The End of the Line for Sweepstakes Poker in Tennessee as Operators Begin Hasty Exit
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Back in February of this year, we shortly touched upon sweepstakes poker in Tennessee, as a bill to ban it was on the House floor at the time. Roughly four months after, we’re forced to revisit the subject, as the Volunteer State officially put an end to sweepstakes poker with Senate Bill 2136.
As sweepstakes operators begin their exit, we’re giving you a closer look at the bill and what it means for operators across Tennessee.
SB 2136: The End of Sweepstakes Poker in Tennessee
The newest sweepstakes ban in the States became official earlier last week, when Tennessee Governor Bill Lee singled Senate Bill 2136 into law. As a result of his signature, Tennessee became the seventh US state to ban sweepstakes operators across the board, a move that’s becoming all too common in the US ever since since California’s AB 831 took effect in January of this year. Just like in The Golden State, the Tennessee bill left no wiggle room for sweepstakes operators:
The law defines such operations as games, contests, or promotions where a “virtual currency, dual-currency, or multi-currency system” is used to allow online slots and casino games to essentially be played for real money.
The wording of SB 2136 echoes what Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said late last year:
The only thing you can be sure about with an online sweepstakes casino is that it’s going to take your money… They avoid any oversight that could ensure honesty or fairness.
As of May 2026, sweepstakes games officially constitute a felony within state lines. As the original House proposal suggested, the state now has the right up to charge $15,000 per infraction.
What SB 2136 Means for Sweepstakes Operators
For operators, this means one thing — a hasty departure is currently under way.
ClubWPT Gold didn’t wait for the bill to become law, announcing its departure in late April, when SB 2136 cleared both chambers. Clubs Poker is following in tow, as they announced their official withdraw from Tennessee in the next 30 days. For now, Clubs Poker is no longer offering its services within the state but has given its users a 30-day grace period to access their accounts and withdraw any potential prizes and balances.
Chumba Casino, Fortune Coins, Global Poker, Luckyland, and Zula Casino are also among operators who will need to bow out of Tennessee this month.
While sweepstakes poker in Tennessee is no longer above board, the state has yet to introduce any proposal that would tackle the larger issue of an unregulated online casino market within state lines. For now, there is no bill on the horizon.
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