Online gambling is illegal in California. Since Proposition 26 and 27, put forward by American tribes and online sportsbook companies, failed to pass, Golden State residents have zero hopes for imminent legal online gambling services. We could see sports betting receiving the green light in the coming years, and online casinos would then follow. Till then, the over 60 tribal casinos, daily fantasy apps, lottery, and bingo halls are how Cali players can get a taste of what’s coming.

A legal loophole has, however, enabled another gaming niche to emerge in the Golden State, namely sweepstakes casinos. Unlike offshore gaming sites, sweepstakes casinos are legal. And they also outplay social casinos by incorporating real cash prizes into their gaming model. Our team has reviewed over 50 online sweepstakes casinos accepting 18+ players from California, and the highest-rated brands are WOW Vegas, Sweeptastic, Chanced Casino, LuckyBird.io, Vegas Gems, Pulsz, and Chumba.

Continue below to learn more about California online casinos and gambling, including the ins and outs of sweeps casinos operating in the Golden State.

California Sweepstakes Casinos

Sweepstakes online casinos work with two virtual currencies, in most cases, sweeps and gold coins. Players can utilize the virtual currency of their choice to play free casino games and win cash prizes. Cali sweeps casinos offer entertainment gameplay through gold coins and real cash prizes for any sweeps coins winnings.

Since Californian residents became aware of the dangers involved with playing at offshore gaming sites, the several lawsuits tied to over-spending at social casinos, and the lack of a state authority to oversee legal sports betting and online casinos – they have turned to sweeps casinos.

A few sweepstake casinos have been operating for over a decade. The boom occurred in 2019, and by now most Cali gaming enthusiasts are already aware of the biggest brands: Chumba, Funzpoints, Global Poker, LuckyLand Slots, and Stake.us. All these sites are legal in the Golden State, accept players over 18, and hand out free sweeps instantly. Players get to play online slots, blackjack, roulette, video poker, and even table games in a live setting at sweepstake casinos.

Recently, over 30 new online sweepstakes casinos have emerged. This makes sense given their popularity and the slow legalization of state-licensed online casinos. The situation creates dangers and opportunities for players, and we have come to help you find the best CA sweeps casinos and explain how to make the most of their services.

Are Sweepstakes Casinos Legal to Play in California?

Sweepstakes casinos implement sweeps laws to legally offer casino-style games with cash prizes in most of the US. Michigan, Idaho, and Washington are the few states where they are not legal. Users can sign up for an account to receive free gold coins and sweeps coins. No purchase is required to play, which is why they are legally available in California.

Players get free sweeps daily, when they send a letter, and by purchasing gold coins. Then, you can use the SC to play the games and any winnings can be redeemed for real money. All games work with a random number generator to ensure everyone has an equal chance of winning prizes. For the most part, you’ll find the same games you typically encounter at online casinos, powered by the likes of Pragmatic Play, Betsoft, NetEnt, Microgaming, and BGaming.

One area where sweepstakes casinos lag behind online casinos is the lack of regulation. They don’t need a license to operate in California due to their model, and instead, the FTC supervises their activities. So, making a careful selection is paramount and can play a crucial role in the outcome of your gaming.

How to Select a Social Gaming Site to Play in California

Even though ‘online casino experts’ have jumped into the sweeps gaming market claiming years of industry experience, they do not know how to recognize a legit from an untrustworthy sweeps casino. We have been playing at sweeps casinos for over a decade, and instead of searching for licenses or user reviews – we enforce our own criteria for each brand we review.

You can view them below and implement them into your CA sweepstakes casino selection process to be on the safe side:

• See who owns the platform. Check out whether they are registered, how many employees they have, if they have experience in the industry, and investigate their past.
• The games matter more than you think. Although every gamer has their own preferences, the companies backing a sweepstake casino lobby showcase whether you can trust it. If a Cali sweeps casino features casino-style games from NetEnt, Relax Gaming, Pragmatic, Evolution, and other industry giants, you can rest assured that your gaming experience will be fair.
• Compliance with sweepstakes rules. Any legit sweeps casino must hand out free coins on registration and in regular intervals so that they comply with the no purchase necessary policy. AMOE and frequent free sweeps bonuses ensure each player has an equal chance of winning real cash prizes at sweeps casinos, making them legal in California.
• Payment terms and methods. Respectable brands only partner with recognizable banking methods to offer players a safe gateway to gold coin purchases and sweeps coin redemptions. See if your preferred options are there, and extras like crypto and eWallets for variety. The GC packages and free SC handed out for every purchase can also influence your winning opportunities.
• Customer service and RSGP. You should not only check what customer support options are provided. Test the sweeps casino response time, tone, and professionalism to set your expectations straight in case things go sideways. Responsible gameplay tools are staples of social gaming sites, despite not explicitly branding their platforms as online casinos. Make sure there are measures in place to control your gaming.

From there, you can weigh secondary features like UI and UX, mobile compatibility, gaming options and categories, bonus frequency, and experiences shared by other players. It’s a lot of work, and this is why we’ve singled out the best 7 sweepstakes casinos in California for you right below.

Top Sweeps Casinos in the Golden State

After reviewing every California sweepstakes casino and playing their games for lengthy periods, we concluded that the following seven platforms are the best in the Golden State:

• WOW Vegas – 4.5 free SC
• Sweeptastic – 2 free SC
• Chanced Casino – 2 free SC
• LuckyBird.io – 0.21 free SC
• Vegas Gems – up to 1,000 free Gems
• Pulsz – 2.3 free SC
• Chumba – 2 free SC

Continue reading for a quick rundown of each social gaming site we recommend.

WOW Vegas

Over 700 slots are hosted at WOW Vegas, and you can get in the action with 34.5 free SC and 1.5 million WC for just $9.99. The games at WOW Vegas are powered by industry leaders like Pragmatic Play, Betsoft, and BGaming. Several categories are incorporated to help you find tournaments, races, and features linking the various titles. WOW Vegas supports purchases from as low as $0.49 and you can redeem prizes through Skrill, Bank Transfers, and gift cards. It is widely considered the best sweepstakes casino in the US, and Cali players who are over 18 years old can join the action by using our links.

Sweeptastic

Sweeptastic has an even larger gaming lobby, powered by BGaming, Booming, Belatra, Gameart, and other professional studios. Players can find slot games, table games, and provably fair titles to play for free or real cash prizes. The Sweeptastic welcome bonus is slightly lower than WOW Vegas but still impressive – you can get 22 free SC and 47,777 LC for $9.99. One of the aspects helping Sweeptastic stand out in the Cali sweeps casino market is its real money and crypto support. You can make purchases and redemptions using credit cards, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bank Transfers, gift cards, and even more payment options.  

Chanced Casino

Chanced launched in 2023 and is already considered one of the best social casinos in California. New users who sign up will instantly receive 2 SC and 10,000 GC to try out 500+ games. You’ll find slots, casino games, and live dealer rooms powered by Hacksaw, Relax, Beter Live, Pragmatic, and other top gaming studios. Chanced doesn’t yet have a proper first purchase discount but players receive hourly bonuses, a commission-based referral bonus, and also get to become VIPs for rakeback, level-up bonuses, and other unique perks.

LuckyBird.io

LuckyBird.io is a crypto-exclusive sweeps casino with 100+ games. They have some original games and slots you won’t find at any other gaming platform and 100+ BGaming titles. California residents can select from 10+ cryptocurrencies to make purchases or redeem SC here. The LuckyBird.io promotional lobby ensures you never have to make a purchase. Players can use the unlimited faucet when they run out of coins, take part in tournaments, or share prizes with other users through the chat. LuckyBird.io offers a highly personalized social gaming experience and is home to some of the best games we’ve ever played at online casinos, including Megaways slots, roulette, Plinko, Mines, and Rocket.

Vegas Gems

Vegas Gems currently sports the largest no deposit bonus among all California sweepstakes casinos. New users can win up to 1,000 Gems by opening the free chest provided on sign-up. You also get a 50% boost on your first purchase up to $20. Leaderboards, VIP rewards, and daily chests ensure you have enough virtual credits to play the 500+ games featured. Players can redeem their winnings in cash or crypto, making Vegas Gems a great platform for everyone.

Pulsz

Pulsz is widely considered the best sweepstakes casino in the US. It packs a lobby filled with popular gaming options from NetEnt, Playson, Greentube, Slotmil, Yggdrasil, and 3 Oaks, among others. Players can find scratchies, online slots, jackpot games, bonus buy titles, poker, bingo, and even more options at Pulsz. The sign-up bonus includes 2.3 SC, and you get a solid discount on your first $9.99 or $19.99 purchase. Live chat support, Android and iOS apps, daily contests, and a multi-tiered VIP scheme are a few of the features that have cemented Pulsz as a top-rated Cali online casino.

Chumba

Most experts and players consider Chumba the number one sweepstakes casino in the country. It is definitely the first to appear and is still considered a solid option in our books. Chumba holds an MGA license, supports credit card and eWallet payments, and features a 2 SC and 2,000,000 GC no deposit bonus. A $9.99 purchase also locks a 200% boost here. Although the number of games at Chumba is modest, at 150, they cover all bases. You can play slots, Slingo, live bingo, video poker, card games, and some of the highest-paying progressive jackpot slots. Most of the titles are products of Playtech, Golden Rock Studios, NetEnt, and ReelPlay. Nonetheless, Chumba also develops its own games you will only find at VGW-owned brands.

Signing Up at California Online Casinos

Creating an account with any of the above social casinos is as easy as pie. California players over 18 years old can click on our links to find themselves on the official sites. Then, follow the prompts in the registration form, and verify your email and mobile number to finalize the process.

All info you submit at sweepstakes casinos must be accurate and verifiable. These sites are compelled by law to enforce KYC checks before paying out cash prizes. Photo evidence of your name, address, and payment option are likely to be requested when you are trying to file for your first redemption.

To be on the safe side, only register with sweeps casinos operating in Cali like the ones we’ve listed above. In most cases, WA, ID, and MI are the only restricted sweeps casino states.

Casino Games available in California

California residents can visit over 60 tribal casinos and play slot machines, poker, blackjack, roulette, and other casino games. Bingo, lottery, horse race betting, and DFS are additional legal wagering forms in the Golden State.

Although the above options are better than nothing, having access to free sports betting, slots, table games, bingo, keno, scratch-offs, fish games, and even live dealer games from your home is hard to beat. That’s what Cali sweeps casinos bring to the table. You can utilize GC to play all featured games for free or switch to SC to play for cash prizes.

The gaming lobbies vary. You may find less than 100 games or upwards of 1000 at online sweeps casinos. All brands we’ve selected offer a good mixture of online slots, jackpots, table games, and more. All popular variations will be at your disposal for desktop or mobile play. Minimum bets usually begin at 0.1, so anyone can get into the action without traveling to the nearest reservation or breaking the bank.

Bonuses to Get The Ball Rolling

One of the main elements making sweeps casinos legal in California and 40+ states is the no purchase necessary clause. This requirement to qualify as a sweepstakes contest means that all participants must have an equal chance of winning the prizes.

Although sweeps casino players who make GC purchases have significantly higher chances of winning real cash thanks to the substantial amounts of bonus SC, the welcome bonuses and promotions ensure you get a chance to win big even when you never make a real money purchase.

For starters, all new players get a no deposit bonus, in most cases awarding both free gold and sweeps coins. More free virtual tokens follow up when you log in each day, take part in contests, or refer your friends. Making a first purchase or participating in loyalty promotions ensures value for your money. Typically, sweepstakes casinos provide 1 SC for each $1 worth of GC purchases.

Purchases and Cash Prizes

Sweepstakes casinos don’t support deposits and withdrawals in the same way online casinos do. You can purchase virtual tokens in money packages. Spending $5 will usually award thousands of gold coins and 5 sweeps coins. Some larger packs offer slightly better SC rates – for example, $100 for 112.5 SC.

Redemptions work in the reverse way. You’ll need to play all your SC on the games 1 – 3x. Any winnings produced will become available for redemption after hitting the minimum mark. This is set at 50 – 100 SC in most cases.

Keep in mind that some California sweeps casinos brand their virtual tokens differently. Nonetheless, their functions are identical to the model described above, otherwise, they won’t be considered legal sweepstakes casinos.

Some other aspects linked to payments at sweepstakes casinos in California include:

• Common payment methods – Debit and credit cards, Skrill, Trustly, Crypto, and Gift Cards
• Average purchase time – Instant
• Average redemption time – Up to 72 hours for internal processing and an additional 24 to 48 hours to reach your account
• Conversion rate – 1 SC for 1 USD (occasionally 1 SC for 0.01 USD)
• Fees – NA

Responsible Gaming

Although online sweepstakes casinos are not considered gambling, and this is why they are legal in California, the games they feature are the same or similar to the typical online casino. For this reason, online sweeps casinos offer a range of responsible gaming tools to help you place limits on your spending or playing activity, block your account, or request a time-out.

These aspects might seem secondary to anyone looking for the best sweepstakes casino in California. However, it is better to proactively set limits to ensure a fun and pleasurable gaming experience.

California Casinos – Summary and Thoughts

Since all efforts to legalize online gambling in California have failed, sports bettors and casino enthusiasts will have to wait at least a couple more years before they get another opportunity to acquire legal access to DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, Caesars, and other big brands.

The few forms of legal gambling in California are hardly enough to compete with what’s available to gamblers in Michigan or New Jersey. Nonetheless, there is a solid selection of tribal casinos if you don’t mind the odd trip to the venues.

In any case, sweepstakes casinos are here to stay. These gaming sites might do things slightly differently, but they are legal and legitimate. Cali residents have a great collection of brands to pick from, and they come with some unique benefits over traditional online casinos. These include:

• Steady supply of free virtual currency
• Optional purchases
• Real cash prizes
• Games from international iGaming companies
• In-house titles exclusive to each gaming site
• Purchases and redemptions in crypto
• Bonuses awarding twice the purchase rate of online casino bonuses
• Easy to access and join
• Same features as online casinos

The lack of licensing requirements and frequent launches of new brands do indeed create an opportunity for fraud. Thankfully, this page can guide you toward the best sweepstakes casinos in California.