VGW has cut another state out of its dual-currency sweepstakes model, as it will end all Sweeps Coin play in West Virginia this month.
A spokesperson confirmed to SBC Americas that while its Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker sites will remain online in the state, games will only be playable using Gold Coins.
The company positioned the exit as a decision that was “based on a range of factors.”
West Virginia, take me home
Effective Nov. 11, West Virginia players can no longer collect Sweeps Coins through any method, whether it’s login bonuses, competitions or promotional bonuses with the purchase of Gold Coins. Players can play in Promotional Play using any remaining Sweeps Coins in their account until Nov. 18 and can redeem Sweeps Coins won for prizes until Nov. 25.
“Following careful consideration, we can confirm we’ve informed players in West Virginia of a decision to phase out Promotional Play (sweepstakes promotions) in the state across our brands,” a spokesperson told SBC Americas.
“However, our valued players in West Virginia will still be able to enjoy all their favorite free-to-play games using Gold Coins. We are 100 percent focused on ensuring players are fully informed about the changes and that this transition is as smooth as possible. But we understand this is an adjustment after several years of enjoying our industry-leading brands and some players may be disappointed. This decision wasn’t taken lightly and was made based on a range of factors.”
VGW announced in July that it would begin charging customers sales tax on the purchase of Gold Coins in some states. The company did not confirm to SBC Americas whether West Virginia is one of those.
VGW continues sweeping out of states
VGW has shut down sweeps play in more than 10 other states in recent times, making many of those changes in 2025 as the sweepstakes model faced its year of reckoning.
The states in which it no longer offers Sweeps Coins include several that went to lengths to chase out sweeps casinos by passing legislative bans this year, such as Connecticut, Montana, New Jersey, and New York, as well as other states that have pursued enforcement action against such operators, like Louisiana, Mississippi and Washington.
Once the West Virginia exit is complete, VGW will have ceased offering sweeps games in five states that offer legal iGaming, also including Michigan and Delaware.
VGW has fully exited some states, as it did from Canada this fall, but has kept Gold Coin play online in others. While its U.S. shifts are typically put down to a range of factors, the company said its Canadian exit was “a strategic, isolated decision” reflecting the fact that its Canadian business was relatively small, and the vast majority of its players are from the larger U.S. market.
