Sweepstakes casinos offer a fun way to enjoy casino-style games using virtual currencies. Sweepstakes rules, as they apply to these sites, can be a bit tricky to understand at first - but it’s easy enough to get to grips with them.
If you're interested in sweepstakes casinos and want to know precisely how they work, you’ve definitely come to the right place. I’m here to break down the basics of sweepstakes rules in general and explore how sweepstakes casinos are changing the gaming landscape so you know what to expect and look for when participating to ensure a fun experience.
Go to Stake.us
Go to Stake.us
Just like I did during my Pulsz review, let's start with the basics – so, what exactly is a sweepstakes, and what do sweepstakes rules dictate? To put it simply, a sweepstakes is a promotional giveaway where the runner of the promotion chooses winners at random.
What separates them from other types of giveaways and makes them legal in most states is that they are completely free to enter, and there is no reliance on skill. It’s all chance-based.
There are some very specific rules and regulations in place to make sure a sweepstakes is legal and legitimate. These help keep the competition fair:
Now that we’ve covered the basics of sweepstakes rules and regulations let’s talk about how sweepstakes casinos fit into the picture. In the simplest way I can explain it, it’s like the first person to open a sweepstakes casino did a Google Search for “How do you write a sweepstakes rule?” and based a site on it.
| Sweepstakes Rule | How Sweepstakes Casinos Meet the Rule |
|---|---|
| No Purchase Necessary | Players collect virtual currencies (Gold Coins, Sweeps Coins) for free via daily login, promotions, or mail-in entries. |
| Alternative Means of Entry | Sweeps Coins can be obtained by writing in through snail mail, providing a free entry option. |
| Random Winner Selection | All games are based on chance, ensuring winners are selected randomly (e.g., slots, blackjack, poker). |
Sweepstakes casinos differ from traditional online casinos in that they use virtual currencies, like Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, instead of real money. You can collect these coins through various methods, such as logging in daily or participating in promotions. You don’t have to spend any money to obtain coins – which covers the “no purchase necessary” rule.
There’s also the option for players to write in using snail mail to get coins. This covers the Alternative Means of Entry rule.
I’ve already touched upon this in my Fortune Coins review but all games at sweepstakes casinos are games of chance, like slots, blackjack, and even poker. You’ll never find skill-based games on these sites, and that covers the “random winner selection” rule.
So, you can see how these site owners have been very clever about using sweepstakes rules to legally run a casino. This is what makes them legal in most states – since general sweepstakes competitions are pretty much legal across the country.
If you like the sound of the rules at sweepstakes casino, it’s natural that you’d want to check them out. However, the choice is daunting since there are now dozens of highly recommended sites out there – but I’m here to narrow down your choices.
McLuck is a sweepstakes casino that just puts a little smile on my face whenever I visit it, with its vibrant and colorful aesthetic. It has a generous welcome bonus of 7,500 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins, and there’s a really diverse range of over 450 slots and live dealer games.
Most of you will be impressed with the bonuses on offer as the site is packed with exciting promotions like daily login offers and casino races. So, there’s always something going on here.
Stake.us has set the gold standard in the world of sweepstakes casinos, and I’m always impressed when I log in. It’s got live dealer games, hundreds of slots, a poker lobby, and some super fun exclusive titles called Stake Originals.
The site welcomes new players with a bonus of 260,000 Gold Coins as well as $55 in Stake Cash and a 5% rakeback, and it’s considered a unique option in the market thanks to its inclusion of cryptocurrency payments.
For a site with a more old-school look about it, WOW Vegas offers that sleek and streamlined experience that you’ll find at older, traditional gaming sites. I’d say that the platform focuses on quality over quantity, with a strong selection of slots from top developers, even though the table games are pretty limited.
Like I’ve already detailed in my WOW Vegas review, new players are welcomed with a bonus of 250,000 WOW Coins and 5 Sweepstakes Coins, and the 1x playthrough requirement makes it easy to start redeeming prizes quickly.
Sweepstakes casinos present a new way to enjoy games of chance and give participants the opportunity to potentially redeem the SC winnings they collect while playing for prizes. The best bit is that sweepstakes rules in casinos don’t require players to spend a dime to take part in fun slots, table games, and even poker. I’m a big fan of this coming together of worlds, and I think it really is the future of online gaming, just like I’ve detailed in my Chumba Casino review.
The use of two currencies can be a little bit confusing when you first get stuck in, but the learning curve isn’t what I would call a steep one. Once you’ve signed up and played a few games, those sweepstakes rules will become as clear as day, and you’ll be able to have a blast playing your favorite casino games.
The Sweepstakes Coins that you receive when playing games at sweepstakes casinos can be redeemed for prizes - but they cannot be directly withdrawn as they would be at a traditional gambling site. To find out the key differences, check out my guide on sweepstakes casino rules.
All sweepstakes casinos have their good points and bad points, but my favorites are McLuck, WOW Vegas, and Stake.us. Find out why here.
No - it’s in the rules! According to the sweepstakes rules that sweepstakes casinos operate on, the site cannot require players to spend any money in order to play. There are plenty of totally free ways to grab both Sweepstakes Coins and Gold Coins, and I’ll tell you all about them.
Go to Stake.us
Go to Stake.us
