Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), the company behind popular social gaming brands like Chumba Casino (review here), LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker, has announced plans to discontinue its Sweeps Coin model in West Virginia this month. While players in the state will still have access to VGW’s platforms, only Gold Coin play — the company’s free-to-play currency — will remain available going forward.
A VGW spokesperson confirmed the change, explaining that the decision was “based on a range of factors.” The move marks the latest in a series of withdrawals by VGW as it continues to scale back its dual-currency sweepstakes operations across the United States.
Phase-Out Schedule for West Virginia Players
Starting November 11, users in West Virginia will no longer be able to collect Sweeps Coins through any means — including daily login rewards, promotional offers, or bonuses tied to Gold Coin purchases. Players who still have Sweeps Coins in their accounts can continue to use them for Promotional Play until November 18, with redemptions of any remaining Sweeps Coins permitted until November 25.
“Following careful consideration, we can confirm we’ve informed players in West Virginia of a decision to phase out Promotional Play (sweepstakes promotions) in the state across our brands,” the spokesperson said.
“However, our valued players in West Virginia will still be able to enjoy all their favorite free-to-play games using Gold Coins. We are 100 percent focused on ensuring players are fully informed about the changes and that this transition is as smooth as possible. But we understand this is an adjustment after several years of enjoying our industry-leading brands and some players may be disappointed. This decision wasn’t taken lightly and was made based on a range of factors.”
The company did not clarify whether West Virginia is among the states where it recently began collecting sales tax on Gold Coin purchases, a change VGW first announced in July.
Broader Trend of State Exits
VGW’s West Virginia withdrawal adds to a growing list of U.S. jurisdictions where the company has scaled back or eliminated Sweeps Coin play. Over the past year, the operator has pulled out of more than ten states as the sweepstakes gaming model has faced intensified legal and regulatory scrutiny.
Recent exits include states that have passed specific laws banning or restricting sweepstakes-style casino gaming — such as Connecticut, Montana, New Jersey, and New York — as well as others that have pursued enforcement actions against such platforms, including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Washington.
When the West Virginia phase-out is complete, VGW will have discontinued sweeps operations in five states that already offer legal iGaming, among them Michigan and Delaware.
Strategic Refocus Amid Regulatory Headwinds
VGW has taken a mixed approach to its market adjustments, maintaining Gold Coin play in many U.S. jurisdictions while fully exiting others. Earlier this fall, the company completely withdrew from Canada, describing that move as “a strategic, isolated decision” that reflected the comparatively small scale of its Canadian operations.
With the majority of its customer base located in the U.S., VGW appears to be consolidating its focus on maintaining compliant operations in key markets while continuing to navigate differing state-level interpretations of sweepstakes gaming laws.
Source:
“VGW shuts down sweeps play in West Virginia”, sbcamericas.com. November 11, 2025
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