If you have been considering signing up to a sweepstakes casino to play your favorite games but have been wondering whether they are legal or not, you’ve come to the right place.
Here is everything you need to know about the legality of online sweepstakes casinos that are currently taking the iGaming industry by storm in the United States and parts of Canada.
What Are Sweepstakes Casinos, And Are They Legal?
Sweepstakes casinos are legally permitted digital entertainment websites that allow anyone aged 18 or over to play hundreds of computer-generated and live dealer casino games from their Wi-Fi/internet-connected smartphone, laptop, tablet or desktop computer.
Instead of using real money to play the games on these websites, players use one of two different digital coins/virtual currencies, which have zero monetary value in the real world.
Therefore, NO gambling is involved on a sweepstakes casino, because you play the games using a virtual currency that’s native to that site alone. It cannot be withdrawn or transferred to other players.
Whenever you register a new sweepstakes casino account, the operator of that site will automatically credit your account with a certain number of both coins, which are usually called Sweeps Coins and Gold Coins.
However, the Gold Coins may be referred to as Diamonds, Fortune Coins, Rubies or Gems. Each site is different. Your free coins usually come in the form of a no deposit bonus, which you can learn more about on trusted iGaming review sites like the official talkSPORT website.
The Gold Coins (or whatever they are called on the site you decide to join) can be topped up for free whenever you run out, but the Sweeps Coins won’t ever be topped up for free. Gold Coins can be used to play any of the games, but they can’t be used to win any real-world prizes that may be up for grabs on that site.
If you want to play games to win real-world prizes, you will need to use your Sweeps Coins, which, as mentioned, won’t be topped up for free if you run out. Using these coins, you can win things like cash prizes, the latest electronic gadgets, vouchers for your favorite online stores, branded merchandise, and many other prizes. Platforms like Splash Coins Casino offer a wide variety of games where you can use Sweeps Coins for a chance to win real rewards.
If you run out of these coins and want to purchase more, all you need to do is go to that website’s virtual banking/cashier section and then purchase a bundle/package of Sweeps Coins, which might set you back $5, $10 or $20.
The point is that you will NEVER be pressured into buying additional packages/bundles of Sweeps Coins. They are optional and no purchase is ever necessary.
How Can Players Get More Free Gold Coins?
Some of the main ways you can top up your account with more free Gold Coins are as follows:
- Subscribing to daily or weekly newsletters, which often contain Gold Coin bonus codes that can be used on the main website to get more coins.
- Taking part in daily login bonuses to win more Gold Coins.
- Going to the casino’s social media channels and looking for Gold Coin giveaways via raffles, prize draws and other promotional offers.
- By completing various on-site tasks and challenges, you will be rewarded with extra free Gold Coins.
- You can win more coins simply by getting lucky in the games that you play.
The important thing to remember about Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins is that your Gold Coins won’t ever expire, even if you don’t use them for a while. In contrast, your Sweeps Coins may expire if not used after 60 or 90 days, so remember to use them before that happens.
Are Sweepstakes Casinos Legal?
Most states in the US are okay with Sweepstakes Casinos. However, they aren’t yet legally permitted in Washington, and although they are available in Idaho, only Gold Coin play, not Sweeps Coin play, is allowed.
If you want to play on a sweepstakes casino, you must first register an account, and to do so, you must be at least 18 years old, even though they are not considered real money betting sites.
However, if you decide to purchase additional bundles or packages of Sweeps Coins after they have run out, using PayPal, Visa credit card or debit card, cryptocurrency or whatever other online payment method you prefer, you will at some point be required to complete the Know Your Customer (KYC) account verification process.
This requires proving you are of legal age to play (18+) and that you are who you say you are. Therefore, be prepared to send in recent (less than three months old) scanned color copies of a bank statement, energy bill (gas or electric) or mortgage statement, and a scanned color copy of your national ID card, passport or driver’s license, which must not be expired or invalid, or it will be rejected.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a safer alternative to regular online casinos that are just as much fun, then you might like to consider trying a sweepstakes casino that’s legally permitted to operate in your region.
Sweepstakes casinos are more community-driven than regular online casinos, and focus on making the experience stress and risk-free, socially interactive, engaging and rewarding. They are typically free to join, have hundreds of games to suit all types of players and work well in any web browser on any recent PC or mobile device.