Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed two lawsuits on Aug. 19 against VGW, Stake and the payment firms that support them, accusing the defendants of running illegal online casinos in Florida. The complaints seek to shut down the businesses in the state, recover allegedly ill-gotten gambling proceeds, and win consumer restitution, civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and other relief.
According to the attorney general’s office, the cases were filed in Hillsborough County Circuit Court and target Stake as well as VGW’s Chumba Casino, LuckyLand and Global Poker. The suits also name Breeze Labs, Praxis, Trustly and Worldpay. The office says the conduct violates Florida gambling laws and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
The filings say the companies use a dual-currency model built around packages of Gold Coins and a second redeemable currency, usually called Sweeps Coins or Stake Cash. The operators argue that because the redeemable currency is given away and can also be obtained without a purchase, players are taking part in a promotional sweepstakes rather than gambling. Florida says that distinction is a legal fiction and that consumers are effectively buying casino chips by another name.
The complaints say the platforms offer slots, blackjack, roulette and poker. They also say the companies market the sites as free, safe and legal social entertainment, using celebrity and influencer campaigns, easy 24/7 access, and payment tools including credit cards and Apple Pay to draw players in. The state says the businesses target people who verify their identities with Florida-issued photo IDs and proof of residence, and that the tactics harm Floridians including minors and seniors.
Uthmeier argues that the model deprives Florida of licensing, taxation and other revenues from gambling entities the state regulates. The office says Florida law strictly limits gambling and authorizes slot machines only under narrow circumstances at licensed facilities. The suits seek permanent injunctions barring the defendants from operating or soliciting in Florida, along with forfeiture and recovery of money lost by Florida consumers and disgorgement of ill-gotten gains. The attorney general also says his office can pursue these claims under FDUTPA, which he says reaches violations of the state’s gambling statutes as well.
