Publishers Clearing House Guarantees Future Winners Their Winnings Will Be Paid

Players shouldn't worry about whether their prizes would be paid in full going ahead, according to Publishers Clearing House's (PCH) new owner.

The renowned magazine subscription and sweepstakes promotion company's new controller is taking action to make sure that doesn't happen again in the wake of recent controversy involving multiple "$5,000 A Week Forever" winners under the previous PCH ownership being informed that their purportedly guaranteed payments would no longer come.

The PCH brand was purchased by ARB Interactive, a mobile social gaming business best known for its Modo Casino, in June for $7.1 million plus $378K in unpaid costs. Two months after PCH filed for bankruptcy to restructure the company, the acquisition took place. The company's "forever" prize obligations were terminated as a result of the bankruptcy.

According to Casino.org, the Miami-based organization is launching the PCH Prize Protection Program to ensure that winners will receive future awards regardless of the company's financial situation. 

 

Guaranteed Prizes 

According to a former PCH official who wrote the book "Downfall of an Icon: The True Inside Story of Publishers Clearing House," the company ceased obtaining insurance coverage for its winners' prizes in 2003. ARB Interactive claims to be taking action to protect PCH-awarded awards.

By designating Owen O'Donoghue as PCH's next CEO, ARB Interactive disclosed that it will finance an escrow account to guarantee that all winners of the new Publishers Clearing House mobile sweepstakes receive the money promised to them.

"Funded with investment-grade assets held in FDIC-insured escrow accounts and managed through a bank-run investment vehicle, the program safeguards payments for large annuity prizes and reflects PCH’s commitment to trust and accountability,” a PCH release read.

According to O'Donoghue, "every winner is protected" under the Prize Protection Program.

The Southern District Bankruptcy Court of New York approved ARB's purchase of PCH. According to the court's ruling, ARB was not required to reimburse the old PCH for reward obligations made before to July 15, 2025.

Current Offers

PCH no longer uses magazine subscriptions to entice clients door-to-door. PCH now operates online, where users can participate in free sweepstakes games. However, the chances of winning are lower than the combined odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots.

For instance, there is a 1 in 4.8 billion chance of winning this week's $10K cash prize.

The PCH website provides a direct access to ARB's Modo Casino, a free social casino where players can buy Modo Sweeps Coins, secondary game tokens that may be played and exchanged for cash. 

 

Casinos that Sweep 

Across the nation, sweepstakes casinos are still under legal review. The online games, according to supporters like ARB Interactive and its main rival, VGW, are sweepstakes promotions. They are smart ways to circumvent rules pertaining to internet gambling, according to critics.

McDonald's announced on Monday the reintroduction of its well-known and infamous Monopoly promotion, in which customers attempt to collect properties in hopes of winning $1 million. Of course, buying food and drink increases one's chances of winning a reward, but there is no cost to play.

The McDonald's Monopoly sweepstakes program is used by Modo and other social casinos to support their online gaming platforms legally.