VGW Holdings Review: Sister Casinos and Lawsuits
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VGW Holdings stands as a pioneering force in the social gaming industry since its establishment in 2010. The company is based in Perth, Western Australia, at 15–17 William Street, Level 11, and is registered under number 147193511.
It was founded by Laurence Escalante and became the first to launch a sweepstakes-style online casino.
They are the first company to open a sweepstakes casino (Chumba) and operate under a prestigious Malta Gaming Authority license, bringing genuine regulatory oversight to the social casino space.
VGW has also teamed up with Scuderia Ferrari in a big way. In 2023, it kicked off a three-year “Premium Partner” deal worth EUR 67.5 million with the Formula One team.
The company takes gaming seriously enough to develop titles through Golden Feather Studios, their dedicated game development arm that crafts exclusive slot experiences to play with Gold Coins for fun and Sweeps Coins for real cash rewards.
Today, VGW Holdings operates three distinct social casino platforms: Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker.
VGW Holdings company info
Here’s a quick breakdown of the essential facts about VGW Holdings.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Parent Company | VGW (Virtual Gaming Worlds) Holdings |
| Owner | Laurence Escalante |
| Social Casinos / Sister Sites | Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, Global Poker |
| Earnings (FY 2024) | $3.94 billion revenue |
| Number of Employees | 1,200+ globally |
| Primary Offices | Perth, Western Australia; Licensed Entity in Birkirkara, Malta |
| Licenses | Malta Gaming Authority Gaming Service License (MGA/B2C/188/2010) |
What are the VGW Holdings casinos?
VGW Holdings runs three well-known sister social casino platforms: Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker.
Each sister site offers a different way to play, but they all use a sweepstakes promotional model that lets players enjoy games for fun or a chance to win real cash prizes.
Chumba Casino
Established in 2012, Chumba Casino brings players an extensive gaming library featuring 208 slots, live social casino experiences, bingo rooms and virtual table games.
You'll find titles from NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming and Playtech, alongside exclusive games like The Last Empress and Monster Spins! developed by their proprietary studios.
Chumba social casino operates with Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, accepting players aged 18 and older across eligible states.
LuckyLand Slots
Since launching in 2019, LuckyLand Slots has focused on delivering a streamlined slot experience with 110 titles plus jackpot games, table games and instant win options.
LuckyLand Slots sweepstakes casino features games from Relax Gaming, ReelPlay and NetEnt, including popular titles like Twin Spin Megaways and Space Miners.
Players aged 21+ enjoy Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins gameplay, but states like Connecticut, Michigan, Montana, Delaware, Nevada and Washington residents face restrictions.
Global Poker
The free play site entered the scene in 2016, specializing in poker variants including Texas Hold'Em, Omaha High/Low and Crazy Pineapple.
Global Poker Casino features poker tournaments, where you can participate with Sweeps Coins for real money winnings chances.
Beyond poker, the platform offers 57 slots, jackpot games and instant win titles from providers like NetEnt and Relax Gaming.
VGW Holdings Lawsuits
VGW Holdings faces significant legal challenges across multiple jurisdictions like Georgia and California. Destiny Kennedy filed a class action lawsuit in The Peach State federal court against VGW Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries, including VGW Malta Limited, VGW Luckyland Inc., and VGW GP Limited.
The plaintiff alleged that VGW's operation and marketing of Chumba Casino, Global Poker and LuckyLand Slots violated Georgia casino law, claiming personal losses of approximately $1,150 while seeking to represent Georgia consumers who lost money on these platforms.
The Georgia court ultimately granted VGW's motion to dismiss and compelled arbitration, denying class certification in the process. However, legal pressures continue mounting elsewhere.
California courts received another nationwide class action lawsuit targeting VGW for alleged illegal gambling operations.
This broader legal action extends beyond VGW itself, naming partners and vendors involved in revenue generation, marketing, geolocation services and banking operations, including Trustly, Yodlee, Jumio and affiliate promoter Brian Christopher.
Such widespread involvement threatens to impact VGW's industry partnerships and multi-state operations significantly.
Additionally, the Sixth Circuit Court handles Lauren Ewing v. VGW Holdings Ltd., part of consolidated cases involving VGW and similar companies addressing gambling loss claims under Tennessee law.
While jurisdictional issues led to remanding this case to state court, it reflects the ongoing legal controversies VGW encounters across various jurisdictions throughout the United States.