Best 6 Sweepstakes Online Casinos in California

List of Best Sweepstakes Casinos Available in California

Is Online Gambling Legal in California?

To get straight to the point, no, it isn’t. Online gambling is not yet regulated in the state, making such activities illegal. No specific law restricts online casinos, but the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 can be indirectly interpreted as that.

In brief, it restricts any person or business from accepting payments related to online gambling transactions. In other words, by regulating the payment processors that online casinos need to use to accept deposits, these gaming sites fall under the “illegal” category.

How Can You Legally Play Online Casino Games from California?

So, if you cannot make deposits on a website, how would it be possible for you to legally play casino games online? Well, if the law is interpreted straightforwardly, it wouldn’t be. This is where promotional gaming sites come in place.

They are obliged to provide a free-to-play gaming experience to their players, meaning that you do not need to make any purchases to participate in the games. They grant you free virtual coins to play, and you have the option to make a purchase only if you need more.

This is one of the main differences from traditional money gambling sites, where you need to make a deposit to play the games.

The other significant aspect is the two virtual currencies of sweepstakes casinos. The virtual coins you can purchase are usually called Gold Coins and can only be used to play for fun. If you want to participate to win real money, you can play with the other coin type, Sweeps Coins, which cannot be purchased, but give you a chance to win real money.

In other words, you cannot deposit or purchase the coins with which you can win real money. Since they always come as a bonus, sweepstakes casinos are not considered gambling venues.

The last thing to know is that you must be 18+ to play in these casinos in California.

High 5 Casino Virtual Currencies Explained 

Is it Safe to Play?

It won’t be surprising to ask yourself – ok, they are legal, but are they safe? Are they regulated in any manner, and do they need to have any license?

They are only regulated not to fall under the traditional online gambling model. As long as they incorporate the sweepstakes promotional play, there is no specific body monitoring them, and they do not need any license to operate. Still, some of the most reputable brands do have licenses to show their legitimacy and transparent business model.

Speaking of brands, as we know, every industry has its bad apples. It is generally safe to play on such websites, but still, be cautious when picking a new sweepstakes casino. One thing to consider is checking the unbiased sweepstakes casino reviews we provide here at Mr. Sweepstakes, or researching some of the following aspects by yourself.

How to Pick the Best Casinos in California?

While it would be best to have a specific analysis for every online gaming site you research, there are some common aspects and features to look out for. These are only a couple of the things we at Mr. Sweepstakes analyze when reviewing a given casino-style gaming site.

Sweepstakes Casinos Listing Mr.Sweepstakes 

What Other People Say

You’ll definitely be interested in the gaming experience other fellow players had on the site. Whether the games are fair, redemptions are processed quickly, or customer support is responsive – these are only some of the most commonly discussed topics among gaming fans.

Bear in mind that disappointed users usually share their experiences as a rule of thumb. Still, if most reviews are negative, you should keep one thing in mind.

Company Owner

As important as the customer reviews is whether you can easily find which the company owner of the specific site is. This shows whether the brand has long-term plans to develop itself and become a name in the industry.

You would hardly be able to find any company info about shady sites, which operate under the model to take what they can and disappear, so consider this aspect as well.

Game Providers

The gaming catalog of a sweepstakes casino is undoubtedly one of the most exciting features of online casino enthusiasts. However, this is an aspect that also speaks for the legitimacy of an online gaming site. If it incorporates games from reputable third-party gaming providers, this speaks well for its reputation.

Games by providers like Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, and Relax Gaming, to mention a few, are tested and certified by regulated bodies and laboratories, so you can be sure that their outcome is not manipulated.

Sweepstakes Game Providers 

Real-Money Casinos in California

So, does this all mean that there are no California real money casinos? If we speak about online gambling, there aren’t any. No online business is allowed to accept payments related to participating in games with a possible prize reward.

However, brick-and-mortar casinos with a license to operate do offer real-money gambling, but you need to visit the casino physically.

Can You Win Real Money Playing Casino Games from California?

As we previously discussed, your legal option to play casino-style games and win real money is to play with Sweeps Coins in sweepstakes casinos. On most sites, you have to wager them once before you can redeem your winnings for real cash prizes.

Another important note is that you must pass KYC verification before your first redemption. This standard procedure is a security measure these gaming sites take to verify and protect your identity and funds.

This procedure includes providing an official government ID, proof of address, phone number verification, etc. As soon as you confirm your data, you will be able to redeem your Sweeps Coins for real money instantly.

 

Identity Verification Procedure Fortune Coins 

Redeeming Prizes

Now, if you had luck and have won some Sweeps Coins, you probably wonder how you can obtain your winnings. Most sweepstakes casinos support bank transfers and gift card redemptions, but some extend their options to digital wallets like Skrill, Paypal, and also crypto.

In some casinos, like Sweeptastic, for example, you can even sometimes redeem merchandise. In most brands, 1 Sweeps Coin equals 1 USD, but always check the casino’s terms, as in some of them, the ratio is 1:10, 1:100, etc.

Redeem at Sweeptatsic Casino 

 

Best California Sweepstakes Casino Welcome Bonuses

As mentioned earlier, sweepstakes casinos are obliged to provide free access to their games. This includes hefty signup promotions, which with the increasing competition, get more and more attractive. Here we will take a look at the offers of some of the top sweepstake casinos.

Casino Name	Get Bonuses	Sign up Bonus	1st Purchase Bonus
Pulsz	Claim	5,000 GC + 2.3 SC	200% More Coins
Luckybird	Claim	1000.0000 GC + 0.2100 SC	N/A
Chumba	Claim	200,000 GC + 1 SC	10,000,000 GC + 30 SC for $10
Golden Hearts	Claim	1,000 GHC	100% Purchase Match
High 5 Casino	Claim	50 GC + 5 SC	5% Discount

Games You Can Play in California Sweepstakes Casinos

While the currencies with which you play highly differentiate between traditional online and sweepstakes casinos, the games of the latter ones are basically the same as in a typical online casino.

In fact, big names in the game creation industry we mentioned previously recreate their popular slots to utilize the Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins currency system so that they are available to Californians and other American citizens.

Apart from the popular slots, sweepstakes casinos also offer table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker. Some brands like Pulsz Bingo and Golden Hearts even offer exciting bingo rooms.

You can also encounter exotic games like instant wins, scratch cards, and fish arcade shooting games, to name a few. With the industry still in its infancy, the gaming variety will surely widen in time.

Live Dealer Games High 5 Casino 

Final Words

As the most populous state in America, California also has the most casino-style gaming enthusiasts looking to find how to legally play their favorite games from the comfort of their homes or on the go.

With traditional online gambling being illegal in the state, sweepstakes casinos give players a pretty good alternative to win real money while having fun.

In today’s topic, we took a closer look at why California residents are not allowed to legally gamble online. We discussed sweepstakes casinos as the alternative to this limitation and why you, as a player, should consider it.

We went through the safety of these sites and what to look out for when picking an online gaming website. Of course, doing your own research is recommended, but you can also consider checking the reviews for each brand we offer here at Mr. Sweepstakes.

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