Stake.us has begun withdrawing from Oklahoma ahead of the state’s Nov. 1 ban on sweepstakes casinos, telling customers that the platform will no longer be available to them from Oct. 30.
The company said Oklahoma customers will still be able to log in and redeem eligible balances after access to the platform ends. It also warned that playing, purchases and promotional participation may be restricted after the cutoff, depending on account details.
The withdrawal puts Stake.us ahead of the statutory effective date by two days. The company’s model uses Gold Coins for standard social play and Stake Cash for promotional sweepstakes play; Stake.us says Stake Cash cannot be bought directly and that no purchase is necessary to play.
As we reported in July, Oklahoma enacted SB 1589 after lawmakers overrode Stitt’s veto. The law makes sweepstakes casinos illegal unless operators remove sweepstakes coins from their offerings.
Gov. Kevin Stitt had vetoed the measure on May 7, calling it “vague and overbroad.” On May 15, the Senate overrode the veto 34-10 and the House followed by 68-19.
SB 1589 covers internet-accessible casino games using dual-currency systems in which virtual credits can be exchanged for prizes, cash or cash equivalents. Potential liability extends beyond operators to payment processors, geolocation providers, gaming suppliers, platform providers and media affiliates.
Violations can carry a Class C2 felony, fines of $500 to $2,000 and possible imprisonment. Tribal gaming conducted under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and charitable gaming under the Oklahoma Charity Games Act are exempt.
Stake.us has set out a full withdrawal timetable. Modo has separately curtailed purchases of Gold Coin packages containing promotional Sweeps Coins in Oklahoma while retaining a Gold-Coin-only service.
The Oklahoma exit forms part of wider state scrutiny of dual-currency sweepstakes platforms. Stake.us had previously listed 20 restricted states, while Indiana and Iowa had July 1 exit deadlines and Maine had a mid-July deadline, according to an earlier industry review.
