Written by :
Published on :
OAKLAND PARK, Fla (Gambling911.com) - VGW is permanently closing LuckyLand Slots by Sept. 14, 2026, ending an eight-year run as one of the sweepstakes casino industry's best-known brands. The final day is slated for September 14 but the closing process will be taking place over stages until that time. Gambling911.com is encouraging its readers who maintain an account here to pull funds immediately.
Unlike a real money online casino, sweepstakes - or social casinos - is an online platform that allows users to play casino-style games, including slots, bingo, table games, and even live casino games, using virtual currency instead of real money. These types of online casinos rely on additional real money purchases once the free play component is exhausted. In contrast, real money online casinos require a small deposit that can be increased through wins. Free play and cash bonuses are typically offered as well.
Sweepstakes casinos have come under fire from U.S. state regulators over the past year. 14 states now prohibit these types of platforms.
- California
- Connecticut
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oklahoma*
- Tennessee
- Washington
These platforms are finding creative ways of getting around newly imposed sweepstakes/dual currency state laws.
LuckyLand Slots is owned by Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), whose brands include some of the biggest in the sweepstakes casino space, including Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Casino and Global Poker. None of these are impacted by the closure.
LuckyLand Slots has emailed all customers as to steps that should be taken with critical dates highlighted.
- Aug. 3, 2026: Players can no longer buy Gold Coin packages. Existing Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins can still be used.
- Aug. 24, 2026: Gameplay ends. Players can still redeem eligible Sweeps Coins for prizes.
- Sept. 14, 2026: Prize redemptions close permanently, and players lose access to LuckyLand Slots altogether.
The LuckyLand Slots website was first launched in 2018.
The move comes as VGW is looking to expand its LuckyLand sister site into table games and social live-dealer content and had been widely expected since the beginning of this year.
"For the last eight years, LuckyLand Slots has been proud to be your go-to online social casino. We've loved sharing every milestone with you and we're grateful for the incredible community we've built together," VGW said in the notice to players.
The company made headlines in recent months for all the wrong reasons after its colorful founder, Laurence Escalante, was charged in Western Australia with multiple criminal offenses stemming from allegations involving a former partner.
He has denied the allegations and has indicated he will vigorously contest all charges.
Initially, Escalante took a leave of absence from his roles as CEO and Executive Chairman after the charges became public. In July 2026, he formally resigned from both positions, saying he wanted to focus on his personal matters, private investments, and philanthropy.
VGW appointed Mats Johnson as Acting CEO, and the company has stated that the allegations are personal in nature and unrelated to VGW's business operations.
For those who might have missed this news prior to the complete shutdown scheduled for September 14 (you'd be forgiven being that it is the summer holidays), Gambling911.com would encourage affected customers to contact the parent company directly.
- Chris Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher
