
With traditional online casinos generating benefits, it was only a matter of time that the undeniable need for more and bigger would fuel the growth of the iGaming industry. That answer came from the dawn of sweepstakes casinos. While the concepts of sweepstakes has been around for decades, it drew new meaning during the 2020 shutdown.
With players being forced to stay home, they turned to the meteoric rise of sweepstakes casinos, they have been exploded ever since. Like anything, there are great pros and some cons with social iGaming. This guide highlights the key pros and some of the cons to consider as you consider joining social iGaming.
Pros
As more social casinos come online, the list of pros continues to grow. If you’re thinking about joining this new genre of online casino play, please consider the marquee pros:
1. Unbeatable Access
There’s no denying that one of the top reasons why sweepstakes casinos continue to launch well into 2025 is their tremendous availability. When you have access to the latest Megaways slots 24/7, like the Big Bass Bonanza series or Gates of Olympus 1000 in over 40 states, it’s easy to understand why the love affair for sweepstakes gameplay continues to grow.
2. Unique Games
The elite sweepstakes casinos like Pulsz and McLuck offer the top game developers like Pragmatic Play, Habanero, 3 Oaks Gaming, and more. While you can find many of the blockbuster slots available, today’s sweepstakes casinos continue to push the bar with exclusive games. To encourage participation, exclusive Gold Coin games offer larger cash prizes, albeit with the condition of purchasing Gold Coins.
3. Lower Age Requirement
While some sweepstakes casinos, such as McLuck, Hello Millions, High 5, and PlayFame, have raised the age requirement to 21, most social casinos have an age requirement to join of 18 or 19. Compare that to the traditional 21-year-old requirement for standard online casinos, and it is easy to understand why the social casino phenomenon is growing.
4. Free Gameplay
No. That’s not a typo, social casinos support free gameplay. To operate legally, these sites don’t accept direct cash bets. However, with Gold Coins, you can play all of your favorite games. With an abundance of free Gold Coins, you can kickback and relax with your favorite games without the stress of losing money. Playing for free can also help you build up strategy without losing money.
5. Community Gameplay
Of course, you can play all of your favorite games by yourself. However, the major allure of playing at sweepstakes casinos is the community gameplay. It’s possible to earn bonus Gold and Sweepstakes Coins for linking your social media accounts so you can enjoy the tournaments and leaderboards among friends.
The daily tournaments at sites like Pulsz are designed to encourage group play. The incentives are usually millions of Gold Coins and a pile of Sweepstakes Coins. But the biggest incentive is to bond and make new friends with like-minded members.
6. The Innovative Bonuses
If you play at real money online casinos, you know that finding a no-deposit bonus is like finding a needle in a haystack. However, with sweepstakes casinos, the top ones offer some form of sign-up bonus. There is also the option of boosting it to epic sizes like the 1.5 million Wow Coins and 30 Sweepstakes Coins at Wow Vegas.
There is usually a daily login bonus. Just logging into your account, even without playing a game, is enough to collect bonus Gold and Sweepstakes Coins. To complement the daily login bonus, you can usually find a bonus wheel.
Cons
Like we said at the beginning, the list of pros playing at sweepstakes casinos continue to grow. However, there are some things that hopefully turn into positives down the line.
1. Can’t Win Real Money
While this sounds counter productive, not being able to win real money flatout is an issue for some. With online casinos like BetMGM offering six and seven figure jackpots, winning cash prizes isn’t exactly the same.
2. Phone Support Issues
Most sweepstakes casinos don’t offer phone support. While the live chat has come a long way, sometimes you just need to talk to a human agent.
3. Limited Payment Options
It can be hit or miss for payment methods to buy Gold Coins at sweepstakes casinos. Overall, the options are not many. Sites like Stake.US and Casino.click offer crypto. It’s usually slim pickings for redeeming the sweeps coins into cash prizes. Also, the redemption process can take between three to five days. Compare that to real money online casinos, fast payouts can only take an hour.
Play Wisely
Even with so many alluring casino games available for free, the wise social casino player still plays wisely. You can contact customer support to help set up responsible gaming measures. To make the most out of the social casino bonuses, consider playing the highest RTP slots because of the lower volatility. For live dealer games, take into account the house edge. Games like Grand Bonus Baccarat and French Roulette offer more favorable odds and can make your Gold and Sweepstakes Coins stretch.