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Sweepstakes casinos, or sweep coins casinos, have been quietly building up a fanbase for a while, and now theyโre becoming an increasingly attractive proposition for gaming fans throughout the US.
Unlike real money online casinos, sweepstakes casinos donโt allow play with real dollars, or any equivalent currency. Gameplay is always conducted using virtual coins, so your bankroll never gets involved, meaning it doesnโt count as gambling in the eyes of the law.
Traditional online casinos aren’t widely available across the US, thanks to a lack of consistency in state gambling laws. Even where retail casinos are allowed to operate, it doesn’t necessarily follow that online casinos are legal, making it impossible to access online casino games in the majority of states.
Playing sweepstakes casino games is just like the real thing, except players use Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins instead of real money. And since US gambling laws are based on wagering something of value on a chance outcome, sweepstakes games are perfectly legal.
States vary with the sweepstakes casinos and games that are allowed, so always read through the terms and conditions to check that you can sign up and play. The Evergreen State is the only one opposed to the idea of all sweepstakes casinos, although it’s prepared to make an exception for Golden Hearts Games. This is reckoned to be the first sweepstakes site to be based on charitable donations, with a list of hundreds of options that are approved by the IRS.
A qualifying first donation to your preferred local or national charity will activate a welcome bonus of double that amount in free Coins. You can use them to play casino style games including slots and scratchers, with a new bingo game starting every few minutes around the clock. All of these online games are available to play without making a donation, by sending off a postal application for free Coins. There are real cash prizes to be redeemed, making this an unusual and attractive way of supporting your favorite good cause.
A welcome bonus of Gold Coins is available to use within seconds of signing up and creating your new sweepstakes casino account. You can play the casino games of your choice with no cash outlay, with more Gold Coins usually available through a variety of sweepstakes casino bonus drop codes, including:
Gold Coins are available to buy in curated bundles too, although this is purely an option and never compulsory. No purchase is ever needed to play at any online sweepstakes casinos.
If you want to play slots from leading developers, including Pragmatic Play, then WOW Vegas deserves a closer look. The Gold Coins here are known as WOW Coins, but other than that, they work in exactly the same way, offering free gameplay, with an option to buy more. Switch to using free Sweeps Coins and there are some real cash prizes available, making this a popular destination for slots enthusiasts.
Original slot games doesn’t mean you should expect any lack of bonus features, as demonstrated by Luckyland Slots. Having launched with just a handful of feature-rich games, the operator has been steadily growing its collection at the rate of at least two per month. There are a few other online casino style games too, including a few instant-win scratchers.
Gold Coins gameplay is purely for fun, with no prizes available, other than more Gold Coins to use on games throughout the sweepstake casino site. But operators also give away free Sweeps Coins, which give access to an alternative mode of gameplay.
Once they’ve been played through as set out in each site’s specific rules, you can redeem Sweeps Coins winnings for real world gifts, including real cash prizes in some cases. Unlike Gold Coins, it’s impossible to purchase Sweeps Coins, which have to be free to keep within the strict sweepstakes regulations.
As with Gold Coins, there are usually a number of ways of adding to your Sweeps Coins collection. Some operators include a few free Sweeps Coins along with Gold Coin purchase packages, but that’s not something to be relied upon. Prize draws and giveaways are popular options, so connecting up via social media channels and opting in to receive site promotions is a no brainer.
Anyone hoping for a sweepstakes casino experience that’s almost identical to playing at traditional online casinos, needs to head on over to Stake.us. This is an operator that’s taken the US by storm, thanks to an outstanding collection of games, which includes a live dealer section. That’s almost unheard of at a free-to-play sweepstakes casino, let alone the opportunity to explore the entire catalog of Stake Originals.
Stake.us offers gameplay in Gold Coin mode that’s just for fun. Rather than calling its sweepstakes coins Sweeps Coins though, the operator has chosen to reinforce its brand by calling these virtual tokens Stake Cash. Once played through three times, Stake Cash can be redeemed for real world rewards, including branded digital gift cards and exclusive merchandise.
All the best sweepstakes casinos work hard to make sure they offer as much fun as possible, served up just the way their players like it. Sweepstakes casino journeys start with a generous welcome bonus of free Coins that can be used immediately. After that, it’s a matter of checking out your operator’s rules to find out what your Coin bonus options are.
Look out for exclusive promotional offers and promo codes that could add extra value to your free gameplay. Some sites, such as Stake.us, also offer regular challenges and tournaments, in which players compete to win huge Gold Coin and Stake Cash prizes.
Sweepstakes casino games are growing in popularity, as player realize the opportunities they present for having fun, with the possibility of claiming real rewards. Unlike traditional online casinos there’s absolutely no financial risk, yet you can have full access to all the online casino games that you’d usually expect to have to pay for.
If real money online casinos aren’t available in your state, a sweepstakes casino is a safe and legal option. And if your state allows real money casinos, you can enjoy all the fun of playing online sweepstakes casino games without having to involve your bankroll. Sweepstakes games can result in real cash prizes, so it’s no wonder players across the US are keen to find out more.
Sweepstakes casino sites all tend to work in a broadly similar way, offering free Sweeps Coins that can be redeemed for real prizes, once played through according to the site’s rules. There’s a lot of room for making changes though, including the names that the Coins are known by. But some aspects of every sweeps casino remain the same – Sweeps Coins are always free, for example, and no purchase is ever needed to play social casino games.
Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins are used for playing games at sweepstakes casinos, with Gold Coin gameplay exclusively for fun. Sweeps Coins are special, free promotional tokens issued by the operator, which have the potential to be redeemed for tangible rewards, including digital gift cards and real cash prizes.
Although the earliest social casino sites placed a particular emphasis on online slot games, these days it’s possible to find everything you’d expect at traditional real money casinos – apart from the deposit facilities. Sweeps games encompass everything from classic slots through table favorites, such as Blackjack and Baccarat. At Stake.us there are free live dealer games and cutting-edge Stake Originals too, so all bases are covered.
Although no real money gambling takes place at sweepstakes casinos, you’ll still be parting with your name, email address and cell number. If you decide to buy any Gold Coins packages, your banking information will also be required, so you need to have complete trust in the integrity of your chosen sweepstakes casino. Choosing a reputable site that comes recommended by trusted reviewers and other players is an important starting point. Just because the games are free that’s no reason to be complacent about the safety of your personal data.
Just like real money sites, sweepstakes casinos aim to get new players off to the best possible start with the help of generous welcome bonuses. An initial allocation of Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins lets new members try out the games and discover all the site features. The size of each sweepstakes casino sign up bonus varies, and it’s worth looking out for any exclusive promo codes or offers to extend the fun even further.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
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