Sweepstakes casinos are still accessible in Maryland — but the state has been one of the most active in the country for regulatory pressure. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency has issued cease-and-desist letters to multiple operators, and two ban bills cleared the House this session before running out of time in the Senate. As of April 2026, most platforms continue to serve Maryland players, though MegaBonanza has the state on its blocked list. Understand the current situation before signing up, and check platform availability on the day you register. Minimum age: 21+ (enforced by all major platforms in Maryland) State income tax applies to prize redemptions alongside federal tax. Maryland's 2026 legislative session ended on April 13, 2026, without a sweepstakes casino ban becoming law. Two House bills had passed with strong margins — HB 295 (105-24) targeting dual-currency systems as illegal interactive gaming, and HB 1226 explicitly naming sweepstakes games as illegal online gambling — but neither advanced through the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee before the session deadline. Maryland's LGCB had issued cease-and-desist letters to operators including Chumba Casino and WOW Vegas prior to the session, but compliance has been limited and most platforms continue to serve Maryland players. Expect similar legislation to be reintroduced in the 2027 session. The five platforms below are currently accessible to Maryland residents as of April 2026. MegaBonanza has Maryland on its blocked state list following LGCB enforcement activity. Verify a platform's current Maryland status before signing up. The 2026 ban bills failed in Maryland's Senate, giving sweepstakes players at least another year of access. Even so, given the LGCB's active enforcement posture and near-certain reintroduction of legislation in 2027, don't let Sweeps Coins accumulate unredeemed — keep your balance regularly cashed out. Sweepstakes casinos use two types of virtual currency. Gold Coins are for entertainment-only free play — you can explore the full game lobby without any prize attached. Sweeps Coins are the promotional currency that carries real-world value: earn them through sign-up offer, daily logins, and mail-in requests, then redeem them for prizes once you have met the minimum playthrough and completed identity verification. No purchase is ever required — every platform must by law provide a free alternative method of entry (AMOE), usually a mail-in request for Sweeps Coins. Unlike traditional online casino bonuses, Sweeps Coin prizes carry no complex playthrough requirements. Most platforms apply a simple 1x playthrough, meaning you play your coins through once before redeeming prizes — far simpler than the 30x or 40x requirements common in real-money casino promotions. For a full explanation of how the sweepstakes model works, including tips on the mail-in request process and how to maximise your Sweeps Coin balance without spending a cent, see our main sweepstakes casino guide. You can also try free slots, free table games, and free video poker on this site with no registration required. Maryland has a well-developed gambling market including six commercial casinos, legal sports betting, a state lottery, and daily fantasy sports. Licensed real-money online casino gaming is not currently legal, though an iGaming legalisation bill has been discussed in the legislature. Sweepstakes casinos are not specifically regulated under Maryland law — they operate under the federal sweepstakes model. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (LGCB) takes the position that sweepstakes casino platforms violate existing Maryland gambling statutes. The LGCB has issued multiple rounds of cease-and-desist letters, including to Chumba Casino and WOW Vegas, though most recipients have continued operating. In the 2026 legislative session, HB 295 — introduced at the request of the LGCB — passed the House 105-24 and was assigned to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. HB 1226, which explicitly defined sweepstakes games as illegal online gambling, also passed the House and received Senate committee hearings. However, Maryland's session ended April 13, 2026, without either bill receiving a Senate floor vote. Both bills are expected to be reintroduced in the 2027 session. The sweepstakes industry's position is that the dual-currency model falls under federal promotional sweepstakes law rather than state gambling statutes — a question that Maryland courts have not definitively resolved. See our Maryland casino guide for the wider gambling context. The legal status is contested. The LGCB has issued cease-and-desist letters and taken the position that sweepstakes casinos violate Maryland gambling law. Two ban bills passed the House in 2026 but failed to advance through the Senate before the April 13 session deadline. Most platforms continue to serve Maryland players. The LGCB's position has not been resolved by Maryland courts. Crown Coins, Spree, WOW Vegas, Fortune Coins, and Free Spin Casino are all currently serving Maryland players as of April 2026. MegaBonanza has Maryland on its blocked state list. Always verify a platform's current status before signing up. Both HB 295 and HB 1226 passed the Maryland House with strong margins in March 2026 but failed to advance through the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee before the legislature adjourned on April 13, 2026. Similar legislation is expected to be reintroduced in the 2027 session. Maryland's minimum gambling age is 21. All major sweepstakes platforms operating in Maryland enforce 21+. Always check the specific platform's terms before registering. Yes. Maryland has state income tax, so prize redemptions are subject to both Maryland state income tax and federal income tax. Federal withholding of 24% may apply to prizes over $5,000. Sweepstakes casinos are free to play and designed for entertainment. If gaming becomes a concern, free help is available in Maryland:Maryland Sweepstakes Casinos 2026
✅ Still available in Maryland
⚠️ Contested situation
Maryland legislative update — 2026 session ended April 13
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Sweepstakes Legal Status in Maryland
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