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The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) has publicly responded to the cease-and-desist orders issued by the Illinois Gaming Board (IGB).
The regulator had taken aim at multiple parties operating in the state, calling their activities illegal and putting bettors at risk because they were not officially licensed to operate there.
Now the SGLA spokesperson, Managing Director Sean Ostrow, has fired back at the watchdog as part of a public statement on the letters.
SGLA’s Sean Ostrow fires back at Illinois Gaming Board
ReadWrite reviewed Ostrow’s statement, a direct rebuttal to the seven-pages of letters published by the Illinois Gaming Board on February 5, 2026.
“Our operators implement robust age verification, responsible social gaming tools, and comprehensive safeguards on Social Plus games, setting us apart from unregulated, illegal gambling sites,” said the SGLA post.
This was in direct response to the IGB stating that there were “more than 60 cease-and-desist letters” issued to operators that were running “illegal online casino and/or online sweepstakes gaming platforms in Illinois.”
SGLA says that there has been a misunderstanding in gambling terminology
The original letters and statement from the IGB emphasized that their enforcement targeted “operating illegal online casino and/or online sweepstakes gaming platforms in Illinois.”
Ostrow believes that the decision to add illegal gambling operators with a statement surrounding “Social Plus” games was a mistake.
“The fact that responsible Social Plus games operators were mentioned alongside illegal offshore gambling websites indicates a fundamental misunderstanding by the Illinois Gaming Board of the nature of our industry and the very real consumer protections SGLA operator partners implement,” said Ostrow.
Stake and VGW were two of the biggest names mentioned in the cease-and-desist letters reported by ReadWrite.
SGLA offers olive branch
In closing, Ostrow didn’t rule out the IGB and the SGLA working closer together to maintain a better understanding of these types of games in the eyes of the regulator.
“SGLA would welcome the opportunity to work constructively with Illinois regulators, Attorney General and lawmakers to ensure our industry continues to provide legal, safe entertainment for adults while maintaining the highest standards of consumer protection,” he concluded.
It remains to be seen whether the IGB will take the opportunity, as multiple states, including New York, Virginia, and Tennessee, have already begun the process of running sweepstakes outside the betting boundaries in 2026.
Featured image: SGLA
