Sidepot Casino has decided to relocate out of Arizona after the state tightened its restrictions on sweepstakes casinos.
The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has been relentless in tightening overall gambling rules across 2025. Sweepstakes casinos have been the target of recent correspondence that has left many operators looking for the exit door.
Sidepot Casino, run by Fliff.inc, has been the seventh outfit to leave the state amid the regulatory push.
Sidepot exits the Arizona market
As we reported earlier this month (September 2025), the ADG issued a cease-and-desist order to Raffall. This came on the back of the operator promoting sweepstakes prizes, and the company’s links to external countries of operation were deemed a direct breach of state gaming laws.
Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming, Jackie Johnson, said, “Illegal gambling can take many forms, and it does not matter if it is labeled a sweepstakes, raffle, giveaway, or drawing.”
TODAY: ADG Issues Cease-and-Desists on
“Phoenix Dream Home Sweepstakes”ADG has issued cease-and-desist orders to Raffall, a company based in the United Kingdom, and to an Arizona resident using the platform.
Full news release: https://t.co/g9Ogzm5Hsx pic.twitter.com/FNHIDAJG4f
— Arizona Department of Gaming (@AzGaming) September 9, 2025
Sidepot Casino has become the latest figure of scrutiny for the ADG, and the operator has decided to withdraw. Betty Sweeps, Pulz, and Thrillzz were also involved in the cease communications from the regulator in August, with all of the other respective parties deciding to cut their losses.
ADG shifts focus to prediction markets
The ADG has now shifted its focus to another emerging gambling boom, driven by the prediction market rush across America. These new forms of gambling are currently living in the legal limbo of federal certification, with most, if not all, prediction providers falling under the protection and status of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA).
The CEA, in collaboration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has identified a list of legal loopholes that currently enable prediction markets to operate across state lines.
This is in contrast to traditional betting providers, which must pay heavy licensing fees to operate in a state, much to their chagrin.
We reported that Kalshi has also taken on the California Tribes, stating that the ability for users to place bets on Tribal Lands is protected by the CEA and a select portion of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).
So the battle between the ADG and prediction markets looks to be another front in their protracted war against their definition of providers who breach The Copper State’s legislature.
Featured image: Canva.
The post Sidepot Casino departs Arizona amid sweepstakes crackdown appeared first on ReadWrite.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
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