There’s no question that the world of organized online casinos has been on everyone’s radar in recent years. I think a safe bet is to say that they have exceeded even the wildest of expectations, especially when American online casinos went online. With the door wide open and online casino fever at an all-time high, the amazing world of social casinos became ripe for the taking. If you’re looking to jump into the exciting world of social casinos, this article walks you through the ins and outs of the ultimate social casino experience.
The History of Social Casinos
When dealing with social casinos, you will also hear them referred to as sweepstakes casinos. While there is only a subtle difference between the two, they are the same. The concept of sweepstakes goes back to the golden days of television in the 1960s. For baby boomers, you might remember television show raffles offering free prizes like appliances. That was the concept of the original sweepstakes.
However, in the 2020s, when the world was in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people were forced to stay home and couldn’t get to a local casino to play their favorite casino games. So, instead, they flocked to online casinos.
While playing at a real money online casino is a roaring experience, they are only available in seven states. This means that super-large states like Texas and California were left out in the cold. However, in the latter part of 2020, social casinos began popping up in droves, and they are still popping up to close out 2024.
Greater Availability
Social casinos immediately found success by being available in over 40 states. This means that online casino-hungry players in mega states like California and Florida can enjoy a virtual buffet of the latest casino games. This feature alone continues to drive the soaring popularity of online casinos.
The Ability to Play Free Games
While the allure of winning mega bucks with one lucky spin continues to be an incredible draw for online casinos, social casinos can’t accept direct cash bets. However, please don’t let that stop you because this is one of the main calling cards for social casinos.
Social casinos support free casino gameplay through gold coins. Gold coins are precious currency at social casinos, and they like to pass it out like candy. When creating a new social casino account, new members are thrown thousands, if not hundreds, of thousands, of free gold coins.
The gold coins are what allow players to play and enjoy their favorite casino games. Playing their favorite casino games can be therapeutic in a host of ways. For those struggling with gambling addiction, playing free games can come in handy to help keep things in balance.
Also, playing free casino games sets the stage for learning about more challenging casino games like roulette and poker. Without the stress or fear of losing money, players can craft winning betting strategies.
The Sweepstake Coin Phenomenon
Even though social casinos can’t accept cash bets for direct cash payouts, they offer gift cards. To compete for gift cards, sweepstakes coins are wagered just like a cash bet. That’s where the name sweepstakes casinos come from. You can usually find free sweepstakes coins as part of the sign-up bonus.
The Rising Social Live Dealer Games
It’s not a mystery that competitive live dealer games are a major draw for successful real money online casinos. When social casinos first came online, most didn’t have a live dealer section. However, the new sweepstakes casinos are changing that narrative.
While still not as extensive as traditional online casinos, today’s social casinos offer several live roulette games, including Auto And Gravity Roulette. You can also find exotic live blackjack games that you can’t usually find at social casinos. Also, another trend at new social casinos is the growing live casino game experience.
The Social Casino Bonuses
To compete with real money online casinos, social casinos work overtime in the bonus and promotion department. Even with a lavish sign-up bonus, social casinos allow their new members to level it up. New members can typically purchase additional gold coin packages that also come with sweepstakes coins.
Also, the daily login bonus is another way for social casino members to rack up free gold and sweepstakes coins. Also, participating in and integrating social media works wonders for gaining free gold and sweepstakes coins.
The Bottom Line
With new social casinos coming online at a feverish pace, there’s no question that the future of iGaming is with social casinos. Social casinos have now become instrumental in developing exclusive games. It often takes a certain VIP level to unlock exclusive slots and scratchcards for higher gift card values.