Top Five Sweepstakes Casinos to Play From Home in the US for 2023
Fun and quality go hand in hand, and our top play-from-home sweepstakes casinos prove just that. Take a look at our rankings and make your pick.
Stake may be better known for its real money casino, but it’s not available in the US. Thankfully, you can enjoy pretty much the same experience at the Stake.us sweepstakes platform. The site really puts an emphasis on the social part of the experience. You can enter the chat room and interact with other players. In addition, Stake also lets you register through Facebook, Google or Twitch.
Stake also gets bonus points for making their own live casino tables and arcade games. They’re probably the only sweepstakes casino that focuses on in-house development. Bonuses are another strong suit of theirs, trumping Golden Hearts and Wow Vegas in this department. And as the cherry on top, you can use crypto to buy Gold Coins, up to $2,000 a day. Stake has the full package, simply put.
Although Gambla prefers the way Stake handles bonuses, Wow Vegas is no slouch. Their focus is more on social media promos, especially Instagram and Twitter. Even the site’s direction is more social – there’s no exchanging money for real prizes. The only currency is Wow coins, so there’s no need to overly strategize.
In terms of games, Wow Vegas has quite a nice lobby. Betsoft and Pragmatic Play supply some of their best releases. Even though the quantity is not eye-popping, the casino adds new games every week. This puts them on top of our consistency rating. And because of the simple UI and lack of real money prizes, we’d also say Wow Vegas is the best sweepstakes casino for beginners.
Usability is one of the main reasons why Fortune Coins is on this list. Just like Wow Vegas, they make things simple. Instead of opening new tabs every time, each of the main sections opens a new window. This will come in handy while you’re exploring the lobby, without a doubt. We also like how you can sign up quickly and get a free welcome bundle.
And even though the main lobby is not that big, the games are still interesting. Mascot Gaming and Evoplay are an unusual pairing, but we love how they fit. If you’re in it for the bonuses, you’re in luck. Fortune Coins is by far the best sweepstakes casino for random promos and surprises.
Golden Hearts Games gets a big plus for its acceptance of Apple Pay and Google Pay. They also do a lovely thing with their proceeds, as they donate to charity. You can even pick between 1 million legitimate foundations and choose where to put your money. Gambla also likes the old-school look of the site.
But this sweepstakes site’s biggest calling card is its VIP program. You can pay an upfront subscription fee, and you’ll get free Gold Coins every month. Even the game lobby is unusual, as its main focus is apparently multiplayer bingo. Blackjack, roulette and slots are, of course, also well-represented.
Pulsz
The real pulse of Pulsz lies in its mobile apps. They’re simply amazing, and offer by far the best gaming on the go. Only Stake.us comes close on this list. We also like the diverse array of payment methods. Instead of just credit cards, you can also use Trustly and Skrill. Pulsz gets even more bonus points for letting you choose between gift cards and cash withdrawals.
We also have to praise the support team. You can reach them 24/7, and every time the agents responded quickly and impressed us with their knowledge. In terms of games, you’ll have access to 500+ hits, with most of them being slots. NetEnt and Pragmatic Play lead the way. Interestingly, scratch cards are available, but only Gold Coins buyers can access them.
What Are Sweepstakes Casinos?
Sweepstakes casinos are a special kind of gambling site. Looking at them superficially, they aren’t all that different from traditional casinos. You have to create an account, and there are also games, bonuses and other features you’re familiar with. So, what’s the difference?
Well, sweepstakes casinos were created as a means of legally bypassing US gambling laws. This is possible by requiring players to purchase digital currency. Instead of using real money, you can send a mail-in request, participate in a promo or enter a giveaway. Because of this extra step, sweepstakes sites don’t encourage real money gambling per se.
Gold Coins vs. Sweeps Coins – What’s the Difference?
When talking about sweepstakes casinos, it’s important to note there are two currencies in use. Usually, they’re named Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, but there are also variations. Nevertheless, these two types of coins have their own distinct purposes:
Gold Coins
Gold Coins are a virtual currency purchased with real money at sweepstakes casinos. They function as ‘play money.’ Basically, this allows you to bypass real money gambling laws. Just use a credit card or e-wallet, and your desired batch of Gold Coins will arrive instantly. Keep in mind that there are also promos, free drops and all kinds of bonuses. So, if you’ve played at real money casinos, you’ll know how to handle them.
Sweeps Coins
Sweeps Coins, on the other hand, are a virtual currency that can be redeemed for real-world prizes. You can’t directly purchase Sweeps Coins with real money, though. However, you can acquire them through various free methods, such as daily logins, social media promotions, or mail-in requests. If you happen to win something, you can exchange the coins for real money.
Since there are so many options to acquire Sweeps Coins, you can develop a strategy. If you time your mail-ins and promo participation correctly, there will always be a boost at your disposal.
How to Get Started at US Sweepstakes Casinos
Anything new can be daunting, and sweepstakes casinos are no exception. This mostly involves confusion with Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. However, the process is pretty simple as a whole. If you don’t believe us, let’s take a look at all the steps together:
- Check out Gambla’s reviews. While plenty of sites are launched on a daily basis, the safest bet is to go with our picks. Our experts extensively review every website, so you’ll only find legal, legitimate and quality casinos.
- Create an account. The signup process is almost always the same. Just provide an email or a social media account, and that’s it. But as soon as you want to purchase coins with real money, you’ll need to enter your other details, too.
- Take a look around. There’s no reason why you should rush in head first. Explore the site, see what features there are and make a plan. This will help you find your way later on.
- Acquire coins. You can acquire some Gold Coins with real money, or Sweeps Coins through promos. Make sure you capitalize on promos, drops and social media giveaways.
- Start playing. That’s all there is to it, believe it or not. If you’re comfortable with the casino and know you’re chops, you’re good to go.
How We Review the Best Online Sweepstakes Casinos
To be able to have a fulfilling experience, it’s not enough to just pick a site and start playing. The Gambla team prides itself in its objective reviews, make no mistake. However, we also want you to understand them to their fullest. That’s why our experts decided to uncover a few of our key criteria.
- Game variety. No matter how big the bonuses are or how many features there are, it’s all pointless if you can’t enjoy yourself. Our team aims for sweepstakes sites with a large game library, ideally filled with games from reputable providers.
- Security & compliance. Even though there’s no licensing requirement for sweepstakes casinos, we still want to know whether they’re legit. That’s why we run a background check on the operator, too. We want to see if there are any infractions or incidents from the past.
- Bonuses, giveaways, etc. Everyone needs a boost every once in a while. The best sweepstakes sites should be able to provide this. This doesn’t just involve welcome bundles. We want to see mail-in promos, giveaways and other exciting promos.
- Support. Anyone runs into issues or bugs at sweepstakes casinos, no matter how experienced they are. If that happens, we want our readers to have access to sites with proven support. This includes politeness, knowledge about the site, and the occasional joke from the agents.
Sweepstakes Casino Red Flags
With so many new sweepstakes casinos being launched, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype. Don’t fall victim to shady marketing and stay vigilant. To help you accomplish this, we decided to point out some common red flags we see whilst reviewing. Study them, avoid them, and you should be fine.
- Bonuses that seem too good to be true. This is a common occurrence, but people still fall for it. Many sweepstakes casinos still like to advertise coin giveaways or promos. So don’t just look at the numbers. Check the T&C, other players’ impressions, and most importantly, Gambla’s reviews.
- Lack of transparency. Just because it’s technically not real money gambling doesn’t mean anything goes. There are plenty of shady casinos popping up all the time, though. You’ll notice them by a lack of info about ownership, unclear T&C, and games from unknown suppliers.
- Allegations of scams/fraud. Even though Gambla manually reviews every casino it encounters, we can’t catch literally everything. That’s why we check player reviews and comments – to get a good grip on what’s going on.
- Late payouts. If you amass enough Sweeps Coins, you can exchange them for real money. However, this must be done in a reasonable timeframe. Waiting for winnings is never comfortable, and there’s no excuse for sweepstakes casinos to do this.
- Unprofessional support. The best casino support is both easygoing and knowledgeable. If you notice slow responses or copy-pasted answers, that’s a sign the site doesn’t care. And chances are, this lack of care is present in other aspects of the casino. So always send support a message to see how they handle queries and new players.
Play From Home Sweepstakes Casinos FAQ
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in the entire US?
Not quite. While sweepstakes casinos don’t require a gambling license in most states, some still ban them. In addition, you’ll find that some features aren’t available in particular states. To be safe, check with your local regular and ask the site’s support for more info.
Can you win real money at sweepstakes casinos?
No, you can’t win real money at sweepstakes casinos. Instead, you win a currency usually called Sweeps Coins. Once you accumulate enough of them, you can exchange them for real money. This is what separates sweepstakes sites from real casinos.
Are sweepstakes casinos safe?
If you stick to Gambla’s recommended sites, you’ll certainly remain safe. But just in case, do your own research and be absolutely sure that the site is a good fit for you.
Do sweepstakes sites have the same games as regular casinos?
Most of the time, yes. The only difference is that you’ll use Gold Coins to play and win Sweeps Coins as prizes. Some of our top picks also have exclusive games, so check them out, too.
