In recent years, there has been an increased number of Sweepstakes casinos in the USA. This has come about due to the strict gambling laws and restrictions in place across the USA. Until the repeal of the PASPA back in 2019, online casinos were illegal. And this is where the USA sweepstakes casino market was able to grow. Making use of a niche market, sweepstakes casinos were able to provide US players with access to casino games without being illegal. But how was this possible?
Well, Sweepstakes casinos work within the legal framework provided by the federal government in the USA. And, this was even before the repeal of PASPA which allowed states to implement their own laws and regulations.
Specifically, these types of casinos do not accept real money bets on their platforms. Instead, sweepstakes or social casinos will provide players with virtual coins and currencies with which to place bets on the casino games. Players will only win virtual currency from playing these games as well, and will not earn cash prizes. It’s all just for fun.
However, it is possible for players to also get cash prizes through these casinos. While the virtual currency is provided free, there are options to purchase additional coins with real money. When this occurs, it is possible for players to then receive cash prizes or other monetary rewards.
How else are they different to online casinos?
Although these casinos don’t permit players to use real money bets, as mentioned, real money can be used to purchase additional virtual currency coins in order to play. The great thing here is that a range of different currencies can be permitted. As these are not betting sites, players can often use anonymous payment methods such as cryptocurrencies to purchase additional coins.
Not only that, but these casinos also offer a social aspect to the gaming. Players can interact with one another. Additionally, there are typically leaderboards for players playing the games. This allows players to check in with each other, see who they have to beat and so on.
With virtual currency in play, there’s more competition between players as well. And with cash rewards or even the chance to win holidays, free tickets to events and more, there is a lot to like.
Why choose a sweepstakes casino?
Well, in addition to those mentioned above, there are some other reasons why these are great for players in the USA. For instance, they provide anonymity online across multiple areas. Of course, they’re also free to play. Players are not required to make any real money deposit at all, which does mean they can play games just for fun without any worries. Across the whole casino, there is no obligation to purchase coins to play.
There are also always a large number of promotions for those that do decide to purchase more coins. These include additional entries for tournaments, access to exclusive games, or sweepstakes access.
What concerns are there for sweepstakes sites?
As with everything, there are some downsides to these casinos. A growing concern is the lack of any regulation for these casinos. As they’re not a betting site, these casinos don’t need a licence in order to operate. This can lead to a lack of transparency as well as bias within the games. Additionally, many providers do not allow their games to be played on sites without proper licencing. This results in smaller game libraries which can be very limiting for players wanting to test out specific casino games.
Nevertheless, this is a unique, and legal approach to online gaming. And, it’s here to stay and even grow as the industry continues to expand.