Since 1 November, sweepstakes games have been banned in the US state of Oklahoma. Three of the four well-known online poker operators have withdrawn their services from the state.
Some online casinos and poker rooms in the US have been operating sweepstakes games in a legal grey area. Players do not purchase in-game currency directly but receive it alongside play money. This form of gambling was tolerated for years, but states have gradually begun introducing bans.
Since the beginning of this month, sweepstakes games have also been prohibited in Oklahoma. However, in the Sooner State, not only operators but also software providers, affiliates and promoters can be held liable. Stake and Clubs Poker withdrew from Oklahoma ahead of the deadline, while Global Poker discontinued its sweepstakes games in time.
ClubWPT Gold, however, still appears to be accepting players from the state. Its website currently lists only Arizona, Connecticut, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, Tennessee and Washington, as well as Quebec in Canada, as excluded jurisdictions. It remains to be seen how the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office will respond. ClubWPT Gold has two high-profile brand ambassadors in Phil Ivey and Doug Polk.