Google Says Sweepstakes Casinos Are Not Social Casino Games

Google is not taking kindly to sweepstakes casinos, with the tech and search engine company now defining them as non-social experiences in its Google Ads Gambling and Games Policy this week.

Google Calls Sweepstakes Casinos the “Not Social”

This is an important change as it reflects the broader anti-sweepstakes casino sentiment that has seized the United States, with Google now also failing to recognize these operators as a social experience, as they allow the use of alternate currencies to redeem for real money prizes.

The change was introduced on October 28, 2025. In a statement, Google informed:

“On October 28, 2025, the Gambling and Games policy was updated to introduce examples of the type of games that do not qualify for certification under our social casino games policy, with sweepstake casinos identified as such an example of games that are outside the scope of the social casino games policy and ineligible for certification.

Games that fall under the banner of real-world rewards are subject to the specific restrictions and allowances of the online gambling policy.”

This comes at a time when private and tribal interests have been focusing on turfing out sweepstakes casinos. The sector has pooled its efforts into a single trade group in the United States, the Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA), pushing back against the recent animosity against the sector.

The SPGA has repeatedly argued that it is established in historical precedent and did not breach any laws. However, increasingly, lawmakers have taken a dim view of the sweepstakes casino sector, arguing that it still allows for real money prizes to be claimed, and therefore falls short of claims that it is a purely social experience.

The latest changes to Google’s own policies are not going to help the SPGA argue its case. Tribal operators have similarly insisted that the sweepstakes sector ought to go as it undermines tribal operations by circumventing gambling laws.