WASHINGTON, DC – Following testimony submitted today on Maine Senate Paper 825 (SP 825), the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) is urging lawmakers to carefully consider the impact of banning Social Plus games, a lawful category of free-to-play and freemium online social games with sweepstakes promotions enjoyed by approximately 50,000 adults throughout Maine.
“If the language of SP 825 is passed, the outcome will be sadly predictable – the law-abiding operators will exit the state, but illegal operators will stay and prey on unsuspecting Maine consumers,” said Sean Ostrow, Managing Director of the SGLA. “Social Plus operators offer real consumer protections that keep minors from playing, that protect consumer data and finances, and that encourage responsible social gameplay.”
Social Plus platforms deliver interactive board, card and casino-style games that are always free-to-play and restricted to players 21+. SGLA partner operators ensure that all Social Plus games are equipped with robust consumer protections, including age and identity verification, responsible social gameplay tools, geolocation, and secure handling of consumer data.
“Critical to this body, but also to us, is our player safety, security and game integrity,” said Lloyd Melnick, Chief Growth Officer at VGW, during the hearing. “We are incredibly proud of the measures and features we have developed.”
Instead of banning Social Plus games, the SGLA proposed a regulatory framework that would generate over $3 million in annual revenue for Maine through player purchase taxes and operator registration fees, all while enhancing consumer protections and supporting Maine-based businesses.
“This proposal would ensure that all operators enforce strict age-verification restrictions to keep people under the age of 21 from participating, protect consumer data and privacy, ensure prizes can be redeemed promptly, provide clear and truthful advertising to adults only, and provide resources to ensure that customers are interacting with Social Plus games responsibly,” Ostrow continued.
To learn more about SGLA, please visit our website at www.SGLeadership.org and our social channels at LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.
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 Plus 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 Social Plus games. Our advocacy does not extend to operators offering sports products or transacting in cryptocurrency.
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