You’ve hinted at the potential for AB 831 being repealed in California... 

Once a bill is signed, the window for reversal is narrow and rarely used but it’s not impossible. Governors can introduce clean-up legislation, negotiate amendments or influence regulatory guidance that softens a bill’s impact. The unanimous vote and Governor’s signature make a dramatic reversal unlikely, but there are whispers that there is recognition the bill’s language may have wider-than-intended consequences for legitimate sweepstakes casinos operating under the long-standing promotional-gaming model. 

While Governor Gavin Newsom’s team hasn’t publicly floated a rollback, it’s common for staff to monitor industry fallout and assess whether additional clarity is required. My honest opinion is a full reversal won’t happen, but a ‘correction bill’, regulatory memo, or enforcement-priority adjustment could be on the table. This is especially if the law jeopardises innovation, consumer choice or tax-adjacent economic activity in a state already wrestling with budget pressures… and of course there are rumblings of Newsom’s interest in a larger white house in which to sign his bills. 

Where is there the most untapped, but realistic, growth? If California and others stay out of it, in which states will growth be concentrated? 

Even with California stepping back (around 17% of the market we believe), the US sweepstakes casino market has enormous potential. The most realistic near-term expansion could come from the Midwest, states like Ohio, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Kansas, where regulatory climates are stable, consumer adoption is strong and policymakers avoid knee-jerk crackdowns. 

Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas continue to show huge, under-served demand for low-friction, legally compliant gameplay. Sweeps operators have succeeded for years by offering entertainment where real-money casinos aren’t legal, and as frictionless fintech, crypto-lite continues to grow, these states stand to benefit the most. Growth isn’t about one California-sized play, it’s about cumulative expansion across 25 to 30 states that welcome promotional gaming. 

Ontario has been tough on sweeps and prediction markets – will that change if growth in other North American markets continues? 

Ontario’s market is structured, arguably rigid and focused on consumer protection. That’s not changing. What may evolve is how regulators view adjacent digital entertainment categories. If sweeps and prediction market operators continue proving they can scale responsibly, Ontario could soften. Not towards full legalisation of sweeps, but more formal recognition of low-risk promotional models. Regulators often watch market outcomes, not hype and if growth across North America continues, Ontario may be forced to differentiate between rogue offshore casinos and legitimate, third party-audited US sweepstakes and prediction market platforms. 

Are mainstream iGaming operators adopting more of sweepstakes’ social and community elements and narrowing the differential? 

Traditional iGaming brands have finally recognised what the sweepstakes world figured out years ago: community drives retention better than bonuses. We’re now seeing some real-money operators adopt in-app missions, social leaderboards, progression systems, community challenges and even low-stakes virtual economies. 

Sweeps, however, continue to innovate, often faster than their counterparts. Newer models involve creator-led ecosystems, tokenised in-game assets that remain fully promotional and enhanced prize redemption flows that feel instant. As operators lean into social commerce and shared experiences, sweeps maintain their edge through agility, gamified engagement loops and the ability to innovate without restrictive regulatory overhead. 

How big a threat is Google’s reclassification of sweepstakes casinos? 

It’s a concern. It affects ad visibility, SEO positioning and even app-store policies, however, the sweepstakes ecosystem has dealt with worse. Operators are already adjusting with improved compliance, clearer consumer language and stronger policy alignment. The reclassification is less an existential threat and more something that pushes the industry to standardise best practices, sharpen value propositions and prove legitimacy. Operators who embrace transparency will grow faster, because the reclassification filters out low- quality entrants.

Why are sweeps seen as an easy target for class action lawsuits? 

Sweeps operators are high-visibility digital businesses operating in a legal grey-but-permitted framework, which makes them attractive for opportunistic law firms. Many lawsuits rely on mischaracterising the model as gambling, despite decades of precedent affirming otherwise. Operators often settle to avoid lengthy litigation, not because the claims have merit. 

As the industry matures, so must its legal defensibility. Clear disclosures, third-party audits and consistent user-journey transparency will reduce these attacks. Sweeps isn’t fragile, it’s simply growing fast enough to attract attention.