Leading Sweeps Casinos Launch Advocacy Group
The Social Gaming Leadership Alliance (SGLA) has been launched to represent the interests of major social casino operators.
With more than 10 US states pushing forward with anti-sweeps legislation, the timing isn’t accidental. The industry needs coordination, lobbying power, and a unified voice, and the SGLA aims to deliver exactly that.
Founding members include VGW, which owns Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker, and B-Two Operations, the social casino giant that owns McLuck, Hello Millions, Mega Bonanza, PlayFame, Jackpota, and Sports Millions. Other founders are PLAYSTUDIOS, which makes casino apps for MGM Resorts, Pulsz and Pulsz Bingo operator Yellow Social Interactive, and ARB Interactive, which is responsible for Modo.us.
Heavyweight Political Leadership
This is a serious operation that is long overdue and aimed at shaping future policies and legislation. Several other operators formed the Social and Promotional Games Association, but that organization has focused on a PR role and speaking out against proposed legislation. The SGLA has appointed former US Congressman and South Carolina State Representative Jeff Duncan as its Executive Director and appears to have political ambitions.
“The SGLA’s partners are uniquely positioned to work with lawmakers, stakeholders, and players to support innovation in digital games and ensure millions of Americans have the freedom to enjoy the games they love in a safe environment,” said Duncan. “I look forward to working with state and industry leadership to do just that.”
Four states ban sweepstakes casinos, and more than ten others have anti-sweepstakes casino legislation in the pipeline. Montana recently passed its anti-sweeps bill into law, and Connecticut, New Jersey, Nevada, Louisiana, and New York are among the other states working on their own laws to outlaw sweepstakes casinos.
What is the SGLA’s Mission?
The SGLA’s founding principles and mission statement are:
- Driving industry integrity
- Protecting players
- Advocating for social gaming standards
The alliance has already begun rebranding sweepstakes casinos as ‘social online gaming.’
“Sweepstakes casinos or sweeps casinos is incorrect and inaccurate terminology,” it said on the website. This mischaracterization fails to recognize that sweepstakes promotions are a common marketing strategy used across many US industries.”
Now, the alliance looks set to engage with lawmakers in different states and become part of the conversation regarding future legislation for social casinos, ensuring the survival of a sector that has shown explosive growth over the past few years.
