What are sweepstakes casinos?
Sweepstakes casinos
allow gamers just like you to play casino-style games either for fun or for the potential to accumulate virtual coins that can later be redeemed for cash prizes. Regular USD entries are not accepted. Instead, the two types of virtual coins you’ll be playing with are:
1. GCs or “Gold Coins”
These are the most abundant virtual coins used to play for fun. Gold Coins are used by California sweepstakes gamers who wish to play Vegas-influenced games for free or purely to practice their gaming skills.
GCs can be acquired by playing GC games, claiming GC promotions, or by purchasing GC coin packages via your sweepstakes casino’s online store. Conversely, Sweepstakes Coin balances can only ever be built up through gameplay or bonuses.
2. Sweepstakes Coins
These slightly more competitive coins have a prize-redeemable value and are used to play sweepstakes games and tournaments. Some social casinos offer players Sweepstakes coins as a welcome bonus offer. When you make use of the stake.us code TGHSOCIAL on sign-up, you get a whopping $25 No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback.
Is there a California sweepstakes law I ought to be aware of?
Now, most of you are probably already aware that placing USD bets at real money California online casinos is strictly forbidden in the Golden State.
The good news is that the rules governing sweepstakes casinos are a little different. Unlike regular, real money casinos, all gameplay at sweeps sites takes place using GCs and Sweepstakes Coins only, and the freeplay option means that customers are under no obligation to make any coin purchases or casino deposits if they don’t wish to.
These two simple but very important facts ensure that sweepstakes casinos aren’t classed as gambling in CA, meaning that state-level licensing from official
California social gambling
regulators is not strictly required and Californians are free to access and use sweeps casino sites as they please. That said, you should still make sure any site you do use:
- Is definitely 100% accessible to Californians.
- Offers access to all your favorite games.
- Supports the payment methods you like to use most.
- Uses Random Number Generators (RNGs) on its slots games.
- Has good customer support.
How To Play Sweepstakes Casino Games For Free In California
Good news! You can play sweepstake casino games freely in California. In case you are confused, Sweepstake casinos are legal in California and are not the same as real money casinos.
What’s the difference? A real money casino exclusively requires you to put in money before you play. However, sweepstake casinos have the option of using money but can allow you to play for free using sweep coins. All you need to do on sweepstake casinos is to purchase sweep coins, the virtual currency, rather than putting in actual money. Also, you can win real prizes and redeem your sweep coins for cash.
Since California frowns against real money casinos, sweepstake casinos are a great alternative. As such, you can still play your favourite games and enjoy several bonuses and real-time prizes.
Based on this information, if you choose to play entirely freely without ever depositing into your sweepstake wallet, you can still have a good gaming experience. All you need to do is play on platforms that offer amazing and frequent Sweep Coins and Gold Coins. You can earn these coins from daily sign-up bonuses, tournaments, special events, first-time bonus packages, VIP tiered bonuses, and several other means, depending on the sweepstake casino.
What are the favorite games for users of social casinos in California?
Did you know that the state of California allows social casinos in its jurisdiction? If you’re a resident and a social casino enthusiast in California, you can now enjoy some of the best games provided by top-rated platforms in the US. Here are some top-rated and commonly used sweepstake social casinos in California, with some of their best games:
1. Lucky Lady’s Clover - Wow Vegas
Besides its impressive array of bonuses and promotions, Wow Vegas boasts of having some of the best games that California players love to play. A great example is Lucky Lady’s Clover, which has an impressive 97.31% RTP. This game was developed by Bgaming and has a maximum possible win of 10,000x.
2. Hot Triple Sevens - Pulsz
This is an old-school concept slot game developed by Evoplay Entertainment that appeals to new and existing players on Pulsz. It’s packaged in an aesthetically pleasing video slot, having 3 reels, 3 rows and 5 fixed pay lines. Some interesting features of the game are;
- Sevens on Fire
- Free Spins
- Wild Symbol
Players in California also enjoy several other games in slots, live dealers, roulettes and others from other top-rated games. Other examples include Piggy Riches at BetRivers and Stake.us’ Blackjack.
Which sweepstakes casino online in California should I register with?
Golden State gamers are spoiled for choice in terms of the sheer number of sweepstakes casino options available. These sites have become incredibly popular in recent years, as they allow Californians to enjoy Vegas-style casino gaming online with real prize potential in a safe and legal way. Here are some of the best operators to play with right now:
Stake.us
Why choose Stake.us?
- 2,000+ games.
- Daily coin reloads.
- Compatible with all devices.
Stake.us
offers a ton of niche games, ranging from Plinko, Hi-Lo and Crash to more traditional slots and tables. This site has a great reputation for safety and security, and by entering TGHSOCIAL, a special promo code unique to our readers, you can claim a one-time bonus that’s worth $25 with No Deposit + 250,000 Gold Coins and a 5% rakeback on all your Stake.us sweeps casino losses when you register.
56 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Fortune Coins
Why choose Fortune Coins?
- 24/7 customer support.
- Huge welcome promo
- Fast transactions
- Customer service is limited
Fortune Coins
is our favorite sweepstakes casino online in California for bonuses, primarily because all new customers are entitled to a whopping 140,000 GCs plus 500 Sweepstakes Coins just for registering. You’ll gain access to some excellent progressive jackpots and superb customer service, too.
Claim Your Free 650,000 Gold Coins & 1,400 Fortune Coins
WOW Vegas
Why choose WOW Vegas?
- Big-brand gaming software.
- Coin package discounts for newbies.
- 300+ games.
WOW Vegas
is probably the easiest social casino to navigate and use for Californians who are new to sweepstakes gaming. This operator boasts a great game selection, 24/7 customer support, tons of social media led promotions and some excellent slots games powered by Pragmatic Play and BetSoft.
35 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins
Chumba Casino
Why choose Chumba Casino?
- Generous sweepstakes prizes.
- Easy-to-use website.
- Fast-loading games .
- Mixed reviews from previous customers
Chumba Casino
has some of the absolute best Vegas-style casino sweepstakes games California has to offer right now, particularly if you enjoy classic slots. The graphics and gameplay here are excellent, and Chumba has a reputation for offering Sweepstakes Coin gamers some pretty amazing prizes, too.
2M Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins
Golden Hearts Games
Why choose Golden Hearts Games?
- Support charities as you play.
- Choose from tons of great games.
- Excellent prize potential.
Golden Hearts Games
offers all the fun of any other social casino, but with a unique charity angle. Players who make coin purchases can donate cash to charities of their choice, all while enjoying state-of-the-art tables, slots, and jackpot games. Tons of reputable payment options are accepted, and this operator consistently reels in five-star customer reviews.
625K Golden Coins + Up to 125 SC FREE + 1250 VIP Points
Key differences between California sweepstakes casinos and regular online casinos
You will probably already know that standard online casino gaming is completely illegal in California. If you see any online casino that lets Californian residents sign up to wager real money on its slots and table games, you will know that it is acting illegally.
However, there are plenty of sweepstakes casinos that are acting legally by operating within the Golden State. On the surface, these sweepstakes casinos look and feel a lot like regular online casinos, but there are some major differences to be understand that will be outlined below:
Play with virtual currency
You won’t be wagering with real money at sweepstakes casinos, but instead will be playing the games with different types of virtual currency. The lack of real money gambling is a major reason as to why sweepstakes casino are allowed to legally operate within California. So rather than playing with real money, you can play for fun with Gold Coins or play with Sweepstakes Coins to potentially redeem some prizes.
Following on from the above point, a big reason why many people choose to play at sweepstakes casinos is because you can redeem a variety of real-world prizes from them. These could include cash, gift cards, merchandise and much more. In order to do this, you will have to be playing with a kind of virtual currency called Sweepstakes Coins and you will usually have to play through them a certain number of times before you can put in your prize redemption request.
You won’t be making real money deposits at sweepstakes casinos like you do at regular online casinos. The closest thing that you can do to this is to make purchases of bundles of Gold Coins. These Gold Coins can be used to play the casino games for fun which means that you won’t get to redeem any prizes with this form of virtual currency. Despite this, it’s worth noting that some Gold Coins purchases may see you being given free Sweepstakes Coins as a bonus.
In order to legally operate within California, sweepstakes casinos must let their customers enter the promotional sweepstakes with no requirement to make a payment. This basically means that it should always be free to play at a sweepstakes casino. As a result, you can sign up to sweepstakes casinos and look forward to getting free credit via a range of welcome offers, login bonuses, free coin giveaways on social media and much more.
On the whole you will probably find that the average sweepstakes casino will focus on slot games rather than table games. However, this trend appears to be changing as more and more sweepstakes casinos are starting to include table games like roulette, blackjack and baccarat, and some of these sites even have their own live casinos. Perfect for anyone who is looking for a more immersive way to play from the convenience of their smartphone, tablet or computer.
Final thoughts – how to find the best sweepstakes casino online in California to suit you
Sweepstakes casinos
are fully legal and accessible to Californians due to their unique virtual coin setup and the fact players have the option to enjoy free-to-play games if they wish. That said, you should always check directly that any site you’re interested in is definitely 100% available in CA before you sign-up and start playing.
The best way to pin down your perfect sweepstakes casino is to hunt for a site that has a trusted reputation, offers the kinds of games you enjoy most and supports all your favorite payment methods for coin purchases. If the operator uses RNGs to ensure randomized game outcomes and offers 24/7 support that’s been positively reviewed by other gamers, these are sure-fire signs that it can be 100% trusted, too.
Sweepstakes by state
| State | State Population | Are Sweepstakes Legal? | Go to list of casinos |
| All States | 331.9 million | ✅ | All States Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Iowa | 3,203,345 | ✅ | Iowa Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Indiana | 6,852,542 | ✅ | Indiana Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| California | 38,915,693 | ✅ | California Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Michigan | 10,030,722 | ✅ | Michigan Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Massachusetts | 6,974,258 | ✅ | Massachusetts Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Kansas | 2,936,378 | ✅ | Kansas Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Georgia | 11,037,723 | ✅ | Georgia Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Mississippi | 2,930,528 | ✅ | Mississippi Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Minnesota | 5,722,897 | ✅ | Minnesota Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Hawaii | 1,433,238 | ✅ | Hawaii Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Illinois | 12,477,595 | ✅ | Illinois Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| North Carolina | 10,832,061 | ✅ | North Carolina Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| New Hampshire | 1,402,957 | ✅ | New Hampsire Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Alaska | 732,984 | ✅ | Alaska Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Nebraska | 1,972,292 | ✅ | Nebraska Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Montana | 1,139,507 | ✅ | Montana Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Rhode Island | 1,090,483 | ✅ | Rhode Island Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Ohio | 11,747,774 | ✅ | Ohio Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| New Mexico | 2,110,011 | ✅ | New Mexico Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| New Jersey | 9,255,437 | ✅ | New Jersey Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Oregon | 4,223,973 | ✅ | Oregon Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Maine | 1,393,442 | ✅ | Maine Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Arizona | 7,453,517 | ✅ | Arizona Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Florida | 22,661,577 | ✅ | Florida Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Connecticut | 3,629,055 | ✅ | Connecticut Sweepstakes Casinos |
| Colorado | 5,868,555 | ✅ | Colorado Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Arkansas | 3,063,152 | ✅ | Arkansas Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Missouri | 6,186,091 | ✅ | Missouri Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Wyoming | 583,279 | ✅ | Wyoming Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Wisconsin | 5,904,977 | ✅ | Wisconsin Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Delaware | 1,031,985 | ✅ | Delaware Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Virginia | 8,709,873 | ✅ | Virginia Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| West Virginia | 1,764,786 | ✅ | West Virginia Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Vermont | 647,156 | ✅ | Vermont Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Texas | 30,500,280 | ✅ | Texas Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Utah | 3,422,487 | ✅ | Utah Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Alabama | 5,098,746 | ✅ | Alabama Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Oklahoma | 4,048,375 | ✅ | Oklahoma Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| South Carolina | 5,722,897 | ✅ | South Carolina Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| North Dakota | 780,588 | ✅ | North Dakota Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Pennsylvania | 12,931,957 | ✅ | Pennsylvania Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| South Dakota | 923,484 | ✅ | South Dakota Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Tennessee | 7,134,327 | ✅ | Tennessee Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Louisiana | 4,553,384 | ✅ | Luisiana Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| Kentucky | 4,518,031 | ✅ | Kentucky Sweepstakes Casinos
|
| New York | 19,496,810 | ❌ | |
| Washington | 7,830,827 | ❌ | |
| Nevada | 3,209,142 | ❌ | |
| Maryland | 6,154,710 | ❌ | |
| Idaho | 1,973,752 | ❌ | |
Our top sweepstakes picks for April
1.
625K Golden Coins + Up to 125 SC FREE + 1250 VIP Points
2.
56 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Wagering (WR): 3x
3.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Wagering (WR): 1x Bonus
4.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase - 1.5M CC + 75 SC
Wagering (WR): 1x Bonus
5.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
California sweepstakes FAQ
🎰 What are sweepstakes casinos?
Sweepstakes casinos, which are sometimes also called social casinos, are quite different from ordinary Vegas-style online casinos, where real money is used to place USD bets. Sweepstakes casinos are free-to-play casinos where players can play for fun without making any necessary purchases but rather receive virtual coins(Gold Coins and Sweep Coins) to start their gameplay with and can also stand a chance to win cash prizes using the Sweepstakes coins.
🤩 Can I play at sweepstakes casinos in California?
coins
Much like regular, real money online casinos, sweepstakes casinos might be governed by different rules in different regions, including at a US state level. Real money online betting is currently prohibited in the state of California. However, CA residents can sign up to play on virtual coin-powered sweepstakes casinos instead and can redeem Sweeps Coins while playing in sweepstakes mode.
💰 Which sweepstakes casinos in CA have the best prizes?
All sweepstakes casinos will offer gamers the opportunity to either play for free using GCs or compete for prize-exchangeable Sweepstakes Coins, but the prizes on offer vary considerably in terms of their quality from casino to casino. Some of the Top Sweepstakes casinos in CA with the best prizes are Stake.us, Wow Vegas, and Fortune Coins, Chumba casino, to mention but a few.
🎲 Are online casinos legal in California?
The rules affecting real money online iGaming in the US vary at a state level, and any site you choose to bet with ought to hold a proper, state-level gambling license. That said, the rules governing sweepstakes casinos, which offer virtual coin-powered games only, are quite a bit different, making them legal and less restricted, unlike regular real money casinos.
📱 Which CA sweepstakes casino has the best app?
Californians have access to multiple sweepstakes casinos offering superb slots, jackpots and table games powered by reputable software brands, but not all these operators are compatible with Android and iOS devices. As of the time of writing, Chumba Casino boasts the best app among other Sweepstakes casinos, which comes with an immersive app design and a straightforward user interface, providing game lovers an enhanced and memorable gameplay.
Sweepstakes casinos operate differently from regular real-money casinos, which makes their governing laws quite different and more accessible to players. However, the legal age to be eligible to participate in any Sweepstakes casinos in California is 18 years.
