Sweepstakes casinos in Tennessee

PRIMARY-SOURCE NOTE

Tennessee enforces its sweepstakes ban through the Consumer Protection Act

What the law does

Public Chapter 1117 added a part to Title 47, Chapter 18, the chapter that opens with the Consumer Protection Act¹². Section 47-18-5901 defines an online sweepstakes game as gambling, in the sense of section 39-17-501, offered online on a virtual, dual or multi-currency system that lets a player trade coins that were bought, received as a bonus or free with another purchase for a prize or cash equivalent, and simulates any gambling, such as casino games, lottery, bingo or unlicensed sports wagering¹. Section 47-18-5902 reaches anyone who operates, conducts or commercially promotes such a game in the state, or supports, facilitates or assists its operation¹. The part exempts lawful games under the Sports Gaming Act, the Fantasy Sports Act, nonprofit gaming and the education lottery¹. Under section 47-18-5903, a violation is an unfair or deceptive act under the Consumer Protection Act, with its penalties and remedies, and costs cannot be taxed against the attorney general or the state¹.

What has happened since

Both chambers adopted the majority conference report on April 23, 2026, the House by 69 votes to 17 and the Senate by 25 to 5, and the Governor signed the bill on May 22, 2026². The Secretary of State assigned the chapter number on May 27, 2026, and the bill history gives May 22, 2026 as the effective date, which fits the act's closing section saying it takes effect upon becoming law¹². Our record has Tennessee as prohibited from May 22, 2026. The one entry in our event history, "Public Chapter 1117 takes effect: online sweepstakes ban", marks that day, and nothing logged after it is a lawsuit, a settlement or an attorney general announcement. We hold 108 operator records marked as not accepting Tennessee players, and the exit records name ThrillCoins (July 1, 2026), BangCoins (July 1, 2026), SpeedSweeps (July 1, 2026) and SweepsRoyal (July 1, 2026).

What is still open

The act does not name any category of supporting business. Subdivision (b)(5) of section 47-18-5902 covers any person who supports, facilitates or assists the operation of these games, and subdivision (b)(2) covers anyone who commercially promotes them, while our record does not mark Tennessee for affiliate liability¹. Whether the attorney general reads those clauses to reach a payment processor, a game studio or an advertising affiliate is not answered by any event we track. Visibility is the second gap. Section 47-18-5904 keeps the attorney general's enforcement files under this part confidential and outside the Public Records Act, so the record may show nothing until a case is filed in court¹.

Enforcement search

Our tracked event history for Tennessee holds one entry, the day the new consumer protection part took effect, and no lawsuit, settlement or attorney general announcement under it.

Question still open

Whether the attorney general reads the clause on supporting, facilitating or assisting these games to reach payment processors, game studios or advertising affiliates, and whether any investigation is open, since the act keeps those files confidential.

Sources for this note

1. Conference Committee Report on HB 1885 / SB 2136, majority report adopted by both chambers (Tennessee General Assembly) accessed Sep 28, 2026
2. SB 2136 / HB 1885 (114th General Assembly) bill history and Public Chapter assignment (Tennessee General Assembly) accessed Sep 28, 2026

Sources rechecked 2026-09-28. Next scheduled review 2026-12-28.