Over the past few months, we’ve seen some major changes in the sweepstakes poker landscape. For a long time, the sweepstakes model was available in almost all US states with a few rare exceptions. Lately, though, we’ve been seeing an increase in the number of states looking to pass regulations that would force sweepstakes sites out.
In light of this, major operators have started to amend their terms of service, pulling out of different jurisdictions. It seems every site is following its own path, though, some continue to operate without almost any changes while others have added a number of new states to the restricted list.
Right now, there are four major sweepstakes poker sites operating in the US. These are Clubs Poker, Stake US, ClubWPT Gold, and Global Poker. None of these four are available in Idaho, Michigan, or Washington. Beyond this, however, restrictions vary greatly, with one operator blocking over a dozen states.
Breakdown of Sweepstakes Poker Sites & Available States
| Site | Available In | Restricted In | Restricted States |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClubWPT Gold | 46 | 4 | ID, MI, WA, MT |
| Global Poker | 44 | 6 | MI, NV, ID, WA, MISS, CT, DE |
| Clubs Poker | 43 | 7 | NV, ID, MI, WA, MT, WV, LA |
| Stake US Poker | 37 | 13 | ID, KY, MI, NY, NV, WA, PA, CT, RI, WV, DE, NJ, VT |
ClubWPT Gold: Fewest Restrictions
ClubWPT Gold is the most recent addition to the sweepstakes poker landscape and is also the operator that accepts players from the greatest number of states. As of right now, the site is open to players from 46 states, only restricting users from Michigan, Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
It is likely the list of restricted states will grow at ClubWPT Gold to include at least states that have been on the warpath against sweepstakes sites. This includes Connecticut and Pennsylvania, both of which have passed online poker regulations, although CT is still waiting for its first regulated sites.
For the time being, though, ClubWPT Gold remains the least restrictive of the four.
Global Poker: Operational in 44 States
Global Poker is the longest-standing brand in the world of sweepstakes poker. With many years of experience under its belt, it has managed to build quite a reputation with US players.
At the time of writing this, Global Poker accepts players from 44 states. The operator’s restricted list includes seven states, namely Michigan, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, Mississippi, Connecticut, and Delaware.
Unlike ClubWPT, Global blocks players from Connecticut and Nevada but, interestingly, continues to cater to users from Montana.
Clubs Poker: Available in 43 States
Clubs Poker is another relatively new sweepstakes site, but the operator has had a fair few months to establish its presence in the market and has been constantly moving in the right direction in terms of player traffic.
In terms of coverage, Clubs Poker caters to players from 43 US states, restricting users from Michigan, Idaho, Nevada, Washington, Montana, Louisiana, and West Virginia.
Although Clubs is a bit more restrictive than ClubWPT Gold, players who can choose from both options will be better served at Clubs Poker. The operator has much better software, better features, and a very extensive selection of game variations.
- Generous Welcome Offer
- Daily freerolls & free SC offers
- Hold’em, Omaha and Mixed Games
Stake US Poker: Long List of Restricted States
Stake US Poker is the most restrictive of all, as the operator continues to add new states to the list. At the time of writing, that list includes thirteen names.
Stake US restricts all regulated states, namely Michigan, Nevada, Delaware, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. On top of these eight, the site also doesn’t cater to users from New York, Vermont, Kentucky, Idaho, and Washington.
Despite the very long list, Stake US is still available in Montana, a state that is excluded by both Clubs Poker and ClubWPT Gold.
It is clear that the operator is taking a very cautious approach, exiting markets before they are legally required to do so and only operating in states where there are currently no issues of any kind when it comes to sweepstakes.
A Concerning Trend
While there is no uniformity in terms of excluded states across the operators, the trend we’ve seen in recent months is quite concerning for poker fans in the US.
For a long time, sweepstakes poker operators have represented a legitimate option for those outside of regulated states who didn’t want to play on offshore sites. Now, it seems that opportunity is starting to slip away.
The current situation is still not alarming, as all sites except Stake US accept players from over 40 states. However, as the push to remove the sweepstakes model continues, we’ll likely see that list continue to shrink.
There is a potential good side to this, though. These regulatory movements could help move the needle for more states to introduce regulated poker and the ones that already have it, like CT and WV, to finally launch licensed sites.
As this happens, the number of members in the MSIGA will grow as well, potentially paving the way for a widespread network capable of bringing together tens of millions of players from across the United States.
