Sweepstakes vs. Social Casinos: A Beginner’s Guide
The growth of the online gaming industry has created two types of casinos: sweepstakes and social casinos. Both platforms are quite similar, offering games like slots that you can play for fun. However, despite their similarities, they have significant differences. In this guide, we’ll compare both platforms to help you understand what sets them apart.
What are Social Casinos?
Social casinos are gaming sites that focus on free play and social interactions. They offer Vegas-style games like slots that you can play without worrying about legal restrictions. Some of these sites implement player chat features that facilitate real-time communication between all registered users.
What are Sweepstakes Casinos?
Sweepstakes casinos are similar to social casinos because they offer games you can play for free. Like social platforms, they include interactive features that elevate the gaming experience. However, there’s the potential to win real rewards on sweepstakes casinos, unlike social casinos, where you can’t exchange coins for rewards.
Sweepstakes Vs Social Casinos: The Similarities and Differences
We already established that sweepstakes and social casinos operate similarly, so let’s take a closer look at these platforms to identify their differences:
Legal Regulations
Social casinos have a more relaxed regulatory requirement because they don’t violate any regulations. They operate strictly on the free-to-play model, so no purchases are necessary to access their games and services. Plus, you don’t win anything from social casinos, which makes them a safer alternative to traditional gaming sites.
On the other hand, sweepstakes casinos must abide by more rigid regulations. They’re based on the sweepstakes model, providing chances to get actual rewards. You do this by exchanging sweeps coins once you’ve accumulated up to a certain amount of these coins.
Social Features
Both sweepstakes and social casinos offer a sense of community by providing interaction platforms. Some incorporate a chat section where you can interact with other players, provided you have an account on the site. Many have active social media pages that post regular updates, giving you the latest information on bonuses and other offerings.
The differences in these sections are possible rain promotions. Rain is a bonus that randomly rewards active players in the chat section. You can receive free coins through this medium, but you only get gold coins on social casinos, which you can’t exchange for rewards. Meanwhile, sweepstakes gaming sites can offer sweeps coins.
Game Variety
When you play at a sweepstakes casino online, you’ll find a collection identical to a regular online casino. In other words, they feature slots and table games like blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and poker. They also include fish games that involve shooting sea creatures and getting coins.
Social casinos also have games, but their collections are smaller. Most social casino games are also developed in-house, unlike sweepstakes casino games that often come from third-party providers like Relax Gaming and Booming Games.
Purchases and Redemptions
You can purchase coins on both gaming sites, but redemptions are possible only at sweepstakes casinos. These platforms offer two main coin types: gold and sweeps coins. Gold coins are also available on social casinos. They don’t have any monetary value, meaning you can only use them to play games on the platform.
On the contrary, sweeps coins can be exchanged for rewards, and you can only receive them when playing at sweepstakes casinos. This difference in coin structure makes sweepstakes casinos preferable sites for most US players looking to win something from casino gaming.
Conclusion
The primary difference between social and sweepstakes casinos is their coin system. Social gaming sites have only gold coins, while sweepstakes platforms offer gold and sweeps coins. As a result, you can get real rewards from playing at a sweepstakes casino.
