Online Sweepstakes Casinos
Sweepstakes casinos offer casino-style games that closely resemble online slots, blackjack, poker, and more, with opportunities to redeem winnings for real cash prizes.
Because sweepstakes casinos operate on a “no purchase necessary” model, they sidestep traditional online gambling regulations and are available nationwide (with some exceptions).
In most states without legal online gambling, sweeps casinos are the next closest alternative. Continue below for a thorough but straightforward explanation of how online sweepstakes casinos work, where they’re legal, risks to watch out for, and how the major sweeps brands compare.
Legal Sweepstakes Casino Sites
When we say, “legal sweepstakes casinos,” we mean operators that comply with US sweepstakes and promotional contest laws rather than standard gambling regulations.
However, that doesn’t mean every state agrees that the sweepstakes casinos are legal. Several states have passed laws or issued legal opinions specifically targeting sweepstakes casinos. Nonetheless, most major sweepstakes casinos remain available in 40+ states.
Sweepstakes Basics
Sweepstakes casinos occupy a middle ground between pure “social casinos” and fully regulated real-money gambling sites. You don’t buy chips and place wagers the way you would at an online casino. Instead, you participate in promotional sweepstakes that happen to look and feel like standard online casino games.
Legit sweepstakes casinos operate on three basic concepts:
- Players participate with virtual currencies, not dollars
- One currency is for fun only, and the other is redeemable for cash prizes
- There are ways for players to obtain prize-eligible coins at no cost, such as sign-up offers, daily login bonuses, and mail-in requests.
If you’d like to drill down into specific angles, see our companion guides on crypto-first and newly launched sweepstakes casinos, which discuss each subcategory in more detail:
How Do Online Sweepstakes Casinos Work?
Sweepstakes casinos look and feel a lot like traditional gambling sites, but with a few extra steps for legal reasons.
Instead of depositing cash and wagering dollars, you play casino-style games using digital currencies (typically Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins). If you win Sweeps Coins, you can redeem them for cash prizes.
Technically, every spin, hand, or fish-shooting round is a sweepstakes entry, not a traditional bet. The frontend looks like a normal casino lobby, but the backend operates as a promotional contest under most states’ sweepstakes laws.
Free Sweeps Coins Explained
The key legal distinction between sweepstakes casinos and traditional gambling sites is that the former offer “no purchase necessary” methods to participate. That’s not just marketing hype; it’s how sweepstakes casinos avoid classification as “gambling” in most states.
Sweepstakes casinos offer multiple ways for players to get free SC bonuses, ranging from no-deposit registration offers to simple mail-in requests.
Once you have Sweeps Coins, you can use them to play casino-style games and potentially win additional SCs, which you can redeem for gift cards or cash prizes.
Differences Between Sweeps Coins and Gold Coins
Most major sweeps casinos use a dual-currency system. Most online sweepstakes casinos call them “Gold Coins” and “Sweeps Coins,” but you’ll see other names as well.
Whatever your casino calls them, each currency serves a distinct purpose.
Gold Coins (GCs)
- Entertainment only
- Cannot be transferred or redeemed for prizes
- Available for purchase in bundles
- Sometimes also awarded for free (e.g., login bonuses, giveaways, etc.).
Sweeps Coins (SCs)
- Prize-eligible sweepstakes entries
- Cannot be purchased directly as a product
- Must be obtainable through free methods
- May also be given as a bonus alongside GC purchases
Operators draw a clear legal line between the two: you are buying GCs for entertainment and simply receiving SC “promotional entries” on the side.
The bottom line is this: if you want to play casino-style games for cash prizes, Sweeps Coins are the currency you want to focus on. If you want to play for fun, you should stick with Gold Coins.
How to Get Sweeps Coins
Most sweepstakes casinos use a mix of automated free methods and optional paid packages to distribute SCs. We’ll discuss these methods in more detail below, but the most common ways to get free Sweeps Coins include:
- Sign-up bonuses when you create and verify your account
- Daily login sweeps bonuses
- Free “wheel spins” or chests
- Social media giveaways and promotions
- Mail-in requests (the classic “no purchase necessary” route)
- As bonuses when purchasing Gold Coin packages
Playing and Claiming Real Cash Prizes
On most sites, switching between GC and SC modes is as simple as tapping a toggle in the lobby or game window. Each game’s rules and return are usually the same in both modes; what changes is whether your winnings are prize-eligible.
- To redeem SCs, you must accumulate the casino’s stated minimum SC balance. The minimum is usually 25-100 SCs, although it’s sometimes higher at less reputable casinos.
- Complete any required playthrough requirements. Typically, you can redeem SCs won through gameplay immediately, while you can only withdraw SCs received from bonuses after you’ve wagered them 1-3 times.
- Verify your identity and sometimes your address. Federal Know Your Customer (KYC) laws require sweepstakes casinos to verify every user’s age and identity.
- Choose a redemption method, such as ACH bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, gift card, etc.
- Redemptions are not instant. Even fast operators often quote a range of a few business days, and redemptions can take longer if your documents are incomplete or the operator flags your account for review.
Recommended Sweepstakes Casino Sites
These 10 online sweepstakes casinos are our top picks. After reviewing, testing, and comparing them against each other, you can rest assured you will be playing at superb casinos, all offering a wealth of unique features, a broad selection of high-quality online slots, free sweeps coins, welcome bonuses, and a proven withdrawal process to make cashing out your wins a hassle-free process.
Below are some of the more established and reputable US sweepstakes casinos that we recommend. Every operator here:
- Discloses straightforward terms and conditions
- Plainly states which states it serves
- Prominently explains how to participate for free
- Has identifiable ownership and a track record of paying out prizes
- Has reasonable minimum and maximum redemption limits
Quick Sweepstakes Casinos Comparison Table
(Continue below for more info and important details about each operator)
| Casino | Min Redemption | Game Count | Table Games | Live Dealer |
| WOW Vegas | 25 SCs (gift card) 50 SCs (cash) | 2,000+ | Yes | Yes |
| Vegas Gems | 100 Gems | 1,100+ | Yes | Yes (limited) |
| Jackpota | 10 SCs (gift card) 75 SCs (cash) | 1,500+ | Yes | Yes |
| Fortune Coins | 5,000 FCs ($50) | 1,900+ | Yes | Yes |
| NoLimitCoins | 25 Super Coins (gift card) 100 Super Coins (cash) | 700+ | Yes | Yes |
| RealPrize | 100 SCs | 960+ | Yes | Yes |
| High 5 Casino | 50 SCs (gift card) 100 SCs (cash) | 1,700+ | No | No |
| Stake.us | ~50 SCs (varies based on crypto prices) | 2,500+ | Yes | Yes |
| Zula Casino | 50 SCs | 2,060+ | Yes | Yes |
| Crown Coins | 50 SCs | 720+ | Yes | Yes (limited) |
Notes for the table above and operator snippets below:
- Minimum Redemption: Each sweepstakes casino maintains a unique policy regarding the minimum number of SCs a player must have before requesting a redemption. Some sweeps casinos have lower minimums when redeeming SCs for gift cards; others have a universal minimum for all redemption methods (gift cards and cash).
- Maximum redemption: Each casino’s maximum daily redemption amount.
- Playthrough: The wagering requirements you must meet before redeeming SCs obtained via bonuses and promotions. Sweepstakes casinos typically allow players to redeem any SCs won through gameplay without delay (provided you’ve met the minimum redemption threshold). However, most operators impose wagering requirements (“playthrough”) that you must meet before redeeming SCs received through bonuses and promos.
- Game Count: Most sweepstakes casinos focus primarily on slot-style games, and only some offer table games like blackjack, roulette, etc. An elite few of the best sweeps casinos also offer live dealer games, featuring human dealers and real tables streamed in HD. Total game counts span all game types.
- Table Games: Casinos get a “Yes” in this column if they offer RNG-based (digital) table games, live dealer table games, or both.
- Live Dealer: A “Yes” here means the casino offers games streamed live from physical studios, featuring real casino equipment and human dealers.
#1. WOW Vegas
- Minimum redemption: 25 SCs ($25) for gift cards; 50 SCs ($50) for cash
- Max redemption: 10,000 SCs ($10,000)
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x on bonus SCs
- Game count: 2,000+
- Table games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
WOW Vegas Casino is a large, slots-heavy sweepstakes site with a deep library of games from major studios like Pragmatic Play and Betsoft.
Despite the extensive slots catalog, WOW Vegas Casino boasts variety than most sweeps casinos. Other options include live dealer, keno, scratch cards, shooting-style fish games, and WOW Originals like Dragon Tower and Mines.
#2. Stake.us
- Minimum redemption: Around 50 SCs ($50), but varies based on chosen crypto and its current price
- Max redemption: No max – numerous user reports of $100K+ redemptions going flawlessly
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 3x
- Game Count: 2,500+
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
Stake.us has the largest game lineup on this list and is one of the select few sweepstakes casinos with online poker (peer-to-peer) games (Texas Holdem and Omaha). Other Stake.us games and categories include table games, live dealer, crash games, mines, darts, scratch cards, keno, and plinko.
However, players should note that Stake.us has higher playthrough requirements (3x) on SCs received via promotions than most sweepstakes casinos (typically 1x).
#3. Vegas Gems
- Minimum redemption: 100 Gems ($100)
- Max redemption: 2,500 Gems/day ($2,500)
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x on bonus Gems
- Game Count: 1,100+
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes (one live dealer slot)
Vegas Gems Casino offers a wide variety of game types spanning slots and RNG table games, plus its in-house lineup consisting of Crash, Towers, Mines, Coin Flip, Jackpot, Unboxing, and Wheel.
One of Vegas Gems’ signature mechanics is its chest/loot-box promotions, which award random currency bundles. Some players enjoy the unpredictability; others prefer more transparent, fixed bonuses.
Its most glaring weakness is a lack of live dealer table games.
#4. Jackpota
- Minimum redemption: 10 SCs ($10) for gift card; 75 SCs ($75) for cash
- Max redemption: 10,000 SCs/day ($10,000)
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x
- Game Count: 1,500+
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
Jackpota Casino offers a standard but full-featured game catalog that covers all the major categories and themes (slots, jackpot games, classic table games, and live dealer tables) backed by regular promotions.
The main drawback is that some features, including live chat, only unlock after you’ve made a purchase, which can be frustrating if you run into issues early.
Note: Jackpota categorizes its RNG-based table games under the “All Slots” tab.
#5. Fortune Coins
- Minimum redemption: 5,000 FCs ($50)
- Maximum redemption: 955,000 FCs ($9,550)
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x
- Game Count: 1,900
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
Fortune Coins is best known for its large welcome bonus and sizable game library, including a strong lineup of fish games (shooting-style) and progressive jackpots. If you prioritize slots variety, fish table games, and alternative game types, Fortune Coins offers one of the deepest lobbies among sweepstakes casinos.
One negative point is that Fortune Coins’ traditional table games are relatively limited compared to other top-ranked sweepstakes casinos.
Note: Fortune Coins categorizes its RNG table games under “Slots.”
#6. NoLimitCoins
- Minimum redemption: 25 Super Coins ($25) for gift card; 100 SCs ($100) for cash
- Maximum redemption: 2,000 Super Coins/day ($2,000)
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x
- Game Count: 700+
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
NoLimitCoins has expanded its game catalog considerably since becoming one of the more prominent online sweepstakes casinos. The full lineup is not as expansive as other top sweepstakes casinos, but it still excels in depth of variety, with a larger-than-average contingent of fish games and high-variance slots.
Additionally, NoLimitCoins now offers live dealer games and is one of the only sweeps casinos with daily slots tournaments.
#7. RealPrize Casino
- Minimum redemption: 100 SCs ($100)
- Max redemption: $10,000/day
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x
- Game Count: 960+
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
RealPrize offers a balanced game library spanning slots, bingo, video poker, and instant-win scratch cards. As such, RealPrize is a solid all-rounder for players who want to switch between game types without having to change sites.
RealPrize sports a casual, mobile-first design, emphasizing daily promos and social media engagement over a singular, high-value welcome bonus.
#8. High 5 Casino
- Minimum redemption: 50 SCs ($50) for gift card; 100 SCs ($100) for cash
- Max redemption: 10,000 SCs ($10,000)
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x
- Game count: 1700+
- Table Games? No
- Live Dealer? No
High 5 Casino is a veteran in the casino industry, originally a land-based slot developer. It offers a polished mobile app and hundreds of exclusive “High 5 Games” titles you won’t find elsewhere, alongside a third currency called “Diamonds” used for Sweeps Coins boosts (e.g., free SC spins on select games).
#9. Zula Casino
- Minimum redemption: 50 SCs
- Max redemption: 9,550 SCs
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x
- Game Count: 2,060+
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
Zula Casino is a more recent entrant with a strong focus on slots from modern studios like Pragmatic Play, Booming Games, Slotmill, and Relax Gaming. The lobby skews heavily toward high-production video slots, with a few table game options.
Zula follows the standard dual-currency model but has positioned itself as a “new school” sweeps option with an emphasis on fast gameplay and a contemporary interface.
#10. Crown Coins
- Minimum redemption: 50 SCs
- Max redemption: 10,000 SCs
- Bonus SCs Playthrough: 1x
- Game Count: 717+
- Table Games? Yes
- Live Dealer? Yes
Crown Coins Casino has a smaller games lineup than some competitors, but it focuses on a curated set of slots and other games from established providers, with more titles added over time.
Customer reviews often mention Crown Coins’ aggressive first-purchase bonuses, which deliver a large amount of both Crown Coins and Sweeps Cash.
The one obvious shortcoming is that Crown Coins’ only live dealer games are a play-with-a-streamer slot and a wheel-style gameshow. Crown Cowns Casino lacks traditional live dealer table games like blackjack and roulette.
How to Play Sweepstakes Casino Games
Getting started at a sweepstakes casino to play games online for fun or for prize-eligible coins is straightforward:
- Sign up for an account and verify your identity: Provide your basic personal details and, when prompted, upload a photo of your ID or address documents. Verification is mandatory for prize redemptions and increasingly required early due to regulatory pressure.
- Claim your free sweeps coins: On sign-up, you’ll usually receive a mix of Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. You’ll receive enough to test the games and understand the interface.
- Choose your play mode: Select GC mode if you just want to try free sweeps games without thinking about redemptions. Choose SC mode if you want to build a redeemable balance. Most sweepstakes casinos offer a prominent GCs/SCs toggle near the top of the screen.
- Explore the game categories: Try a few slots, table games, or other formats for Gold Coins or low-stakes SC wagers first. Pay attention to volatility. Some sweepstakes casino games produce long dry spells followed by big hits; others pay smaller wins more frequently.
- Review the redemption rules: Before you make any purchases or grind toward a redemption threshold, read the site’s terms and conditions. In particular, note the minimum SCs balance for redemptions, maximum redemptions per day or month, processing times, and any fees.
How to Get Free Sweeps Coins
Online sweepstakes casinos compete aggressively on free-entry and no-purchase offers. Free sweeps coin bouses can be valuable, but they also come with conditions and are funded by players who do buy coin packages, so keep your expectations modest.
No Deposit Sweepstakes Bonuses
No-deposit sweeps bonuses (technically “no-purchase” since sweeps casinos don’t accept direct cash deposits for legal reasons) typically give you a small bundle of GCs and SCs when you create and verify your account.
You don’t pay anything, but there are a few conditions worth noting:
- You may have to verify your identity and email address or phone number before you receive any coins.
- SCs obtained from no-deposit offers usually have a playthrough requirement of 1-3x before you can redeem them. For example, a 10 SCs bonus with a 3x playthrough means you need to place 30 SCs worth of wagers before submitting a redemption.
- Some sweeps casinos restrict your first redemption to specific methods or higher thresholds if you have never purchased a Gold Coins package.
- Some operators impose limits on how many Sweeps Coins you can win from bonuses. For example, a 25x win cap means you may only redeem up to 250 SCs from a 10 SCs bonus.
The best way to think of no-deposit SC bonuses is as a way to test the site’s interface and game variety rather than a serious path to large cash-outs.
Sweepstakes Casino Daily Login Bonuses
Most online sweepstakes casinos award small amounts of GCs and SCs for logging in daily. Streak rewards are common: the more consecutive days you log in, the bigger your daily bonus (up to a limit).
Daily login bonuses can keep your balance alive without purchases, but they are usually small (typically less than 1 SC per day). That said, consistently claiming multiple sweepstakes casinos’ daily login bonuses can add up to a decent monthly total.
Free SC Coins Bonuses
Players can often claim free SCs via:
- Email or text promos
- Social media campaigns
- In-app popups
- Limited-time bundles attached to GC purchases
Always read the small print. Some “free SCs” are locked behind specific games, require higher playthrough, or can only be redeemed via particular methods. If the conditions are vague, treat the offer cautiously.
Mail-In (No Purchase Necessary)
All legitimate sweepstakes casinos offer a mail-in method (alternative method of entry or “AMOE”) that lets you request SCs with “no purchase necessary.”
Mail-in sweepstakes bonuses include specific requirements (usually listed on the terms and conditions page).
For example, mail-in bonuses typically require players to submit a handwritten (not typed) request. Other key terms to note include:
- The exact wording you must use in your request
- Required personal information
- Where to mail the request
- Deadlines or limits on how many entries you can request
Casual players rarely take the AMOE route, but its availability is the key component of the “no purchase necessary” model that legally distinguishes sweepstakes casinos from online gambling.
Sweepstakes Online Casino Games
Legit sweeps casinos offer most of the same game categories as licensed online casinos. As with traditional gambling sites, the depth and quality of the lineup vary by brand.
Sweepstakes Online Slots
Online slots are the main attraction at nearly every sweepstakes casino and account for the bulk of their game catalogs. When a sweepstakes casino boasts about its “1,500+ games,” you can safely assume that at least a thousand of those titles are slots.
If you want to take sweepstakes slots seriously rather than just spinning for fun, focus on a few basics:
- Check the game’s info screen for any RTP or volatility notes
- Favor established providers when available
- Remember that even “high RTP” slots are still negative expectation over time. The odds are against you in the long run, whether you’re spinning with Gold Coins for entertainment or Sweeps Coins for prizes.
How Sweepstakes Slots Work
Online sweepstakes slots look and feel like their real-money equivalents at licensed gambling sites, but they run on the dual-currency sweepstakes model rather than direct cash wagering.
Under the hood, sweepstakes slots use random number generators (RNGs) to determine every outcome – also like the slots you’ll find at other gambling sites. As a result, each game’s internal math model and paytable drive the outcome rather than anything you do on the screen.
Sweepstakes Slot Themes and Features
Sweepstakes slots feature themes ranging from classic mechanical reels to mythology, adventure, and branded Vegas-style games found on the casino floor at major destination resorts.
Most sweeps casinos also categorize their games by features, such as the presence of interactive bonus rounds, megaways, multipliers, cascading reels, hold and win games, bonus buy slots (where you can purchase a game’s bonus round), and more.
Sweepstakes Slot Software Providers
The most prominent sweepstakes casinos license games from familiar studio names like Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Playtech, and others.
In those cases, the underlying math, return-to-player percentage (RTP), and volatility settings are identical or similar to the real-money versions. That said, software providers grant casino operators varying degrees of customizability.
As a result, the best way to ensure you’re getting the stated RTP is to stick with slots from the most prominent studios. Established sweepstakes software providers have brand images to protect and experience in regulated markets, so they’re the best equipped and likeliest to fully “lock down” their outcome and RTP algorithms.
Some of the most prominent sweepstakes slots from established studios include:
- Buffalo Rush
- Empress of the Nile
- 88 Fortunes
- Vegas Megaways
- Slingo Rainbow Riches
- Long John Silver
- Cash Wizard
- Double Da Vinci Diamonds
- Big Bucks Bandits
- Sweet Bonanza
Proprietary Sweepstakes Slots
Proprietary slot libraries can be a plus if you enjoy unique art styles and game mechanics, but they also tend to be less transparent. In-house games rarely publish detailed RTP information, and there are fewer external points of comparison.
As a general rule, it’s safer to favor well-known sweeps casinos with track records for paying redemptions and games from recognizable studio brands that disclose RTP figures.
Sweepstakes Jackpots
The best sweepstakes casinos offer a mix of fixed and progressive jackpots. Both types of jackpots can be attractive, but they are highly volatile by design.
The trade-off for chances at large SC jackpots is that you’ll likely experience long stretches without major wins. If you choose to play sweepstakes jackpots online, do it with SCs you don’t mind losing.
How Progressive Sweepstakes Jackpots Work
Instead of paying a fixed top prize, progressive sweepstakes slots pool a portion of each eligible spin into a shared prize fund that grows over time. The jackpot keeps climbing until a player finally hits it, at which point it resets and begins building again.
Mechanically, progressive sweeps slots work much like their fixed-jackpot counterparts. You still spin reels and chase symbol combinations, but the game also includes one or more jackpot tiers that you can trigger in different ways.
Some jackpots require players to land specific symbols or trigger the top prize during a bonus round. Others award the jackpot randomly among the pool of players currently playing that game.
In most cases, you’ll need to be playing in Sweeps Coins mode and may need to meet a minimum wager size for a spin to qualify for the game’s top jackpot.
Because many players feed the same prize pool, progressive jackpots can reach enormous amounts in Sweeps Coins. For example, Chumba Casino has awarded seven-figure SC jackpots through its Fireshot-style progressive games over the years.
Other brands, such as Fortune Coins, offer networked progressive jackpot slots that players can trigger through several games and sometimes across multiple casinos.
Sweepstakes Table Games
Table game offerings vary widely. Some sweepstakes casinos offer zero or just a handful of traditional table games, while others have expansive collections.
Some of the most common table games and variants you’ll find at sweepstakes casinos include:
- Online Roulette: Diamond Roulette, French Roulette, European Roulette, American Roulette, Atlantic City Roulette
- Blackjack Games: 21 Pirate, American Blackjack, Blackjack 21 + 3, Blackjack Switch
- Baccarat: Mini Baccarat, Speed Baccarat, Side Bet Baccarat
- Keno: Jackpot Keno, Keno Party, Paintball Keno
- Skill Games: Golden Dragon, Ocean King Real Money, Fish Catch, Horse Racing
- Live Dealer Games: Live Roulette, Live Gravity Blackjack, Live Baccarat, gameshow-style games like Big Wheel
- Casino Poker: Caribbean Stud, Ultimate Texas Holdem
- Craps: First Person Craps, Lighting Craps
Tip: Not all sweepstakes casinos consistently publish table game rules, paytables, and RTP figures. Take a few minutes to open the game’s help or info menu to confirm the payout rules, wagering limits, and whether there are any payout maximums before you commit time in SCs mode.
Live Dealer Sweepstakes Games
Live dealer sweepstakes games are still uncommon, but most of the major platforms now offer at least a handful of “live social” games.
When you do find them, live dealer games mimic those that you’d find at real-money online casinos, with one key difference: you place every wager in Sweeps Coins, not cash.
The underlying game mechanics are the same otherwise. A human dealer runs the table, shuffles real cards, drops a physical ball into a spinning roulette wheel, etc.
Common live dealer sweepstakes formats include:
- Classic: Live dealer blackjack, roulette, etc.
- Auto: Games like live auto roulette use a real, automated roulette wheel but not a live dealer; the idea is to maintain the live casino experience but speed up the gameplay
- Live Slots: Rare but available at some sweepstakes sites, often called some variant of “Play with a Streamer”; you “bet behind” the streamer so that you win when they win and lose when they lose.
- Live Specialty Games: Specialty and gameshow-style games modified in various ways to include live dealers or hosts; examples include live dealer Money Wheel, Crazy Time, Ice Fishing, Mega Ball, and Crash Live
What to Check Before You Join a Live Table
Before you sit down at a sweepstakes live dealer game, it helps to confirm a few details:
- GC vs. SC eligibility: Some live social casino games only accept Sweeps Coins wagers, but many also allow participation with Gold Coins
- Table limits: Live dealer sweepstakes games typically enforce higher minimum wagers.
- Contribution to promos and missions: Not every promotion or “daily quest” includes live dealer play. Review the terms to see if live games qualify or contribute at a reduced rate, especially live dealer roulette.
Free Sweeps Poker
Player-vs-player online poker is still a niche offering among sweepstakes sites. Some sweepstakes casinos offer basic video poker and casino-style poker variants, but true multi-table sweepstakes poker tournaments and ring games are exceedingly rare.
The most prominent sweepstakes poker sites with true multi-player tables include:
- ClubWPT Gold
- Clubs Poker
- Stake.us Poker
- Global Poker
Gold Coins Purchases and Sweeps Coins Redemptions
Gold Coin purchases and Sweeps Coins redemptions are the core of the sweepstakes model. They differentiate sweepstakes casinos from pure, play-for-fun social casinos.
They’re also where the most confusion and legitimate customer complaints arise. If you want to play sweepstakes games online for real cash prizes, this is the part where you need to pay attention to the details, keep your guard up, and heed third-party reviews.
Buying Gold Coins
When you buy Gold Coins at sweepstakes casinos, you’re paying for entertainment only.
Any Sweeps Coin bonuses you receive alongside Gold Coin purchases are free promotional entries. They’re incidental to Gold Coins’ sole purpose: to play casino-style games for fun.
That said, most online sweepstakes attach offer Sweeps Coin bonuses to Gold Coin purchases, often at a ~1:1 ratio per dollar spent on GCs. For example, it’s not uncommon to receive 20 SCs as a free bonus when you buy a Gold Coins package for $19.99.
Key points to watch:
- Price per GC package vs. how many SCs you receive as a bonus
- Any limits on how often you can buy specific packages
- Whether the site uses “limited time” offers with aggressive countdown timers (a sign to slow down and read carefully)
You should never feel pressured to buy GCs to unlock basic functions such as live customer support. If a sweepstakes casino ties basic account safety features to purchases, consider that a red flag.
Commonly accepted payment methods include:
- Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, occasionally Amex)
- Debit cards
- Skrill
- PayPal
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Online bank transfers via Trustly
- Crypto (Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies)
Redemptions
Sweepstakes casinos typically allow players to redeem their Sweeps Coins for gift cards or cash prizes.
Sweepstakes Gift Cards
Gift card redemptions are the fastest way to turn your SC winnings into real prizes (shortest turnaround from request to money in hand).
They also often have lower redemption minimums (usually around 10-25 SCs) and don’t require you to share your private banking information to receive your payout.
The downside to gift card redemptions is that they lock you into a specific retailer, although Amazon-branded gift cards are just about universally useful.
Sweepstakes Cash Prizes
When you redeem SCs for cash prizes, you’ll receive dollars directly to the bank account, Skrill wallet, or other supported transfer method of your choice.
The downsides to cash redemptions are that you typically have to wait a bit longer for the transaction to process, there are usually higher minimum redemptions (typically around 50-100 SCs), and you’ll need to share your banking info if you want an electronic funds transfer.
Redemption Rules Worth Noting
Redemption rules differ by operator but usually include:
- A minimum SC balance to request redemption
- A playthrough requirement of 1-3x before you can redeem any SCs that you’ve received as bonuses
- Limits on how much you can redeem in a given period
- Know Your Customer (KYC) identity verification, especially for larger redemptions
Redemptions are where many disputes arise, particularly around delayed payments, requests for additional documents, and accounts flagged for “bonus abuse” or “fraud.” Before you invest serious time or money in building a Sweeps Coins balance, read the redemption terms line by line.
Identity verification is normal and expected, even if it is frustrating that most sweepstakes casinos will happily accept your Gold Coin purchases and let you play games in SC mode without full verification, only to request additional documentation when you’re ready to cash out your winnings.
Rogue sweepstakes casinos can leverage nebulous “bonus abuse” or “fraud” allegations to delay or avoid paying winners, so it pays to stick exclusively with established, prominent operators.
Tip: See what other people think by visiting Reddit.com and searching for a sweepstakes casino by name. If you see many player complaints (or almost no mentions), it’s worth considering a different sweepstakes casino. For comparison’s sake, search for a prominent brand like Stake.us, where you’ll see hundreds of positive anecdotes.
You’ll have to take brand mentions with a grain of salt due to Reddit’s anonymity, but you’ll still get a pretty good sense of the operator’s overall standing among the community by using this method.
Note: Florida and New York law cap winnings from a single sweepstakes games session at $5,000.
Are Sweeps Coins Casinos Legal in the USA?
Broadly speaking, sweepstakes casinos rely on longstanding US sweepstakes law and carefully structure their business models to avoid classification as gambling.
In particular, sweepstakes casinos maintain two policies to distinguish themselves from online gambling sites:
- No purchase necessary: Every sweepstakes casino offers multiple methods to participate and win prizes without risking money or purchasing anything. The “no purchase necessary” option removes the element of consideration, which is a necessary component for an activity to qualify as “gambling” under most states’ laws.
- Wagering with virtual currencies only: Sweepstakes casinos do not allow players to deposit cash and place wagers with dollars. This policy further separates sweepstakes sites from online casinos.
The online sweepstakes model operated largely unchallenged for several years, but multiple states have moved to ban or sharply restrict them in recent years:
- Arizona: State law does not explicitly ban sweepstakes casinos, but local regulators have stepped up enforcement efforts against operators they consider illegal. As a result, some (but not all) sweeps casinos have exited the Arizona market.
- California: In 2025, California passed legislation banning online sweepstakes games that use dual-currency systems and simulate gambling. The law extends liability to vendors, payment processors, geolocation providers, and affiliates.
- Connecticut: State lawmakers passed a bill in 2025 banning online sweepstakes casinos that simulate gambling using dual-currency models.
- Idaho: Sweepstakes casinos have long restricted customers from Idaho due to unfavorable state law.
- Kentucky: Legislation approved in 2024, combined with existing illegal gambling loss recovery laws, makes it a legally risky market for sweepstakes casinos. Some sweeps operators have exited Kentucky; others remain active.
- Louisiana: The Attorney General issued a formal opinion that online sweepstakes casinos constitute illegal gambling, and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board announced enforcement actions targeting both offshore operators and sweepstakes platforms.
- Maryland: State regulators consider sweepstakes casinos illegal but have admitted that they lack enforcement power. Some operators have stopped serving MD residents as a result, but most remain available.
- Michigan: The Michigan Gaming Control Board has sent cease-and-desist letters to multiple sweepstakes operators. Unlike some state regulators, the MGCB has sufficient enforcement mechanisms to push nearly all sweepstakes casinos out.
- Montana: Local lawmakers approved legislation in 2025 to ban sweepstakes casinos.
- Nevada: Although Nevada doesn’t ban sweepstakes casinos by name, existing law and legislation passed in 2025 have prompted many sweepstakes casinos to restrict players located in Nevada.
- New York: Pressure from the NYS Gaming Commission and legislation approved in 2025 has prompted most sweepstakes casinos to leave New York.
- Washington: The Washington Gambling Commission has long taken the position that “sweepstakes” casino-style games are unauthorized gambling and has also seen significant civil judgments against social casino apps.
- West Virginia: The Attorney General’s Office has sent cease-and-desist orders to dozens of operators, resulting in most sweepstakes casinos to stop serving WV residents.
In short, sweepstakes casinos are not a universally recognized legal alternative in every state. Most states still allow sweepstakes casinos to operate, but the industry faces increasing scrutiny in many states.
Are Sweepstakes Casinos Legit?
Some sweepstakes casinos are legit, others are questionable, and yet others are outright rogue. In short, the “legitimacy” factor varies significantly from one operator to the next.
In terms of legality, the “legitimacy” factor is debatable. Sweepstakes casinos operate openly in most states and have not faced pushback from local authorities. Only a handful of states have laws that specifically prohibit sweepstakes casinos.
Simultaneously, sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area in most states. Unlike licensed online casinos, sweepstakes casinos don’t have formal legal status in a single state and are unregulated nationwide.
The lack of regulation means sweepstakes casinos determine their own standards of conduct. Players rely entirely on each sweepstakes casino’s internal policies and procedures for critical aspects like account security, game fairness, payout speed, and responsible gambling.
As a result, players must use established and reputable sweepstakes casinos only.
Responsible Play at Sweepstakes Casinos
Even though sweepstakes casinos use Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins instead of direct cash wagers, they involve the same responsible play risks as traditional online casinos.
In fact, the lack of direct cash wagers makes it easy to forget that sweepstakes casinos involve real risks that can negatively affect your finances and well-being.
For example, you can still overspend on coin packages, spend more time than planned, or chase losses in pursuit of a big Sweeps Coins win.
Reputable sweepstakes casinos offer responsible play tools that mimic the responsible gambling tools you’ll find at any licensed gambling site. Typical player-controlled tools include:
- Deposit and purchase limits: Caps on how much you can spend on coin packages per day, week, or month.
- Wager limits: Set a custom limit on how many SCs you can risk on a single wager.
- Playtime and session reminders: Prompts that inform you of how long you’ve been playing so you can decide whether to take a break.
- Cooling-off periods: Short-term self-suspension periods that lock you out for a set number of hours or days.
- Self-exclusion: Longer-term or indefinite blocks if you feel you need a complete break from the platform.
- Transaction and play history: Review your purchase history, coin usage, and game activity to help you spot patterns before they become problems.
For sweepstakes players specifically, it helps to separate your thinking about Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Set a clear budget for GC purchases, decide in advance how many SC you’re comfortable using in a session, and remember that every SC you spend is one you can no longer redeem if you hit the minimum threshold.
For example, if a promotion or leaderboard race pushes you to play faster or higher than you usually would, it may be worth skipping.
Finally, if you notice that sweeps play is causing stress, crowding out other activities, or leading to repeated attempts to “win back” losses, that’s a sign to slow down or stop.
Use the tools the operator provides, consider uninstalling the app or self-excluding if needed, and reach out to a responsible gambling helpline or support resources in your state if you’re concerned.
Additionally, software tools like GamBlock, which prevent access to sweepstakes casinos and gambling sites of all types, are an excellent alternative to statewide self-exclusion programs, which don’t exist for sweeps casinos.
Sweepstakes casinos are marketed as entertainment, but the safest approach is to treat them with the same seriousness you would any other form of gambling.