Social casinos have been around for years, but their popularity has skyrocketed recently. The reason is their unique business model, which bypasses traditional regulations while giving you a risk-free way to enjoy casino games.
But what is social gambling? Join us as we explore its popularity and dive into the replica games you can play in a social environment.
- Show Full Guide
Social gambling is the practice of playing casino-style games on social gaming sites.
This means playing casino classics like online slots, roulette, blackjack, or keno and betting on their outcome for returns. However, these sites don’t allow you to play for and win real money. Instead, they use virtual casino credits called Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins.
You can think of these coins as the plastic chips you’d find in traditional land-based casinos – a symbolic representation of money. You bet with them to try and win more, although they can’t be exchanged for cash when you’ve finished playing.
Social gaming casino sites give out these coins without monetary compensation and classify them by functionality rather than value or color.
• Gold Coins (GC) are virtual credits whose only purpose is on-site gaming and entertainment. That means you can play with them and win but not exchange them for real money.
• Sweeps Coins (SC) are redeemable virtual credits. You can still use them to play games, but depending on the social casino, you may also be able to exchange them for real-world prizes.
These unique gameplay roles affect how social gaming sites offer these coins. Gold Coins are available for purchase in large bundles. Sweeps Coins, on the other hand, are strictly free — awarded in small amounts either as part of special promotions or on request.
With this in mind, you’ll probably want to use your Gold Coins first. They’re easy to top up through purchases or promotions. Keeping your sweepstakes coins for those moments when there’s a chance to win real rewards can help maximize their value.
Can I win real money at a social casino?
Social casinos that feature Sweeps Coins may let you win real money, but not directly. Instead, you can exchange your Sweeps Coins for tangible prizes, such as gift cards, casino merchandise, and even cash rewards.
To earn that right, you’ll typically need to play with Sweeps Coins and win. Often, you’ll also have to complete a detailed KYC process. After that, the casino should let you exchange your Sweeps Coins for real currency at a preset value (e.g., 1 SC = $1).
Remember, playing social casino games for real money may work differently on your chosen platform. So it’s best to consult the Terms and Conditions page and customer support to confirm these details.
Some online gambling brands, like Stake, offer both real money and sweepstakes platforms. Stake alternatives are also increasingly popular in jurisdictions where Stake is not available.
We’ve compared social casinos to regular casinos that pay real money, as shown in the table below.
| Social Casinos | Online Casinos | |
| Real Money Gambling | No | Yes |
| Game Selection | Slots, virtual and live blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker, crash games, and fish games | Slots, virtual and live blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, craps, crash games, lottery games, gameshows, and more |
| Bonuses & Rewards | No deposit welcome bonuses, login incentives, referrals, and loyalty rewards | Match deposit welcome bonuses, free spins, reloads, cashbacks, referrals, and more |
| Legal Restrictions | Washington for social casinos; Montana, Michigan, and Idaho for social sports betting | Everywhere except New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, West Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut, Nevada, and Rhode Island |
| Payment Methods | Mainly traditional payment processors like bank transfers and cards | Credit and debit cards, prepaid cards, e-wallets, crypto, and bank transfer |
Several key factors have fueled the rise of social gambling in the US. Let’s take a closer look.
Legality
The main reason social gambling has gained popularity in the US is the restrictive real money gambling laws. As our table shows, classic online gambling — defined as “risking something of value for a chance outcome” — is off-limits in many states.
Social casinos circumvent these regulations by running on the ‘no-purchase-necessary’ model. They enable you to play social casino games without depositing, which makes them exempt from traditional gambling under US laws and, thus, widely available.
Free play
Social gaming sites let you play all their games for free, unlike regular casinos, which typically only offer slots and virtual table games in free-play mode using demo credits.
This presents you with an opportunity to find new favorites, sharpen your gaming skills, and refine strategies. You get to see how a specific game performs before trying it in a real-money online casino, all without risking your personal funds.
Gamification
Social casino sites are also popular for their use of gamification. Their games include various tools and features that make gameplay more immersive, interactive, and rewarding.
Depending on your platform and game of choice, these may be live chats, leaderboards, exclusive promotions, tournaments, challenges, and more. They’ll let you connect and compete with fellow players and be recognized for your achievements.
Among the many reasons why operators run social casinos, the key ones include:
Increased reach:
Social gaming sites operate under a ‘no-purchase-necessary’ model, allowing them to bypass US gaming restrictions. As a result, they’re more widely accessible and attract more players without a legal risk.
Marketing:
The flexible, no-commitment nature of social casinos allows them to attract a wider audience. Operators use this perk to boost brand awareness and drive interest in their real-money gaming sites.
Revenue:
Gaming companies rely on virtual in-game purchases, advertisements, premium memberships, and event entry fees to create a revenue stream.
Strategies:
Social casino verticals give operators access to key data on how players behave, what they prefer, and how they spend. This information helps them fine-tune their user engagement strategies for their real-money platforms.
Whether you join a social casino to win real money or for pure entertainment, you’ll be able to play a variety of games. The gameplay rules, mechanics, and game selection match those you’d find in regular real-money casinos.
The following sections showcase the most commonly available game categories in social casinos.
Slots
Slots are the most popular game type in social casinos. Their outcomes are determined by random number generators (RNGs), which can offer exciting bonus features and big payouts on any spin. You will find replicas of major slot releases from the leading game providers on social gambling sites.
Table games
Social casino table games typically include classic roulette, blackjack, and baccarat variations. Like in real-money online casinos, they replicate live gameplay by producing random outcomes with the help of computer-simulated graphics and RNG technology.
Live casino
Social live dealer games aren’t as widespread as slots or table games. Like their traditional variants, they’re broadcast from land-based studios in real time but play with virtual coins. Because no real money is at stake, many social gamblers use them to place more daring bets for higher returns.
Poker
Social gaming sites offer table and video poker titles. The former pits you against a dealer as you battle to have the best hand, while the latter puts your knowledge of Texas Hold’em poker hands to the test with quickfire betting rounds.
Crash games
With their RNG-driven mechanics and gamification elements, crash games are an excellent match for social gaming sites. They offer fast-paced, interactive gameplay where players try to grab the highest multiplier before it crashes.
In light of the recent rise of sports betting in the US, gaming sites have started offering social sports betting. This vertical works on the same premise as regular online sportsbooks: you choose an event and market, consider the odds, and place a bet.
What sets social sports betting sites apart from their traditional counterparts is that they don’t involve real money wagering. Instead, they let you bet with virtual credits — Gold and Sweeps Coins — just like social casinos.
On top of this, social bookies may also include gamification features, from betting leaderboards to live chats, adding another layer of fun to their offerings.
Social casinos’ ‘no-purchase-necessary’ model first appeared in the 20th century as a way for lotteries and contests to navigate the US’s anti-lottery policies. Yet, the origin of social gaming is popularly ascribed to the early era of social media, when social games emerged.
Besides strategy, titles like FarmVille, Words With Friends, and Mafia Wars heavily relied on gamification. They incorporated features like friend invitations, gift exchanges, and in-game bonuses, making social interaction a central part of the gaming experience.
Once it became clear that these aspects were driving player engagement, it was only a matter of time before they spilled into other gaming categories. The first social casinos emerged in the late 2000s and gained substantial traction with the mobile gaming boom in the 2010s.
The market continues to grow today, fueled by advancements in technology, social media integration, and the expansion of mobile gaming. Social gambling was valued at nearly $30 billion in 2023, and if current trends persist, it is expected to reach over $100 billion by 2032.
Social and sweepstakes gambling is legal across the US, with a few exceptions. There are:
- Real-money wagering — To legally operate in this category, social casinos must not offer real-money betting, require real-money deposits, or offer real-money withdrawals.
- Individual state laws — US states have different legal attitudes toward social gaming. For instance, the Washington State Gambling Commission has ruled social casinos that involve gaming currency purchases illegal, while Michigan, Idaho, and Montana have outlawed social sportsbooks.
- Player age — You cannot play social casino games unless you are at least 18 or 21 years old, depending on the laws in your state.
- Skill-based games — Some US states classify games involving specific props (like dice or spinning wheels) or skills as gambling. Social casinos must refrain from offering these games in those jurisdictions.
Conclusion
Social gambling offers a thrilling way to experience casino games and sports betting without financial risk. With widespread access in otherwise restricted territories, social interaction with fellow players, and even the chance to win real-world rewards, it’s easy to see why these platforms are so popular.
As mobile gaming and technology continue to evolve, the market is booming—making it the perfect time to explore casino games risk-free before gambling for real money in 2025.
FAQ
How does social gambling work?
Is social gaming harmful?
How do social casinos make money?
What’s the difference between social and sweepstakes casinos?
References
Definition of gambling (Cornell Law School)
The Rise of Sports Betting (New York Times)
Social Gaming Market to hit USD 110.74B by 2032 (Yahoo Finance)
Gaming Control FAQ (The Government of Indiana)
Tribal Casino Advisory (The California Department of Justice, Division of Gambling Control)
