Real money casino games are only available in a select few states where online gambling has been regulated. However, those in other states who enjoy casino-style games like slots, blackjack, roulette, and more can still take part in the fun at social casino sites.
We’ve reviewed the best sites below, which include live social casinos so that players can still enjoy an authentic gaming experience with the option to claim social casino bonuses.
The code required to claim this sign-up bonus (if any)
The number of times you have to play through your bonus before you are able to withdraw any winnings
The average withdrawal processing time
Gambling.com's rating of this casino site out of 100
The total number of casino games available
The number of live casino games availableWhich social casinos are best? Our experts have scoured the market and put each platform through its paces. Based on everything we know and have observed, the best social casino apps are the ones listed below.
If it's free social casino games you want, look no further than WOW Vegas. This online casino has more than 300 games, including social versions of popular real-money slots such as Big Bass Bonanza. You'll also find a solid selection of blackjack and roulette games, as well as quirky alternatives.
New customers can get a 5,000-coin social casino no-deposit bonus when they use our registration link. Then, just for good measure, there are dozens of bonus game options, daily rewards, and added extras when you purchase gold coins. Finally, you'll be able to exchange sweepstakes coins for prizes at a cash value of 1:1 (i.e. one coin is worth $1). This might be the best social casino app, and it's one of the online social casinos that pay real money.
Pulsz is the place for social casino play if you love slots and loyalty rewards. Indeed, this app features hundreds of different free social casino slots, including real-money hits such as NetEnt's Blood Suckers. What's also interesting about Pulsz is the fact it offers VIP rewards.
The system is similar to what you'll find at a traditional online casino in that you earn points for playing games. You also get points when you purchase daily free coins. The points you collect determine your VIP status which, in turn, helps you unlock extra rewards, including free chips and special features.
Operational since 1995, this online casino has over 800 slots. The reason High 5 Social Casino can offer so many spinners is the fact it's linked to the software studio, High 5 Games. Therefore, you get access to free gameplay versions of real-money hits not just from High 5 but other developers, including IGT.
Social casino players who make their first purchase get an extra 1 million coins. That's more than almost all other social casinos give you, which is another reason to try this industry veteran.
Chanced social casino is a new kid on the block. It's one of the new sweepstakes casinos that was recently launched in 2023. The fact that it's new bodes well for the brand, as it's unique interface is extremely intuitive and user-friendly. Even though you'll find plenty of different slot games, the library could be bigger. However, if you consider that this is a new brand, it's safe to assume that more games will be added to the site. For now, its generous welcome offer and amazing UI is what will bring new players to the brand.
Stake.us is among the new generation of US social casinos. It launched in August 2022 and is the social sweepstakes casino arm of a crypto-based gambling platform. You'll need to be 21+ to use Stake.us, but it is available in almost all states.
One of the defining features of this app is the fact it has exclusive online social casino games. A lot of social casino companies have exclusive content but all of it is made by third-party developers, Stake.us makes many of its games in-house.
Additionally, you can redeem social casino sweepstakes coins for crypto prizes instead of cash. This system ties together the company's two verticals and offers a unique twist on the traditional redemption model.
McLuck has been offering online casino social games since 2023. New customers get gold coins to start playing over 300 games with and, from there, daily login bonuses help you get at least 2,500 extra credits each day.
McLuck's USP is the fact it's partnered with multiple software providers, including Pragmatic Play, Big Time Gaming, and NetEnt. This means you can play your favorite games for free, including Buffalo King Megaways.
Gambino has been offering games, promotional sweepstakes, and entertainment since 2015. Based in Israel and part of Spiral Interactive, this social casino is easy to use and packed with high-quality slots. One of the main reasons it's ranked among our favorite social casinos is the fact you get more value by purchasing gold coins.
Thanks to something known as the Gold G-Card, you get a "reward matching" bonus after you've bought five packages. The match bonus is based on the average value of your purchase. For example, if you bought three packages for $9.99 and two for $4.99, the average value would be $7.99. Therefore, you receive a bonus based on an average purchase of $7.99.
BetRivers is one of the leading real-money online casinos in America. However, to give more people access to its gaming software, Rush Street Interactive created a free gameplay version of its online casino. That means adults in eligible states can enjoy an authentic gaming experience without the cost.
When it comes to the amount of no-limit coins social casino sites give customers, few beat BetRivers. As well as deposit deals and bonus games, customers can get free gold coins every two hours. The only downside to this site compared to other social casinos is the fact you can't redeem promotional sweepstakes for cash prizes.
WinStar has a unique look and feel. Like its social gaming counterparts, this casino offers plenty of games and promotions, including the ability to get free chips every four hours via the prize wheel. However, what makes it different from its peers is the theme.
Each game lobby has five filters: Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and All 360. These filters call up games that match the theme. For example, when you tap the "Asia" tab, you'll be shown games such as Ninja Gold and Dragon Palace. This is a nice twist and adds an element of gamification to WinStar.
Hard Rock is one of the biggest names in gambling, so it's hardly surprising it has not one but two world-class social casino apps. For those who want a complete casino gaming experience, there's Hard Rock Jackpot. That app has over 240 games, including slots, blackjack, roulette, and poker. For those who prefer card games, the Hard Rock Blackjack app has you covered.
One thing you'll notice with this social casino is the number of gamification features it has. For example, certain high-limit games are locked until you've wagered a certain amount of gold coins on entry-level slots. Similarly, playing games increases your VIP status which, in turn, allows you to level up the rewards you receive. These features make it feel as though you're playing a video game.
b Spot is different from most social online casinos. Why? Because the outcomes of its games aren't determined by random number generators (RNGs). Instead, the results of horse racing events are used to generate random outcomes. That's not unique but hugely innovative.
Of course, as a player, you don't see what's happening in the background. All you see are great casino-style games with slick animations. What you'll also get as a new customer is a $10 first deposit match with a b Spot promo code GAMBLING. This is an exclusive offer you won't find anywhere else.
When one of the biggest casino brands in the business creates a social gaming site, you know it's going to be good. Caesars Slots Social Casino is powered by Playtika and filled with more than 250 popular slot titles.
There are plenty of reasons to try Caesars Social Casino, but one of the main ones is its mobile software. The app has a 4.5/5 rating and, during our review, we noticed the developers respond to comments. That tells us they're always working to improve the mobile app.
Social casinos are gaming sites that don't offer real-money play. You can claim real-money prizes, but that doesn't mean you can make cash wagers. That might sound like a contradiction, but it's not once you understand how these casinos work.
For now, let's go through the basics. As we've said, you don't make real-money bets on social casino games. This means you don't need to make a deposit, which is why you often see the phrase "no purchase necessary" on the best social casino sites.
As long as you're old enough and in a place where social casinos are available, you can use our registration links and play games without spending a cent. You do this by using virtual currency, often referred to as coins.
OK, so how do you win real cash prizes and why are their payment options? The payment options allow you to buy packages that contain extra chips. Everyone gets a certain amount of virtual currency each day. However, if you want more, you can buy a package. These packages can also contain something known as sweeps coins. It's also possible to win sweeps and claim free SC coins.
These coins can be used to claim rewards, including cash prizes. That's why people sometimes refer to these sites as social casino real-money apps. But, as we've said, there aren't any social casino games real-money play. Everything is done with virtual currency that, in some situations, can be used to win cash prizes.
Yes, you can earn real-money prizes at social casinos but not in the way you might think. These sites use promotional sweepstakes, which are coins that can be exchanged for cash prizes.
That doesn't mean you can win cash prizes directly from the games you play but, through a redemption system, you can get something of value when you play. We've explained how all of this works in the following sections...
You can play casino games using two types of virtual currency: gold coins and sweepstakes coins. The former is for entertainment purposes only, the latter can be exchanged for cash prizes.
But I thought you couldn't win cash prizes at social gaming sites? That's right, you can't. However, through the sweepstakes system, you get your hands on prizes with real-world value. It's a novel system that's legal thanks to US sweepstakes laws.
Let's explain this in more detail...
Gold coins are the standard currency for social casinos. Some operators don't refer to them as gold coins, but the premise is always the same i.e. you use gold coins to play casino-style games without spending any money.
What's unique about gold coins is that there's no purchase necessary. Indeed, that's why these casinos are often referred to as "no-limit coins social casino sites." To put it another way, there's no limit to the number of coins you can get.
Social casinos give you free chips every day. They give you multiple opportunities to claim free coins each day. There may be restrictions on how often you can get chips, but the fact remains you never have to pay for gold coins.
Sweepstakes coins, also known as promotional sweepstakes, can be bought or won by playing social casino games. As we've said, you don't need to pay for gold coins. However, the best social casinos give you the option to top up your balance by purchasing packages that contain gold coins.
Certain packages also contain sweepstakes tokens. You can use these tokens instead of gold coins. Why would you use sweepstakes coins? Because they can be exchanged for prizes. Each casino has its system, but the fundamental process is always the same.
Basically, you can exchange (aka redeem) promotional sweepstakes for prizes. These prizes range from gift vouchers to cash So, while it remains true that you can't win real money prizes from social casino games, there are ways to get cash rewards.
The important concept to keep in mind is that gold coins and promotional sweepstakes coins don't have a cash value. However, you can use sweepstakes coins to claim prizes with a cash value.
We make sure the top social casino gaming companies live up to the hype by testing their software. Our experts know exactly what to look for and, in turn, what separates the great from the good. However, to ensure you know as much as our experts, here are the features we assess during our new sweeps cash casino reviews.
Gaming options are just as important in the social casino space as they are in the real-money gambling world. Even though the average social casino site won't have as many games as its real-money counterparts, we still expect the main bases to be covered. This means we only list a site among the best social casino games platforms if it has slots, blackjack, or roulette. Some sites also have video poker and bingo, which is a positive.
Just because you're playing casino games for free, it doesn't mean the customer service should suck. Indeed, there will be times when the software crashes or a purchase isn't processed properly. At these times you need a strong customer support team. Our experts ensure agents are not only available around the clock but efficient at resolving basic problems.
Top social casino apps should be just as slick on a mobile device as a desktop computer. Although it's less common to see a social casino offer a dedicated mobile app, there are exceptions to this rule. Regardless of how you access the mobile platform, we want to see stable software, an interface that's easy to navigate, and extra features such as swipe controls.
Bonuses and promotions are just as important in social gaming as they are in real-money gambling. You don't need to take our word for it, just look at what most social casinos offer new customers. They're all fighting for your attention, which is why social casinos offer welcome offers, daily login bonuses, random prizes, and more. Basically, if there's a way to give you more reasons to play games, a social casino operator will use it.
Payments aren't as important in social gaming as they are for traditional online casinos. That's because you can play casino-style games using virtual currency. But, as we've said, you can buy packages to top up your balance and unlock sweeps that, in turn, can get you cash prizes. Therefore, payments are still important. We expect the best social casinos' real-money payment options to include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal, Skrill, and Apple Pay.
Safety should never be an issue, even if you're only playing free social casino games. Operators must protect your details just as much as your money. So, regardless of whether you play casino games using virtual currency or you purchase gold coins, you should always be safe. That's why we make sure each recommended social casino site offers SSL-encrypted software, password-protected accounts, and reputable payment processors.
At this point in our guide to social online casinos, we should let you into a secret: most sites only offer slot games. If you're used to real money online casinos, that's probably a bit disappointing. However, that's just the way things are in the social space. There are operators offering sweepstakes casino games well worth the exploration.
The good news, however, is that social slots are slightly different games to what you'll find on a real-money site. Moreover, many of the top social casinos offer other types of games. So, while social slots casino sites might dominate, there are some important nuances to consider.
Social slots are by far the most popular game in this sector but, as we've said, they're slightly different from real-money games. Why? Well, other than the fact you can play them for free, social slot games typically have gamification elements. Gamification is the process of adding video game elements to non-standard games.
So, in the case of social slot games, you might find that there are levels you can work through as you hit certain targets. Some social casinos online get you to play online slots to unlock new games. That's why social slot machines are so popular and, in turn, different from real-money casino games.
Some of the top social slot titles to look out for are: Golden Bars, Double Dinosaur Deluxe, and Lady Lava. It's also worth noting that some social online casinos have free-play versions of real-money slot titles, such as Pragmatic Play's Sweet Bonanza at Stake.US.
Jackpot slot games give you the chance to win prizes much larger than the average payout. That's because the jackpots are taken from a pot that's been constantly added to, hence the name progressive jackpot.
Blackjack and other table games aren't as common as slots, but you can still find them. For example, at Stake.US, you can play exclusive online blackjack tables made by in-house software developers or classic variants from Pragmatic Play.
Baccarat isn't particularly well represented at the best real-money US casinos, and it's the same story in social gaming. That doesn't mean it's a bad game, it just means there aren't many novel variants so you typically only get a table or two. The top social casinos do offer baccarat as a virtual game and live dealer offering.
Some of the top social casino games offer a novel twist on classics such as roulette. Indeed, if you check out our top-rated real-money casinos, you'll see they have innovative offerings such as Lightning Roulette. The top social casinos don't have as many novel variants, but you will find some quirky roulette online tables alongside traditional ones.
Poker isn't as prevalent in the social gaming space as we'd like, but there are still ways to make straights, flushes, and full houses. What you'll find is that some social casinos offer play-money poker tables that allow you to compete against your peers.
If a social site offers live casino games, we suggest you hit the sign-up button and try them (if you're an eligible player). Why? Because these games use the latest RFID and live streaming technology to create a truly immersive gaming experience. Some of the best live social casino games to look out for are:
These live social casino games typically use American or European formats. That means you're trying to predict which numbers will hit and win payouts topping 35X. But, thanks to advances in live gaming technology, you can also play modern variants such as Lightning Roulette. These games have payouts worth up to 1,000X.
Blackjack is one of the most popular live social casino games out there. Vegas and Atlantic City rules form the foundation of most variants. However, what's exciting about these live dealer games is the fact many of them feature bonus bets, while other tables allow thousands of people to play a single hand (aka Infinite Blackjack).
If you want the lowest house edge, baccarat is one of the best live social casino games you can play. The average house edge in baccarat is 1%, which is a lot better than games like slots. Through the power of live streams, you can play classic variants, as well as novel offerings such as Dragon Tiger.
Live social casino gaming is evolving all the time and, in recent years, developers such as Evolution have raised the bar. They've raised the bar by creating live game shows. They're known as game shows because they don't follow the classic casino format, but they do contain an element of risk .
From prize wheels to spin-offs of TV game shows, there are plenty of entertaining options in this part of the live social casino world. Some of the top live game shows are Dream Catcher, Deal or No Deal, and Crazy Time.
Social casinos are different from their real-money online gaming counterparts in a variety of ways. For one, they don't offer real-money games. That's a point worth repeating, but it's not the only reason these two types of casinos occupy different ends of the gaming spectrum. So, to tie everything together, here are the main differences between social and traditional online casinos:
Social casino gaming is all about fun and free play. This means you use virtual credits to play games. In contrast, playing at online casino USA sites with real funds allow you to make deposits and win cash prizes directly from their games.
As we've explained, we can use the term "best social casino real money site" in some instances because there are ways to claim cash prizes. However, redeeming cash prizes for promotional sweepstakes tokens isn't the same as winning money directly from a game.
The best social casino apps don't have as many games as the top real-money casinos. Some sites are starting to create their social casino games, which means the number of options is growing. However, you'll generally don't typically get as many gaming options at social casinos.
Social online casinos are available across the US. They operate as free-play sites under US lottery (aka sweepstakes) laws. That means you can access all the best social casino platforms in almost every state. In contrast, real-money online casinos are only legal in a handful of states, including New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
A social casino bonus won't have any post-collection wagering requirements that transform the credits into real money. That's an important distinction to make when you're comparing traditional online casino bonuses and the free bonus offers you get from social gaming sites.
These are two areas where online social casinos, real-money gambling sites, sportsbooks, and any other platform in the industry are identical. Whenever there are odds and uncertainty involved, you can rest assured that the software is safe and there will be support when you need it.
Anyone who enjoys casino gaming but doesn't have access to a real-money gambling site should try a social app. It doesn't matter if it's a new social casino like Stake.us or an industry veteran like High 5, these apps are all big on entertainment.
As we've said multiple times in this guide, you can't win real money prizes playing social games. However, thanks to promotional sweepstakes, you can turn your online play into rewards with real value.
Of course, if you want to play for fun, you can do that too. Social casinos are available in more than 40 states. So, if you want a casino-style gaming experience that lets you play your way, our tip is to try social sites.
Social casinos are online gaming sites where players use virtual credits, often known as gold coins, to play games for free. There are ways to redeem special tokens for prizes but, overall, the sites are where you can play free social casino games.
Yes, social casinos are legit. They aren't licensed in the same way as legal online casinos that offer real-money gambling, but they do operate under US lottery laws. That makes them legal, legit, and available in almost all states.
Social casinos primarily make money through in-app purchases. You don't have to purchase gold coins to play social online casino games. However, if you want to top up your balance or get special sweep tokens that unlock prizes, it's possible to make in-app purchases. These transactions are how social casinos make money.
Yes, social online gambling is legal in California. Although real-money gambling is currently illegal in the state (unless on Tribal land), lotteries, bingo, horse racing, and social gaming casino platforms are legal.
Social casino games are, in essence, free casino games. We class them as free social casino games because you can play them without betting real money. This means you can't win cash prizes when you play social casino games. Other than this difference, these casino-style games offer an entertaining and authentic experience.
Social casino gaming is the act of playing games with virtual credits rather than real money. Essentially, a social gaming site offers an authentic casino experience without the risk. There's no risk because you're not betting money. What's more, these sites are obligated to be "no purchase necessary" platforms, so you never have to pay to play.
Social slot games allow you to spin reels, match symbols, and trigger bonus features without spending any money. In simple terms, they're casino-style games that allow you to wager tokens (gold coins) and, in turn, win tokens without any real-world value.
Yes, social casinos are legal in the US. These online casino sites operate under US sweepstakes laws, which means you can use them if you're 18+ (the minimum legal age in some states is 19+). Unlike real-money online casinos, social gaming sites are available in more than 40 states.
Yes, social casinos are free to join and the games they offer are free to play. They're classed as free casino games because you wager virtual credits commonly known as gold coins. It doesn't matter if you lose your starting chips because you can get more every day through a combination of daily login bonus offers, prize drops, and other bonus features.
Yes, you can join social casinos using your social media accounts. The sites are all about connecting players, creating communities, and having fun. Therefore, the best social casinos give you the ability to start playing by using your Facebook, Twitter, or Google credentials to open an account. As well as using these accounts to complete the registration process, you can share your results via social media.
Yes, live dealer games are available in social gaming, but they're rare. Live dealer games aren't typically available for free play at real-money casinos.However, with social casino games evolving all the time, some operators are now finding ways to offer them in this sector. The best live social casino online right now is Stake.us.
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