Sweepstakes casinos have grown in popularity thanks to their widespread availability in the United States. Although they’re legal to operate in most states, playing on such sites in a few regions is illegal. There are also some areas where many sweepstakes casinos restrict their offerings. This guide covers the legality of sweepstakes casinos in the 50 US states.
Where are Sweepstakes Casinos Legal?
The table below lists all US states and those that allow sweepstakes casinos to operate freely:
| State | Legal |
| Alabama | ✔️ |
| Alaska | ✔️ |
| Arizona | ✔️ |
| Arkansas | ✔️ |
| California | ✔️ |
| Colorado | ✔️ |
| Connecticut | ✔️ |
| Delaware | ✔️ |
| Florida | ✔️ |
| Georgia | ✔️ |
| Hawaii | ✔️ |
| Idaho | ✔️ (only gold coins) |
| Illinois | ✔️ |
| Indiana | ✔️ |
| Iowa | ✔️ |
| Kansas | ✔️ |
| Kentucky | ✔️ |
| Louisiana | ✔️ |
| Maine | ✔️ |
| Maryland | ✔️ |
| Massachusetts | ✔️ |
| Michigan | ❌ |
| Minnesota | ✔️ |
| Mississippi | ✔️ |
| Missouri | ✔️ |
| Montana | ✔️ |
| Nebraska | ✔️ |
| Nevada | ✔️ |
| New Hampshire | ✔️ |
| New Jersey | ✔️ |
| New Mexico | ✔️ |
| New York | ✔️ |
| North Carolina | ✔️ |
| North Dakota | ✔️ |
| Ohio | ✔️ |
| Oklahoma | ✔️ |
| Oregon | ✔️ |
| Pennsylvania | ✔️ |
| Rhode Island | ✔️ |
| South Carolina | ✔️ |
| South Dakota | ✔️ |
| Tennessee | ✔️ |
| Texas | ✔️ |
| Utah | ✔️ |
| Vermont | ✔️ |
| Virginia | ✔️ |
| Washington | ❌ |
| West Virginia | ✔️ |
| Wisconsin | ✔️ |
| Wyoming | ✔️ |
States That Have Banned Sweepstakes Casinos
The Washington state law has always prohibited sweepstakes gaming, thereby preventing sweepstakes casinos from operating within its jurisdiction. Michigan also joined Washington in prohibiting such activities by ordering Golden Hearts Games to stop operations in the state. This action led many legitimate gaming sites to stop offering their services in Michigan.
Idaho’s law is more flexible. It doesn’t outright ban sweepstakes gaming but allows users to play only with gold coins. Unfortunately, this limits what a sweepstakes casino can offer players, as the redemption of sweeps coins is impossible for users within Idaho.
Availability of Sweepstakes Casinos in Different States
Read the terms and conditions before registering at a USA sweepstakes casino. The fine print will cover the site’s operations, including US states where it offers services. Although sweepstakes gaming is legal in 48 states, most social casinos operate in fewer regions.
For instance, Zula Casino, a fast-growing sweepstakes gaming site, accepts players from all over the United States except Idaho, Washington, Michigan, and Georgia. Some platforms might add Nevada, Vermont, and New York to the list of restricted states.
How Do Sweepstakes Casinos Operate Legally
The sweepstakes regulations allow sweepstakes casinos to offer games of chance, provided users don’t need to purchase anything to play. These sites navigate the regulatory waters by offering free virtual currencies. There are two types of coins: gold coins, which are only for gameplay, and sweeps coins, which can be redeemed for real rewards.
You receive these coins without paying anything on the platform. This operational model might make you wonder how sweepstakes casinos stay in business since their games are free and accessible to all registered users. The answer is through purchases.
Buying coins is completely optional at sweepstakes casinos. So, if you want more gold coins, navigate to the buy section and choose a suitable package. Most sweepstakes gaming sites offer a small number of sweeps coins as a bonus for purchasing gold coins.
Alternate Mode of Entry
Another regulation sweepstakes casinos must adhere to is providing an alternate entry mode. This rule ensures that players are not obligated to buy anything to enjoy games on the platform, which is why sweepstakes casinos offer mail-in bonuses.
Mail-in promotions allow you to request free sweeps coins by sending a physical mail to the social casino’s address. The gaming site will specify the details your mail must include for your request to be processed.
Conclusion
Sweepstakes casinos are legal in most US states; Washington and Michigan are the only regions prohibiting the activity. So you can register and play on these platforms if you’re outside these two states.
