Sweepstake casinos have been soaring in popularity in recent years, especially across the US where online gambling is illegal in many states. Sweepstake casinos offer you all your favorite casino games, except you can play completely free. Instead of requiring a deposit, the games require a virtual currency usually known as sweeps coins which players use to play games.
With hundreds of sweepstake casinos out there, it can be hard to choose. The guide below should help you work out how to find the best among the masses.
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Why choose a sweepstake casino?
Sweepstake casinos are a fantastic way to try out new games without the risk of losing real money. As awareness of the dangers of gambling rises, these casinos offer a great alternative so you can enjoy all the thrill of casino games without the risk.
Just because you don’t put money in doesn’t mean you can’t get some out either. Any good sweepstake casino will offer lucrative cash prizes if you rake in enough of its virtual currency, so you can be a big winner without spending a penny.
Are sweepstake casinos safe and legal?
While you can put money into sweepstake casinos, this is indirect and not a requirement to play. This means sweepstake casinos aren’t classed as online gambling under US regulations, making them completely legal in most locations except for Washington state.
In theory, this means the casinos are well-regulated and safe across the board, but do your research and make sure the casino is legitimate and has proper protections in place for your data. You’ll find a lot of guidance online for how to find a legitimate casino.
Offers and bonuses
What the casino gives back to you is a great place to start when choosing a sweepstake casino. A quality welcome bonus is a must when so many great casinos have one available — ranging from bundles of free virtual currency and free spins to match deposits and rakeback bonuses.
A lot of casinos will continue to reward loyal players as well. Things to keep an eye out for are tiered loyalty programs, daily bonuses of free coins and reload bonuses.
Cash Prizes
Sweepstake casinos offer a great chance to win big prizes with very little risk. If you earn enough of the virtual currency, there might be a chance to exchange it for real prizes. These could be gift cards or merchandise but can also be real cash prizes if you hit it really lucky.
Game variety
Variety is the spice of life, and it’s what makes a great sweepstake casino. Some offer hundreds of one of the most popular social casino slot games, but a fantastic casino will also offer table games such as blackjack, poker and roulette.
Deposit and withdrawal options
While you can play at sweepstake casinos for free, you might reach a point where you want to put some real money in to give yourself a boost. If you are buying additional virtual currency, it’s important to look at the deposit options offered by a site.
Many sites will offer credit and debit card deposits, payments from e-wallets such as Amazon Pay, Venmo, PayPal and Stripe, or mobile payments direct from your phone. However, a growing number of sites only accept cryptocurrencies, so if that’s not your thing then make sure you’ll have an option to use your preferred method of payment before you commit to a site.
Similarly, you’ll want to check the withdrawal methods in case you do hit those real cash prizes. These aren’t necessarily the same as the deposit options.
Avoid casinos that have unrealistically high withdrawal limits and especially those that place charges on withdrawals. A good sweepstake casino won’t want to withhold your winnings from you.
Mobile compatibility
Most of us spend our lives on the go these days, so why wouldn’t you want your casino gaming on the go as well? If you’ve always got your mobile in hand, check whether your choice of casino offers a mobile app as well as a desktop site.
Not all apps are created equally either — try out the app and check out the reviews. The interface should be seamless and intuitive and it should be free of bugs. The same goes for desktop sites.
Social media presence
There are two aspects to social media when choosing a sweepstake casino. Sweepstake casinos are often called social casinos and many offer integration with social media sites such as Facebook so you can share your progress and winnings with friends. If this is important to you, research sites that are integrated with your favorite platform.
Casinos also use social media another way — to engage with their userbase and organize competitions so players have a chance of winning coins to use in-game. Being able to win extra virtual currency really sets a casino above the others.
Professional customer service
Professional customer service is a must for a good sweepstake casino. The staff should be well-trained experts who can answer your questions quickly and efficiently. Many casinos offer 24/7 customer support and provide multiple avenues of contact, such as email, phone and live chat.
Try getting in touch with customer service to see how well they help you with an issue or just ask them a few questions.
Reputation
Sometimes word-of-mouth is the best way to find a casino that suits you. Listen to recommendations from friends who play and look at online forums to find out where people have had a good experience (or the opposite!).
Many independent review sites assess casinos on a variety of qualities and collect any existing complaints to give each site a final score. These are always worth checking for your casino of choice just in case there’s something you’ve missed.
Responsible gambling
While sweepstake casinos can be played for free, there’s still the option to purchase coins. It’s essential to keep a close eye on your spending and take a step back from the games if you feel it’s getting out of hand.
