Sweepstakes Casinos

More to Know

Sweepstakes casinos have been sweeping the US market since the COVID-19 pandemic and haven’t shown signs of stopping. Over 70 quality sites are in the market, and new platforms are created almost monthly.

Sweep casinos offer online casino games for free, but thanks to their sweepstakes elements, players can still obtain real rewards, including real money and gift cards.

But how does this work? Where are sweepstakes casinos available, and in which US states? How do they operate in states where online gambling is still illegal? What are the best sites to join? There are so many questions to answer, so keep reading to find out.

What Are Sweepstakes Casinos?

Sweepstakes casinos are online casino-like platforms that aim to offer an authentic online casino experience for free. This makes them a type of social casino, but unlike these, they still allow you to win real money rewards by introducing sweepstakes elements, which are legal in most US states.

They do this by offering two types of coins — gold and sweep coins. With the help of the former, they still offer the chance for you to play various casino games for free, while the latter can be played with and redeemed for real prizes, including real money.

Sweepstakes casinos typically have large game libraries with slots, blackjack, roulette, table games, video poker, fish games, scratchcards, keno, and bingo. They also offer various types of promotions that let you win more gold and sweep coins, while also offering gold coin packages with added free sweep coins, but we’ll explain that later.

Gold and Sweep Coins Explained

The central aspect of sweepstakes casinos is gold and sweep coins, which is the system that allows online sweepstakes casinos to offer real-world prizes in most US states legally. Here’s how they work:

• Gold coins — GCs are for entertainment purposes only and are connected to the site you’re using them on. They cannot be withdrawn or redeemed for something else. You get them for free through promotions and by purchasing gold coin packages. You use them to play most available casino games within the sweeps casino. Most platforms call them gold coins, but some have a different name, like WOW coins on WOW Vegas or Lucky Coins on Sweeptastic.
• Sweep coins — SCs are for entertainment and redemptions. You get them for free through promotions and as a free add-on in gold coin packages. You can use them to play all casino games on the site. Once you’ve played them through, you can redeem them for real world prizes, typically real money and gift cards. Most platforms dub them sweep or sweepstakes coins, but some sites have unique names like Stake Cash on Stake.us and Fortune Coins on Fortune Coins Casino.

Legality of Sweepstakes Casinos in the US

Unlike US social casinos, which do not involve real money, sweepstakes casinos are not legal on the federal level. Instead, they are legal in states where the sweepstakes model is legal.

This is essentially true in every US state except Washington, where sweepstakes casinos are not allowed. A few other states, like Michigan, Nevada, Montana, and New York, have added rules that limit the use of sweepstakes casinos.

In the states where sweep casinos are legal, everyone aged 18 (19 or 21 in some states) can join. Specific sweep casinos might have their own rules (as long as the minimum age isn’t lower than what the state requires).

It’s important to note that the legal framework in this industry is incredibly fluid. Sweepstakes casinos are rarely adequately covered by state laws. In most states, they are only considered legal because they operate under the sweepstakes model, which is already regulated.

However, we’ve seen pushback in some states, as legislators don’t necessarily agree with this interpretation. Class action lawsuits have been filed, and at least three legal iGaming states have issued cease-and-desist orders against several prominent sweepstakes casino companies.

State-by-State Legality of Sweepstakes Casinos

Let’s take a look at what the legal situation is with each US state:

Bear in mind that some states where sweepstakes casinos are legal have ambiguous legal frameworks that might be interpreted differently. That’s why some sweepstakes casinos choose not to operate in select states and consequently restrict players from those states from registering.

Sweepstakes casinos with the broadest selections of restricted states typically list states like Alabama, Delaware, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Ohio, in addition to those with already specific restrictions.

Benefits of Playing in US Sweepstakes Casinos

Playing in sweepstakes casinos comes with several benefits you should know about:

• Risk-free fun — You’re not required to deposit or make payments in sweepstakes casinos to play games. You can use coins you get from the no deposit sign up bonus and various other promotions.
• Wide range of games — Many sweepstakes casinos often have more than 1,000 games of all sorts, like slots, table games, crash games, bingo, keno, and video poker. Moreover, these releases are often the same as in real money casinos.
• Wide accessibility — Unlike real money online casinos and even land-based casinos, sweepstakes casinos are available throughout the US, barring a few states that place restrictions.
• Potential for real rewards — You can’t wager real funds directly, but you can still redeem sweep coins if you win enough. Redemption is often in the form of real money and gift cards.
• Generous and diverse bonuses and promotions — Sweepstakes casinos usually offer rewarding no deposit sign up bonuses as well as a plethora of other promos, including daily bonuses and tournaments.

Disadvantages of Playing in US Sweepstakes Casinos

Unfortunately, sweeps casinos are not without their flaws, so here are the biggest ones you should consider before joining your first site:

• Limited legal support — Sweepstakes casinos may be legal in most states, but their situation isn’t entirely clear, and they don’t hold licenses. Moreover, there’s the recent pushback from select states and gambling organizations. 
• Lower game diversity—This is more noticeable in some sites than others, especially compared to traditional real money online casinos. For instance, live dealer games are a rarity, while many reputable providers seldom offer their games in sweep casinos.
• Slow redemptions — Most sweepstakes casinos aim to process redemptions within a few days. Players often wait up to ten days or even two weeks for redemptions, a significantly slower process compared to the one or two-day turnaround in real money casinos.

Payment Methods in Sweepstakes Casinos in the US

US sweep casinos usually have a small selection of payment methods for purchasing gold coin packages and real money redemptions. Keep in mind that the exact selection varies between the two, with redemptions typically offering a limited number of options. Here’s what is commonly available:

• Bank cards — Most sweep casinos commonly accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover for both gold coin purchases and prize redemptions.
• Bank transfer — This is another prevalent method for both GC packages and redemptions.
• Apple Pay and Google Pay — You’ll find the two popular mobile payment methods in select online casinos, usually for gold coin package purchases.
• PayPal — Being a popular payment method in the US, some sweepstakes casinos have taken it upon themselves to include it, usually as an option for buying packages.
• Skrill—E-wallets like Skrill are not a very common payment method. When you do find one, it is usually reserved for purchasing GC packages only.
• Gift card providers — Many sweepstakes casinos offer services like Prizeout as a redemption option.

Cryptocurrency — Some sweep casinos have started offering cryptocurrencies as an option for redemptions, package purchases, or both. The most commonly available cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and Tether (USDT).

Gold Coin Packages Explained

All sweepstakes casinos offer gold coin packages, which serve as the primary method for these platforms to generate profit.They are entirely optional and typically used when players can’t collect enough coins from promotions or have a low balance.

Players purchase packages with real money, which include a select number of GC and a smaller amount of SC as a free add-on. This aligns with sweepstakes regulations, ensuring participation does not require payment.

Gold coin packages usually cost between $1 and $150. Naturally, the more expensive the package, the more coins it contains.

How Do Redemptions Work in US Sweepstakes Casinos

Redemptions are a big part of the sweepstake casino experience because that’s how you get real money from this journey. Due to the sweepstakes model, these casinos feature the sweep coins we’ve discussed, which you can redeem for real money.

They are usually exchanged at a simple 1:1 ratio toward the US dollar. You typically have to play them through at least once before redeeming them. Also, each site has a minimum redemption amount, generally 50 to 100 SC or $50 to $100.

To unlock redemptions, players must also complete the KYC process, which requires them to upload accepted verification documents proving their age and place of residence. This is all in an effort to combat underage gambling and comply with the law.

In most cases, you’ll need to upload the following:

• Photo ID (state ID card, driver’s license, or passport) to prove your identity.
• Bank statement copy, mobile phone bill, or utility bill for proof of address.
• A bank card image is needed to prove the payment method is yours.

Games in Sweepstakes Casinos

We will review the most common game categories available in sweepstakes casinos across the US.

• Slots — Slots always take up the most significant portion of a sweep casino’s library, and you’ll always find a good selection of video, classic, and jackpot slots.
• Table games — Roulette and blackjack games are often seen in US sweepstakes casinos, although in small numbers.
• Live casino games — Some sweep casinos have started offering live dealer games, such as roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, and game shows.
• Crash games — Games like Crash and Plinko have taken over the real money online casino market and have started appearing on various sweep casinos as well.
• Video poker — Many US sweep casinos offer variations of the popular video poker format, including Joker Poker, Bonus Poker, Jacks or Better, and Aces and Faces.
• Slingo — Select sweep casinos feature Slingo games, which combine slot and bingo mechanics and offer players a refreshing change of pace.
• Fish games — These releases are effectively platform games with gambling elements that often require a bit of skill to beat. You’ll find them in many sweeps casinos as they have become a staple of the social casino experience.
• Bingo — Many sweep casinos offer various bingo and video bingo games, with some sweep casinos primarily focusing on them instead of slots.
• Scratchcards — Scratchcards have been around for decades, while the online versions take inspiration from them and add a bit of flair. You’ll find them in many sweeps casinos.

Types of Promotions in Sweepstakes Casinos

Bonuses are all over the place in this industry primarily because that’s the main method for players to get more gold coins and even free sweep coins. Here are the most commonly available promo types:

• No deposit sign-up bonuses — These promotions are usually the biggest ones you’ll get because you receive them for free upon registration.
• Welcome bonuses — People usually refer to this as a first deposit bonus, which effectively provides a discount on one of the GC packages.
• Daily login bonuses — You get these promos every day just by logging into your account. It’s usually a small bonus of both GC and SC.
• Wheel spins — Some sweep casinos have reward wheels you can spin occasionally or even daily. They contain various prizes, primarily gold coins.
• Loyalty programs — Select sweepstakes casinos have dedicated loyalty programs with various perks and rewards like GC package discounts, added games, and bonuses.
• Referral bonuses — These are straightforward bonuses for inviting friends to register. In many cases, there’s a bigger bonus if the referral buys a GC package.
• Social media promotions — Most sweepstakes casinos have active social media channels (typically Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), where they regularly start contests, giveaways, and various other promotions. Some of these promos tend to award massive amounts of GC and SC to the lucky few.
• Tournaments — Tournaments and slot races are common in many sweeps casinos. The higher you rank (you need to play in games and win coins), the bigger your rewards will be, usually in both GC and SC.
• Progressive jackpots — Some sweep casinos have site-wide progressive jackpot features that anyone can win at any time. The jackpots often come in GC and SC versions, with both turning massive if no one wins them for a while.

How to Choose a Sweepstakes Casino in the US

To choose the best sweep casino for your needs, it’s important to review them based on the following criteria:

• Game portfolio — The game library is the most important part of every sweepstakes casino, which is why you should check that there are at least several hundred games of various types. The more extensive and the more diverse the portfolio, the better.
• Available bonuses and promotions — The more promotions the site has, and the bigger the rewards, the better. However, they also need to be easy to claim, and SC bonus funds should have low playthrough requirements.
• User experience and ease of registration — The site should be easily navigable, have a modern design, and be straightforward to register on.
• Accessibility — It’s crucial to check where the sweep casino is available because every site has some state restrictions.
• Security and reputation — You want the site to be highly secure, i.e. using proper SSL encryption and firewalls. Moreover, it should have a good reputation among players and on review sites.
• Payment methods and redemption options — The casino should have the payment and redemption methods you require so you can have an easier time buying packages and redeeming prizes.

FAQs about Sweepstakes Casinos