Best Sweepstakes Casinos in the US

For people residing in the United States in one of the many states that don’t have regulated online gambling, online sweepstakes casinos provide a perfectly safe and completely legal way to enjoy their favorite games and redeem their winnings for real money.

If you are new to sweepstakes casinos and do not understand how these sites are allowed to operate legally in the US, you have come to the right place. This guide will explain everything you need to know about sweepstakes games, sweeps coins, and everything else that might be confusing you.

We also bring you a list of the best sweepstakes casinos, offering our top picks of these operators. Once you figure out the basics, you can take your pick and jump straight into the action with one of our recommended sites.

What is a Sweepstakes Casino?

A sweepstakes casino is an online gaming platform that operates within legal frameworks by offering games of chance. Players can participate by receiving free entries, usually through a mail-in or online method, and then use these entries to play various casino-style games. These platforms often award prizes or cash payouts to winners without requiring direct wagers, making them a unique way to enjoy casino entertainment legally in certain jurisdictions.

How Do Sweepstakes Casinos Work?

Most people who like gambling are also aware that in the United States, only a handful of states feature locally licensed and regulated online casinos. Your legal gaming options are quite limited when you are not physically present in one of these states.

While many offshore sites are still catering to the US players, these casinos are bending and even breaking numerous laws in the process. So, playing on these sites is risky, to say the least.

Luckily, the gaming industry has come up with a perfectly legal and safe alternative in the form of sweepstakes casinos. These operators have found a way to offer players a chance to play for real money prizes but in a way that does not break local or federal laws.

To accomplish this, they decided to base their entire business on the sweepstakes model, which many US companies have utilized over decades. Instead of depositing money (like you do with traditional casinos), you purchase the operator’s digital products, and as a reward, they issue you a bundle of free sweepstakes entries that can be used to win real money prizes.

The key thing here is that sweepstakes entries (often referred to as sweeps coins or sweeps cash and abbreviated as SC) can never be purchased directly and, therefore, are governed by sweepstakes laws and not gambling laws.

So when you buy play-money tokens, you receive free sweepstakes entries (or sweeps coins) that can be used to play games that award additional sweeps coins that can be redeemed for real money.

To explain it further, here is what the process of signing up and playing at a sweepstakes casino looks like:

1. Pick a site below and click the link to open a free account.
2. Purchase a package of play-money coins (or similar), which can only be used to play free-to-play games, do not have any real money value, and cannot be redeemed for cash.
3. As a reward for your purchase, you will receive a certain amount of sweepstakes entries (or sweeps coins).
4. Sweeps coins can be redeemed for cash prizes, and you can use them to play games in a different ‘sweepstakes’ mode.
5. As you play sweeps games, your sweeps coins balance will change (according to your wins or losses).
6. When you are done playing, you can redeem some or all of your sweeps coins for real money prizes.

This may all seem somewhat confusing if you do not have any experience with USA sweepstakes casinos, but this information will help you navigate things once you sign up with an actual site. Once you figure it out, the process is pretty much the same across the board, so you will have no problems finding your way around other operators.

The Best Sweepstakes Casinos in the US

There are quite a few sweepstakes casino sites or social casinos, as they are sometimes referred to. Not sure where to start? Simply take a pick from our list of sweepstakes casinos, sign up, and start playing!

High 5 Casino

High 5 Casino ranks very high on the list of sweepstakes casinos available in the US. Operated by a company with a very good reputation in the gambling space, the casino is a proud winner of the EGR Reward for the Top Social Casino of the Year.

High 5 is a game development studio, so it is no surprise that the site’s gaming library is largely populated by its own slots. However, players can enjoy popular titles from other well-known providers, like Pragmatic Play and IGT.

Like most sweepstakes casinos, High 5 Casino features a large number of online slots and your favorite table games, such as blackjack and roulette. For video slot fans, there are quite a few leaderboards available every day, as well as numerous jackpot titles to choose from.

Stake.us Casino

Stake.us is an interesting social gaming platform focused on players who prefer using cryptocurrencies for gaming transactions. It operates on the same principle as the rest of the online sweepstakes casinos listed here, making it legal in the United States. It is also available to residents of Canada, except for Quebec.

The site has been around since 2017, building a good reputation with the players. It features a truly extensive gaming library, with over 1000 sweepstakes slots to choose from. What is more, at Stake.us, players can also try their luck with a variety of table games like baccarat, roulette, and blackjack, and this is one of the only sweepstakes casinos to offer live dealer tables!

Stake.us has a lot to offer, but the biggest caveat is that it only accepts cryptocurrencies, making it a bit less player-friendly, as those unfamiliar with crypto transactions will find it harder to get started here. But in our opinion, the rewards at Stake.us are worth the effort of using crypto.

Learn more about why this is one of the best sweepstakes casinos in the US in our complete Stake.us Casino Review!

Funrize Social Casino

Launched in 2022, Funrize is another interesting sweepstake casino available to players in almost the entire US. There are over 80 games on offer on the platform, which is not a huge number, but the operator offers some unique and interesting titles that you will enjoy discovering.

If you like the social aspect of gaming, this site is for you, as Funrize Casino hosts several slot races every day. This gives you a chance to play some fun games, try to do better than the rest, and receive some nice prizes alongside your regular game winnings.

The casino offers a nice and simple interface, making it a great choice for those new to sweepstakes casinos.

Learn all there is to know about this social casino in our complete Funrize Casino Review!

No Limit Coins Social Casino

No Limit Coins is a sweepstakes casino that has been around since 2021. It is available to players in almost all US states, with few exceptions.

The site’s gaming library is fairly small, containing less than 100 sweeps slots, all from a single developer, and there are no table games whatsoever. However, if you are looking for a bit of variety, a few titles in the “fishing” games category offer an arcade-like experience. You will also find a decent number of slots with progressive jackpots.

No Limit Coins Casino features a few daily slot tournaments with nice prize pools, giving players additional reasons to play the games they love. All players also get one free spin at the Lucky Wheel every day, giving them a chance to claim free prizes just for logging in.

TaoFortune Social Casino

TaoFortune Casino is owned and operated by a company that runs several other sweepstakes casino sites, so they have a very strong reputation in the gaming world. Launched in 2022, TaoFortune is a fresh addition to their portfolio, and it represents a fun option for all US players.

The site features a solid selection of slots and fishing games but no gaming tables of any kind. A fair number of promotions are available to players, giving them access to some free coins.

The TaoFortune apps give you full access to the platform on the go. You’ll be able to play all the games, make purchases, and redeem your prizes in the app without any problems.

Sweepstakes Casino Bonuses & Promotions

If you have some experience with traditional online casinos, you will notice that sweeps casino operators also offer bonuses — some similar and some quite different. This is largely due to how these sites operate, as this prevents them from featuring traditional deposit match offers or similar promos.

Sweeps Casino Sign-Up Bonuses

Online sweeps casinos do not offer traditional deposits. Instead, you can purchase virtual coins (gold coins) and receive sweeps coins as a free gift. Because of this, their welcome offers are structured differently as well.

In most cases, new players receive a boost on their first purchase. For example, purchasing a package of 500,000 gold coins for $10 usually comes with a gift of 10 sweeps coins, but on your first purchase, you might receive 750,000 gold coins and 15 or 20 sweeps coins instead.

The idea behind the offer is similar to that of traditional online casinos: incentivizing new players to make the purchase by offering them more bang for their buck.

Some sweepstakes casinos even offer free sweeps coins as a registration bonus. Our compare table at the top of the page lists these high-value offers.

Sweepstakes Casino Promos

Beyond welcome offers for new customers, these sites also offer other interesting promotions, although they are not as versatile as what you might find with classic online casinos.

The most valuable promotion available at sweepstakes casinos is where you receive a certain amount of free sweeps coins and (gold coins) daily. This is done to incentivize people to log in frequently and keep coming back.

The most common type of promotion available at sweeps casinos is receiving free sweeps coins with a gold coin purchase.

But sweeps coins casinos also have leaderboards and game tournaments, which are similar to traditional slot leaderboards. All players play the same game or choose from several games, and points are awarded based on the wagered total, the overall amount won, the biggest win multipliers, etc.

Are Sweepstakes Casinos Really Legal in the US?

The short answer to this is yes, these sites are completely legal, and you do not have to worry about any issues with the law when signing up and playing. If that is enough to put your mind at ease, you can move on to the next section.

If you need more explanation, we will try to provide some.

What makes sweepstakes casinos legal is the way they operate. None of these sites offer real money gambling in a traditional sense. You cannot simply deposit money and start playing as you would on a state-regulated US casino or an illegal offshore casino.

Instead, these operators provide you with free sweepstakes coins, which are basically sweepstake entries. This practice has been present long before online gambling was a thing.

One of the things that all of these sites have in common is that no purchase is required to participate. You can usually receive some sweepstake entries by sending a card via snail mail with your basic information, and you can often do this once every day. Some sweeps casinos will even award you free sweeps coins just for registering.

Customers can also receive free sweeps coins with the purchase of what is often called gold coins (the virtual currency that is only used to play games on the site that award coins that cannot be redeemed). So, you are never purchasing sweeps entries directly.

Sweeps casinos also offer promotions that allow users to receive free sweeps coins.

Once you receive your free entries, the site allows you to use them to play sweeps games. These sweeps games can award additional sweeps coins. Once you accumulate a certain amount of sweeps coins, you can redeem them for cash prizes.

This all may sound a bit technical and convoluted, and to be completely frank, it is, but it is essentially a legal loophole that allows social gaming sites to offer real money prizes without breaking any laws.

Sweepstakes Casino Games

When it comes to games offered at sweeps casino sites, the selection and variety are usually smaller than what you will find at state-licensed operators. This is true across most operators, but some of them do feature games from studios that you may know from real money casinos, like Pragmatic Play.

Sweepstakes Slots

You will come across two basic types of sweepstakes casinos — the ones offering games from only one studio and the ones featuring libraries filled by several providers. This distinction impacts the overall number of games, with the former usually offering under 100 titles, while the latter could have 500+ games to choose from.

Many sweepstakes slots also feature progressive jackpots, which work the same as at traditional casino sites. The total jackpot amount increases with every bet until someone gets lucky and scoops the whole thing.

When it comes to gameplay, there is no difference between sweepstakes slots and those featured in regular online casinos. They operate in much the same fashion and have similar payouts, special features, and animations.

Sweeps Casino Table Games

The selection of table games available at a typical sweepstakes casino can be limited, and some social casinos do not have any table games at all. A few of them will offer some very basic ones, like:

• Roulette
• Blackjack
• Casino Hold’em

If table games are your preference, we suggest you take the time to pick where you want to play. There are still a few good sites where you will find enough options to keep you entertained, but you should not expect table games as a default.

Live Dealer Games

Live dealer casino games are rare at sweeps casinos, with only a few operators offering them currently. If Live Dealer casino-style games are your thing, check our compare table below to see which sites offer these games.

As sweepstakes operators try to keep up with the trends, we expect more live sweepstakes games to become available.

How to Sign Up With Sweepstakes Casinos

Getting started with sweepstakes online casinos is easy. Opening an account is a quick and simple process, sometimes taking less than one minute.

A majority of these sites allow players to sign up with their existing Facebook and Google accounts. If you decide to go down this route, you will just need to click one button and then allow access. After that, you will receive an email with the confirmation link. Click on the link, and you will be good to go.

It is important to mention that the quick signup process applies only to the fun-play side of sweeps casinos. If you want to play for real money prizes, you will need to go through the identity verification process. The process entails sending proof of identity and proof of address to be verified by customer support. Some sweeps casinos require this verification step when you create your account.

Step-by-step Guide to Signing Up to Sweepstakes Casinos

1. Visit the site you want to play. Use the links on our site to get exclusive bonus offers.
   • Click here for High 5 Casino »
   • Click here for Stake.us Casino »
   • Click here for Funrize Casino »
   • Click here for No Limit Coins »
   • Click here for TaoFortune »
2. Click on the “Sign Up” or “Join” button.
3. Select the way you want to join: using your existing Facebook or Google account or setting up a separate account via an email of your choice.
4. After completing the previous step, check your email inbox for the verification link.
5. Click on the link, and your account will be set up.
6. You can now purchase gold coins and receive sweeps coins as rewards for your purchases and other activities on the site.
7. Keep in mind that if you wish to redeem real prizes, you will need to fill in your account profile with full info (name, surname, address, etc.) and go through the verification procedure.

Sweepstakes Casino Apps

Considering the model adopted by sweepstakes casinos, it is no surprise that almost all of them offer quality mobile solutions. In most cases, you will be able to download standalone apps for Android and iOS directly from the relevant app stores, but even the operators that do not offer a dedicated mobile app have high-quality browser-based games, making gaming on the go a breeze.

Since these operators are social gaming apps, they do not have to deal with restrictions that are often imposed on real money casino apps. Thus, they are listed on the official stores, and players can download and install them on their devices without any issues.

In terms of usability, mobile sweepstakes casino apps give you access to everything available via desktop sites. All games are available for play, and you can make purchases, redeem rewards, and participate in promotions through the mobile interface.

In fact, some of these operators take the mobile-first approach, meaning your gaming experience will usually be better when playing on the go. If you enjoy playing at sweepstakes casinos, whether just for fun or for real prizes, we recommend you download your preferred operator’s mobile app and try it.

Sweepstakes Casinos Payments

As mentioned, these sites do not accept traditional deposits, nor do they offer withdrawals as such. Instead, you will purchase gold (free-play) coins and receive sweepstakes coins as a reward.

Purchasing Gold Coins

The process of purchasing coins is pretty straightforward and similar to that of purchasing in-game items on other gaming platforms.

Usually, there is a list of available packages with listed prices, which can look something like this:

• 100,000 Gold Coins and 10 Sweeps Coins for $10
• 250,000 GC and 25 SC for $25
• 1,000,000 GD and 100 SC for $100

You will pick the package that works for you and then proceed to complete your order by filling in the required payment details, just as you would when paying for any other goods or services. When it comes to payment options, most sweepstakes casino sites accept:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• PayPal

Once your purchase is completed successfully, you will receive the number of gold coins you paid for, as well as any complimentary sweeps coins and other free perks that come as a part of the particular package (unlocking access to more games, invitations to special tournaments, etc.).

Redeeming Sweepstakes Prizes

Redeeming sweepstakes casino real money prizes is easy. When you are ready to exchange your sweeps coins for cash, simply navigate to your account, find the “Redeem” button, and follow the steps on the screen.

You are able to redeem all or some of your SCs, but most sites have the minimum threshold. Usually, you only have two options at your disposal:

• Gift cards — for smaller amounts, usually up to $100
• Bank transfers — for amounts exceeding $100

When doing bank transfers, your prize money is delivered within a few days of placing the request. Remember that you will need to go through the identity verification procedure before your first prize redemption.

Since these sites are completely legal in the United States, you will not experience any problems with your bank when receiving your prize money, which is another benefit of playing with sweepstakes casinos instead of offshore operators.

Sweepstakes Casino Security & Safety

Since sweeps operators are technically considered social gaming sites, they do not fall under the same rules as real money gambling providers. That said, many of them still have gaming licenses issued by independent licensing bodies and seals of approval from auditing companies like eCOGRA.

It is also worth noting that many sweeps operators feature games from top-tier providers, which further increases their reputation. You can rest assured that the games powered by these studios are completely fair and in line with their advertised RTPs.

Even though they do not accept traditional deposits, sweepstakes casino sites handle real money transactions, which is why they maintain the highest levels of security. All the information is encrypted by modern protocols and handled in accordance with data protection laws.

The fact of the matter is that sweeps casinos pay a lot of attention to doing everything by the book. While their business model is completely legal right now, this can change with legislative changes, and they do everything in their power not to give lawmakers a cause for any interventions that would jeopardize their operation.

Responsible Gaming at Sweeps Casinos

Even at social gaming sites, the importance of responsible gaming cannot be overstated. Players can still get carried away with purchases and spend more than they intended to before they know it.

This is why the best US sweepstakes casino sites offer responsible gaming tools designed to prevent this. These tools primarily take the form of purchase limits. You can put a limit on how much you can spend on purchases on any given day, week, or month.

Some sites also allow players to limit their gaming time, which is another useful tool to keep your playing habits in check.

Overall, these sites do a fairly good job helping players gamble responsibly, and you will find various tools and options readily available. That said, there is no uniformity in this department, so if this is important to you, it is best to check what a particular operator offers before deciding where to play.

FAQ

Are sweepstakes casino sites legal in the US?

Yes, sweepstakes casinos are completely legal in the United States, with the exception of a few states. These sites operate on a sweepstakes model, not offering traditional real money gambling, allowing them to offer their services without breaking state or federal laws.

Can I win real money playing on sweepstakes casinos in the US?

Yes, you can win prizes on sweepstakes casino sites that can be redeemed for real money prizes and gift cards. These prizes are available by redeeming your sweeps coins, after which the site sends the prize to your bank account.

What kinds of sweepstakes casino real money games are available?

Sweepstakes slots are, by far, the most popular type of games you will find on these sites. Some operators also offer table games like blackjack and roulette, scratch-offs, and some operators even offer Live Dealer games.

What payment methods can I use to make purchases at sweepstakes casinos online?

Most sweepstakes casinos accept popular payment methods like MasterCard, Visa, and PayPal, but other options may be available on some sites.

How long does it take to receive your sweepstakes casino real money prizes?

It usually does not take longer than a couple of days from the moment you request a prize redemption for it to be delivered to your bank account, provided your account is fully verified.