VGW explains Canada exit: Vast majority of players are in US
The Chumba Casino and Global Poker brands will no longer be made available to players in Canada.
Key points:
– VGW has announced the imminent withdrawal of its sweepstakes products from the Canadian market
– Players in Canada will no longer be able to access VGW’s products as of 23 October
– Unlike New York & New Jersey, this market exit comes without any regulatory pressure or requirements
Sweepstakes operator VGW has announced the official withdrawal of its Chumba Casino and Global Poker brands from Canada as of 23 October 2025.
Indeed, this move comes following little legal and regulatory scrutiny faced by VGW in Canada – especially compared to the onslaught of legislative battles the sweepstakes operator has faced in the US. Nevertheless, the decision has now been taken to phase out its offerings in the nation, with players now no longer able to make Gold Coin purchases in Canada.
From 24 September 2025 players in the region will also be restricted from accessing VGW games but will be allowed to redeem prizes. From 23 October, the operator will cease operations in the market entirely.
Speaking on this latest updated, a VGW spokesperson provided Gambling Insider with the following comment: “We can confirm that, following careful consideration, we’ve informed players of a decision to phase out our brands that offer products in Canada (Chumba Casino and Global Poker). We understand this is an adjustment after many years and our valued Canadian players may be disappointed.
“This decision wasn’t taken lightly and our focus is on ensuring players are fully informed about the changes, and that this transition is as smooth as possible. Ultimately, this is a difficult but strategic, isolated decision. Our Canadian business is relatively small, as the vast majority of our players reside in the larger US market, where we will concentrate our management focus, resources and investment going forward.”
Good to know: VGW also became the first sweepstakes operator ever to form an official partnership with a tribal entity in California this month
This latest withdrawal comes following similar recent market exits for VGW this year. In May, following the introduction of tightened regulations, the operator decided to pull its sweepstakes offerings from the New York state market.
Similarly, last month, New Jersey’s regulator took a major step in becoming the first state to officially prohibit sweepstakes casinos – with VGW confirming that its Chumba Casino and Luckyland Casino offerings would no longer be available to players in the Garden State.
Conversely, this latest withdrawal comes seemingly unprompted and also follows the operator’s surprise recent announcement that it would begin charging players sales tax on Gold Coin purchases.
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