Frequently Asked Questions About Sweepstakes Casinos

Sweepstakes casinos provide players with the same gameplay and feel of an online casino, but with no real money wagers. These platforms operate on a free-to-play model. Instead of using money, these platforms utilize virtual currencies that players can obtain for free.

For one thing, there are no real money wagers at sweepstakes sites like there are at regular online casinos. These sweeps platforms provide an entertainment value with their dual-currency system that uses virtual coins, and provide ways to redeem certain types of winnings for cash prizes and/or gift cards. Thus unlike at regular online casinos, you aren’t depositing and withdrawing money, but rather playing with free coins (or purchasing coins, if you like) and redeeming winnings for prizes.

Sweeps sites also always offer games that are free to play, whereas regular online casinos don’t always have free games. Finally, and most importantly, sweepstakes sites are legal in CA whereas real money sites are not.

If you are in California, the answer is yes, sweepstakes sites are legal in California. These sites give those in CA a great alternative while lawmakers consider whether or not to legalize traditional online casino gambling.

If you’re in another state, chances are sweeps sites are legal there, too. That said, there are some states where they are not. When visiting a sweepstakes casino, check the site’s terms and conditions or sweepstakes rules page to confirm which states are excluded.

No, you don’t. You can play games on sweeps sites just by using your favorite web browser. Some operators do offer mobile apps. In our experience, these mobile apps are robust and give an identical feel to playing on your browser.

If you’re interested in playing any of the sweeps casinos on this page (or any other pages on PlayCA, for that matter), simply click on any of our sign-up links. We have an extensive list of the best sweepstakes casino bonuses, too, that will put you in a good spot to start out.

But as a general rule of thumb, if you want to sign up for a sweepstakes site, simply go to that provider’s website. Sites will often lump “sign up” and “log in” in the top of the home screen, where it’s easy to see. Much like you would when signing up for an app, use your browser to follow the prompts and create your account.

If your sweeps site has an app, download the app and follow the prompts. If not, you can use your browser to navigate to the platform by a simple search.

Typically, when you’re signing up for a sweeps site, you’ll need to provide a valid email. You will also have to provide your date or birth in order to make sure you’re old enough to actually play on these sites. You will likely also have to share what state you’re in. That’s because sweep sites aren’t legal just yet in all 50 states.

You will likely need to provide a few more items when it comes to verifying your account. Because there are age restrictions on these sites, and they aren’t legal in every state, you’ll need to submit documentation that proves you are who you claim to be and that you live where you say you do.

Generally, you will need all or a combination of these three items:

• Government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.)
• Proof of address (utility bill, bank statement, etc.)
• Social Security number

We recommend that the photos you submit of these items be as clear as possible. If they are blurry or don’t include all the necessary information in the photo, your account will not be verified and you’ll have to do this over again. It’s also a much simpler process if your name matches that on your government-issued photo ID, as well as the other documents.

It’s important that sites verify you are who you claim to be. They need to avoid fraud and abide by responsible gaming standards. Additionally, sweeps sites aren’t technically legal in every state just yet, and submitting some sort of proof of address solidifies you’re able to play in your location.

You name it, you can play it. Sweeps sites house all the traditional casino favorites, only in a digital format. You’ll see slots, table games, bingo, keno, scratch-offs, video poker, and more including live dealer games at some sites. Most sites have their games categorized in an easily navigable format.

Yes to both. As part of their regulation, sweeps sites use software to generate random outcomes. Specifically with slots, the most popular games on sweeps platforms, you can read up on each game’s return to player (RTP). A higher RTP percentage means you’re looking at a higher average expected return over time. We recommend avoiding games that are known to have a lower RTP percentage.

Yes you can. Many sweeps sites will let you play for free, without ever having to put any of your money into the platform.

Technically, no. You do not need to spend any of your own money.

You do, however, have the option to spend real money on virtual currency packages. If you run low on Gold Coins or Sweeps Coins and don’t want to wait for a bonus, you can restock your account this way.

More on that below!

Typically, sweeps sites will use two kinds of virtual currency: Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. Most follow a dual-currency system, although some might call the currencies something else.

You can buy packages to obtain these coins (as mentioned above), but sites will usually give you a welcome bonus of both currencies to start. These packages will almost always have more Gold Coins than Sweeps Coins. Gold Coins are used to play sweeps sites games for fun only. Sweeps Coins can later be redeemed for prizes.

Sweepstakes Coins are the more elusive of the two virtual currencies offered by sweeps sites. Sweepstakes Coins or “SC” are what you can redeem for gift cards, cash prizes, and more. Typically, once you go to redeem your Sweeps Coins you’ll find that at most sites one SC is equal to about $1 USD.

If you’re patient, you don’t need to ever spend any of your own money when playing at sweepstakes sites. Many offer log-in bonuses that give you virtual currency just by logging in and playing each day. Some platforms offer social media giveaways. All operators will also provide you with virtual currency if you complete and Alternative Method of Entry (AMOE). This is required. An example of this is writing a letter to an operator requesting coins.

But if you’re looking to instantly receive a package of Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, operators do give players the option to purchase these. Just a reminder, though — this is how the sites make their money.

Yes, it is. If you’re able to acquire enough sweeps coins, you can redeem them for cash and other prizes.

You will need to have your account verified before you can make any sort of redemption. We also recommend familiarizing yourself with the terms and conditions of your platform before you dive in. Some sweeps sites have certain wagering requirements before you can redeem your Sweeps Coins for cash.

But when you are ready to redeem, track down the “Redeem” button on the home menu. Depending on the operator, the button will be in the same area as your profile. You will then choose how you want your cash prize, hit redeem, and you’re all set.

It all depends on the platform and how you’re trying to get paid. How these sweeps casinos handle redemptions is a major factor on these sites, and those that do so efficiently and quickly have become more popular as a result.

When redeeming Sweepstakes Coins for a cash prize:

• You can link your bank account for a bank transfer, which takes anywhere from three to seven business days.
• Electronic wallets like PayPal are also options that usually result in payouts in one to three business days.
• Crypto wallets are even quicker, taking a day or two at most.
• You can also sometimes receive your payout in the form of a check, but that takes up to a couple of weeks, since it will be coming through the mail.

Meanwhile, when redeeming SC for a gift card, that typically doesn’t take as long, perhaps 1-2 business days total. The gift cards are usually delivered virtually via email and can be used at a large variety of vendors.

Yes they are. These sites are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. On top of that, they guard your data carefully and offer support if you encounter any sort of issue.

Any sweeps casino mentioned or linked to on this site is safe and secure. They use the top encryption technology.

When you sign up for a sweeps site, the operator will ask you for personal information and documents to prove you are who you say you are. The sites that are listed on PlayCA all use encryption to protect that information. If you have questions on how your data is used, sites will often have terms and conditions listed on the home page that clearly outline their process.

If something feels fishy or you feel stuck on a site, reach out to your sweeps site’s customer support team. Most of the time it will be over email, but some sites offer a live chat function for paying customers. Either way, these are great ways to have your questions answered or report suspicious activity.

We recommend playing games with the highest RTP. This  means you’ll be getting the best bang for your buck. Do some research on which specific games have a high RTP. If you’re on these sites as a pure form of entertainment, it doesn’t matter. But if you’re looking to maximize your virtual currency, avoid games with low RTP. Those high RTP games are also great for satisfying playthrough requirements with Sweeps Coins.

Additionally, set limits. Yes, you’re technically not playing with real money. But it’s easy to burn through Gold and Sweeps Coins quickly. Make sure you’re sticking to a budget.

We recommend taking advantage of bonuses, too. After all, the best way to play is for free.

We want to stress once more — technically, you don’t have to spend any of your own money to play these games. But if you do want to spend money to buy virtual currency packages, we recommend keeping a detailed list of just how much you’re spending.

It can be easy to get caught up in the fun of playing, but if you’re not careful, your Gold and Sweeps Coins will dwindle quickly. Set limits and keep a level head while playing.

Most sweeps sites (at least the highly reputable ones) will have responsible gameplay information on their home page. It shouldn’t be hard to find. We highly recommend reading through these policies. Some sites, like Hello Millions, offer links to different resources if you or someone who know is struggling with gaming responsibly.

If you forget your password, you can go about recovering your account as you would with any platform.

On the login screen, you will see an option that says, “Forgot Password.” It will prompt you to enter your email, and you will receive instructions to recover your account. Many sites also have helpful information within their FAQs or Help pages.

A good example is on Chumba Casino’s login page. You’re prompted to sign in using your email and password, but directly below, it has a “Forgot Password” link. Once you click, it takes you to a page that asks for your email. You will need to enter the email associated with your account, and from there, steps to reset your password will be sent to you. It’s a smooth process.

Reputable sweeps sites will give you multiple ways to contact customer support if you encounter a problem. Almost all offer support via email. Response times vary, but again, the more credible sites will have punctual response times. Some sites provide a live chat function as well, although sometimes this option is only for users that have made some sort of purchase.

One huge issue could be a sort of technical glitch while using a site. Maybe a game keeps crashing or you are encountering a bug when going through the redemption process. With these issues, as well as any issues you might have encountered around gameplay, redemption process, or purchasing a package, we recommend going to customer support.