Is Stake.us legal in my state? What the terms, statutes and court filings say
Is Stake.us legal in my state?
Clause 2.1 of the Stake.us terms excludes 22 states, including California, New York, Connecticut and Montana, which have passed sweepstakes bans. Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Minnesota are not excluded, and each has a lawsuit or appeal against the operator on file.
Piece published Reviewed by CryptoGuardz Register Desk, editorial desk
Stake.us excludes 22 US states in clause 2.1 of its own terms, version 18.0, read on 4 October 2026. California, New York, Connecticut and Montana are on that list and have each moved against sweepstakes casinos. Florida, Ohio, Virginia and Minnesota are not on it, and in each of those four states a government lawsuit, a class action or an appeal names the operator, Sweepsteaks Limited.
Stake.us is the sweepstakes product: Gold Coins with no cash value, sold with Stake Cash that can be redeemed. Stake.com, the crypto casino on the register, lists the United States in clause 14.3 of its terms as a prohibited jurisdiction. This page is about Stake.us only, and it ranks nothing.
Which states does Stake.us exclude?
Twenty-two, in capitals, in clause 2.1:
Within the US the following States are excluded: WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, NEVADA, IDAHO, KENTUCKY, MICHIGAN, VERMONT, NEW JERSEY, DELAWARE, WEST VIRGINIA, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, MARYLAND, LOUISIANA, MONTANA, ARIZONA, TENNESSEE, CALIFORNIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE
The clause adds any other place where participation is precluded by applicable law. A state on the list is a state where the operator itself says you may not play. A state off the list is not one where a court or a legislature has said the product is legal.
Stake.us by state: what each document says
The table holds only states where a primary document was found or looked for. Every other excluded state is grouped in the last row.
| State | What the document says | Source | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | S.5935A bans dual-currency sweepstakes casinos; excluded in clause 2.1 | NY Senate release | 4 Oct 2026 |
| California | City Attorney suit 25STCV25304 alleges unlicensed operation; excluded in clause 2.1 | LA City Attorney release | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Connecticut | Excluded in clause 2.1; the 2025 statute not fetched | Not verified | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Montana | Excluded in clause 2.1; the 2025 statute not fetched | Not verified | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Florida | Not excluded; redemption capped at $5,000 a day; AG seeks forfeiture of losses | Terms 13.3(b), Florida AG release | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Virginia | Not excluded; class action stayed for arbitration | E.D. Va. order | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Ohio | Not excluded; class action reported filed | Complaint returned 403: not verified | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Minnesota | Not excluded; Sweepsteaks is appellant in the 8th Circuit | Justia docket 26-2459 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| 18 other states | Excluded in clause 2.1 | Stake.us terms | 4 Oct 2026 |
The 18 are Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Maryland, Louisiana, Arizona, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana and Maine.
What did New York ban?
The product type, by statute. The New York Senate's release of 9 December 2025 says S.5935A was signed on 8 December 2025:
It is now prohibited to operate, promote, or profit from online sweepstakes casino-style games that use dual currencies and offer players the chance to win cash or cash-equivalent prizes.
The release gives fines of $10,000 to $100,000 per violation, and names the Gaming Commission and the Attorney General as the enforcers. The bill text itself was not opened, only the sponsor's release.
The 2025 sweepstakes statutes of California, Connecticut and Montana were looked for on the legislatures' own sites. California's legislative site disallows automated fetching in its robots file, and Connecticut's legislature site failed certificate verification, so neither statute was read: not verified. Montana's bill page did not render: not verified. All three states sit in clause 2.1 regardless.
Is Stake.us legal in Florida?
The operator serves it and the state is suing. Clause 13.3(b) sets a Florida-only rule: "In Florida, the maximum redemption value of Stake Cash won on any Game or play...is USD $5,000 (five thousand US dollars) per day." Florida's Attorney General filed suit on 19 August 2026 in Hillsborough County. The release says the suits seek "permanent injunctions prohibiting the defendants from operating or soliciting in Florida, forfeiture and recovery of money lost by Florida consumers, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, civil penalties under FDUTPA, restitution, and attorneys' fees." No ruling was found.
What happened to the class actions?
Arbitration, so far. In Virginia, Judge Brinkema ordered on 30 July 2026 that the plaintiffs and Stake "promptly begin the arbitration process as required under the arbitration agreement contained in Stake's Terms", and stayed the case. Clause 26 of the terms is that agreement. Its opt-out notice "must be sent within 30 days of creation of your Customer Account or 23 August 2024, whichever is later". The ruling has its own page: the Drake and Stake arbitration ruling.
In Minnesota, the Eighth Circuit docket shows Sweepsteaks Limited as the appellant in a class action, with the appellee's brief due 13 October
- What the district court decided is not on the docket summary read: not verified. The Ohio complaint, Krivatch v. Sweepsteaks Limited, returned a 403 when fetched: not verified.
Public officials are outside clause 26. The City of Los Angeles and the State of Florida never opened an account. The three suits are set out in the Stake.us lawsuit piece.
What this does not show
No court has ruled that Stake.us is illegal gambling in any state. A state missing from clause 2.1 has not approved anything. No US state licenses Stake.com, and this register publishes no casino ranking for US readers: the US terms breakdown explains why.
Quick answers
Which states is Stake.us banned in?
Clause 2.1 of the terms, version 18.0, excludes 22 states, including California, New York, Connecticut and Montana. The full list is quoted above.
Is Stake.us legal in New York?
No. New York signed S.5935A on 8 December 2025, banning dual-currency sweepstakes casinos, and the Stake.us terms exclude New York.
Can Florida players redeem on Stake.us?
The terms allow it, capped at $5,000 a day under clause 13.3(b). Florida's Attorney General sued on 19 August 2026 seeking forfeiture of residents' losses.
Can I sue Stake.us in a class action?
Clause 26 requires individual arbitration unless you opted out within 30 days. A Virginia court enforced it on 30 July 2026; see the arbitration ruling.
Where can I get help with gambling in the US?
Gambling Therapy offers free international support at gamblingtherapy.org. More options are on the responsible gambling page.
Sources
- Stake.us terms and conditions, version 18.0, clauses 2.1, 13.3 and 26, retrieved 4 October 2026
- New York State Senate, Senator Addabbo press release on S.5935A, 9 December 2025, retrieved 4 October 2026
- Los Angeles City Attorney press release, LASC case 25STCV25304, 4 September 2025, retrieved 4 October 2026
- Florida Attorney General press release, 19 August 2026, retrieved 4 October 2026
- Ridley v. Sweepsteaks Ltd., E.D. Va. 1:25-cv-2511, order of 30 July 2026, retrieved 4 October 2026
- Krivatch v. Sweepsteaks Limited, S.D. Ohio, complaint (returned 403 on 4 October 2026)
- Wolters v. Sweepsteaks Limited, 8th Cir. 26-2459, docket, retrieved 4 October 2026
- Stake terms of service, clause 14.3, retrieved 4 October 2026
- Gambling Therapy
About this piece
Compiled by the CryptoGuardz register team from the sources listed above. Research and drafting are AI-assisted and reviewed by a named editor before publication. Nothing here is a recommendation to gamble. If a figure or a reading is wrong, tell us and the correction is logged in public.