Governor Gavin Newsom signed California Assembly Bill 831 on October 11, 2025. AB 831 added Section 337o to the California Penal Code, prohibiting the operation or facilitation of dual-currency online sweepstakes games effective January 1, 2026. Lines.com tracks the current status of all major sweepstakes casino brands operating in California — which platforms exited, which adapted, and which remain available to CA players.
Terms 21+
Additional confirmed exits include: Casino.click, LuckyStake, PlayFame, Rebet Casino, SpinBlitz, Spinfinite, Thrillzz Casino, Betty Sweeps, SweepNext, Stackr Casino, Carnival Citi, Dora Casino.
Lines.com updates this tracker when platform status changes. Last verification: June 2026. Verify current status at each platform before registering.
AB 831 adds Section 337o to the California Penal Code. Section 337o makes it unlawful to “operate, conduct, offer, or promote an online sweepstakes game” within California that uses a dual-currency model.
California AB 831 defines the prohibited dual-currency model as a system in which players purchase a virtual currency for entertainment purposes and separately earn or receive a different virtual currency redeemable for real-world prizes. Gold Coins paired with Sweeps Coins — the standard sweepstakes casino format used by McLuck, Pulsz, Stake.us, and most major brands — matches this definition precisely.
AB 831 also amends Section 17539.1 of the California Business and Professions Code. The amended section extends the prohibition from operators to third-party facilitators.
AB 831 makes it unlawful for the following entity types to knowingly and willfully support the operation, conduct, or promotion of a prohibited online sweepstakes game in California:
The media affiliate liability clause directly affects content publishers, affiliate marketers, and comparison sites that promote dual-currency sweepstakes casinos to California-based audiences. Lines.com does not promote dual-currency sweepstakes platforms to California visitors.
Authority signal: Blank Rome LLP, in a 2025 legal analysis, noted that AB 831’s vendor liability scope “applies well beyond the sweeps operators themselves” — extending regulatory risk to the full ecosystem supporting dual-currency platforms in California.
AB 831 classifies violations as misdemeanors. The penalty structure under Section 337o is as follows:
Penalties apply to operators, facilitators, and third-party vendors who knowingly support prohibited sweepstakes operations in California. Each violation is a separate misdemeanor charge.
Section 337o(f) exempts sweepstakes conducted on a “limited and occasional basis” when used as an advertising or marketing tool incidental to the bona fide sale of consumer products or services. ClubWPT Gold cites Section 337o(f) as the legal basis for its California Game Days policy.
Under the California Game Days policy, ClubWPT Gold California players can win redeemable Chips on a maximum of 9 calendar days per month. ClubWPT Gold argues this schedule constitutes “limited and occasional” sweepstakes activity.
A gambling law expert cited by Card Player disputed ClubWPT Gold’s interpretation. The expert argued that 108 eligible redemption days per year — 9 days × 12 months — exceeds what the California Legislature intended by “limited and occasional.” The California Attorney General has not publicly ruled on ClubWPT Gold’s California Game Days approach as of June 2026.
Three legal models allow platforms to continue offering real-prize gaming to California players without violating AB 831.
CardCrush, launched in December 2025 by Vision NL Limited, uses a single-currency model. CardCrush’s only currency is Mystery Coins at $1 face value. CardCrush does not use a dual-currency structure — there are no Gold Coins paired with separate redeemable Mystery Coins. Mystery Coins are both the purchased unit and the prize unit. AB 831’s prohibition targets the dual-currency separation that CardCrush’s model does not use.
Horseplay and GiddyUp both operate as licensed Advance Deposit Wagering platforms. Federal ADW law under the Federal Interstate Horseracing Act preempts California state gaming statutes including AB 831. Horseplay holds ADW licensing under federal law. GiddyUp holds ADW licensing through the Oregon Racing Commission. Both platforms route player wagers through parimutuel horse racing pools — the casino-style game format reveals horse race outcomes, not RNG results. ADW platforms are not classified as sweepstakes operators under AB 831.
ClubWPT Gold restructured its California product around the Section 337o(f) “limited and occasional” exemption. ClubWPT Gold eliminated Gold Coins, replaced Sweeps Coins with Chips (1 Chip = $1), and introduced Hand Analysis Credits as the purchasable unit. ClubWPT Gold limits California players to earning redeemable Chips on a maximum of 9 calendar days per month. The legal basis for this approach is disputed by gambling law experts and has not been confirmed by California regulators.
California players who used McLuck, Pulsz, Stake.us, Crown Coins, or NoLimitCoins before January 1, 2026 cannot access those platforms for real-prize play. The sweepstakes gaming ecosystem available to California residents contracted from 25+ brands to a confirmed three platforms — CardCrush, Horseplay, and GiddyUp — with ClubWPT Gold available under contested terms.
Lines.com routes California visitors to CardCrush, Horseplay, and GiddyUp via the geo-aware offerwall. Dual-currency platforms are excluded from California routing.
See the full CA legal casino guide
Find legal gaming options for California Browse via Lines.com offerwall
California AB 831 is a state law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 11, 2025, and effective January 1, 2026. AB 831 adds Section 337o to the California Penal Code, prohibiting online sweepstakes games that use a dual-currency model — purchasable non-redeemable coins paired with separately earned redeemable coins. The law targets the Gold Coins plus Sweeps Coins format used by most major sweepstakes casino platforms.
Three platforms offer real-prize gaming in California without restrictions as of June 2026: CardCrush (single-currency skill contest), Horseplay (ADW parimutuel), and GiddyUp (ADW parimutuel). ClubWPT Gold is available under a contested policy limiting redemptions to 9 days per month. Modo.us operates in California as a free Gold Coins social casino with no Sweeps Coin redemption.
Pulsz closed all California accounts on December 15, 2025. McLuck ended Sweeps Coin games in California on December 29, 2025. Stake.us restricted all California access on December 30, 2025. All three exits occurred before AB 831’s January 1, 2026, effective date.
Yes. AB 831 extends liability to payment processors, financial institutions, gaming content suppliers, geolocation providers, platform operators, and media affiliates who knowingly support prohibited sweepstakes operations in California. The violation is a misdemeanor with fines between $1,000 and $25,000 per offense. Lines.com does not route California visitors to dual-currency platforms.
ClubWPT Gold’s California legal status is contested. ClubWPT Gold cites Section 337o(f)’s “limited and occasional” exemption to justify its 9-day-per-month redemption cap. A gambling law expert cited by Card Player disputes whether 108 eligible redemption days per year satisfies that standard. The California Attorney General has not issued a ruling on ClubWPT Gold’s California Game Days approach as of June 2026.
California AB 831, signed October 11, 2025, and effective January 1, 2026, eliminated the dual-currency sweepstakes casino model in California. More than 20 platforms exited the California market by January 1, 2026. Three platforms currently serve California players for real-prize gaming under frameworks AB 831 does not reach: CardCrush (single-currency skill contest), Horseplay (federal ADW), and GiddyUp (federal ADW). ClubWPT Gold operates under a contested §337o(f) exemption with a 9-day monthly redemption cap. Lines.com updates this tracker when brand status changes and routes California visitors to verified available platforms via the geo-aware offerwall.
See CardCrush review for California players
See Horseplay review for California players
FTC Disclosure: Lines.com earns affiliate commissions when California readers register at CardCrush, Horseplay, or GiddyUp through links on this page. Partner status does not affect tracker status assignments. Status classifications are based on publicly available legal analysis and operator announcements as of June 2026.
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. Lines.com may earn a commission if you sign up through these links. This does not affect the information provided.
Responsible gaming: All platforms listed involve real prizes and financial risk. Play within your means. If you or someone you know has a problem with gambling, contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Legal disclaimer: Lines.com does not provide legal advice. The brand status classifications on this page are based on publicly available information and third-party legal analysis as of June 2026. Platform availability in California is subject to enforcement actions and regulatory changes. Verify current status at each platform before registering.
Our editorial content strives to be highly informative and educational to our audience, especially for visitors who are new or relatively new to analyzing and predicting sporting event results. All of our content is created by informed writers with backgrounds in their subject area and reviewed for omissions or mistakes.
Our editorial team is run by individuals with many years of experience in digital publishing, editorial, and content production. Our editorial content is always marked clearly in any instances where it may be sponsored by a third party, though it is still reviewed by our staff to ensure it remains consistent with our company mission.
