Best US Sweepstakes Casino Sites in 2023

List of US sweepstakes casinos

What is a sweepstakes casino?

Sweepstakes casinos share similarities with real money online casinos, allowing players to enjoy casino-style games like slots, progressive games, table games, and video poker.

So, what's the difference? The critical distinction is that sweepstakes casinos do not involve cash wagers like at a real money casino, and are therefore not considered fully-fledged gambling operations. You must use virtual currencies like Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins to play at an online sweepstakes casino, and the latter can subsequently be redeemed for cash prizes.

Covers Tip: Do not confuse sweepstakes casinos with social casinos. Both types of casino fundamentally operate in a similar fashion, but you cannot win real money prizes at a social casino. You are playing purely for entertainment.

Are sweepstakes casinos legal?

Sweepstakes casinos are currently legal in all U.S. states except Washington. These websites operate within the law due to the sweepstakes model. Sweeps cash casinos do not involve real money gambling, which is the case with conventional online casinos. 

Players use virtual currencies to play the wide variety of available games at sweepstakes casinos, making them permissible in most U.S. states.

If you're looking to wager real money in the U.S. or Canada, check out our Best Online Casinos in the US page and our Online Gambling Canada guide.

The best US sweepstakes casinos

Given the number of online gaming sites, how do you choose the best U.S. sweepstakes casinos? Here are three of our top picks to get you started: 

Pulsz

Pulsz is a fresh-themed online sweepstakes casino offering more than 200 unique slots and table games, some great cash prizes, and an excellent app — enabling you to enjoy the action on the go.

Read our Pulsz Casino review to learn more.

Gambino Slots (social only)

Gambino Slots is purely a social casino, meaning players cannot redeem cash prizes, but the platform is superb and offers exciting features like the daily Bonus Wheel. Gambino's VIP club rewards players who regularly play the hundreds of slots and table games available on the site with bonus G-Coins.

Check out our Gambino Slots review for further information.

Fortune Coins

There are more than 50 rewarding games on Fortune Coins, with special offers, great graphics, and an excellent mobile app for players to enjoy.

Get extra details in our Fortune Coins review.

	Pulsz Casino	Gambino Slots Casino	Fortune Coins Casino
Welcome bonus:	Up to 367,000 GC + 32.5 SC	100,000 G-Coins + 200 free spins	Up to 1,270,000 GC + FREE 3,900 FC
Cash prizes:	Yes ✅	No ❌	Yes ✅
Payout speed:	0-5 days	N/A	1-5 days
States available:	47 (ID, NV, and WA restricted)	50	49 (WA restricted)
Covers BetSmart Rating:	3.8/5 ⭐️	4.2/5 ⭐️	3.8/5 ⭐️
Play online:	Play Now	Play Now	Play Now

Sweepstakes casinos vs. real money online casinos

The main difference between sweeps casinos and real money online casinos is that the former uses virtual currency for wagering, while the latter uses real money. As such, sweeps casinos are not gambling sites, even though they host many of the same games you would find at a real money casino. 

This distinction is why sweepstakes casinos are legal in most U.S. states, while online gambling sites are only legal in a handful of regions. If you reside in a state without legal online gaming, sweepstakes casinos could be a great option.

Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins

There are two types of virtual currencies to be aware of when preparing to play at online sweepstakes casinos — Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC). 

Gold Coins don’t hold any monetary value but are the required currency to enjoy the social aspect of the online sweepstakes experience. You can buy GC from the sweepstakes casino, and also receive this currency as a reward — for example, when you sign up for an account with the operator. Your GC funds are used to climb the social ladder on your chosen site.

You can only win more Gold Coins when you play casino-style games with Gold Coins.

Sweeps Coins, on the other hand, are the coins you need to use to play games for real prizes. You can acquire free SC by claiming a welcome bonus or participating in contests that online sweepstakes casinos regularly run on their social media platforms. You cannot buy Sweeps Coins.

You can only win more Sweeps Coins when you play casino-style games with Sweeps Coins.

At the end of your gaming experience, you can redeem your SC virtual coins for cash prizes or gift cards.

How to purchase Gold Coin packages

Sweepstakes casinos usually reward new players with free Gold Coins when they sign up, and often more coins are available through additional tasks like linking your social media profiles to your account.

This gives players a reasonable balance to get started with, but there is the option to top this virtual currency bankroll up through buying Gold Coin packages.

Gold Coin packages vary from casino to casino but are customarily sold in a range of amounts, with the larger packages costing more but offering better value for money. Additionally, these packages often feature extra Sweeps Coins which are not available to purchase individually.

Purchasing a Gold Coin package at an online sweepstakes casino is simple. Just follow these steps to get started:

Popular sweepstakes games

Sweepstakes casinos are constantly adding new and exciting titles to their sites, many of which players cannot find on other casino sites. Here are some of the most popular sweepstakes casino games you can play today:

Egyptian Dreams 

This Egyptian-themed, 5-reel slot game features excellent graphics and offers a top prize of 7,500,000,000 GC.

Play 'Egyptian Dreams' at Pulsz Casino.

Caishen Wealth

This Asian-themed slot uses a hold-and-win feature to boost your winning chances and is less volatile than some of its competitors. Players fight it out for the top prize of 30,798,000 Gold Coins.

Play 'Caishen Wealth' at McLuck.com.

Great Rhino: Megaways

This highly-volatile Megaways slot is a firm favorite with sweepstakes casino fans, with more than 200,000 ways to win and a top prize of 20,000,000 GC.

Play 'Great Rhino: Megaways' at Stake.us.

How to get started at a sweepstakes casino

Getting started at a sweepstakes casino is easier than you might think. Do not jump into the world of social gaming blindly; follow these steps to get off on the right foot:

How to win at a sweepstakes casino

Sweepstakes casino games work just like real money online casino games — and you should take the same approach when playing. Pay close attention to Return to Player (RTP) percentage and game volatility, and use bonus Sweeps Coins to your advantage.

Ultimately, Sweeps Coins are your tickets to redeem real cash prizes. If you play a game with SC and retain some at the end of your gaming experience, you can exchange them for cash prizes before leaving the site.

Sweepstakes casino pros and cons

Sweepstakes casinos offer players the chance to enjoy a broad spectrum of online games without the risks associated with gambling. That being said, winning significant amounts of money at sweepstakes casinos is difficult. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the pros and cons of this gaming model:

 You can play for free

 Unique selection of slots and table games

Daily bonuses for returning players

Very little risk

Impressive lineup of sweepstakes casinos

Potential to win gift cards

Cannot redeem Gold Coins for cash prizes

Need a minimum number of Sweeps Coins to redeem

Fewer games than traditional online casinos

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