Best Sweepstakes Casinos 2023
Sweepstakes casinos are all the rage among US players these days. The brands operating in the online sweepstakes casino vertical are trusted, reliable, and legal, and they are available in the majority of US states. Below we've listed some of the best sweepstakes casino sites that our experts have extensively reviewed and verified.
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What Are Sweepstakes Casinos?
Sweepstakes casinos are online gambling sites that operate using a unique business model that allows them to offer casino games to players in states where online gambling is prohibited or heavily restricted.
Instead of requiring players to deposit money to play games, sweepstakes casinos offer virtual currency or “sweeps coins” that players can use to play games. Players can receive sweeps coins through various promotions, such as mail-in offers, social media contests, or purchasing a package of virtual currency.
Players can then use their sweeps coins to play a variety of casino games, such as slots, table games, and video poker. If they win, they can exchange their sweeps coins for real prizes, such as cash or gift cards.
Are Sweepstake Casinos Legal in the USA?
USA sweepstake casinos are completely legal. They are not formally regulated, but then again – there are no specific laws, in the majority of US states that explicitly prohibit them. This is why social casinos have been operating as quasi-licensed entities for many years now.
There are exceptions. Some jurisdictions, such as Washington exclude sweepstakes casinos and do not allow them to operate. As to why social casinos manage to operate in the majority of the states, this has to do with sweepstakes laws.
These laws essentially state that you can win a reward without having to make a purchase yourself. It’s this exemption that has allowed the casinos to expand across the United States.
Alternative Gambling Options
100% up to $5000
Wild Casino is an established purveyor of gaming products. With three years of relevant operating experience under the Wild Casino brand, the operator is no odd name in the iGaming industry. The website was set up in 2017 and operated by Commission.bz, the company behind other worthwhile brands, such as BetOnline and Sportsbetting.ag.
100% up to $3,000
Established in 2001, the online casino has been very quick to move onto different verticals, but iGaming has remained one of its bastions. Today, BetOnline has a lot to offer. You will be welcome with a $3,000 sign-up bonus and enjoy flexible banking options that include Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoin, Litecoin, and others. BetOnline even has added a sportsbook and racebook, and a special section dedicated to esports. However, today we will only focus on the casino product.
350% up to $2500
Cafe Casino is a platform with a massive reach and pull in the iGaming sector. They focus on catering to US players but also have good exposure to international markets. The casino site offers a dedicated mobile experience and Bitcoin banking, which facilitates payments.
100% up to $3,000
Bovada Casino has a slick new look after the website has undergone a recent design overhaul a few years back. If anything, Bovada has introduced consistent improvements and hotfixes to its user interface to make it more appealing. The casino officially launched in 2011 and it has been one of the main suppliers of gaming entertainment to US players.
100% up to $1000
Ignition Casino has every reason to be proud of itself. Created in 2016 by Lynton Limited, the company behind other successful gaming establishments, and not least Bovada and Ignition Poker, has brought years of experience into forging a quality iGaming product you can enjoy today. Players looking to benefit from a fantastic $3,000 sign-up offer and some of the finest Rival Gaming and Real Time Gaming (RTG).
200% up to $2000
Based in Costa Rica and sporting a fresh look, Slots LV Casino is a website where US players will find over 400 dedicated casino games. The casino comes with a huge $5,000 welcome bonus, great banking options, and the appropriate SSL encryption. With payment methods that let you cash out within three to five days, you are looking at an online casino that covers all bases, as confirmed in our own Slots.lv Casino review.
Different Sweepstakes Casino Games
Online sweepstakes casinos are tons of fun, and for this to be the case, they have had to rely on traditional gaming experiences. This is why, online casino sweepstakes today bring you slot games by many familiar suppliers and developers in the industry.
This means that players will get access to titles by NetEnt, Pragmatic Play, Greentube, Everi, and many others. These games are available directly on sweepstake casinos and in many states that do not currently support regulated iGaming. The fact that you can enjoy the games using sweepstake currency is welcome to many recreational players.
As to what the most popular game genres are, players in the United States tend to enjoy jackpots, sweepstake casino slots, and video poker games the best. There is a fair bit of table games to speak of, although slots definitely tend to be more numerous as of right now.
Most Popular Sweepstake Casino Slots
If you are looking for particularly great games while enjoying your online sweepstakes casinos, we have a number of trusted and player-favorite games to share with you. There is a cohort of US social casino players who are particularly fond of Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest.
Both titles feature some exciting multipliers, expanding wilds, and more, plus a bonus level. Other games to try while you are at it in the slot genre, include Aloha Fortunes, Almighty Reels, and Atlantis Slot, among others.
Players can further examine the available slots at any trusted social sweepstake casino and decide for themselves what they like best.
How Do Sweepstake Casinos Work
Sweepstakes casinos are a particularly popular concept, which has found a lot of success with US players and customers. The way the casinos work is to use a “sweepstakes” currency that is bought in the casino and only has value as part of the casino experience.
Players who procure the currency, usually Sweep Coins or Gold Coins, then can use it to play a variety of traditional casino games, such as slots, poker, keno, and table games. There is no significant difference between the types of currencies.
Gold Coins are usually more numerous, and you will have more of those to bet on your favorite slots with. Sweep Coins are usually more exclusive, and many social casinos allow you to redeem them for cash prizes.
While no sweepstakes casino in the USA allows you to gamble for real money, some will let you exchange your Sweep Coins for US dollars at a rate of 1:1. This is usually alright and the majority of states in the United States allow people to participate in sweepstakes casinos.
Pros and Cons of Sweepstakes Casinos
Sweepstakes casinos are a great way for players to experience top-performing slots and have the best time of their lives. Players who are new to online casinos will definitely appreciate the sweepstakes format.
Even though you won’t gamble with real money, you will get to experience an excellent variety of slots, tables, keno, and poker games. Players will scoop up excellent bonuses and make it simple to claim additional virtual currency that they can use to continue playing.
Social casinos have a very low entry-level, meaning that you never have to purchase any Sweep Coins or Gold Coins in order to play. There are plenty of promotions available around the clock. Here are some of the main pros and cons of sweepstakes casinos.
How to Deposit at Sweepstake Casinos
To deposit at online sweepstakes casinos all you have to do is register. Registration may usually be done by linking your Google or Facebook accounts. Once you have your account set up, you will head to the Cashier section.
There, you will be able to pick from a number of available payment methods, usually Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, PayPal, or Play+. These payment methods may be slightly different depending on the sweepstakes casino you choose to play at.
Once you have the payment method selected, you are free to purchase Gold Coins and Sweep Coins as you see fit.
Can You Withdraw from Sweepstake Casinos?
No. Sweepstake casinos are not played for real money. Therefore, you may not withdraw money. However, you can redeem cash prizes. Sweep Coins are usually redeemable at a rate of 1 Sweep Coin for 1 US dollar.
Simply go to the Cashier section and choose the option to Redeem your rewards. Then, you will be prompted to pick a payment method once again. Once you have the payment method, you can enter the amount you wish to redeem and expect to get money in your account – bank or e-wallet.
Buying Sweepstake and Gold Coins
Buying Sweepstake or Gold Coins is an easy and straightforward process. Each website has a shop set up that will allow you to quickly purchase a given amount of currency. Many websites restrict the maximum purchasable amount to $100.
You will be able to purchase the Gold Coins and Sweepstake Coins picking one of the available banking methods at the casino. There is usually a minimum deposit or purchase amount, around $0.50, but this may vary from one casino to the next.
How we Review Sites for Real Money Online Gambling
Background and safety check
We go the extra mile to ensure that each gambling site that is reviewed and listed on GamblingNews has a license, SSL encryption, and a strong reputation. We take a look at the web properties of the brands as well as their standing in the iGaming industry.
Customer support and communication
We verify that the customer support team at each casino and sportsbook is competent and capable to assist you. Our reviewers look for platforms that have 24/7 support or offer clear and consistent helplines. We check manually by approaching each website’s customer support as a disguised player.
Bonuses and promotional offers
Our team is well-versed in how to spot the best bonuses on the market. We make sure to list gambling sites that offer good and fair bonus sums, and more importantly – bonus terms. GamblingNews reviews the terms of each betting provider to bring you the most user-friendly promotions. We similarly study the VIP and loyalty offers extended to players.
Game variety and genres
Players appreciate access to a large library of games or sports to bet on and so do we. We offer an in-depth dive into the variety of available games that gambling sites offer you. The team will help you find reliable and trusted casinos and sportsbooks that offer the exact games that you are interested in the most.
Quick and reliable banking
Payments remain a crucial part of the gambling experience and we insist that gambling sites bring you the best and quickest withdrawals. Our team will go through every payment method and test the deposit and cash out process manually to guarantee that you will get the best banking options on your hands.
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FAQ
Are sweepstakes casinos safe?Yes. Sweepstakes casinos in the United States are completely safe and legit. You can play at the casinos and know that you are playing at a trusted website.
Are Gold Coins and Sweep Coins interchangeable? No. They are both separate types of rewards. The main difference is that Sweep Coins can be redeemed in most of the social casinos for real money prizes. Gold Coins are always locked in the social gaming casino ecosystem.
How old do I need to be to play at social or sweepstake casinos?Some states allow you to participate in sweepstake casinos at the age of 18, while others expect you to be at least 21 years old.
Can you play sweepstake casinos with real money?No. You can never play with real money at sweepstake casinos. You may use real money to purchase Gold Coins and then play at the casinos.
What are sweep coins?Sweep Coins are available as part of a welcome bonus and are sometimes obtained through play. Sweep Coins can also be redeemed for cash prizes at many social casinos.
What are gold coins?Gold Coins are the mockup currency that sweepstake casinos use to let players play on their websites. They are usually offered for free but may also be purchased. They hold no real-world value whatsoever.
Are sweepstakes casinos available on mobile?Yes. Sweepstakes casinos are fully compatible with mobile devices and operating systems. You can play them on iOS and Android tablets and smartphones.