TikTok Shop Bans Sweepstake Casinos and Social Casinos

TikTok Shop's US policies now prohibit sweepstake casinos, social casinos, and most giveaways that require payment for a chance to win.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Gambling

Live Poll

Should platforms like TikTok be allowed to promote sweepstakes and raffle games?

TikTok Shop's US Prohibited Products Policy, in a version dated Oct. 29, bans sweepstake casinos, social casinos, online gambling of any kind, and unlicensed gambling games. Its separate Shop Gambling Policy also prohibits raffles, spins, sweepstakes, and any content where a user pays for a chance to win.

Why it matters

The rules apply to both sellers and creators, covering livestreams and videos, so a stream or clip can breach the ban even without a prize or audience engagement. Creators and sellers who run giveaways outside TikTok's official LIVE Giveaway feature face new compliance risk.

California's AB 831, approved Oct. 11, 2025, makes violations a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 to $25,000 fine, up to one year in county jail, or both. Indiana's maximum fine for knowing operators is $100,000, and enforcement mechanisms in the other states remain unclear.

The players

TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is the e-commerce arm of the short-video platform TikTok, operated by ByteDance, which sets seller and creator policies for the US market.

Gov. Mike Braun

Mike Braun is the Governor of Indiana, who signed HB 1052 into law on March 12, 2026, imposing penalties on sweepstakes operators.

Gov. Bill Lee

Bill Lee is the Governor of Tennessee, who signed the state's sweepstakes casino ban into law.

The details

TikTok Shop first published a detailed gambling policy on May 27, 2026, and a formal version is dated June 25, 2026. TikTok's official LIVE Giveaway feature is the one sanctioned route for free giveaways, and Tennessee and Indiana have separately moved to restrict sweepstakes casinos.

California AB 831 was approved on Oct. 11, 2025.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed HB 1052 on March 12, 2026.
TikTok Shop first published its detailed gambling policy on May 27, 2026.
A formal version of the TikTok Shop gambling policy is dated June 25, 2026.
The Prohibited Products Policy version listing sweepstake casinos is dated Oct. 29, 2026.

Legal Context

California's AB 831 set the template for state restrictions on sweepstakes promotion, and Indiana and Tennessee have since passed their own sweepstakes casino bans. TikTok Shop's policy extends similar limits to its national US marketplace, aligning platform rules with the emerging state-level patchwork.

Sellers and creators running giveaways should move them to TikTok's official LIVE Giveaway feature to avoid breaching the policy. Anyone planning to host raffles, spins, or paid-chance contests on TikTok Shop should review the Shop Gambling Policy before posting.

The takeaway

Review any giveaway or contest content against TikTok's Shop Gambling Policy before posting, since a stream or clip alone can trigger a violation. Keep promotions within the platform's official LIVE Giveaway tools to stay compliant.