The Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) just sent cease and desist letters to more than 40 platforms operating in the state. That includes major sweepstakes brands, offshore sites, and affiliate networks.

This crackdown comes less than a week after Governor Jeff Landry vetoed an anti-sweeps bill. It’s a series of surprise moves, then, but the Governor clearly knew this wave of cease-and-desist letters were on the way and didn’t want to muddy the waters with the new legislation.

Who Got Hit?

Some of the biggest names who received those orders include:

• Chumba, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker
• Stake.us
• Pulsz and Pulsz Bingo
• Fliff
• WOW Vegas
• ZitoBox
• Fortune Coins, Zula, Sportzino, YayCasino.us, and YayCasino.com
• SweepSlots
• Kickr, Rolling Riches
• Golden Hearts Games
• Clubs Poker
• Chanced and Punt

That’s just the public list, and there are plenty more.

What’s a Cease and Desist Letter, and Why Now?

A cease-and-desist is a formal legal order to stop operating immediately or face legal consequences. In this case, the LGCB is using its authority under Louisiana gaming law to remove any operator they believe threatens the integrity of the state’s regulated market.

There’s no word yet on which platforms have complied, but if past form is anything to go by, most of them will. So far, we haven’t seen a sweepstakes casino openly defy one of these orders.

Why It Matters, and Why Now

Louisiana already allows land-based casinos, and regulated sports betting. But online casinos remain illegal, and sweepstakes platforms have been operating in a legal grey zone by using virtual currencies like Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins to get around gambling definitions. That grey area has now been removed.

Chairman Christopher B. Hebert said: “Louisiana will not tolerate illegal operators who put our citizens at risk and undermine the fairness and integrity of our gaming industry.”

The Timing? Interesting…

This move lands just days after Governor Landry vetoed a bill that would have explicitly outlawed sweepstakes casinos. He said the legislation wasn’t needed, claiming the LGCB was already tackling the issue directly.

Just days later, more than 40 operators got the message.