Florida attorney general sues Stake and VGW, names Trustly, Worldpay and other payment processors in sweepstakes casino cases

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed lawsuits against Stake and VGW, saying their sweepstakes casino platforms amount to illegal online gambling under state law. For payment teams, the notable part is that the complaints do not stop at the operators: they also name processors alleged to have facilitated transactions tied to the platforms.

1. In Hillsborough County Circuit Court, Florida sued Sweepstakes Ltd., doing business as Stake.us, and named Trustly, Praxis and Breeze Labs in the Stake complaint. The state says the platform’s activity falls under illegal online gambling and that the companies used deceptive marketing while avoiding Florida’s licensing, taxation and consumer-protection requirements.
2. The VGW case targets Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, LuckyLand Casino and Global Poker, along with Worldpay, Trustly and Worldpay Holdco. Florida’s theory is the same: the platforms’ dual-currency model is not just promotional mechanics, but real-money gambling in disguise.
3. That dual-currency structure is the center of the complaints. Customers buy non-redeemable virtual currency and receive a secondary currency that can be used on casino-style games and later redeemed for cash or other value. Florida says that setup effectively turns the product into gambling activity under state law.
4. The state is asking for permanent injunctions that would stop the companies from operating or soliciting customers in Florida. It is also seeking recovery of money lost by Florida consumers, restitution, disgorgement, civil penalties under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, and attorneys’ fees.
5. Uthmeier’s action follows subpoenas issued to sweepstakes operators in January and comes after Florida lawmakers failed to pass gambling enforcement measures during the 2026 legislative session. Florida is not alone here: Indiana, Maine, Tennessee and Louisiana have also moved against sweepstakes casinos.