You’ve likely seen them called two different names, but let’s co,pare social vs sweepstakes casinos. How are they different, how are they similar, and which is the best option to play? Read on for a full explanation and guide.
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What is the difference between social vs sweeps sites?
It might be confusing trying to distinguish between social casinos and sweepstakes casinos. The primary difference between the two is that a sweepstakes casino offers ways to redeem winnings for cash prizes, while a social casino does not.
That said, both have a lot in common, including the fact that both invite players to enjoy casino games online for free with no purchase necessary.
Terminology
One source of confusion is the fact that the sites themselves sometimes use the terms interchangeably. A site might call itself a social casino, but also operate according to a sweepstakes model that includes a chance at redeeming winnings for prizes.
Meanwhile, most sweepstakes casinos also let you play games for fun without any way to redeem winnings — that is, like a social casino.
Currencies
You’ll notice most of these sites feature two virtual currencies, a non-premium one and a premium one. The non-premium one is usually called Gold Coins, although it might go by a different name. For example, on WOW Vegas, they call the non-premium currency WOW Coins. At High 5 Casino, it is called Game Coins.
The premium currency is usually referred to as Sweepstakes Coins or Sweeps Coins, or again might have a different name. Stake.us, for instance, calls its premium currency Stake Cash, while Carnival Citi calls theirs Sweeps Chips. The difference is as follows:
Gold Coins | Sweeps Coins |
---|---|
can be purchased | cannot be purchased |
can be received as a bonus | can be received as a bonus (such as when purchasing GC) |
can be accumulated by winning more Gold Coins in GC games | can be accumulated by winning more Sweeps Coins in SC games |
cannot be redeemed for prizes | can be redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards |
One way to distinguish social casinos from sweepstakes casinos is that when you play games for fun with Gold Coins or non-premium currencies, you are essentially playing at a social casino. Meanwhile, when you play games with Sweepstakes Coins or premium currencies that can be redeemed for prizes, then you are playing at a sweepstakes casino. And, as noted, many sites offer both ways to play.
Expectations
As you might guess, social casinos tend to emphasize the social element of casino games. They do this in a few ways:
- by having a social media presence and inviting players to follow the site’s account on Facebook, Instagram, X, and other platforms where they can participate in contest, take advantage of coin giveaways, and learn about new games and features
- by providing live chat for players and/or a discussion forum, such as Stake.us does
- by hosting special games and events, such as BetRivers.net does
Meanwhile, sweepstakes sites emphasize the possibility of redeeming winnings for cash prizes or gift cards, although these sites like to remind you there is no obligation to purchase anything to play the games. That’s a big difference between real money vs. sweeps sites.
Legality
We should also note that social casinos that do not have any sweepstakes component are generally available everywhere. By contrast, sweeps sites do have to abide by state laws regarding sweepstakes contests, which means they aren’t available in a handful of states, although all of them are available in New York.
Social vs. sweeps sites: Pros and cons
Social and sweepstakes sites have both pros and cons, and in fact many of the pros overlap.
Advantages of social sites
- allow you to play casino games online in states that do not have regular online casinos
- do not require you to make any purchase of coins to play the games
- can feature extensive game libraries of slots, and in some cases table games and/or live dealer games
- provide the chance for social interaction with other game players
- available in New York and in practically every other state
Advantages of sweepstakes sites
- allow you to play casino games online in states that do not have regular online casinos
- do not require you to make any purchase of coins to play the games
- can feature extensive game libraries of slots, table games, and even live dealer games
- provide the chance to redeem winnings for cash prizes and/or gift cards
- available in New York and in most but not all states
One other positive of both social and sweeps sites is the fact that so many of both are currently live, and new sites with new games are launching all the time. That means you have a lot of options when it comes to sites where you can play, and can be selective when seeking out sites featuring your favorite games.
Bonuses and promotions
As the list above shows, both social and sweeps sites have welcome offers of free coins to get you started playing the games. Both also have frequent ongoing promotions and bonuses, too, giving you more ways to receive coins for free, including the premium Sweepstakes Coins on the sweeps sites.
Here are a few of the types of bonuses you will frequently see at both social and sweeps sites.
Welcome bonuses
As shown above, many sites give you free Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins just for creating an account. You can use these coins right away to start playing either the GC or SC games. These bonuses are given as a one-time reward. These are essentially no deposit bonuses, although in truth there is never any “depositing” as such at social and sweeps sites.
Login bonuses
Many social and sweeps sites offer daily login bonuses that awarding you GC and/or SC just for logging into your account each day. You’ll see other similar offers, too, such as at Pulsz where you’re invited to keep up a “Daily Login Streak” and claim coins on consecutive days.
Purchase bonuses
If you ever decide to purchase coins, you will generally always receive some sort of bonus when you do. For instance, at Jackpota if you buy 10,000 Gold Coins for $4.99, you receive 5 Free Sweeps Coins as a bonus. These sweeps and social casino bonuses are quite typical across the sites, since none of them can allow you to buy SC directly.
Referral bonuses
Look as well for “refer-a-friend” bonuses with which you can receive free coins just for getting a friend to sign up for an account using your referral link. Sometimes this bonus requires the friend not just to register but also to make a purchase at the site. For instance, McLuck has a referral bonus offer that awards you both Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins once your friend makes a purchase.
Prize drops
Prize drops, sometimes called “bonus drops” or something similar, are essentially the sites awarding random prizes to players who are logged in and playing games. They can be awarded to players playing particular games, or to anyone who happens to be on the site at the time.
Contests and giveaways
Social and sweeps sites are constantly running various contests, leaderboards, challenges, and other fun ways to win on top of their regular games. Be sure to check out the sites’ social media accounts as well where some of these offers are announced and some of the contests take place.
How to choose between social vs sweepstakes sites
In order to help you decide whether to play at social casinos or sweepstakes casinos, here are answers to three questions
Do you like playing casino games but don’t like risking money?
If you enjoy slots and table games but aren’t comfortable risking real money, both social casinos and sweepstakes casinos let you play games for free with absolutely no purchase necessary.
Social casinos that do not feature any sort of sweepstakes element are strictly “for fun” sites where the currencies have no real money value. You might be invited to purchase coins with which to play, but you can’t win any money playing with them. But you never have to buy anything to play games on the sites.
Sweepstakes casinos also usually let you play games for free with Gold Coins or something similar. The sweeps sites award as bonuses the premium currency (e.g., Sweepstakes Coins) and if you win games with that you can redeem winnings for cash prizes. That isn’t the same as gambling with real money, but it is similar.
- Bottom line: if you don’t want to risk any money, you can either stick with social casinos or when playing on the sweeps sites only play games with Gold Coins or whatever the site calls its non-premium currency.
Do you enjoy a social component when playing casino games online?
Many social casinos and sweepstakes casinos employ strategies to build communities among players. These can include:
- chat boxes for ongoing dialogue with others who are logged onto the site
- hosting discussion forums where players can discuss their play (or other topics)
- social media (X, Instagram, Facebook)
Regarding the latter, both social casinos and sweepstakes casinos tend to have official social media accounts that players can follow. That’s another way to meet and interact with other players. Following those accounts is also a way to learn about new games, upcoming promotions, and participate in contests and win free coins.
- Bottom line: If you like socializing when you play casino games, most social casinos tend to emphasize that element while only some sweepstakes casinos do. Spend some time checking out what the different sites have to offer when it comes to opportunities for social interaction.
Do you want the chance to win prizes when playing games online?
If you are interested in trying to win cash prizes or gift cards when playing casino games online, you’ll want to choose sweepstakes casinos.
Only sweepstakes sites have options for playing with currencies like Sweepstakes Coins which can later be redeemed for prizes. If having a chance at those sorts of rewards is an aspect of online gaming that is important to you, then you’ll want to choose sweepstakes casinos.
- Bottom line: Social casinos with no sweepstakes element are for entertainment purposes only. That means if you want to try to win any prizes, you’ll want to choose sweepstakes casinos.
Be responsible when playing regardless which you choose
It might seem that there is no risk when playing games at social casinos and sweepstakes sites. Unlike at real money sites, the games are free to play and there’s no obligation to spend any money at all. However, as noted above, the sites do allow players to purchase coins with which to play, and players need to exercise the same sort of moderation when doing so as they should when gambling with real money.
Be sure to practice responsible gambling habits when playing on social and sweeps sites. Don’t spend too much time on the games, and if you do buy coins keep track of your spending and never use money you need for something else. Check out our responsible gambling page for more tips about how to be smart when you play these games and how to get help with problem gambling if needed.
Who wins in the social vs. sweeps comparison?
Keep all of these points in mind as you evaluate the different social and sweeps sites yourself. Be sure as well to check out our reviews of the different sites to help you choose between social vs. sweepstakes casinos.