Unbelievable as it may seem to some veteran US online slot players, at sweepstakes casinos, it is possible to win real prizes without spending a dime. One of the latest trends in iGaming, these no-purchase-necessary websites have shaken up the industry, showing a new and exciting alternative to traditional gambling platforms.

Over the past few years, sweepstakes casinos have quickly grown in popularity and attracted millions of sign-ups, which is no wonder, taking into account that they can be legally accessed in more than forty U.S. states. Remember that thus far, only Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have legalized online betting activities, so just seven out of fifty states.

No doubt, the galloping expansion of social media and the unprecedented rise of mobile use created fertile soil for this type of entertainment, which is fun, risk-free, and rewarding at the same time. Players can enjoy a wide variety of the most sought-after casino-style slots, table games, and even live roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and live game shows without making any deposits or purchases. And that has nothing to do with the usual “fun” mode because, at sweepstakes casinos, players have real chances to win tangible rewards.

You keep asking what is the catch?

No worries, there is no catch. The concept works just perfectly and is easy to understand. Read on to find answers to all your questions and learn how to make the most of your favorite pastime. This article covers everything you need to know, from the way sweepstake casinos work to their advantages and disadvantages.

What is a Sweepstakes Casino?

Sweepstakes Casino is a gaming website that mimics a traditional online casino but operates under sweepstakes laws, providing games legally in jurisdictions with regulated gambling, including the USA.

Such platforms operate on a freemium business model, which means that users have free access to games and basic features while premium features and extras can be unlocked through purchases. They also use coins as in-house currency instead of real money. Namely, every registered customer can play any game they like and participate in any promotion and tournament they want for free. However, once they feel like needing more coins right away, they can buy one of the coin packages.

In contrast to social casinos, their sweepstakes counterparts have a dual-coin system in place. Besides Gold Coins (GC), which have no monetary value and serve to let players enjoy the thrills of social gaming, there are Sweeps Coins (SC), which offer the potential to win rewards and redeem them for cash prizes. Unlike Gold Coins, Sweeps Coins cannot be purchased but they can be obtained through various bonuses and promotions, or social activities. They can also be received as a gift when purchasing one of the Gold Coins packages.

There are plenty of free and exciting ways to get the coveted Sweeps Coins and once a player has accumulated enough SC, they can be redeemed for cash prizes, gift cards, or merchandise – the conditions vary from one platform to another.

How to Get Sweepstakes Coins

To the delight of players, sweepstakes casinos usually provide tons of possibilities to obtain Sweeps Coins. Just to be clear, they can never be purchased directly, but you will get them as a complimentary gift every time you buy one of the Gold Coin packages. However, all chances are that you will always have enough SC without spending money, just make sure to use every opportunity mentioned below:

• Welcome bonus – it is hard to find a sweepstakes casino that does not treat new customers to a hearty no-purchase welcome package, which typically contains impressive stocks of both Gold and Sweeps Coins.
• Daily login reward – usually, all registered players receive a certain amount of Sweeps Coins just for simply logging in to their accounts every 24 hours.
• Promotions and tournaments – Sweeps Coins can be obtained by taking part in a variety of promotions and leaderboards, as well as by completing different fun missions.
• Social media giveaways – following your favorite casino on social media really pays off as you will get plenty of opportunities to boost your Sweeps Coins balance.
• Mail-in requests – even if you are not passionate about writing hand-written letters, do not miss the chance to receive more SC every day just for sending compliant mail-in request forms. And the cool thing is, you can send an unlimited number of such requests.
• Refer-a-Friend – many sweepstakes casinos have a referral scheme in place, letting players benefit from inviting their friends to join the fun.
• Free gift with every purchase of Gold Coins – as already mentioned, GC packages available for purchase contain a certain amount of complimentary Sweeps Coins.

Legality of Sweepstakes Casinos

The legality of sweepstake casinos even in markets where traditional gambling is heavily regulated and inaccessible is what makes these platforms so attractive to operators. Besides the Fair Credit Billing Act, which regulates sweepstakes on a federal level, there are local laws that may differ from one U.S. state to another. The beauty of the model is that it allows one to award real prizes without categorizing such activities as gambling.

Sweepstakes casinos, however, are not available in some states, for instance, in Nevada, Washington, and Michigan. Likewise, some gaming platforms can be inaccessible in other states due to local laws and restrictions. Still, it is safe to say that in the majority of states, players can enjoy this type of online entertainment.

Here are the key conditions regarding the operation of sweepstakes casinos:

• Players must be at least 18 years old.
• Sweepstakes casinos operate on a “no-purchase-necessary” basis and Sweeps Coins cannot be purchased. They can only be offered to players as freebies through bonuses, rewards, requests sent by mail, or as a gift within one of the Gold Coins packages.
• No purchase of coins may increase the chances of winning.
• Such websites are only allowed to offer games of chance where the results of each spin/game round are absolutely random.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Sweepstakes Casinos

Just like anything else in this world, sweepstakes casinos have their strengths and weaknesses. Of course, it’s all in the eye of the beholder, so different players will certainly look differently at the same points. Anyway, let’s define the key pros and cons compared to traditional online casinos.

Pros:

• A rich choice of free-to-play games, ranging from feature-packed slots to live dealer roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and other popular Vegas classics.
• Sweepstakes casinos use a no-purchase-necessary model, meaning that no deposit is required for playing games and participating in promotions.
• These casinos are legally available in the majority of U.S. states since they are not classified by the laws as betting websites.
• While players are not required to spend their own money to play games, they can redeem winnings for cash prizes or gift cards.

Cons:

• The redemption of winnings can be subject to certain restrictions and limits.
• In comparison with traditional online casinos, the range of promotions is not so impressive and the value of bonuses is lower.
• Customer support is often not available via Live Chat, not to mention telephone.
• Many operators are unlicensed and resolving a complaint can take more time than you expect.

Payment Methods for Purchasing Coins

Similar to traditional online casinos, the availability of payment methods may differ from one website to another. The selection of options usually depends on the target audience, hence it may be confined to legendary Visa and American Express or include UnionPay, Skrill, and even Trustly.

At some sweepstakes casinos, players can take advantage of crypto payments, using Bitcoin, USDT, and other widespread digital assets along with traditional banking methods. It is also not rare to see cryptocurrency-only websites.

Loyalty Programs at Sweepstakes Casinos

Since sweepstakes casinos mirror traditional ones, it’s just natural to see that many of them have made loyalty programs part of the offering. From classic points-based schemes where points are earned for playing games with virtual coins to complex multi-tier programs where climbing up the status ladder brings bigger bonuses and better incentives.

The perks may vary, but, typically, players can count on daily login rewards, prize draws, birthday presents, access to community chat with special promotions, extra coins on every purchase, and priority customer support.

Software Providers and Games

Many top-tier software providers recognized the importance of the sweepstakes market at an early stage and hurried to provide operators with virtual currency support and sweeps-ready content. Today, such platforms offer games from the best of the best, including Evolution, Lucky Streak, BGaming, Pragmatic Play, Netent, Relax Gaming, and others. Of course, the number of studios that cater to this recently emerged segment of the online gaming industry is still modest when compared to the online casino vertical, but it’s just a matter of time before other developers will follow suit.

As for the selection of games, it is already very diverse. Slot buffs will find a huge variety of virtual one-armed bandits that come in thousands of themes and reel mechanics, including such universal hits as Megaways and Hold & Win. With table games, the situation is a bit different, and some sweepstakes casinos do not offer them at all or feature just a handful of titles. On the bright side, the best platforms not only provide a nice variety of RNG variants but also let players join the best live roulette, blackjack, and baccarat tables or plunge into the immersive world of fast-paced live game shows.