What is a social casino?
There’s a lot of online noise these days about which is the best social casino for US players. But to understand what all the excitement is about, you first have to get your head around the concept of free-to-play games. And not just any old games – we’re talking top-quality slots, casino favorites including Roulette, Baccarat and Blackjack, and even live dealer gaming tables.
Are social casinos legal in the US?
Free-to-play casino games sounds an unlikely concept, but it’s one that’s taking the US by storm right now. That’s not so surprising when you consider the mixed bag of online gambling laws, making it legal to play in one state, while it could be prohibited just a short distance away.
Social casinos offer all the thrills of playing casino games, but without ever putting so much as a single cent of your bankroll on the line. And if you’re not wagering real money on a random outcome then it doesn’t qualify as a potential problem in the eyes of the law. So social casinos are legal throughout most of the US.
Sweepstakes casinos legal in most states
Some of the best social casino sites also operate a sweepstake model, which gives access to real-world rewards. You won’t actually be winning any prizes directly though, as you need to redeem special sweepstake tokens before claiming a reward. The majority of states are perfectly happy about that, except for Washington, which only permits skill-based sweepstake games.
It’s down to individual operators and states to decide who can and can’t play at social casinos, so it’s a good idea to check before signing up. As an example, Stake.us is accessible everywhere apart from Washington, Nevada, Idaho, Kentucky and New York.
Why play at a social casino?
The very earliest social casinos launched on social media channels and tended to focus on cartoon-style games and generic slots. But as players showed increasing interest, operators expanded their horizons. Soon they were offering better quality games, including popular slots and casino favorites, attracting a broader selection of players.
More time and effort went into creating websites and apps designed to provide a completely risk-free wagering environment, in which members could chill out, shoot the breeze and enjoy a few games. They proved to be an instant hit with players, encouraging more operators to dip their toes into the social casino waters.
Whether you’re looking for cartoon-style fun, or an approximation of the full high-roller experience, there’s a sweepstake casino that’s absolutely perfect for you. Put aside any notions that playing for fun can’t be exciting - these days it can be tricky to spot any difference between some of the best social casinos and their real-money counterparts.
Play with friends at the best social casino
If you visit a land-based casino, the chances are you’ll be accompanied by family or friends. And once you arrive, it isn’t just about the gameplay. The casino experience is about socializing too, chatting with other players and the dealers and generally soaking up the atmosphere. It’s something that tends to be lacking in most online casinos, but it’s something that social casinos take the time to address.
You can usually connect to your social casino of choice through your social media account, which is the preferred option if you want to access the full range of features. Operators tend to be highly active on Facebook, Twitter and Twitch, giving away free coins and giving advance notice of upcoming promotions.
Encourage your friends and family to sign up and you’ll find there’s usually an extra boost to your virtual coin balance as a thank you. You can join forces with your friends as you try to top leaderboards and complete challenges, or you could play against each other and compare achievements.
There’s plenty of scope for making new friends too, thanks to onsite chatrooms and forums. That means there’s plenty of helpful advice available too. All this, plus the chance to explore a wide variety of slots and casino favorites – no wonder US players are falling over themselves to track down the best social casino sites.
How the best social casino sites work
Social casinos tend to vary widely in the way they present themselves, but they all have one thing in common – gameplay is free. Gold Coins are virtual game tokens that replace the need for real dollars, so playing the games feels like gambling, even though it isn’t. And whatever game you’re playing, any winnings are paid in Gold Coins straight back into your account to power even more gameplay.
Claiming Gold Coins
Sooner or later you’re going to start running low on Gold Coins, so operators make it easy to access more. There’s usually a daily login bonus, which awards Gold Coins just for calling by, so that’s something worth doing every day even when you don’t have enough time to stop and play. And there are often weekly and monthly reloads too, as well as the option to send off postal requests for additional Coins.
To be quite clear – no purchase is ever necessary to play at a social casino. However, there’s usually an option to buy packages of Gold Coins for anyone who’d like to. Gold Coins can’t be converted back into cash though, and you can’t redeem or transfer them.
Introducing Sweepstakes Coins
Some social casinos also offer another type of virtual gaming token in addition to Gold Coins. These promotional tokens are called Sweepstakes Coins, although operators occasionally personalize them, such as Stake.us, which refers to them as Stake.Cash. But whatever their name, these are tokens that need to be used wisely, as they have the potential to be redeemed for real-life prizes.
You can’t buy Sweepstakes Coins under any circumstances, so they’re harder to come by than Gold Coins. Sometimes operators include a few Sweepstakes Coins as an extra freebie with a Gold Coin purchase, but other than that they’re given away or you’ll need to win them.
Sweepstake casinos make full use of prize draws, tournaments and challenges as a way of winning Sweepstakes Coins. And you can usually choose whether to play games using Gold or Sweepstakes Coins, giving extra flexibility to your gaming sessions.
List of social casinos USA
1.
Up to 125 SC FREE + 625K Golden Coins + 1250 VIP Points
2.
150% Purchase Offer: 25 SC FREE and 50K GC
3.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
4.
55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
5.
Get 5 SC FREE+ 250 Gold Coins and 600 Diamonds!
How to find the best social casino
Your social casino journey starts right here at The Game Haus, where we understand that every player has their own preferences when it comes to playing online games. We can’t pick out any single operator and claim that it’s going to offer your perfect sweepstake casino experience, as that’s down to many highly subjective variables.
What we can do is help you to pinpoint a safe, reputable sweepstake casino that we’ve thoroughly checked over. Armed with all the necessary information, you’ll be able to narrow down your options and pick the operator that’s the best fit for your needs. All the reliable operators are listed in our
top social casino companies
page too.
We may have done the legwork, but there’s still a few things you need to decide on. It’s a good idea to put together a wish list of features, so you can select the operator that ticks the most boxes – and that’s likely to be different for everyone.
What games do you want to play?
Right now, you might love playing slots more than anything, but what about further down the line? Not all social casinos offer table games, so look for the ones that do if that’s something you’re interested in exploring. Or how about the latest new blockchain-based games, such as Stake Originals Crash, Plinko and Hilo? From retro classics to the latest trends, every type of casino game is available on a free-to-play basis.
Do you want more from your social casino?
A few of the very best social casino operators are able to offer the full live casino experience, with friendly and helpful dealers hosting games in real time. It’s possible to indulge in free-to-play sports betting too, at some sites., and of course, we’re more than happy to provide you with the full details.
Do you need 24/7 support?
Technology can fail us at the most inconvenient moments, so if you’re going to be playing social casino games through the night, a site offering round-the-clock support is a sensible option. Having said that, the social aspect of these sites means there’s usually someone knowledgeable on hand to chat to at any time of the day or night. Make sure to check out our guide on
what are the social casino games
topic!
Most social casinos give out a generous award of Gold Coins the moment you sign up, so you can pick your game and get started. But you can sometimes claim any extra boost if you have the right promo code to hand at the right time. That’s something we can most definitely help you with at The Game Haus, with exclusive offers you won’t find anywhere else. Over at Stake.us, for example, inputting ADDPROMOCODE during registration will activate an ongoing 5% rakeback bonus, helping to keep your Gold Coin balance topped up.
Do you want the chance to receive real life rewards?
Play at a sweepstake casino using Gold Coins and any winnings are just for fun. But Sweepstakes Coins work differently, as they can be redeemed for real-world prizes, including gift cards, merchandise and even cash in some cases.
Conclusion: the best social casino is the one that’s right for you
As specialists in
igaming USA-wide, we feel particularly well placed to review social casino operators. We may not be able to specify exactly which operator will offer you the best social casino experience on a personal level, as that’s so dependent on variables such as choice of games and site design. But we can certainly lead you towards a carefully curated selection of top-quality social casinos that we’ve personally tried and tested, and that we’re happy to recommend.
To help you find the social casino that’s the best fit for your needs we’ve created insightful reviews, as well as helpful guides. From explaining how a social casino works to playing guides for specific games, we’ve got absolutely everything you could possibly need to know, right here at The Game Haus.
Don't miss out our masterpiece - the
brand new social casino sites
ranked and reviewed for you!
Our favorite US social casino bonuses
1.
Up to 125 SC FREE + 625K Golden Coins + 1250 VIP Points
2.
150% Purchase Offer: 25 SC FREE and 50K GC
3.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Wagering (WR): 1x Bonus
4.
55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Wagering (WR): 3x
5.
Get 5 SC FREE+ 250 Gold Coins and 600 Diamonds!
Wagering (WR): 1x Bonus
Best social casino FAQ
✨ Which is the best social casino for US players?
Here at The Game Haus, we don’t believe that any social casino can claim to be the perfect fit for every gaming fan. So we prepare insightful reviews detailing the pros and cons of every operator, making it easy for you to pick the one that’s right for you. Your search starts and ends right here!
🎲 Where can I find a social casino offering live dealer games?
Whatever type of social or sweepstake casino you’re searching for, here at The Game Haus we’ve picked out all the leading operators. Not only have we tried them out ourselves and completed all due diligence checks, but we’ve also got the details of the games you can play. Don’t sign up anywhere until you’ve read this!
💲 Do the best social casinos pay out real money prizes?
Although some social casinos give players the option of redeeming sweeps tokens for real-world prizes, not all of them do. Come and find out what the difference is between social and sweeps casinos, and find the one that’s the perfect fit for you.
✋ Are social casinos legal in the US?
Playing at a social casino can be a fun and enjoyable experience, but it’s important to stay within the law. At The Game Haus we’ve got all the info you need to know about social casinos, including how they work and whether they can operate legally within the US. Come and check this out.
