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Real money casinos are great for players who love risk and want to win real cash
Sweepstakes casinos are your go-to options if you want to play for free or in a region where gambling is restricted
Stake.us is our top sweepstakes casino. Use our exclusive promo code SPORTSGRID during registration for an welcome offer
The online gambling scene is huge and offers different ways to play. Two of the most common options are traditional online casinos and sweepstakes casinos. Both sites let you play games online, but there are some major differences.
Keep reading as we extensively explain both options, the pros and cons, and unique features. We’ll also look into some of the best real money and sweepstakes casinos alongside their offerings. Once you are through reading, you’ll have all you need to pick the right online platform to play.
Real money casinos are the standard online gambling platforms where you deposit cash to wager on games, to win more cash. These casinos need licenses from regulatory bodies in the region before they can operate.
For instance, a real money online casino that wants to operate in Pennsylvania must get a license from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. In NJ, the New Jersey Casino Control Commission is responsible for licensing casinos.
To make sure games are fair, these sites use a Random Number Generator. This ensures that the outcome of casino games is random and can’t be altered by the casino or players.
Sweepstakes online casinos are legal alternatives to real money casinos and are great for regions where online gambling isn’t legal. These casinos don’t require players to deposit real money or make a purchase to play games.
Instead, players use virtual currencies which they get for free when they register to play – for a chance to redeem cash prizes. Most sweeps casinos feature two types of virtual currencies which we’ll break down below.
These are the most common coins at Sweepstakes casinos. You get GC for free when you register and use them to play free games. If you win, you get more Gold Coins to continue playing other games.
Once you have exhausted your free GC, you have the option to purchase more from the sweepstakes casino if you want. You can also get more free Gold Coins through social media promotions, and more.
These are also known as Sweeps Coins and are the premium coins in Sweepstakes casinos. Unlike the GC, you can redeem these Coins for cash prizes after accumulating a certain number and meeting the sweeps casino’s requirements.
You only get SC for free through bonuses or anytime you purchase a Gold Coin package. It is impossible to buy more of these when you run out. Sweeps Coins may go by a different name depending on the site. For instance, at Stake.us it is called Stake Cash.
To make your decision easier, we’ve compared both options in the table below:
| Feature | Real-Money Casinos | Sweepstakes Casinos |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | Needs a license to operate in legal regions | Does not need a license to operate in most US states. Instead, it follows sweepstakes laws |
| Currency | Requires real money deposits | Does not require real money to play. Supports virtual currencies instead |
| Prizes | Can claim your winnings in cash | You win GC and SC. SC have the potential to be redeemed for real-world prizes. |
| Available Games | Slots, table games, jackpots, and live dealer titles | Smaller range of slots, table games, jackpots, and live dealer |
| Free Play Support | Available in some casinos through the demo mode | Supports free play using virtual currencies |
Both options are great and suit different needs. If you prefer a larger selection of games, want to win real money, and are in a location where online gambling is legal – real money casinos are your best bet.
However, if you are on a budget or in a US region where gambling is not legal – sweepstakes casinos are the best alternative. We also recommend these sites if you want to enjoy games without risk and financial commitment.
If you have decided to play at no deposit sweeps casinos, here are the sweeps casinos we recommend you check out:
Stake.us is a popular sweepstakes casino with 1,300+ casino-style games accessible for free! These consist of slots, table games, and live dealer games from top providers.
If you sign up on the site using our exclusive promo code SPORTSGRID, you’ll get 260k Gold Coins + 25 Stake Cash and 5% Rakeback as a welcome bonus. Also available are daily login rewards, slot battles, and many challenges with huge prize pools.
This is a newer social casino that started operations in 2024. Nonetheless, it has racked up a decent portfolio featuring 480+ games including slots, and live games.
If you register for an account here, you instantly get a welcome offer of 100,000 Gold Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins. Stick around and you can claim referral bonuses, daily login rewards, and more.
Like RealPrize, this operator started its operations in 2024. However, it has a larger game library of 1700+ casino-style games like slots, and live dealers. These are powered by over 15 providers including Pragmatic Play, Playtech, and Relax Gaming.
If you open an account here, you get 7,500 Gold Coins and 2.5 free Sweep Coins. You’ll also find plenty of daily rewards, and tournaments with huge prize pools.
This social casino is a great choice if you prefer to have options. It features more than 1,700 games such as slots, live dealers, and Slingo from leading providers. Register for an account here, and claim a sizeable welcome offer of 250 Game Coins, 5 free Sweeps Coins and 600 Diamonds!
Also available is a daily bonus and the unique High 5 Prestige Loyalty Program featuring awesome bonuses.
Last on our list is Jackpota casino. But not to worry, as this is also an excellent platform. It has 700+ casino-style games, which you can play with the free welcome offer. This consists of 7,500 Gold Coins and 2.5 Sweeps Coins to use as you please.
In addition, you’ll find many bonuses including daily rewards of 2,000 Gold Coins up to 2 SC, up jackpots, social media promotions, and more.
Both real money and sweepstakes online casinos offer amazing experiences. However, the right option depends on where you reside, your goals, and how much risk you can take.
Above, we’ve listed five of the best sweepstakes casinos you can register at and start playing for free. Click on our banners to claim exclusive promotions. Remember to use our promo code at Stake.us SPORTSGRID to get the best offer.
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