Sweepstakes casinos like Stake.us and Chumba: what they are and how to block them
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Sweepstakes casinos such as Stake.us and Chumba Casino offer slots, blackjack and roulette in states where online casinos aren't legal, and they say "no purchase necessary" right on the page. If one of them has quietly become a bigger part of your evenings or your card statement than you meant, here's how they work, why the "free" framing is misleading, and how to block them on an iPhone.
How sweepstakes casinos work
Most run on two kinds of coins:
- Gold Coins (names vary) are play money. You get some free, and you can buy more in packages.
- Sweeps Coins (Stake.us calls them Stake Cash) come as a "bonus" with Gold Coin purchases, through daily login rewards, or by mail-in request. Once you've played them through, winnings in Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for cash or gift cards.
Because you're never required to buy anything, and there's a free way to get Sweeps Coins, the operators say they're running sweepstakes rather than gambling. That's how they've operated in most states, including many where online casinos are illegal.
Why "free" is misleading
The free route exists, but it isn't how most of the money moves. In practice, people buy coin packages with a card, Apple Pay or crypto, play casino games with the bonus coins, and redeem winnings for cash. Money goes in, money can come out, and in between you're playing the same slot machines a casino offers. The coin system changes the paperwork. It doesn't change what your brain or your bank account experiences.
A few other things make them sticky:
- Daily rewards that reward opening the app every single day.
- VIP programs and hosts who reach out when you've gone quiet.
- Crypto on some sites, which makes spending feel less like spending.
- Endless new brands. Dozens of sweepstakes casinos exist, and new ones launch constantly with sign-up bonuses.
Are they legal?
It depends on your state, and it's changing fast. Since 2025 several states, including California, Connecticut and New Jersey, have passed laws against sweepstakes casinos, and operators have pulled out of other states under regulatory pressure. Check your state's gaming regulator for the current picture. This isn't legal advice, and for the purpose of this article it mostly doesn't matter: if it's costing you, it's worth blocking either way.
Why they slip past blockers
- They're usually played in a browser, so blocking an app isn't enough.
- They call themselves social casinos. Lists built around sportsbooks often miss them.
- New domains appear all the time. A list you typed last month is already out of date.
How to block Stake.us, Chumba and other sweepstakes casinos on iPhone
- Redeem or withdraw what you can, then ask each operator to close your account. Most have a responsible gameplay or account closure option in settings or through support.
- Remove saved cards. Delete payment methods stored in each account, and remove cards from Safari AutoFill (Settings > Apps > Safari > AutoFill, or Settings > Safari on older versions). An extra step at the checkout is a surprisingly good brake.
- Block the websites. Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Web Content > Limit Adult Websites. Under Never Allow, add the sites you've used, for example
stake.us,chumbacasino.com,luckylandslots.com,pulsz.com,wowvegas.comandmcluck.com. - Block casino apps. Casino-style apps, including social casinos, usually carry a high age rating. Setting a lower age limit for Apps in Content & Privacy Restrictions hides them, and App Limits (1 minute, Block at End of Limit) blocks any specific app by name.
- Stop new ones arriving. Under iTunes & App Store Purchases, set Installing Apps to Don't Allow.
- Hand the Screen Time passcode to someone you trust. Here's how they set it.
The hand-typed list is the weak link here more than anywhere. With so many brands, you'll want a maintained list that also catches new addresses.
If it's someone you love
Sweepstakes casinos can hide in plain sight: a game on the phone, small card charges with unfamiliar names, gift cards arriving in the mail. If you're seeing that, it's worth a calm, specific conversation, not an ambush. Here's a way to start it, and here's what a helper does in Winner's Win (it's free for helpers).
Where Winner's Win fits
Sweepstakes casinos are a category on the Winner's Win block list, alongside sportsbooks, online casinos, pick'em and prediction markets. The list covers 340,000+ gambling sites in every browser, plus rules that block new addresses containing gambling words like "casino" or "sportsbook", and gambling endings like .casino and .bet. Screen Time shields the apps you pick, and up to four people you trust hold the key: they're told if protection is switched off, and nothing unlocks unless they all agree.
Plans and prices are on our pricing section. Your helpers never pay. If your subscription ends, blocking stops.
Questions
Are sweepstakes casinos gambling?
Operators say they're sweepstakes because no purchase is required. In practice most people buy coin packages, play casino games and redeem winnings for cash, and a growing number of states have banned them. If it's costing you money or sleep, treat it like gambling.
Is Chumba Casino or Stake.us legal in my state?
It depends on the state, and several have banned sweepstakes casinos since 2025. Check your state's gaming regulator for the current rules. This isn't legal advice.
Will blocking the site cancel my account or pending redemptions?
No. Blocking a site on your phone doesn't change your account. Redeem or withdraw what you can first, then ask the operator to close the account.