VGW has announced it’s removing sweepstakes play (AKA promotional play) as an option for players in New York state.

It appears the ability to play with Sweeps Coins and redeem them for real money will gradually be phased out by August this year, but free play via Gold Coins will still be available to residents of the Empire State. The news was initially reported on the Sweepsy website.

An email sent to NY players said, beginning on June 2, NY players won’t have any way to get hold of new Sweeps Coins.

Beginning on July 2, those players will lose access to promotional play with any remaining SC. Also, mail-in submissions for SC redemptions will no longer work. From August 1, online redemptions of SC will no longer be available.

To reiterate, free play with Gold Coins will remain in New York, and all other US states remain unaffected on VGW platforms. Perhaps some New York players will keep their accounts open in the hope that something positive could be worked out in the future.