Following a series of cease and desist letters received by sweepstakes casino and sweepstakes poker operators in February, Stake US has contacted its Illinois player base and informed them that the site will be ending operations in the state as of May 19, 2026.
Starting on May 19, Stake US accounts based in Illinois will be placed into redeem-only mode, meaning players will still be able to log in to their accounts and redeem any outstanding balances.
However, Illinois online poker players will no longer be able to join any games, make any purchases, participate in promotions, or generate codes for free Stake Cash.
Stake US apologized to its users for the inconvenience, expressed appreciation for the time they spent playing, and asked any players who believe the email might not apply to them to reach out, as Stake US will continue its operations in a number of other states.
Stake US Continues to Comply with Local Regulations
Stake US is one of the four active sweepstakes poker platforms in the country, offering online poker games via the popular “sweeps” or “social” poker model.
Over the last couple of years, sweepstakes poker sites have been targeted by a number of statewide bans, including those in New York and California, the two biggest markets.
So far, the sweepstakes operators have responded differently to the states moving to ban the model, with some choosing to remain fully or partially active in markets like Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and others.
Unlike some of its competitors, Stake US has looked to comply with cease and desist orders and statewide bans promptly. To date, the operator has exited 19 states, more than any of the other sweepstakes poker sites, and continues to operate in only 31 states.
In comparison, Global Poker still operates in 36 states, Clubs Poker in 39, while ClubWPT Gold, which switched to a new poker training-based model, still operates in 44 markets across America.
Is Sweepstakes Poker in Illinois Dead?
In early February 2026, the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB) reached out to more than 60 sweepstakes operators with cease and desist letters, ordering them to promptly wrap up their Illinois operations.
However, only two of the 60+ operators targeted were poker sites, with the vast majority of others being sweepstakes casinos.
Global Poker and Stake US were the only two operators to receive the letters that offer sweeps poker through their platforms, while both Clubs Poker and ClubWPT Gold were left out of the initial wave.
As things currently stand, only Stake US has given an official date when the platform will stop being available to players in Illinois, while Global Poker is expected to do the same in the coming weeks.
On the other hand, Clubs Poker may choose to keep operating for the foreseeable future, while ClubWPT Gold is still exploring the viability of its new operating model and continues to operate even in markets like California and New York, which have been abandoned by all competitors.
While the future of sweepstakes poker does not appear too bright for players in Illinois, games will likely remain available via Clubs Poker and ClubWPT Gold at least for the better part of 2026.
The Social Poker Market Continues to Shrink
Social casino and poker sites have been under heavy scrutiny for a while now, with 2025 being a year of major crackdowns.
As of right now, states like New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Michigan, Indiana, Connecticut, Utah, and Washington have fully banned all forms of sweepstakes gambling, classifying it as illegal gambling.
In states like Maryland, Mississippi, and Minnesota, the crackdown against sweepstakes operators has begun through cease-and-desist letters and partial enforcement, although full bills outlawing them have not been signed into law.
Illinois is the latest state to join the growing trend, while the likes of Florida, Maine, and Ohio continue to consider laws to outlaw sweepstakes gaming and further shrink the existing market.
