Where Is Chumba Casino Located? What Most People Get Wrong

Where Is Chumba Casino Located? What Most People Get Wrong

If you've spent more than five minutes scrolling through Facebook or searching for a way to play slots without driving to a neon-lit building in the middle of nowhere, you've probably seen the name. Chumba. It’s everywhere. But when you’re about to hand over your card details or wait for a prize redemption, a very reasonable question pops up: Where is Chumba Casino located? Most people assume they’re in a glass tower in Las Vegas or tucked away in a dusty office in New Jersey. They aren't. Honestly, the answer is way more global than you’d expect for a site that feels so inherently "American."

The Short Answer: It’s a Global Operation

Basically, Chumba Casino doesn't have a single "front door" you can walk up to. Because it’s an online-only platform, its "location" depends entirely on whether you’re talking about where the servers are, where the bosses sit, or where they process your mail.

The parent company, VGW Holdings (Virtual Gaming Worlds), is actually headquartered in Perth, Australia.

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Yeah, the Outback.

Founded by Laurence Escalante back in 2010, the company has exploded into a multi-billion-dollar empire. While the brain of the operation is in Western Australia, the legal heart—the part that holds the licenses—is often tied to Malta. Specifically, VGW Malta Limited is the entity that usually appears on their official documentation and terms of service.

Why Malta, though?

Malta is essentially the Silicon Valley of online gaming. The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is one of the most respected regulators in the world. By basing the legal entity there, Chumba can prove to players (and banks) that they aren't some fly-by-night operation running out of a basement in a country you can't find on a map.

Where is Chumba Casino located in the United States?

Even though the headquarters are overseas, they have a massive footprint in the States. You can’t run a massive sweepstakes operation for millions of Americans without local "boots on the ground."

Currently, Chumba maintains a business presence in a few key spots:

  • San Francisco, California: This is where a huge chunk of their marketing and tech talent hangs out. If you see a job posting for VGW in the US, it’s almost always for the SF office.
  • Portsmouth, New Hampshire: If you are a "mail-in" enthusiast (those people who write letters to get free Sweeps Coins), this is your Mecca. Their Sweepstakes Department uses a PO Box in Portsmouth to handle the mountain of envelopes they receive every week.
  • Boulder, Colorado: There have been various business registrations linked to Boulder, though it functions more as a corporate hub than a place for players to visit.

The "Physical Casino" Myth

Let’s clear something up right now because it confuses a lot of people.

There is a place called the Chumash Casino Resort. It is a beautiful, physical building in Santa Ynez, California.

It has absolutely nothing to do with Chumba Casino.

They sound similar, and Google often gets them mixed up in the search results, but they are totally different beasts. One is a tribal casino with a hotel and a buffet; the other is a digital sweepstakes site owned by Australians. Don't drive to Santa Barbara expecting to find the Chumba customer support desk. You'll just end up at a very nice resort with a slightly different name.

Knowing where is Chumba Casino located is one thing, but knowing if you are allowed to play is another. Because they use a "sweepstakes model"—where you play with "Gold Coins" and "Sweeps Coins" rather than direct cash—they can operate in places where traditional online gambling is banned.

However, the legal landscape in 2026 is constantly shifting. As of right now, Chumba has pulled out of several states due to local regulatory pressure.

Status States Where Chumba is Generally NOT Available
Restricted Washington, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada
New Restrictions (2025/2026) Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York

The situation in New York was a big blow recently. VGW decided to wind down operations there in mid-2025 because the state's legal climate became too "uncertain." If you're in one of these states, the "location" of the casino doesn't really matter—the site likely won't even let you past the registration screen.

Behind the Scenes: Who Really Runs the Show?

Laurence Escalante is the name you’ll see most. He started the company in his basement, and now he's one of Australia's youngest billionaires. He’s known for a pretty flashy lifestyle—think supercars and private jets—which is a stark contrast to the "boring" corporate vibe of most gaming companies.

VGW isn't just Chumba, either. They also run LuckyLand Slots and Global Poker. This entire ecosystem is managed across offices in Sydney, Manila, Toronto, and the aforementioned Perth and San Francisco locations. It’s a massive, 1,200-employee machine.

Actionable Steps for Players

If you’re looking for Chumba because you have an issue or you’re curious about their legitimacy, don't just search for a physical address to mail a complaint to. That's a waste of a stamp.

  1. Check the License: Scroll to the bottom of the Chumba homepage. Look for the MGA/B2C/188/2010 license number. This confirms you're on the official site and not a clone.
  2. Verify Your State: Laws change fast. If you've moved recently, update your profile. Playing from a restricted state via a VPN is the fastest way to get your account banned and your winnings (redemptions) voided.
  3. Use the Right Contact: If you need help, use their Zendesk portal. Mailing a letter to the Portsmouth PO Box is only for sweepstakes entries, not for technical support.
  4. Watch the "Chumash" Trap: Double-check your GPS. If you’re looking for the online site, stay on your phone. If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, head to Santa Ynez. Just don't confuse the two.

Knowing the physical reality of these "cloud" companies helps take the mystery out of the experience. Chumba is a legitimate, heavily regulated business, even if its headquarters are literally on the other side of the planet. Just keep an eye on your local state laws, as those are changing way faster than Chumba's office locations.