Sweepstakes Casinos are now everywhere in the USA and present themselves as not being real casinos, which we all know to be a technicality and an un-truth. This white lie is harmless enough though and if that allows adults in some US states to enjoy casino games and have some fun, no problem there.
But some shocking unethical behavior by some of these sweepstakes casinos has recently been revealed by casino influencer “Mr Hand Pay”, real name Jason Boehlke, on his Youtube Channel.
“Mr Hand Pay” is an influencer first and foremost for land-based casinos but as a popular figure, he has been approached and offered many deals by online casinos, including Sweepstakes Casinos.
In the video on his Youtube page, Jason plays and comments on a recording he has made of a business negotiation with the representative of some of the biggest Sweepstakes casino brands in the US: McLuck and Pulsz.
Some of the underhanded tactics they acknowledged are blatant violation of truth in advertising (illegal in itself) and demonstrates the lack of ethics of these companies, along to those of the streamers that they partner with.
Mr. Hand Pay’s explosive revelations about his dealings with major sweepstakes casinos expose an industry that isn’t merely careless with the truth. It is actively hostile to it. What he reveals is nothing short of an indictment of a sector that thrives on illusion, hiding its lies behind Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), possibly manipulated odds, and fake “high-roller” gameplay designed to dupe unsuspecting players.
Buying Influence, Selling Lies
Mr. Hand Pay revealed one of the most damning truths from his own experience. A Sweepstakes casino offered him a multi-million-dollar deal to “promote” their brand. However, the catch quickly surfaced — he couldn’t use his own money. Instead, the casino would provide him with “house money,” giving him risk-free funds to play with.
The problem is not just the use of house money itself, but the strings attached. They explicitly instructed him to lie to his followers and claim the money as his own. Moreover, they expected his streams and reactions to create the illusion of a real gambler risking personal funds. In doing so, the casinos aimed to turn him into a puppet in their theater of deception — essentially a salesman disguised as an authentic player.
This isn’t harmless marketing. It’s a direct attempt to manipulate viewers into believing that they, too, can win big like their favorite influencers. In truth, the influencers are gambling with the casino’s money, while ordinary players risk their own hard-earned cash against possibly rigged odds.
Rigged Slots in Favor of the Streamers to Deceive Viewers?
This is, if true, the most disturbing revelation in the video: a possible Return to Player (RTP) manipulation by these sweepstakes casinos.
RTP is the mathematical percentage that determines how much of their money a slot machine or game will theoretically pay back over time. In general, the RTP will be somewhere between 90 and 98% for standard slots at online casinos.
But according to Mr. Hand Pay, casinos crank up the RTP for streamers, giving them inflated odds so that big wins appear far more frequently than they ever would for the average customer. Casinos could potentially raise the RTP setting for streamers to 105% or even 110%. As a result, every $100 wagered would guarantee a $5 to $10 profit while also triggering bigger wins and bonuses.
What is the Alleged Strategy?
The alleged strategy is simple but insidious: show influencers hitting jackpots and massive wins, encourage the audience to believe that such payouts are typical, and then funnel those same viewers into games with far worse odds.
This scheme works like the digital version of stacking a deck — but this time, the spectators are the ones being hustled, with their wallets at risk. Of course, the casino representatives in Mr. Hand Pay’s video never stated this outright.
Instead, Jason interpreted parts of the conversation, yet even the suspicion of cheating raises alarm. After all, if the games were truly fair and not rigged in favor of streamers, the casinos should have welcomed him using his own money instead of insisting on house funds.
Furthermore, any wager has a mathematical advantage for the casino so if the streamer wants to bet real money. This means profits over time for the casino and hence completely free or even profit-generating marketing.
But of course, if the casinos raise the RTP to induce big wins for the streamers then the math is turned on its head and every wager would be profitable for the streamer and that might be why they would not allow Mr Hand Pay to play with real cash.
Again, we must stress that this is only a theory presented by Mr Hand Pay and not something that McLuck or Pulsz admits to doing. We can only hope that this theory is false and that these sweepstakes casinos are not indeed rigging the games to deceive potential players.
The Scripted Reactions and Fake High-Rollers
Casinos don’t just manipulate the numbers and lie to viewers — they manipulate the performance.
The sheer absurdity of these lies is staggering. One casino representative even admitted that not even Elon Musk could afford the kind of high-stakes gambling some influencers showcase. Think about that: billionaires couldn’t sustain the behavior being sold as “authentic.” Yet everyday players are manipulated into believing they can chase the same dream.
Mr Hand Pay highlights how fake authenticity is woven into streams. Representatives from the casinos for instance suggested in the video “segregating” funds in such a way that gameplay looked genuine, and that bank receipt could be displayed to show that “real money” was used, despite being entirely orchestrated.
Influencers like “NG Slot “ have often produced this type of “proof” like bank statements, just like the sweepstakes casino representatives suggest. Whether or not these influencers are lying is up to the reader to decide.
Recently, one should note, these streamers that play for ultra-high stakes have started adding disclaimers to their videos admitting that no real money was involved.
However, probably not to cover their tracks about the bet sizes and house-money deceptions but rather to maintain the fig-leaf that Sweepstakes Casinos are not actually real-money casinos.
The Silence of NDAs
If these practices are so indefensible, why don’t more influencers speak out? The answer is simple: gag orders.
Mr. Hand Pay revealed that casinos like McLuck and Pulsz required him — and every other influencer they work with — to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements. These NDAs are not about protecting trade secrets. They are about silencing whistleblowers, ensuring the ugly truth of their tactics remains hidden.
When NDAs are weaponized in this way, they stop being legal documents and become tools of coercion. Their purpose is clear: keep the lies going, keep the money flowing, and bury anyone who dares to tell the truth.
Fortunately, the representatives failed to make Mr. Hand Pay sign an NDA before the call. Since Jason lives in a one-party consent state, he legally recorded the conversation. This allowed him to expose the truth.
Human Cost: The Players Who Lose
Behind every orchestrated stream, every (allegedly) manipulated RTP, and every fake reaction are real players. These are people who deposit their own money, who believe they’re one lucky spin away from life-changing winnings just like they have seen streamers do online.
Instead, they’re lured into a rigged ecosystem. Real players don’t receive boosted RTP, free house money, or quiet reimbursements at the end of the month. Instead, they simply lose.
The Industry’s Last Defense: Denial
The defenders of sweepstakes casinos will, no doubt, cry foul at these accusations. They will argue that these are isolated incidents, insist that Mr Hand Pay misunderstood, or label these practices as “common marketing.”
But the recorded conversations tell a different story. When a casino representative openly admits that gameplay can be manipulated, the defense immediately weakens. And when they confess fears about streamers winning with their own money and pressure influencers to hide the truth, the defense completely collapses.
US regulators continue to target the Sweepstakes Casino industry. With these new revelations, calls to ban them will only intensify. This hurts players who enjoy quality casino games at home. As an unfortunate result, the industry keeps finding new ways to damage itself.
The basis of a casino must be fairness: clearly displayed game rules and honest randomness. Any reasonable person knows the house always wins since the math favors it. With luck, a player might still win big.
However, if Mr Hand Pay’s claims are true, Sweepstakes casinos break this rule. They must offer honest games and truthful information.
Only then can they earn money fairly by running the casino.
Real Money Casinos That Are Truthful
Thankfully, many real money online casinos respect this rule and have long track records. They avoid deceitful marketing to attract players. If you want to find such a casino to play at, please visit our “best online casinos” page. There, you can read the reviews of the few casinos that we at Betting News 100% trust and monitor.
To learn more about online casinos and how they work, check our online casino guides. They offer deeper insights into the industry to help you gain more knowledge about the world of casinos.