If you’ve been wondering what a sweepstakes casino is, this is your chance to get up to speed with the gaming phenomenon that’s been taking the US by storm!
Not only will we explain how these free-to-play gaming sites work, but we’ve also got some top recommendations for you to check out. If you read on, we’ll explain how these sites work, their core features, and how you can get started at well-known operators like Stake.us, Crown Coins Casino, and Real Prize.
Explore the Ins and Outs of Sweepstakes Casino Sites
Sweepstakes casinos offer a wide variety of slots and casino-style games that you’ll play using virtual currencies instead of real money. Gold Coins are just for fun, with no potential for getting any tangible prizes. But free Sweeps Coins come with a special twist that’s revealed as you complete the
sweepstakes casino playthrough requirements, becoming redeemable for real cash prizes.
Essentially, they are an alternative to real money casinos and you can enjoy stress-free gaming using the virtual currencies that you’ll get. For a sweepstakes casino to be legitimate, and offer its services in the US, it must do the following:
Not support real money deposits.
Not allow real money gameplay.
Require no purchase to play its games.
Give free virtual currencies.
Core features of sweepstakes casinos
We’ve given you a sweepstakes explanation, but for more detail, it’s important to understand the common features these sites have and what you should look out for. This includes the virtual currencies, free-play casino-style games, promotions, and SC redemptions:
Virtual currencies
The cornerstone of sweepstakes casinos is their virtual currencies and this sets them apart from their real money counterparts. Usually, social casinos have two virtual currencies – Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. They might be called something different though, for instance, Stake.us calls their Sweeps Coins, Stake Cash. Still, the underlying functionality is the same:
Virtual Currency
What it Does
Gold Coins
GC are for fun only, cannot be redeemed, and cannot be swapped for SC.
Sweeps Coins
SC have the potential to be redeemed for cash prizes.
You can play games with either of the virtual currencies. There’s usually an option to switch between GC and SC. Whichever virtual currency you play with, you have the chance of getting the same virtual currency back as prizes.
Free-play casino-style games
The BEST feature of sweepstakes casinos is the awesome games you can play. These sites are usually crammed with hundreds of casino-style games. Essentially, these games are often the same as the ones you play at real money sites, but you are just using virtual currencies instead of USD. Common game genres you can find at social casinos include:
Video slots.
Arcade games.
Fishing shooter games.
Table games.
Live dealer games.
Scratch cards.
Bingo.
GC and SC promotions
Another key aspect in our sweepstakes explanation is the fact that you can get your virtual currencies for free via a range of promotions. Most sites start with a chunky welcome bonus, but there’s loads of other potential ways to get Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, including:
Promotion
Description
Welcome bonus
Usually a lump sum of free GC and SC.
Daily login bonus
You can get this once per day, often includes free GC and SC.
Mail-in bonus
Special postal request to get free SC.
Referral scheme
Get your friends involved and get bonuses for each referral.
VIP program
Usually has tiers based on XP, and gives perks and prizes accordingly.
Social media promo
You’ll often find contests and giveaways on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
SC cash prize redemptions
Lastly, although there is no direct real money gameplay, most social casinos give you the chance to redeem your Sweeps Coins for cash prizes. The conversion rate is often 1:1 USD, but you will need to meet redemption requirements before making a request, and these are:
Verifying your ID fully.
Having a minimum SC balance.
Playing with bonus SC a set number of times.
Usually, you’ll have to make a full KYC check and upload a copy of your photo ID and a selfie. The minimum SC balance is most commonly 100, but some sites have it set lower at 45-75 SC. Lastly, you’ll always have to play with any bonus SC at least 1x, but some sites have a 2x or 3x playthrough requirement.
How to get started at a sweepstakes casino?
For this guide on what is a sweepstakes casino, we also wanted to help you get started. Once you’ve picked a site you want to try, to play the games and get virtual currencies, you’ll need to register an account, and this can be done via the following steps:
Use our links to open the site.
Click the sign up, join, or register button.
Follow the instructions.
Enter any required details.
Enter a promo code if needed.
Verify your email.
Log in using your new details.
Registration is easy, and you can usually get started in a few minutes. You’ll also need to verify your ID fully at some point which involves providing a photo ID and a selfie, and sometimes verifying your phone number by entering the SMS code you get.
Our picks for the best sweepstakes casinos
Any guide to understanding sweepstakes casinos can only go so far – ultimately you need to test one out for yourself, to fully appreciate how it all works. We’ve picked out some top recommendations for you to look at, with detailed reviews also available here at WIN.gg. The following options all offer reliable
sweepstakes casino RTP
percentages for their games, so fair and honest gaming sessions are assured.
RealPrize – superb daily bonus
100,000 GC and 2 SC welcome bonusDaily login bonusesExciting casino-style gamesMobile-optimized and user-friendly website
No dedicated Android app
Visit Real Prize
Real Prize offers an excellent welcome bonus of 100,000 Gold Coins and 2 Sweeps Coins for new customers. After that, you can login once per day and get 5,000 GC and 0.30 SC for your daily bonus. We also like that this site has an excellent VIP program, a decent mail-in bonus, and regular slot tournaments.
For gaming, we love playing the live dealer games like Crash Live and Gravity Roulette, but Real prize also has plenty of arcade games, and video slots from amazing developers like Booming Games, Relax Gaming, and Evoplay.
Crown Coins Casino – hundreds of awesome slots
Low 50 SC for redemptionVIP Levels with progressive rewardsMultiple customer support channelsWeekly & Seasonal challengesVariety of payment methodsDedicated iOS app
No Android appNo table casino games
Visit CrownCoinsCasino
Crown Coins Casino is bursting with bonuses and you can start with the 100,000 Gold Coin and 2 Sweeps Coin welcome bonus. After that, there’s a progressive daily login bonus which can go as high as 40,000 GC and 1 SC.
This sweepstakes casino excels when it comes to video slots and you can dive into various different game mechanics such as Megaways, Hold and Win, Bonus Buy, and cascading reels. Their retro slots from Playson are incredible, and we particularly like the Coin Strike Hold and Win series.
Golden Hearts Games – bingo, keno, and more
Multiplayer Bingo RoomsFree-to-play Gold and Sweeps CoinsMobile friendlyRedeem Sweeps Coin winnings for cash prizes
Some state restrictions
When looking at what is a sweepstakes casino, we had to include Golden Hearts Games in our list. It has a brilliant welcome bonus of 250,000 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweeps Coins, plus a range of discounted Gold Coin packages, and one of the largest mail-in bonuses at 6 SC.
This site does have a smaller game library compared to some of the other big names, but we like that you can enjoy alternatives to video slots such as scratch cards, keno, bingo, and video poker. There’s also some great games from Booming Games and Evoplay.
Stake.us – immense welcome bundle
Leading Social CasinoWorld class selection of gamesDaily promotionsFantastic welcome bonusUser friendly websiteStake OriginalsUFC Official Partner
No mobile app
Visit Stake.us
When you use our links and sign up to Stake.us, make sure you enter the SOCIALWINGG promo code to get a cracking welcome bundle. This cumulative bonus will give you 560,000 Gold Coins, 56 Stake Cash, and a 5% rakeback on your SC gameplay. Also look out in the live chat for the random SC bonus drops that this social casino has, where you can get 5-10 SC multiple times per week.
Stake.us is renowned for its Stake Originals games which include epic titles like Crash, Limbo, Dice, and Mines. However, there’s also plenty of other game categories including scratch cards, poker, and hundreds of slots. It’s always a fun time playing the Hacksaw Gaming slots, especially with cartoon-inspired titles like Le Zeus and Le Bandit.
Take your pick from the best sweepstakes casinos
Now you have a good idea what a sweepstakes casino is all about, it’s time to choose your favorite option – or dig a little deeper by checking out the reviews and guides here at WIN.gg. The aim is to provide you with all the essential information you need to know, from how the virtual currencies work, through to the expected
sweepstakes casino redemption time limits.
You’ll find straightforward sweepstakes explanations about the games you can play, and the software providers behind them, along with a rundown of the prizes you can potentially get, and the requirements needed to make SC redemptions. If you prefer to get straight into the action, you can tap the banners for any of our featured sweepstakes casinos like Stake.us, Real Prize, Crown Coins, and Golden Hearts Games, sign up at them, and get your welcome bonus today.
The
guides to online sweepstakes
here at WIN.gg explain everything you need to know about playing free casino games, including step-by-step guides to getting started.
💰 Do I need to deposit money to play at a sweepstakes casino?
No, these are
free online casinos with potential cash prizes
available in exchange for eligible Sweeps Coins. No cash deposits are allowed, as gameplay is only activated through the use of virtual currencies.
🏆 What is a sweepstakes casino best for?
You can take your pick from slots, table games, bingo, poker and more, without laying your bankroll on the line. That means
sweepstakes casinos are legal
throughout most of the US – come and check what’s available in your region!
🗺️ Where are sweepstakes casinos available?
Sweepstakes casinos are only available in the US and usually to anyone over 18. However, different sites will be available in different states and you always need to check the regional accessibility before using our links and trying to sign up to a site.
🤑 Can I win real money at sweepstakes casinos?
Not directly from gameplay. You play the games using Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins – not real money. Sweeps Coins might be redeemable for cash prizes though, provided that you meet the SC redemption eligibility requirements.
Simon Day
About Simon Day
Simon has been writing about Gaming and Sports for over a decade, with his work featured in a variety of well-known gaming magazines. This year, he joined win.gg as an Editorial Specialist, where he continues to share his passion for the industry through insightful and well-crafted content pieces.
Simon Day