Iowa sweepstakes casinos: A quick overview
You’ve probably heard the terms sweepstakes casinos, social casinos or even sweeps cash casinos, but you may not be completely aware of what they are. The first thing you need to know is that all of those terms refer to pretty much the same thing, so there’s no reason to get confused.
The second thing you need to know is that, unlike standard online casinos, sweepstakes casinos do not use real money. Instead, players use virtual currencies for their wagering. Most social casinos have two virtual currencies - Gold Coins and Sweeps Cash.
Gold Coins explained
Gold Coins are used purely for social play. You cannot win any real money or prizes when using Gold Coins. You can get hold of Gold Coins by using real money to buy them in packages. Alternatively, most operators award you free Gold coins on a regular basis and run regular competitions that give you the chance to boost your Gold Coins balance.
Sweeps Cash explained
There is no option to purchase Sweeps Cash. Instead, sweepstake casinos can reward you with Sweeps Cash as an add-on to Gold Coin packages or as prizes in promotions.
Another big difference between the two currencies is that Sweeps Cash does have some financial value. And whilst you cannot automatically convert your Sweeps Cash into real money, if your balance gets to a certain amount, you can redeem your Sweeps Cash for prizes. In some cases, these prizes will include real money.
Five key benefits of joining Iowa sweepstake casinos
Now that you know how sweepstakes casinos work, you are probably wondering whether they are worth joining. We think the answer is a resounding yes, so we have put together five compelling benefits of social casinos over other
top online gambling sites:
1. Availability
Iowa gambling laws allow real money online casinos to operate in the state (but not online), but this is not the case in many other US states. However, many states that do not regulate real money online casinos, DO regulate sweepstakes casinos. Meaning that they are the only option for online casino fans.
2. Relaxation
Let’s face it, gambling with real money can be stressful. Nobody likes losing money, but winning is never a guarantee. Social casinos take away a huge part of that stress. Of course, you still want to win, but because you are not losing any real money, the whole experience is considerably less stressful.
3. Chat
Another way in which sweeps cash casinos offer a more relaxed laid-back gambling experience is in their use of chat facilities. The chat facilities at social casinos are used more regularly than at real money casinos. Players are happy to share strategies and small talk with other players. It all adds up to a far more sociable gaming adventure.
It’s not easy to get freebies from a real money casino. Understandably, the sites are reluctant to reward you with something for nothing. But this is not the case at the
best sweepstakes casinos. You can pick up free Gold Coins daily, plus there are bonus offers galore for you to take part in. Most brands also run exclusive social media contests. All of these promotions give you the chance to win Gold Coins and even Sweeps Cash.
5. Win real money prizes
As we mentioned previously, you can win real money prizes at sweeps cash casinos. Of course, it is not easy to do so, but if you take advantage of the promotions and hit a few nice wins, it is possible to walk away from social casinos with money in your pocket.
The best social casinos in the US
1.
Up to 125 SC FREE + 625K Golden Coins + 1250 VIP Points
Players from Virginia accepted
2.
$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Players from Virginia accepted
3.
35 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins
Players from Virginia accepted
4.
150% Purchase Offer: 25 SC FREE and 50K GC
Players from Virginia accepted
5.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from Virginia accepted
Four steps to your perfect Iowa sweepstakes casino
Last but not least, we are going to tell you how to find your ideal Iowa sweepstakes casino. All you need to do is look at these four key areas:
As is the case with real money casinos, game quality is paramount to your decision on whether to join a sweepstakes casino. Always check out the game libraries before you commit to signing up for a site. Quality and quantity are both important. You want a large choice of games, but it’s also great when you discover a site carrying your favorite casino game(s).
As more and more of us are choosing to use mobile apps for our online gambling, many social casinos now provide mobile apps. Make sure you check out how each operator provides for mobile players. Is there an app? Is it compatible with your phone or tablet? Is the social casino website optimized for mobile browsers?
As we have explained, social casinos are generous when it comes to bonus offers. But there are still big variations in how generous. Some offer daily reloads that award you free Gold Coins just for logging in, whilst others make it trickier to get free Coins. Head to the site’s promotions page for full details on what’s available.
You will inevitably encounter the occasional problem when using social casinos, so you will want to have high quality customer support options at your disposal. Live chat, email support, and FAQs are commonly found at social casinos, but it is worth finding out for yourself how good these options are.
Sweepstakes casinos versus regular casinos in Iowa
You’ll probably already know that online casino gaming is currently illegal in the Hawkeye State, whereas it’s fine to play at sweepstakes casinos. So what does it actually mean to play at a sweepstakes casino? Here are the key differences between how sweepstakes casinos operate in comparison with regular real money casino sites:
Play with virtual credit versus real money gambling
Sweepstakes casinos only let you play their games with forms of virtual credit that have no cash value outside of the gaming site. This means that there is no real money gambling involved at these sites as you don’t actually wager your cash on the games. While it might take a bit of getting used to, it does mean that you’ll be able to legally play lots of online slots and table games from anywhere within the Hawkeye State.
Play for free versus pay to play
Sweepstakes casinos let you play all of their games without it costing you a single cent. This is part of how they are allowed to legally operate in Iowa as they have to let you enter their sweepstakes with no purchase necessary. It’s the polar opposite of what you get at regular online casinos where you have to use your own money to play the casino games. Just so you know, you can always get free credit at sweepstakes casinos via a range of promo deals such as welcome offers, daily login bonuses and so on.
Play to redeem prizes versus play to win money
You don’t actually win money directly from sweepstakes casinos. Instead of this, you will be playing the casino games with a kind of virtual currency called Sweepstakes Coins, and if you win enough Sweepstakes Coins back, you can then redeem them for prizes like cash, gift cards and merchandise. It’s worth noting that you’ll always have to playthrough your Sweepstakes Coins a certain number of times before you can request a prize redemption, and you will need to have a verified account too.
Making one-off payments versus real money deposits
While sweepstakes casinos have to let you play for free, you will also be given the option to purchase virtual credit should you need. You can only purchase the Gold Coins form of virtual credit which can only be used to play for fun meaning that there will be no redeemable prizes. These purchases come as one-off purchases, rather than the kinds of real money deposits that you might make at a standard online casino.
Smaller game selection compared to regular online casinos
It’s also worth noting that many sweepstakes casinos will have much smaller game selection compared to standard online casinos. This means that you might only get to play a few dozen slot games compared to hundreds of slots and table games. However, many new sweepstakes casinos have upgraded their gaming portfolios to contain an impressive range of slots, table games, live dealer games and even some exclusive games that defy categorization.
Iowa sweepstake casinos verdict - The fun way to play online in Iowa
If you are now interested in joining one of the
top US sweepstakes casinos
(and why wouldn’t you be?), it is time to take the next step. And the best way to do that is to read our exclusive operator guides. They cover all of the key areas outlined above, so you can make informed decisions on which social casinos to join. Plus, you can discover some exclusive promo codes that can help give your Gold Coins balance a huge boost. Enjoy!
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
|
| Maryland | 6,154,710 | ✅ | Maryland 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 | ❌ | |
| Idaho | 1,973,752 | ❌ | |
Our top sweepstakes bonuses for January
1.
Up to 125 SC FREE + 625K Golden Coins + 1250 VIP Points
Players from Virginia accepted
2.
$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 3x
3.
35 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus, Min. Deposit: 9.99
4.
150% Purchase Offer: 25 SC FREE and 50K GC
Players from Virginia accepted
5.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from Virginia accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus
Sweeps Cash Casinos Iowa: Frequently Asked Questions
Seeps cash casino promo codes change regularly. For instance, you can currently use “TGHSOCIAL” at Stake.us to get a free supply of Gold Coins, but this code is likely to change in the future. Make sure you regularly read our bonus review to get the very latest sweeps cash casino bonus codes to use.
👁 Which sweepstakes casinos are regulated in Iowa?
Iowa sweepstakes laws are very different from real money casino laws. And whilst both options are available in the Hawkeye State, the list of regulated operators is often changing. The best way to stay on top of this important issue is to read our operator guides. We only cover brands that can legally operate in Iowa.
🎰 What games can I play at Iowa social casinos?
Social casinos have broadly similar game libraries to their real money counterparts. That means you can play online slots, table games and usually live casino games. However, the exact games you can play will vary from casino to casino. Read our guides to find out which specific games are available at each site.
