Sweepstakes casinos: A guide to state-by-state laws in 2024
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This is an ultimate guide to the state-by-state laws of sweepstakes casinosin 2024. Discover the legal age to play, where they are available, and their legitimacy.
Sweepstakes casinos, or social casinos, have many similarities with traditional online casinos. However, several stark differences separate the two entities. These distinctions allow for sweeps casinos to adhere to less rigid guidelines.
Here, you will find out the rules, regulations, and laws surrounding sweepstakes casinos in the United States:
First and foremost, what are sweepstakes casinos? Well, a simple definition is that they are online iGaming sites where users can play casino games with virtual currency for both fun and for cash prizes.
The two main types of virtual currencies that are found at social casinos are gold coins and sweeps coins, although they can sometimes be referred to in other terms on certain sites.
Gold coins are what’s used to solely enjoy playing games for fun. They do not possess any monetary value and they can never be redeemed or withdrawn, but they can be purchased.
Sweeps coins are used to play casino games for a chance at eventually redeeming them for cash prizes. Normally, they hold a value of $1 each, and they can be redeemed, but not bought. Rather, they are included in both gold coins packages as well as promotional offers.
It’s the use of these virtual forms of currency that allows sweepstakes casinos to maintain legal ambiguity and bypass many regulations that traditional online casinos must follow. The fact that you can play games on these sites without having to make a purchase or payment is a key factor in them avoiding regular online gambling laws. Essentially, social casinos aren’t classified as “gambling” sites. You can read more about casino gameplayhere.
You can access sweepstakes casinos in just about every state across America. Residents of all states except for Washington who are over the age of 18 can sign up and play at these social casinos.
Once you register for an account, the best sweepstakes casinos will welcome you with a sign-up bonus before you even make a real-money deposit. You can read more about the economic impact of online gaming here.
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Each sweepstakes casino sets its own minimum redemption limit, which must be met for you to redeem your sweeps coins.
Not only that, but some states have redemption limits. For example, the maximum redemption limit is $5,000 per transaction in both Florida and New York.
Moreover, you can’t just make sweeps coins redemptions without verifying your identity, no matter what state you reside in. Most social casinos follow Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, including verification of birth date, address and photo identification.
In summary, sweepstakes casinos largely possess the same laws and regulations statewide. They can bypass many of the rules that traditional online gambling sites adhere to because of virtual currency.
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