Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed two lawsuits on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, in Hillsborough County Circuit Court against Stake and VGW — the company behind Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Casino, and Global Poker — along with several payment processors the state says helped move money for the platforms. Both complaints allege the operators' dual-currency sweepstakes model is, in substance, illegal real- money gambling dressed up as a sweepstakes promotion.
- Core allegation — that the Gold Coins / Sweeps Coins (or Stake Cash) structure lets players effectively pay for a chance to win real money, which Florida says makes the platforms unlicensed casinos rather than lawful sweepstakes
- Named alongside Stake — VGW's three sweepstakes brands: Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Casino, and Global Poker
- Relief sought — injunctions to stop operations in Florida, forfeiture of gambling-related winnings, consumer restitution/disgorgement, and civil penalties of up to $15,000 per violation
- The AG's framing — Uthmeier: “If it looks like a casino, takes real money like a casino, and pays out like a casino, it is a casino — and it is illegal under Florida law,” adding the companies are “preying on Floridians, including minors and seniors,” with deceptive marketing and around-the-clock access
Why This Is Different From a State Ban
This is not a new statute like the bans that landed in New Jersey and Louisiana this month — it's an enforcement lawsuit arguing that existing Florida gambling law already covers these platforms. Nothing has been decided yet; Uthmeier is asking a court to rule that the model is illegal and to order the injunctions and penalties listed above. Until (and unless) a court rules or the parties settle, Stake, Chumba, LuckyLand, and Global Poker continue operating in Florida as before — we found no evidence this run that any of the named operators have restricted Florida access in response [UNVERIFIED — check each operator's current state-eligibility page directly before relying on this].
What This Means If You Play Stake.us
Stake is one of the platforms we review, and its case is worth tracking separately from VGW's. Our Stake.us review covers the platform as it currently operates; we've added a note there pointing to this lawsuit so readers researching Stake.us see the legal risk alongside the bonus and gameplay breakdown, rather than finding out about it separately. A state AG filing a suit is a real signal worth knowing about before you sign up or deposit further — it is not, on its own, proof of wrongdoing, and it doesn't change anything about your account today. If you're a Florida resident with an existing balance, we'd treat this the way we'd treat any active litigation against an operator: don't assume it changes your redemption rights, but don't treat the platform as risk-free either.
The Broader Pattern
Florida's approach — suing under existing gambling and consumer-protection law rather than waiting on new legislation — is a different enforcement path than the statutory bans we've covered in New Jersey and Louisiana. Naming payment processors as co-defendants, not just the casino operators, is also notable — it targets the money-movement layer the whole sweepstakes model depends on, not just the platforms themselves. We could not independently confirm this run whether other state AGs have similar actions in preparation [UNVERIFIED — one competitor report referenced a prior Kentucky action; not corroborated by a primary source as part of this research].
What We're Watching Next
We'll update this article and the Stake.us review if either operator responds publicly, if a Florida court rules on any motion, or if Stake, Chumba, LuckyLand, or Global Poker change how they serve Florida players. For the current state-by-state picture across every brand we review, see our By State tracker.