What is a sweepstakes casino, anyway?

This one isn't a review of any single brand. "Sweepstakes casino" is just the name for the whole category this site covers, so it gets its own explainer instead of a made-up grade.

Here's the gist: a sweepstakes casino runs on two currencies. Gold Coins are just for fun, great for spinning slots or playing table games, but they can never turn into anything real. Sweeps Coins are the ones worth paying attention to. You get them free, either through a daily bonus or by mailing in a request (that's the "no purchase necessary" path every legal operator has to offer), or bundled in as a bonus when you buy Gold Coins. Win with Sweeps Coins and you can redeem them for real cash or prizes once you clear the site's minimum.

That two-currency setup is exactly what lets these sites legally operate in states where real-money online casino games can't. Think of it less as a clever loophole and more as its own legal category altogether, closer to how a fast food chain can run a sweepstakes giveaway than to how a licensed online casino works. Curious how we actually grade individual operators in this category? Our methodology page walks through it: track record, redemption speed, game library, and state availability.