So, what’s the deal with sweepstakes gaming?
There’s only one trend that matters in the world of gaming right now: sweepstakes. Ever since 2020, this type of gaming has become extremely popular, especially amongst Gen Z and Millenials. And if you’re scratching your head wondering why it’s so popular, well, it’s mainly because of sweepstakes casinos. These types of casinos have quickly taken over iGaming, with Chumba Casino alone having over 1 million — yep, million — global users. There are plenty more of them hitting the internet, too, so let’s take a look at how sweeps casinos actually work.
What Are Sweepstakes Casinos?
Sweepstakes casinos are online sites (and mobile apps) where players get to enjoy casino games for free. The term ‘sweepstakes’ comes from the fact that players can also enter monthly sweepstakes competitions to win real prizes, which are usually given away each month. And if that’s not enough, players get to chat, interact, and make friends with each other, so there’s an incentive to stick around as a member for the long term.
SweepsGods, the go-to site for everything about sweepstakes casinos, reports that some of the current fan-favorite sweepstakes casinos are Stake.us, WOW Vegas, and High 5. But whichever specific casino you join, they all have the same thing in common: it’s free to join. Once you’ve joined, the games are also free, too, which is ultimately why they’ve become so popular.
2020 to Now: The Rise of Sweepstakes Casinos
The rise of sweepstakes casinos started back in 2020. During this time, the pandemic was raging, and close to 4 billion people were locked down. While stuck at home, people naturally looked for online entertainment, and sweepstakes casinos caught fire. It was a no-brainer, too, as people were bored out of their minds and needed some free entertainment to keep them going. So, instead of watching TV all day, they started playing slot games and entering sweepstakes giveaways — and the trend has stuck around ever since.
Following 2020, countless new sweepstakes casinos have hit the internet, including Pulsz (2020), WOW Vegas (2022), and Sweeptastic (2023). The trend shows no sign of dying, either, with the industry projected to reach a value of $6.9bn by 2025. Simply put, people love sweepstakes casinos.
Compared to traditional online casino sites, they offer so much more. Sure, classic casino sites are fun — but the end game is always about winning money. This is fine for some people, but most of today’s modern gamers aren’t money-focused. Instead, they just want to play games for fun and occasionally win some giveaways, which is why sweeps casinos have successfully filled a huge market gap that many people didn’t even realize was there.
Are Sweepstakes Casinos Worth It?
When a trend like this one arrives in the gaming world, it’s always good to ask whether it’s actually worth the attention and hype. With most sweepstakes casinos, the answer is yes. On the surface alone, you get to enjoy:
- Free casino games
- The opportunity to win epic prizes
- Playing against other people
Even if you’re not the biggest casino fan in the world, the element of being able to win prizes might be enough to tempt you over. This has certainly been the case with sites like Stake.us, which thousands of non-casino fans have joined just so that they can win prizes by playing popular slot games like Sugar Rush. And for those who aren’t interested in prizes, you can stack up on Gold Coins and play as many games as you like for free — no catch.
Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins — Explained
Since the sweepstakes gaming trend exploded, one of the big focus points has been on the virtual coins that they use, which are called Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins. In a nutshell, you use Gold Coins if you want to play the games for free and Sweeps Coins if you want to compete for prizes. Essentially, the more Sweeps Coins you collect, the more prizes you can redeem.
When you’re a member of any sweepstakes casino, you’ll be offered different coin packages that you can buy—for example, $10 in exchange for 1 million Gold Coins and 10 Sweeps Coins. You then have the freedom to use these coins however you like, whether it’s spinning the slot reels or having fun at the roulette table.
The good news is that many of today’s sweepstakes casino sites actually give away Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins to new members, so you don’t have to exchange any money at all. Plus, with a site like Stake.us, you get a daily login reward of 1 Stake Cash and 10,000 Gold Coins, so there’s plenty of incentive to keep playing on a daily basis.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a diehard gamer or someone who likes to occasionally spin the slot machines, sweepstakes casinos are definitely worth checking out. From the free-to-play games to the giveaways, there are lots of things to enjoy. Plus, you can play on PC, mobile, or tablet, so it’s super easy to get started.
