Tennessee Sweepstakes Ban Hits May 12 Deadline

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May 11, 2026

The Tennessee sweepstakes casino ban triggers at midnight on May 12, 2026. Governor Bill Lee has until that deadline to sign, veto, or ignore House Bill 1885 and Senate Bill 2136. Inaction by Governor Bill Lee converts the legislation into Tennessee law automatically.

What the Tennessee Sweepstakes Casino Ban Covers

Tennessee House Bill 1885 and Senate Bill 2136 ban any sweepstakes that uses a dual-currency redemption model. Tennessee lawmakers passed the legislation on April 27, 2026. The Tennessee House sent the measure to Governor Bill Lee with a 69-17-1 floor vote.

The Tennessee bill defines the prohibited model in specific language. Gambling Insider cited the statute targeting any “virtual currency, dual-currency, or multi-currency system” used for casino-style games. The Tennessee ban therefore captures the Gold Coins plus Sweeps Coins design used industrywide.

Multiple sweepstakes operators withdrew from Tennessee ahead of the May 12 deadline. VGW removed Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots from Tennessee earlier in 2026. Stake.us and other large brands also restricted Tennessee access during early 2026. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti previously issued cease and desist letters to 40 operators on December 29, 2025.

The Tennessee sweepstakes casino ban joins a wider US regulatory cycle in 2026. SBC Americas reported parallel bills now sitting with governors in Oklahoma, Iowa, Louisiana, and Minnesota. PlayUSA confirmed the multi-state pattern alongside Tennessee in coverage on May 6, 2026. The Tennessee ban will make Tennessee the ninth US jurisdiction with statutory sweepstakes prohibitions.