Las Vegas OnlineHow sweepstakes casinos work
Sweepstakes casinos are not online casinos. They run on promotional sweepstakes law, which is why they operate in states where real-money gambling does not.
What each one is for
| Currency | Common names | What you do with it | Redeemable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Gold Coins, GC | Free play, entertainment only | No. Never, at any casino. |
| Promotional | Sweepstakes Coins, SC | Enters the sweepstakes | Yes, above that casino’s floor |
| House variants | WC, LC, TC, FC, CC | Same as SC under a different name | Yes, floor varies |
Consideration, chance, prize
A lottery in United States law needs three things: consideration (you pay to enter), chance, and a prize. Remove any one and it stops being a lottery. Sweepstakes casinos remove consideration, the promotional currency has to be obtainable free, which is why every casino here runs a postal entry route.
That is why you are never required to buy anything, and why the phrase “no purchase necessary” appears on every page of every operator in this category. The coin packages exist because the post is slow, not because buying is the only way in.
It is also why the rules change at state lines. Washington and Idaho read the model more strictly than most, and operators generally withdraw rather than argue the point.
Five steps
One. Register. The welcome package lands immediately at most casinos, within a day at the rest.
Two. Play the promotional currency through once, twice at the two casinos here that require it.
Three. Reach the redemption floor. Fifty SC at most, a hundred at three of them, 1,200 FC at Fortune Coins.
Four. Verify. Photo ID and proof of address. Do this on day one; it is the difference between a seven-hour payout and a three-day one.
Five. Request redemption. Medians here run from seven hours to three days.