The Differences Between Playing At a Sweepstakes Casino and a Normal Casino
There’s a new form of casinos sweeping the market — sweepstakes casinos! They’re an alternative format to normal casinos, where players use gold or sweep coins to play, rather than money. They’re also more accessible in many states, making them popular throughout the USA.
There are a few other differences as well, including some exclusive games and bonuses. Sweepstakes casinos focus on the social aspect of gaming, meaning many also offer additional interactive elements. So, let’s compare and contrast sweepstakes and normal casinos.
To Pay or Not to Pay? That Is the Question
Readers will likely be pretty familiar with how playing at a normal online casino works. In order to play their favorite games, they have to pay using e-wallets, cryptocurrency, bank transfers, or card payments. Whatever they transfer will equate to a certain amount of roulette wheel spins, poker card shuffles, or craps dice rolls. At the majority of normal casinos, there are also minimum and maximum transactions that players must abide by.
How Do Coins Work At Sweepstakes Casinos?
Things are quite different at sweepstakes casinos, where players use virtual forms of currency called gold and sweep coins. These have no value outside of the sweepstakes casinos, but can be exchanged to play games there, whether that’s poker, roulette, or slots.
When a player joins a sweepstakes casino, they’ll automatically be given a reserve of sweep and gold coins. They can use these to get started playing at the sweepstakes casino, and after, can top up their coin total through bonuses. Players should also keep an eye out in their email inbox for any exclusive coin promotions sent over there.
Competitions and tournaments are other popular ways to earn coins at sweepstakes casinos. By participating in these, players can win more coins. For those at the top of the leaderboards, they can find themselves raking in impressive hauls of coins.
It’s even possible for players to renew their coins total by making the most of bonuses and competitions, so they never have to spend a dime. Many use one of the leading sweepstakes casinos comparison sites, SweepsChaser, to find the best casinos offering coins for coins. They compare sweepstakes casinos across six key factors, including game variety, user experience, and bonuses. That means that they only include the very best options on their site.
What Are Coins Worth At Sweepstakes Casinos?
As we mentioned earlier, the coins used at sweepstakes don’t have a value outside of the casino. However, they can be used for further playing, of course. They can also be exchanged for prizes like gift cards, cash, and experiences, making them pretty great value.
Reaching More Players
Normal casinos face varying laws across the USA; they’re actually only legal in seven states. Rules vary substantially across states, which can make understanding whether you can play quite confusing. In Hawaii, all gambling activity is completely illegal, as it was before statehood. The same applies to Utah, where the high Mormon population views the activity as a sin.
There are often differences between the laws for in-person and online casinos as well, which can add to the difficulty. Nevada, home to Las Vegas, the heart of land-based casinos, actually doesn’t take the accepting stance to online casinos you might expect. Although the state legalized sports betting online in 2010, online casino games still remain illegal.
One of the main advantages of sweepstakes casinos is that they’re currently available in the majority of states. This means more players can access their favorite games while enjoying the convenience of playing whenever and wherever they want.
The Future Legality of Sweepstakes Casinos
As we mentioned earlier, sweepstakes casinos are legal in the majority of states. They’re viewed as sweepstakes, as the name suggests, making them perfectly legal in most places. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.
In Washington, only two types of gambling are allowed, raffles and promotional contests of chance, meaning players can’t access sweepstakes there. In 2023, Michigan followed suit, making sweepstakes illegal.
There have also been some very recent changes with New York banning sweepstakes casinos on June 6, 2025. In the same month, Connecticut also passed a bill to make sweepstakes casinos illegal from October 1, 2025. Montana had banned the casinos a month earlier in May. There are also other states that are only a few steps away from following suit, including California, Florida, Louisiana, and New Jersey.
These developments have fuelled questions about the future of sweepstakes casinos. The year 2025 will certainly be an important one in determining the path of sweepstakes casinos. While the future looks uncertain, for now, players can enjoy greater access to their favorite games using sweepstakes casinos.
Sweepstakes Are Social
Sweepstakes casinos are actually sometimes called social casinos, so it’s no surprise that there’s a greater focus on interaction. Players of normal online casinos will know they don’t quite capture the same bustling atmosphere found in land-based casinos. There’s a certain social element that is usually lacking. Sweepstakes casinos aim to find this missing element through enhanced social features.
How Are Sweepstakes Casinos More Social?
Competitions and tournaments are much more common at sweepstakes casinos compared to regular ones. They’re an important way for players to gain more coins, but they also serve a social purpose. At sweepstakes casinos, players are able to add friends, and they can track their progress in competitions using leaderboards. Usually, there are also chatrooms where players can add a bit of friendly competition when socialising.
Sweepstakes casinos also look to form a community, so they usually have a strong social media presence. There are often competitions or coin giveaways happening on these accounts encouraging players to interact. Players are often rewarded for sharing sweepstakes casinos on their social media accounts, a further way to encourage engagement.
Different Bonuses and Games
There’s also variation in the games and bonuses available at normal and sweepstakes casinos. While sweepstakes include all of the popular games found at normal casinos, including poker, blackjack, slots, roulette, and craps, there are also a few additional options. Sweepstakes are a good place to find some of the more niche games, like scratch cards, plinko, mines, limbo, and diamonds.
They also offer live dealer games, allowing players to get closer to the feel of real casinos by interacting in real time with a dealer. Additionally, Virtual Reality games are available where players use VR headsets to immerse themselves within an impressive, bustling casino environment. It’s even possible for them to customize their own avatar that interacts with other characters and elements like wheels and cards, in the virtual world.
How Do Bonuses Differ at Sweepstakes Casinos?
Bonuses are a central part of sweepstakes casinos as a way for players to gain additional coins. They include all of the same bonuses found at normal casinos, such as welcome, referral, and birthday bonuses. However, there are often a few extra bonuses on offer at sweepstakes casinos. Players can gain coins simply for daily logins, helping them to maximize their budget.
One of the most common bonuses found at sweepstakes casinos are challenge bonuses. These reward players with sweep or gold coins when they reach a certain target, and are a frequent occurrence at sweepstakes casinos. In some cases, players are even able to customize their own goals, selecting how many times they want to play and on which games.
How Do Sweepstakes Casino and Normal Casinos Compare?
For players who want to manage or stretch their budget, sweepstakes casinos are a superior option. It’s possible to exchange coins for prizes without ever having to spend a thing thanks to gold and sweep coins. There’s a greater focus on bonuses at sweepstakes casinos with rewards at every turn, allowing players to top up their coin total.
While there are all of the popular casino games you’d expect to see, including slots, roulette, and poker, more unique games are also on offer at sweepstakes casinos. They’re a great option for those looking to replicate the social feeling of a land-based casino with tournaments, leaderboards, and chatrooms generating greater engagement.
Although the future of sweepstakes has become slightly uncertain in the last few months, they’re currently accessible in most US states. If you want to enjoy your favorite casino games without having to invest a thing, sweepstakes casinos could be the place for you!