In the rapidly expanding world of casino games, sweepstakes casinos have emerged as an innovative alternative to traditional gambling platforms. These unique gaming sites operate legally across most of the United States, offering players the thrill of casino-style games while adhering to sweepstakes laws.
The US sweepstakes landscape is notably welcoming, with 47 states and Washington D.C. permitting these sites. While Michigan and Washington have opted to restrict sweepstakes casinos entirely, and Idaho limits players to play money games, most Americans can freely participate.
Through a creative virtual currency system, these sites have successfully carved out their own niche in the entertainment space, offering a path to potential prizes while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Are Sweepstake Casinos legal?
The short answer to this question is yes – sweepstakes casinos are legal across most of the US, thanks to the operating model they employ with the games.
You don’t directly use cash to play the games at a sweeps casino, but you can play sweepstakes games with cash prizes on the line.
Traditional real-money online casinos are only legal in a handful of states, and subject to the gaming laws and licensing requirements in the states.
How it works: The free entry model
The sweepstakes sites use a dual-currency system that includes Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC). You’ll see these currencies called slightly different names at some sites, but the concept is identical across all sweepstakes casinos.
Gold Coins are play money currency, and you can only use GC in the play money games at a sweeps casino. Sweeps Coins are a virtual currency that you can use to play in the sweepstakes games at a casino. You can redeem the SC that you win in these games for cash prizes.
You can’t directly purchase SC at a sweeps casino. Under sweepstakes laws, players must be able to enter the sweepstakes offered at a site for free. Sweepstakes casinos fulfill this legal obligation by extending several different ways to obtain SC for free. The most popular method is writing letters to request free Sweeps Coins.
Learn more: How sweepstake casinos work
Sweeps Casinos for US players
The table below gives you a quick overview of the most popular casinos available, along with the restricted states and the minimum age requirements in each state. For a complete view, see our list of sweepstake casinos here.
| Casino | Restricted states | Legal age |
| Wow Vegas | CT, ID, MI, MT, NV, WA | 18 |
| Chanced Casino | ID, KY, MI, NV, WA | 18 |
| Sweeptastic | ID, KY, MI, NV, WA | 18 |
| Stake.us | ID, KY, MI, NV, NY, VT, WA | 21 |
| Luckyland Slots | CT, ID, MI, MT, WA | 18 |
| Chumba Casino | CT, ID, MI, MT, WA | 18 |
| Modo.us | CT, DE, ID, LA, MD, MI, MT, NJ, NV, NJ, OH, WA, WV | 18 |
| Sportzino | ID, GA, MI, WA | 18 |
| Yay! Casino | ID, KY, MI, NV, NY, VT, WA | 18 |
| Hello Millions | AL, DE, GA, ID, KY, LA, MI, MT, NJ, NV, OH, WA | 18 |
| High 5 Casino | ID, KY, MI, NV, WA | 18 |
| Ding Ding Ding | ID, MI, NV, WA | 18 |
| Crown Coins | ID, LA, MI, MT, NV, WA | 18 |
| FunzPoints | ID, MI, WA | 18 |
Which states allow sweepstake sites?
The table below includes the current status in 50 U.S. states and Washington D.C. This resource includes the approximate number of legit sweepstakes casinos available as well as any restrictions on a max win in that state:
| State | Permitted | # of sites | Max prize |
| Alabama | Yes | 22+ | No max |
| Alaska | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Arizona | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Arkansas | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| California | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Colorado | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Connecticut | Yes | 10+ | No max |
| Delaware | Yes | 10+ | No max |
| Florida | Yes | 60+ | $5,000 |
| Georgia | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Hawaii | Yes | 15+ | No max |
| Idaho | No (SC games not permitted) | 10+ (Gold Coins games only) | No max |
| Illinois | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Indiana | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Iowa | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Kansas | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Kentucky | Yes | 20+ | No max |
| Louisiana | Yes | 10+ | No max |
| Maine | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Maryland | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Massachusetts | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Michigan | No | N/A | No max |
| Minnesota | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Mississippi | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Missouri | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Montana | Yes | 15+ | No max |
| Nebraska | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Nevada | Yes | 10+ | No max |
| New Hampshire | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| New Jersey | Yes | 10+ | No max |
| New Mexico | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| New York | Yes | 60+ | $5,000 |
| North Carolina | Yes | 25+ | No max |
| North Dakota | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Ohio | Yes | 20+ | No max |
| Oklahoma | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Oregon | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | 10+ | No max |
| Rhode Island | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| South Carolina | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| South Dakota | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Tennessee | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Texas | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Utah | Yes | 30+ | No max |
| Vermont | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Virginia | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Washington | No | N/A | No max |
| Washington D.C | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| West Virginia | Yes | 20+ | No max |
| Wisconsin | Yes | 60+ | No max |
| Wyoming | Yes | 20+ | No max |
A few notes on this list:
- Only Michigan and Washington explicitly restrict sweepstakes casinos. You can’t sign up for an account or play any of the games at any sweeps casino from those states
- In Idaho, you can sign up for an account and play the Gold Coins (play money) games, but the Sweeps Coins games are restricted
- New York and Florida each limit the max win at a sweepstakes casino to $5,000. If you hit a jackpot or win more than the SC equivalent of $5,000 in one spin or bet, you’ll only receive $5,000 max.
The making of a legitimate sweeps casino
U.S. players can access hundreds of casinos that offer online games in some fashion. We can verify that around 60 of those casinos are legit sweepstakes casinos that check all of the boxes when it comes to providing a secure platform that abides by sweepstakes laws.
Some of the things that we consider mandatory when recommending a sweeps casino include:
- Responsible gambling tools: RG tools include spending limits, session time-played reminders, take-a-break/timeout options, and self-exclusion options. The RG section of a sweeps casino should include all of these tools, as well as links to the best problem gambling help resources available.
- KYC checks/verification: Know Your Customer (KYC) checks require you to verify your identity with a sweeps casino before you can redeem SC for cash prizes. These protocols are extremely important, as they protect you from identity fraud and ensure that you’re of legal age and in a legal location to play. Some casinos do a better job with KYC checks than others. Wow Vegas is one of the best in this category, requiring you to verify your phone number (in addition to other verification requirements) in order to create an account.
- Geolocation: Geolocation protocols are a must at a legit sweeps casino, as the casino must be able to verify your location in order to abide by state sweepstakes gaming laws. If it looks like a casino doesn’t care where you play from, it’s best to move on, as this is a sure sign of an offshore or illegal gambling site.
- Reputable payment providers: A legit sweeps casino will only facilitate payments and redemptions through legit payment providers. Look for casinos that offer major credit/debit cards, bank transfers, and known/trusted cryptocurrencies as payment options.
How do Sweepstake Casinos verify your identity and location?
As we discussed in the previous section, legitimate sweeps casinos will require you to verify your identity through KYC checks.
The KYC process usually involves submitting a photo of a valid government-issued ID at minimum. Some casinos take security a step further and require you to verify your phone number through Two-Factor Authentication or go through the steps of a facial recognition process.
Sweeps casinos use geolocation services to determine where you’re playing from. If you’re in a restricted area, you won’t be allowed to play the games.
Tax implications on winnings
Federal gaming laws require players to pay income tax on sweepstakes wins of $5,000 or more. This could be a single win on a jackpot or bet that you redeem for $5,000 or more, or it could be your cumulative sweepstakes winnings for the year.
In addition to federal taxes, sweepstakes gaming wins could be subject to state taxes as well. State tax could be payable depending on which state you’re playing from and possibly which state you live (if the two are different).
When it comes to sweepstakes casino winnings, we highly recommend keeping track of your total wins and losses for the year. Consulting with a tax professional and disclosing all of that information is your best bet when it comes time to report winnings and fulfill tax obligations.
Final thoughts on the future landscape
Sweepstakes gaming is booming in the U.S., and we see no signs of the industry slowing down any time soon.
Only Washington and Michigan currently have laws in place that explicitly ban players from accessing sweeps casinos. Realistically, there could be a few other states that go this route in the next couple of years.
We expect sweeps gaming to continue to thrive in most of the U.S., however, and we’re committed to keeping our readers updated on the latest news from the legal side of the sweepstakes industry as it happens.