Home Number of civil lawsuits against sweepstakes operators filed in Alabama reaches over 40

Number of civil lawsuits against sweepstakes operators filed in Alabama reaches over 40

An additional 21 class action gambling lawsuits were filed against multiple sweepstakes casino operators in Alabama on Monday (January 5), joining a number of filings in 2025 to bring the total number of civil actions brought against such platforms to more than 40 since the beginning of 2025. That makes Alabama the state with the highest number of such sweepstakes legal disputes.

In court documents shared by gaming lawyer David Wallach, one of the 21 lawsuits filed is against Heuston Gaming and is defined as “a private attorney general action”, as it is only brought by one person. It seeks to gain money lost in gambling for the use of the family members of the gambler.

“The legislature has chosen to allow any person to bring the case, and to allow the benefit to accrue to the family of the losing gamblers, whether or not that person is a proper class representative under Rule 23,” reads the filing.

In Alabama, Rule 23 outlines the requirements for certifying a lawsuit as a class action.

Lawsuits in Alabama put sweepstakes operators under the microscope

The lawsuits in 2025 were of a similar nature, with gamblers seeking to recoup losses from operators. As Alabama is one of the states in the US that has almost entirely outlawed gambling, sweepstakes operators have thus far skirted the legal boundaries by relying on virtual currencies. Operators claim that their services and games aren’t gambling because they run on a “Prize-Chance-Consideration” method, rather than actual cash.

By law, gambling devices are banned in Alabama, which has kept casinos from gaining any real foothold. That may not last much longer, though, as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians is starting to push for sportsbooks and table games to come to the state.

Lawsuits like those mentioned above, as well as prior ones against High 5 Entertainment and Stake.us highlight the pushback on this way of operating. Plaintiffs argue that unlicensed and unlawful games were on offer, thereby negating the money that was lost along the way.

Featured image: Pexels

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Rachael Davies
Freelance Journalist

Rachael Davies has spent six years reporting on tech and entertainment, writing for publications like the Evening Standard, Huffington Post, Dazed, and more. From niche topics like the latest gaming mods to consumer-faced guides on the latest tech, she puts her MA in Convergent Journalism to work, following avenues guided by a variety of interests. As well as writing, she also has experience in editing as the UK Editor of The Mary Sue , as well as speaking on the important of SEO in journalism at the Student Press Association National Conference. You can find her full portfolio over on…