The arrival of the internet reshaped many global activities such as shopping and socializing. The gambling industry used it as another, more accessible portal for online gaming.
Today’s online casino industry is a thriving market. However, in the United States, heated debates and delays surround the approval of online casinos.
This means that only a handful of regions, such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania, offer internet-based casinos. On top of this, players turn out their pockets for a few hours of fun.
In the US, only Washington DC and Washington State ban social casinos. They are legal and above board in all other states and are free to play.
A social casino — also known as a sweepstakes casino — is the perfect alternative to a real-money online casino. It allows players to enjoy all the thrills and spills of games such as slots, blackjack, poker, and bingo without spending a penny.
Social casinos are a branch of social gaming. Worldwide, this market constitutes a value of more than $6bn.
Read on to find out how social casinos work. Players will also learn how to play and what to expect when first exploring a sweepstakes casino here.
Difference between an online casino and a social casino
There are several differences between a real-money online casino and a social casino. The one that stands out is that online casinos require real-money deposits and wagers while a social casino lets you play for free with virtual currencies such as gold coins and free sweeps coins.
Social casino play means a player can enjoy all types of casino games for free and still stand a chance to trade tokens for rewards such as cash prizes and gift cards. A sweepstakes casino also gives players no-purchase bonuses when they sign up.
Some equate this to the sign-up bonuses at online casinos, but that is not accurate. When registering an account with an online casino, a player has to first make a deposit before being eligible for a bonus. At a social casino, players receive an entry reward just by signing on and playing for fun.
This means participants can get gold coins and free sweeps coins with which they can play. Keep in mind that social casinos may have different names for their virtual tokens.
How do social casinos work
Anyone who has ever played a McDonald’s Monopoly or Publishers Clearing House game has played a sweepstakes game. The only difference between these old-time favorites and today’s social casinos is an expanded new spin adapted to virtual platforms.
Lady Luck dictates the outcomes of sweepstakes games because they rely on chance where winners are a random choice. In this way, they resemble traditional gambling games.
But, playing at a sweepstakes casino is a free, no-strings-attached endeavor. This means social casino operators cannot force players to make a purchase.
Like other games, you can download apps to play free sweepstakes casinos on your smartphone, laptop, or tablet. These are not real-money games. Players use the social casino’s in-game virtual tokens to spin the reels or flip the cards.
People can redeem their free sweeps coins for cash prizes, gift cards, or other rewards. A free sweepstakes casino accepts no direct deposits.
Instead, players get a certain amount of gold coins and free sweeps coins when registering to play on a social casino. After receiving the virtual tokens linked with the free sign-up offer, individuals can purchase additional gold coins for further play. They may receive free sweeps coins with their gold coin purchases.
Sweeps coins, however, are always free. Players participate in tournaments, social media competitions, and email requests to get these free sweeps coins. They can then choose to convert the sweeps coins into prizes.
Social casinos only accept free sweeps coins for sweepstakes games. As stated, players can get their hands on sweeps coins by joining a social casino, entering social media or email competitions, or purchasing gold coin packages.
In this way, sweepstakes casinos are similar to some old-fashioned arcade games. You get tokens for games, winning games earns you tickets, and after collecting a certain amount of tickets, you can trade the tickets for a prize — whether it be cash or a fluffy toy bear.
Getting gold coins at a sweepstakes casino
Players get a certain amount of free tokens just by joining a specific sweepstakes casino such as LuckyLand Slots. Some social casinos also give their first-time players free sweeps coins when registering. Compare the registration offers of the best social casinos here.
People can always purchase set amounts of gold coins. When doing so, they will get some FREE sweeps coins, which they can use on sweeps games.
At social casinos, such as LuckyLand Slots, no purchase is necessary to obtain free sweeps coins. This means players cannot make a purchase with a random amount of real currency. However, individuals can purchase set packages of gold coins.
It is easy to purchase a gold coin package. Players just click on the designated tab and select the bundle they would like to purchase. For example, buying 20,000,000 gold coins for $20 also gets a player 35 free sweeps coins.
Individuals can select their chosen payment method from a drop-down menu. These include options such as internet banking transfers, debit or credit cards, or digital payment methods such as Skrill or PayPal.
Redeeming free sweeps coins for prizes
Redeeming free sweeps coins for cash prizes or gift cards is a breeze. Individuals have to click the designated button on the app, such as the ‘REDEEM’ tag, and just follow the step-by-step instructions.
Sweeps coin balances must be at the required amount of the sweepstakes casino. A social casino may also take the necessary steps to verify someone’s identity, such as requesting identity copies and proof of a bank account.
Social casinos let people play for free. These platforms are ideal when it comes to learning the ins and outs of certain games such as poker. This free play also opens doors to gaining cash and other great prizes.
