WASHINGTON D.C. (MAY 1, 2025) – The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) today responded to a recent amendment made to New York Senate Bill S5935, which seeks to ban online sweepstakes promotions. 

The amendment clarifies that the New York State Gaming Commission, not the legislation itself, will determine what constitutes a “dual-currency system” under the law.

The change is a direct response to widespread concerns that the bill would criminalize promotional sweepstakes and marketing tools used by both small businesses and major brands, such as Marriott, McDonald’s, and Starbucks.

“This amendment is a clear acknowledgment that this anti-business bill needlessly threatens New York’s economy,” said a spokesperson for SPGA. “But this amendment doesn’t fix anything. It’s a political patch meant to quiet critics without solving the underlying problem.”

By leaving the definition of a dual-currency system up to regulators, the amended bill simply punts the problem to the Gaming Commission. This ill-conceived pivot only deepens the risks to mobile game operators, marketing platforms, and loyalty systems by injecting even more ambiguity.

“Lawmakers wouldn’t be amending the bill if it didn’t need amending,” the SPGA spokesperson continued. “New York legislators are publicly admitting the bill was flawed, and other states like Louisiana should take note before making the same mistake.

“This was already bad legislation. Lawmakers have taken a mess and made it into a catastrophe.”

Rather than collaborating with stakeholders and legal experts to craft thoughtful regulation, New York continues to advance a bill that threatens innovation and dictates to New Yorkers what games they can and can’t play on their phones.

The SPGA remains committed to working with any lawmaker interested in getting this right, through modern, balanced regulation that protects consumers without criminalizing digital entertainment.

ABOUT THE SOCIAL AND PROMOTIONAL GAMES ASSOCIATION (SPGA)
The SPGA and its members are committed to protecting players, promoting responsible innovation, and advocating for clear regulations that allow social sweepstakes games to flourish. By uniting stakeholders under a single banner, we present a unified voice for integrity and responsibility in social and promotional gaming.

For more information about the Social and Promotional Games Association and to stay updated on upcoming events, visit our website at thespga.org.

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