Sweepstakes Casino sites offer a great alternative for players who don’t live in a state with real money online casinos. But what are sweepstakes casinos, and how do they work? This page will cover all the must-know details, from the welcome bonuses to the best games to play and much more. Read on for your comprehensive overview of sweepstakes casinos in 2025.
Disclaimer: If you are currently in a state where sweepstakes casino sites are not permitted, this now includes New York for some sites, you will encounter restrictions on the offers displayed on this page.
Most sweepstakes casinos are very similar. Many of them offer big game libraries with lots of overlap, accept the same payment methods, and have simple user interfaces. However, small differences can make a big impact, which means some sweepstakes casino sites rise to the top in specific categories. Here are a few of our top picks based on criteria you might look for in a sweepstakes casino.
Best overall sweepstakes casino: McLuck
McLuck takes the cake and earns the distinction of best overall sweepstakes casino. It has (almost) everything a player could want, including a deep well of slot games and a strong selection of live dealer table games and game-show titles. Plus, McLuck offers McJackpots, which give players a chance at massive SC and GC prizes on any spin of any slot, so long as they’re opted in. McLuck also has a solid iOS and Android app for mobile players.
The only setback at McLuck is the site’s lack of single-player table games. If those are your jam, you’re better served trying a different site like Chumba.
Sweepstakes casino site with the best library of games: Chumba
Chumba Casino doesn’t have the most casino games (though it comes close). Instead, it packs a real punch with its incredible variety. At Chumba, you can enjoy slots, table games, Slingo, bingo, live dealer, instant games, and scratchcards. No other sweepstakes casino can beat this array of different game types, making Chumba an ideal choice for players who want lots of novelty.
Best sweepstakes casino bonuses and rewards: WOW Vegas
WOW Vegas grants new players 250,000 WOW Coins and 5 free Sweepstakes Coins — a great start. The real kicker is the slate of ongoing promotions for WOW Vegas players. Every day is packed to the brim with excellent promotions, such as tournaments, email prize draws, wheel spins, happy hours, and more. No sweepstakes casino comes close to the incredible array of promotions offered by WOW Vegas.
Best sweepstakes casino app: Pulsz
There’s a reason the Pulsz mobile app enjoys a high rating on the iOS App Store (4.4 stars) and Google Play (4.3 stars). It’s streamlined and polished, making navigation simple. Plus, it just looks nice with the trademark pink and white Pulsz aesthetic. What’s more, the games load fast and look fantastic on mobile. Most of them are playable in portrait or landscape orientation, too. If you like to play on mobile, put Pulsz at the top of your sweepstakes casino list. Pulsz recently upped the minimum age from 18 to 21.
The US is home to more than 140 sweepstakes casino sites.
Whether you’re new to sweepstakes gaming or looking for a refresher, here are some of our top tips for maximizing your time with a site.
Sweepstakes casinos are always free to play. In other words, purchases are not required. Even so, they can be a great option if you’re willing to shell out a few bucks for some Gold Coins. You’ll usually get some free Sweeps Coins as an added bonus. Plus, sweepstakes casinos frequently offer special discounts on Gold Coins.
Gold Coins are purely used to play for fun. Beyond that, you can use your Gold Coins to test out games and give new ones a try. This is a great way to discover new favorites before you use your Sweeps Coins on them.
Before you start playing towards a Sweeps Coin redemption, know the requirements. Check for redemption minimums, available methods, and playthrough requirements. Every sweepstakes casino site is different, though most require at least 1x playthrough on all Sweeps Coins.
Looking for frequent hits with small wins? Try a low volatility game. High volatility is best for players who want bigger wins with less frequency. Keep RTP percentages in mind, too.
Those are great tips for slots, but keep in mind that you can play other games too. Table games, bingo, and instant games are frequently offered at sweepstakes casinos. Find the game that you like best.
Most sweepstakes casinos have a daily login bonus. The bonus usually increases with each consecutive day you log in, providing ample opportunity for more GC and SC. There are plenty of other promotions available as well, so make a habit of checking the “Promotions” page of your preferred online casino whenever you log on.
Sweepstakes casinos (or sweeps casinos) are available in many US states, offering an alternative to real money online casinos. When you play at a sweepstakes casino site, you play in one of two modes.
In standard mode, you use a standard currency, such as Gold Coins, and you’re just playing for fun. You can win more Gold Coins, but they don’t have any value.
In premium mode, you use a premium currency called Sweeps Coins (or similar). When you use your Sweeps Coins and win, you can redeem them for cash prizes or gift cards.
Winning at a sweepstakes casino may look and feel a lot like playing at a real money site, but it’s more akin to winning a sweepstakes. You play with SC, which functions as an entry.
Sweepstakes casinos are legal in most US states. Each state has the power to choose whether to allow sweepstakes casinos, and most do.
However, some notable markets outright prohibit sweepstakes casinos. Michigan, Montana, Nevada, and Washington are among them, and Louisiana seems poised to join that list.
We’re also in the midst of a new wave of sweepstakes casino bans, as some states look to clamp down on gaming options that aren’t regulated by the same government organizations that oversee real money online casinos. California, Connecticut, and New York are notable examples of states that have started to crack down on sweepstakes operators. VGW Brands, one of the largest online sweepstakes casino operators in the US, will pull out of New York and cease play on Aug. 1. So those looking to play Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker in the state will be out of luck. Chumba Casino has also exited Delaware. This follows other sweepstakes casinos exiting New York like High 5 and WOW Vegas. High 5 Casino has exited Arkansas, Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Illinois. WOW Vegas will also exit Connecticut and Louisiana. Pulsz, meanwhile, has exited Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. Finally, McLuck is also not available in New York.
The good news for you, the player, is that sweepstakes casino sites will only allow you to play if your state allows them to operate. You need to select and confirm your state on sign-up. Even so, it’s helpful to know your state’s stance on sweepstakes casinos, so we encourage you to keep up with any possible bans or regulations coming down the legislative pipeline.
At their core, sweepstakes casinos allow you to enjoy casino-style games for fun, with the added opportunity to redeem cash prizes. To understand how they work, you need to know about their virtual currencies.
Each sweepstakes casino site has distinct terms and conditions to dictate how it works. For example, some sites require 2x or 3x playthrough on Sweeps Coins. Plus, each site has different minimum redemptions and processing times. While these differences are important, the structure of each site is the same.
Strictly speaking, sweepstakes casinos do not pay out real money. They are distinct in the prizes they offer, though you can occasionally redeem cash prizes from sweepstakes casino sites.
Confused yet? That’s OK. The main thing you need to know is that you can redeem real prizes from sweepstakes casinos. If you play with Sweeps Coins, meet the playthrough requirement, and have enough for the redemption minimum, you can request a cash prize. It sounds a lot like real money payouts, but it’s slightly different because you can’t purchase sweepstakes coins or deposit money into your account. So, sweepstakes coin winnings are instead referred to as cash prizes.
If a sweepstakes casino claims to offer deposits and withdrawals, that’s probably a good sign that it’s not operating under sweepstakes laws. Look for language like “purchases” and “redemptions” instead.
Yes. Any redemptions from sweepstakes casino sites are considered taxable income. If you redeem enough over the course of a year, the sweeps casino may send you a tax form for filing. Even if you don’t receive such a form, you are still required to submit your winnings come tax day.
Sweepstakes casinos and real money casinos often have similar games and interfaces, but there are significant differences.
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Sweepstakes casinos |
Real money online casinos |
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Available in 40+ states (availability varies by platform) |
Available in 7 states |
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Play for fun with Gold Coins |
Play with real money |
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Redeem prizes with Sweeps Coins or other premium currency |
Withdraw winnings |
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Apps are available for some sites |
Playable in native mobile apps and on desktop (for most sites) |
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Subject to sweepstakes laws |
Governed by state-specific oversight organizations |
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Slots, table games, live dealer, instants, and more |
Slots, table games, live dealer, instants, and more |
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Must be 18+ (most) or 21+ (certain sites) |
Must be 21 or older |
You’ll often see the terms “Sweeps Casino” and ‘Social Casino” used interchangeably. For our purposes here, that’s fine. However, some players might want to know if the phrases actually mean different things, and we’ve got you covered.
This page covers a sweepstakes casino site in detail. It offers fun play with standard currency and the chance to redeem real prizes when playing with premium currency, such as sweeps coins.
A social casino is just the for-fun part of the experience. At a social casino, you can buy virtual currency and win more, but there’s no chance to redeem real prizes. The most prominent social casino is BetRivers.net, but there are many others.
Remember, these terms are more often than not used to mean the same thing. Don’t be concerned if you see a site calling itself a social casino offering cash prize redemptions
Signing up for a sweepstakes casino site is simple, usually taking just a few minutes. While the process can differ slightly between sites, the core principles remain. Follow these steps to get started, and remember that signing up usually gets you some free GC and SC as a welcome bonus.
Two additional things to note on the sign-up process. First, you might be able to create an account with existing Google, Facebook, or Apple credentials. Feel free to do this for a streamlined sign-up. Second, most sweepstakes casinos require extra identity verification before you can redeem prizes. This is not part of the initial sign-up process; keep that in mind and consider doing it early to avoid delays when you eventually redeem.
Sweeps casinos come with distinct advantages and setbacks. This list isn't comprehensive, but it provides a good overview of the positives and pain points of sweepstakes gaming.
Pros:
Cons:
Sweepstakes Casinos do a great job of making Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins distinct. You can toggle between currencies by clicking a button at the top of a sweepstakes casino’s homepage and/or within a game; then the site will reload to allow you to play with the other currency.
One easy way to tell GC and SC apart is that Gold Coins are offered in much higher amounts. You might get 200,000 GC from a purchase and receive 20 SC as a gift. SC are harder to come by and more valuable because they can be redeemed.
You can get Gold Coins through promotions, giveaways, daily login bonuses, and purchases. Sweeps Coins can be received as part of promotions, freebies when you buy Gold Coins, or via mail-in requests. Each sweepstakes casino has unique promotions, so shop around to find more opportunities for free Coins.
The most commonly accepted purchase methods at sweepstakes casino sites are:
Every sweeps casino site is different and has its own list of accepted methods. For example, some sites only accept VISA or Mastercard credit/debit cards. Also, note that most crypto-based sweepstakes casinos only accept crypto. It’s best to steer clear of those sites if you aren’t already invested in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
Redemption methods at sweepstakes casinos are more limited. Sites most commonly pay prize redemptions with one of four methods:
Of these, gift cards and online banking are the most common.
Bear in mind that each method will have its own minimum redemption. Gift Cards often have low minimums, such as 10 SC, while cash prizes might be 75 or 100 SC.
Most sweepstakes casinos have similar payout times. Redemption requests require internal approval, and then the payment provider must process the redemption. For these reasons, most requests take 3 to 10 business days to process.
The fastest-paying sweepstakes casinos offer gift cards. Gift card redemptions are by far the fastest to process, often taking less than 24 hours.
Bonuses and promotions abound at sweepstakes casinos. They are also different from the online casino bonuses that you'll see at real money casinos. Here are some of the most common types of offers you'll see at sweepstakes casino sites.
Make the most of sweepstakes casino bonuses by following these simple tips and tricks.
Playing at a sweepstakes casino is a lot like playing at a real casino in many ways. You’ll find all sorts of games, including slots, blackjack, and even live dealers.
Slots are the most plentiful of sweepstakes casino games. You’ll frequently find hundreds of them at a sweeps site, which means you have tons of amazing options.
Slots have two stats worth knowing: RTP and volatility. RTP is a measure of the game’s tendency to win over time. For example, an RTP of 96% means a slot will trend toward paying 96 coins for every 100 played. Note that this is measured over thousands of spins, so it’s not a guarantee.
Volatility is related to RTP, but it’s a measure of win size and frequency. A low volatility game tends to pay small wins fairly often, while a high volatility game has bigger wins with less frequency. Volatility is a scale, so a game can be medium, medium low, or medium high, too.
Use these as resources to help you pick your favorite slots to suit your play style.
Blackjack, roulette, baccarat … sweepstakes casinos have all the most popular table games. Craps is still pretty rare, but it’s becoming more popular
Single-player table games are still only sporadically available at sweepstakes casinos, but you can find them at a handful of sites. One advantage of table games is that they tend to have high RTPs, so they’re good for clearing playthrough requirements.
Live dealer games blend the convenience of mobile play with the thrill of playing at a real table with a real dealer. You make decisions in real-time from your device while an actual dealer doles out cards and runs the game, all of which is live-streamed to your device. Popular live dealer games are blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and game shows.
Keno and bingo offer nice changes of pace at sweepstakes casinos. Both involve numbered balls appearing on screen. In keno, players pick numbers ahead of time, then hope for matches once the game round begins. Bingo is the standard five-in-a-row hunt.
This category covers, well, everything else. Games like Crash, Mines, Plinko, Slingo, scratchcards, and more fall into the specialty category. The variety is staggering, and they add some flair to the sweepstakes casino experience.
Our number one tip for playing casino games is simple: have fun. It sounds hokey, but the fact of the matter is that’s what sweepstakes casinos are for. If you’re not having fun, what’s the point? So, avoid playing games you don’t enjoy, even if the ones you do like have lower RTPs.
Beyond that main tip, which should supersede all others, here are a few additional tips for playing sweepstakes casinos.
Use autoplay for long sessions: Many slots let you spin many times in a row without pressing the spin button each time.
Let’s separate the truths and falsehoods you might find about sweepstakes casino sites.
This is true. You can only win Sweeps Coins at sweepstakes casinos. However, once you win enough, you can redeem them for real prizes, including cash.
This is false. Sweepstakes casinos offer games from trusted providers, and those games are rigorously tested for fairness by third parties. Like any gaming site, though, the advantage is always with the house (the sweeps casino, in this case). While that’s true, it doesn’t mean the site is rigged. Everyone has the same fair chance to win.
This is false. Sweepstakes casinos operate legally because they abide by sweepstakes laws. However, some states have prohibited sweepstakes casinos outright, in which case operators cannot offer their service in those markets.
This is false. Your information is protected by the same encryption used by countless other online platforms. SSL encryption is the gold standard for keeping your data safe. Sweeps casino sites also use multifactor authentication and trusted identity verification services to keep your info safe.
Keep in mind that data is always at risk, even if it’s just to a small degree, online.
This is true to a degree, and it depends on what you mean. Every sweeps casino has a privacy policy detailing what data it collects and what it does with that data.
Chances are, this also relates to geolocation, which is usually required to confirm you’re within a legal state.
Having fun and playing responsibly go hand in hand. Follow these tips to keep your play responsible at sweepstakes casinos.
First and foremost, we’ve done the research to ensure we’re only recommending trusted and reputable sweepstakes casinos on this page.
Additionally, sweepstakes casinos offer a safe and legal alternative to real money online casinos. They use many of the same security measures as their real money online counterparts, so you can play with peace of mind.
The games are fair and varied, too, so everyone has the same chances of winning.
No. Purchases are never required to play at sweeps casinos, though the option is always available. If you choose to purchase Gold Coins, you’ll usually get some free Sweeps Coins to go along with them, which gives you a chance to redeem if you win.
A sweeps casino is a site that offers for-fun play with standard currency and the potential for real prizes when you play with premium currency. Sweeps casinos offer tons of slots, table games, live dealer games, and more.
The minimum age to play at sweepstakes casinos varies by site. Chumba, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker require players to be 21 or older. Most other sites set the minimum at 18.
Most states allow sweepstakes casinos in some capacity, though each market is different. The main states that prohibit sweepstakes casinos are Michigan, Montana, Nevada, and Washington.
Yes. Sweepstakes casinos deploy various tools and practices to keep your information safe. These include SSL encryption, multi-factor sign-ins, and rigorous account verification processes.
No, but you can win sweeps coins and redeem them for real prizes. Once you’ve played your SC at least once (higher requirements are imposed by some casinos), they become redeemable. Collect enough redeemable sweepstakes coins to request a prize.
Any time you spin the reels or play a hand with sweeps coins, you’re entering a sweepstakes. Therefore, anything you win by playing is considered a sweepstakes win.
Sweepstakes casinos don’t offer real money wins. They offer redemptions. The best way to earn redemptions is to find games with high RTPs. Some table games are good options, like roulette and blackjack. High RTP slots are also solid choices.
Yes. Any redemptions you make at a sweepstakes casino are taxable. You must file them even if the site doesn’t send you a specific tax form.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! The app one player likes most may be another’s least favorite. That said, our top picks are High 5 Casino, McLuck, and Pulsz. All three have streamlined and well-designed mobile apps.
First and foremost, we only recommend trustworthy and reputable sweepstakes casinos. Further, the sweepstakes sites we recommend use the legal sweepstakes model, offering purchases and redemptions but no deposits and withdrawals. These things, plus other signs, indicated that a sweepstakes casino is above board and trustworthy.
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