Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed two civil complaints in Hillsborough County Circuit Court targeting online sweepstakes operators and their payment-processing partners. The actions target products including Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker, and the state is seeking permanent injunctions, civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and recovery of money allegedly lost by Florida users.
The complaints say the businesses violate Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the state’s gambling laws. Uthmeier put the case in blunt terms, saying that if a platform “looks like a casino, takes real money like a casino, and pays out like a casino,” it is a casino and illegal under Florida law. The filings also say gambling activity such as slot machines is limited to licensed in-state facilities.
The move is notable because the suits also name payment-processing partners, not only the consumer-facing brands.
A May analysis by Venable said regulators, legislatures and private plaintiffs are increasingly focusing on the broader commercial ecosystem around these products, including financial institutions, payment processors, geolocation providers and media affiliates. It said several states acted in 2025, including Connecticut, Montana, New Jersey, California and New York, and that Indiana, Maine and Iowa added new legislation in 2026.
Florida’s own enforcement has widened as well. The office also said facilitation of illegal online gaming may implicate Florida’s RICO act.
