There’s no shortage of guides to online sweepstakes, but let’s be honest - most of them skip over the crucial info, like where they can operate and which sites are worth your time. That’s exactly why I created this guide.
I’m here to break down what sweepstakes casinos are, how they work differently from real money casinos, and the legal nuances that let them operate in almost every state - 49 to be exact. Plus, I’ve thrown in my top recommendations for sweepstakes casinos you have to check out. Trust me, this is the only guide you’re going to need.
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If you’ve never read any guides to online sweepstakes before, or any of my reviews such as my Fortune Coins review, you might be scratching your head about what a sweepstakes casino actually is. Let me break it down in simple terms: A sweepstakes casino is a unique kind of online casino where no purchase is necessary to play.
Instead of playing games with real money, you use virtual currencies. These go by different names depending on where you’re playing, but most commonly, they're called Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Here’s a quick rundown:
| Gold Coins | These are used to play games for fun, and that's pretty much it. You can't redeem your winnings or exchange them for other currencies, but you can make an optional Gold Coin purchase if you want to extend your gameplay. |
| Sweeps Coins | This is where things get interesting. You use Sweeps Coins to play in a sweepstakes mode, where if you win and meet the playthrough requirements, you can redeem your winnings for real prizes, like cash prizes or gift cards. Sweeps Coins cannot be purchased, but you can collect them for free via bonuses, promotions, and sometimes as an extra alongside Gold Coin packages. |
I’ve checked out a bunch of sweepstakes casino guides online, and most of them just talk about how these platforms are different from your regular casinos. They often skip over the big question: Are they even legal in the US? Don’t sweat it, though - I’ve got you covered.
Right off the bat, I can tell you that sweepstakes casinos are legal in 49 out of the 50 states, with Washington being the odd one out. Now, you might be wondering how that works, especially since states like Alabama, California, Idaho, Missouri, and a few others have strict laws against online casinos.
Here’s the deal: sweepstakes casinos don’t involve real money gambling, so they don’t fall under the same gambling regulations. Instead, they're legal under US sweepstakes laws, which allows them to operate in nearly all states. So if you’re in a state where online casinos are off-limits, sweepstakes casinos are an excellent alternative. It should be noted though that specific regulations may restrict certain sweepstakes casinos from operating in a state, so always check the availability of the sweepstakes casino in your state before registering.
No guide to online sweepstakes would be complete without pointing you toward some of the best spots to try out, right? That’s why I’ve picked out a few of my top recommendations for you: Stake.us, McLuck, and Wow Vegas. Let me give you a quick overview of what each one brings to the table.
If I had to pick just one sweepstakes casino for you to try, it'd definitely be Stake.us. As outlined in my Stake.us review, this platform has everything: slots, table games, and even live dealer games - which, let me tell you, are a rare find in the sweepstakes casino scene.
Plus, they’ve got some exclusive games you won't find anywhere else with Return to Player (RTP) rates up to 99%. And get this, if you sign up with the code SPORTSGAMBLER, you’ll get 55 Stake Cash (equivalent to Sweeps Coins), 260,000 Gold Coins, and a 5% rakeback deal, all for free as a welcome bonus.
McLuck is another sweepstakes casino that really stands out, thanks to its excellent lineup of games from big names like Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, and Evoplay. You’ve got your choice of slots, table games, and even live dealer games, which definitely gives it an edge over most other platforms.
Plus, just like what I found in my Fliff review, they’ve got some great extras: live chat support if you need help, an exclusive loyalty program to keep things interesting, and a super low 1x playthrough requirement that makes it easy to redeem your winnings for real cash prizes.
If slots are your thing, then you've gotta check out Wow Vegas. Seriously, it's one of the best sweepstakes casinos for slot enthusiasts. They've got over 900 slot games from top developers like Pragmatic Play and Habanero, and they keep adding new ones every week.
Additionally, similar to what I found in my Pulsz review, the bonuses are super generous. You can get a 200% bonus on your first purchase, pick up free coins every day just for logging in, and rake in some loyalty rewards too. With all these perks, it's no surprise that millions of players have already signed up.
And that brings us to the end of this guide to online sweepstakes casinos. By now, you should have a pretty good understanding of what sweepstakes casinos are all about, how they're different from your typical casinos, and why they're legal in pretty much every state except Washington.
Plus, if you're looking for some top-notch places to play, you can't go wrong with the ones I've mentioned here on this page. My top pick? Definitely Stake.us. If you decide to give it a try, don’t forget to use the code SPORTSGAMBLER when you sign up to grab your 55 Stake Cash, 260,000 Gold Coins, and a 5% rakeback - all for free.
Yes, sweepstakes casinos are legal in 49 out of 50 states, with Washington being the exception. They operate under US sweepstakes laws, which makes them different from traditional online casinos. That being said, some sweepstakes casinos cannot operate in a number of other states either due to certain regulations, so always check state eligibility before you register.
While you cannot win real money directly at sweepstakes casinos, you can redeem your winnings for real prizes like cash or gift cards.
Sweepstakes casinos use virtual currencies like Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins instead of real money. Gold Coins are for fun, while Sweeps Coins can be redeemed real prizes if you meet the playthrough requirements.
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