stakeholders in Louisiana and beyond to ensure consumer protections, player choice and a potential new state revenue stream remain at the forefront of any policy approach.
To learn more about SGLA, please visit our website at www.SGLeadership.org and our social channels at LinkedIn, X, Facebook and BlueSky.
Contact:
Laurie Rossbach
Partner, Seven Letter
202.258.7810
Laurie@SevenLetter.com
About the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) champions social gaming operators who offer innovative, free-to-play entertainment experiences enjoyed by millions of Americans while promoting responsible digital entertainment. Our partners set the standard for innovation, world class games and the responsible use of digital marketing including sweepstakes promotions. We advocate for appropriate oversight that recognizes the unique entertainment value of social online games, protects players, platforms and the community, and promotes responsible gameplay.
The SGLA’s operator partners are VGW, PLAYSTUDIOS, Yellow Social Interactive, ARB Interactive and B-Two Operations, representing Chumba Casino, Luckyland Slots, Global Poker, Pulsz, Pulsz Bingo, Modo Casino, McLuck, HelloMillions and SpinBlitz. Other partners include major payments provider Nuvei. The SGLA’s advocacy and standards focus exclusively on online social games. Our advocacy does not extend to operators offering sports products or transacting in cryptocurrency.
