In recent years, online casinos have taken the world by storm – and the United States is certainly no different. They have rapidly grown in popularity and have changed the landscape of casino games for years to come by offering an easy-to-use and super-accessible alternative to traditional land-based casinos. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that technology has advanced to the point where many of us are carrying powerful mobile devices around in our pockets that enjoy high-speed internet connections, meaning we have access to online casinos whenever we want and wherever we are.
However, the problem that many people face in the United States is that online gambling is heavily regulated and even prohibited in certain states. Nevertheless, there is a great solution to this problem, and it comes in the form of sweepstakes casinos. These newcomers to the online casino world use a model that circumvents gambling restrictions in many states, which means that a lot more people can now enjoy the thrill and entertainment casino games provide.
In this post, we’ll look at what sweepstakes casinos are, how they operate and why this circumvents many gambling restrictions, why they are risk-free for players, and the legality of these platforms now and in the future.
What Sweepstakes Casinos Are
Before you jump in and load up your favorite casino games, it’s important to understand what sweepstakes casinos are.
We should start by saying that sweepstakes casinos are just like traditional online casinos in many ways. For example, when you visit a sweepstakes casino, you’ll immediately notice that they look like other online casinos you may have played at. You will also find a lot of the same games on the platform – table games, immersive slots, jackpot games, and even live dealer games.
Now, let’s talk about how sweepstakes casinos are different to traditional online casinos. In truth, there is one major difference and it’s a big one – currencies.
How Sweepstakes Casinos Operate
So, what’s the big deal with currencies at sweepstakes casinos? Well, for starters, you can’t play casino games with real money on these platforms. Instead, players can use two different types of virtual currencies to do so, which are outlined below:
Gold Coins
If you want to play casino games at a sweepstakes casino, one option is to buy Gold Coins. Of course, these often have different names from casino to casino, but their purpose is the same – to be used to play games.
What makes these Gold Coins different from real money is that they don’t have any monetary value and they can’t be exchanged for cash or withdrawn.
Sweeps Coins
So, if Gold Coins are used to play casino games at sweepstakes casinos, what exactly is the point of Sweeps Coins? In truth, these are the coins that a lot of players will be interested in. You can’t buy them, but they are handed out for free when players do certain things. For example, sweepstakes casinos will often give players free Sweeps Coins when they buy Gold Coins, but also when they register, play regularly, log in daily, enter giveaways and competitions, take part in social media tasks, and more.
Sweeps Coins also don’t have any monetary value. However, what makes them so interesting is that players can exchange them for prizes, such as real money and vouchers. Therefore, if you play casino games with Sweeps Coins and happen to win, you can then exchange your winnings for real money, which you can then withdraw.
Why Sweepstakes Casinos Are Risk-Free
One of the biggest benefits of playing at sweepstakes casinos is that you can do so without any risk. Although players can decide to buy Gold Coins, this isn’t a requirement. Players can also get a sweepstakes casino no deposit bonus, as well as other regular freebies, which means there is no financial risk when playing casino games with them. Of course, this is very different to traditional online casinos where most of the play is funded by real money that can easily be lost entirely.
All the above highlights that sweepstakes casinos are a great place to play casino games for lots of people. For example, newcomers to online casinos would benefit from playing at a sweepstakes casino, rather than a traditional online casino, because they could take the time to learn the rules of the games they enjoy playing without the added stress of financial risk.
The Legality of Sweepstakes Casinos
Traditional online casinos have had a difficult time navigating the complexities of gambling regulations within the United States because the rules are different from state to state. For example, although online gambling may be legal within one state, it may also be prohibited in another. This has meant that many people who would like to play casino games online have been unable to do so due to their location.
This is where sweepstakes casinos shine because they address this issue directly. Indeed, sweepstakes casinos are legal in 49 states, some of which do not allow online gambling. So, why is the case? Well, it all comes down to the model that sweepstakes casinos use. As they don’t rely on real money wagering, they align with sweepstakes regulations, which are legal in many states.
However, sweepstakes casinos are still not permitted in Washington. This is because the Washington State Gambling Commission deems sweepstakes casinos to combine both raffles and promotional contests of chance, which it suggests creates a new type of contest that remains illegal within Washington.
For this reason, people in Washington cannot play at sweepstakes casinos. However, it’s important to check whether you can anyway – no matter where you live – because regulations can change over time. Therefore, even though sweepstakes casinos are legal in certain states now, they may not be in the future. It’s certainly better to be safe than sorry when it comes to this type of thing.
Either way, sweepstakes casinos have done well so far and are showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.
