SPGA Applauds Governor Landry’s Veto of Sweepstakes Ban, Cites Victory for Legal Digital Entertainment

The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) commends Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry for vetoing SB181, a bill that would have dramatically restricted lawful digital entertainment platforms enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents.

“Governor Landry’s veto is a powerful affirmation that not all online games are gambling and that innovation should not be met with prohibition,” said a spokesperson for SPGA. “This legislation blurred critical legal distinctions and risked punishing legitimate businesses that comply with well-established sweepstakes laws and offer free-to-play experiences.”

Sweepstakes-based games are not gambling. Sweepstakes-based games operate within legal frameworks, are free to play, never require a purchase to win, and are used by Fortune 500 companies, such as Microsoft and Starbucks, to engage consumers. Conflating these lawful models with illegal gambling operations would have created confusion, harmed innovation, and eroded consumer choice.

With this veto, Louisiana joins a growing list of states, including Maryland, Mississippi, and Florida, that have rejected misguided efforts to ban legal sweepstakes entertainment. We hope others will take note and follow suit in protecting consumer freedom and lawful digital business models.