What are social casinos exactly?
If you have already been browsing through our list of the best online casinos in the US here at wetten.com, you may have noticed that they are only available in a handful of states in many cases. This is because the complex nature of online gambling laws in the US means that industry regulation is done on a state-by-state level. Not all states currently allow legalized online casino gambling, and those that do have a limited number of licenses to give out.
So how can you
play social casino games for real money if traditional gambling isn’t yet legal in your state? Allow us to introduce you to social casino slots…
Simply put, online social casinos are platforms where you can play popular casino games, including slots, roulette, and card games, such as poker, blackjack, and baccarat. Just as is the case with normal online casinos, these sites can also have mobile versions or downloadable apps. Seems simple enough so far right?
Do you want to try a social casino for free? Below, you can check the latest offers from the most popular platforms.
So what exactly is the difference between social and normal online casinos?
That’s a very good question, as from the above description, you could be forgiven for thinking that they are exactly the same. However, you may have noticed there’s one crucial element that we have mentioned above –
money!
While a traditional online casino requires you to deposit and play online slots with real money, their social counterparts instead require you to play with virtual currency. As a result, it is not deemed as gambling in the eyes of the law in the vast majority of US states. As a result, you will find that social casino games are far more widely available in the US than traditional ones.
We know, this must have left you with a couple of crucial questions, which we’ll kindly answer for you below…
Do I need to spend money at a social casino?
Essentially, social casinos are free to play, however, if you do run out of virtual currency you will be given the option to buy more via your credit card or another payment option. Additionally, some games will have in-game purchase options and features – similar to some games that you may have on your mobile phone.
At the end of the day though, social casinos can still confidently claim that they are free and not offering a gambling service. This is because you’re free to reject the in-game purchases, and there are always free alternatives to procuring more virtual currency – though usually less than with paid packages.
Can I win real money at social casinos?
Strictly speaking no, as any directly paid out cash prizes would mean that the casino crosses the line into gambling territory. However, many social online casinos manage to get around this by offering sweepstakes games that offer players the chances to win prizes – which in many cases can consist of real cash prizes.
Sweepstakes are not considered to be a form of gambling in the US so long as there’s nothing in the promotion suggesting that players
must
pay to enter. It’s a fine line, but you can rest aroused that all of the best social casinos operating in the US know the laws inside out. What you will find on the best sites is a very clear and easy-to-find explanation of why their operations are legal.
| 🎰Social Casino | 📅Launch Date | 🎁Bonus | 💸Cashout Available | 🎲Game Types | 📝Read Our Review |
| McLuck | 2023 | 27.5 SC and 57,5K GC | ✅ | Slingo, Slots, Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack. | McLuck Review |
| WoW Vegas | 2022 | 35 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins | ✅ | Slingo, Slots, Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker. | WoW Vegas Review |
| Stake.us | 2022 |
55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback | ✅ | Crash, Fish Games, Dice, Roulette, Keno, Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker. | Stake.us Review |
| Zula Casino | 2023 | Up to 10 FREE SC and 100K FREE gc + Extra 250K GC and 10 SC | ❌ | Slingo, Slots, Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack, Crash. | Zula Casino Review |
| Hello Millions | 2023 | 27.5 SC FREE and 65K Gold Coins | ❌ | Crash, Slingo, Roulette, Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker. | Hello Millions Review |
| Vegas Gems | 2023 | 1000 Gems + 50% Extra gems On 1st Purchase | ✅ | Slingo, Slots, Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack. | Vegas Gems Review |
| Sportzino | 2023 | Get 1.570.000 GC + 45 FREE Sweeps Coins | ❌ | Fish Games, Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker. | Sportzino Review |
| Sweeptastic | 2023 | 44 SC FREE and 70K Lucky Coins | ✅ | Fish Games, Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker. | Sweeptastic Review |
| Fortune Coins | 2021 | Get 650,000 GC & 1,400 FC | ✅ | Fish Games, Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker. | Fortune Coins Review |
| High 5 Casino | 2020 | 5 SC + 250 Game Coins + 600 Diamonds | ✅ | Fish Games, Slots, Baccarat, Blackjack, Poker. | High 5 Casino Review |
| Golden Heart Games | 2020 | 250,000 GC+ 500 FREE SC & First Purchase 1,750,000 GC + 12,500 SC | ✅ | Slots, Scratch cards, Bingo, Poker, Blackjack, Roulette. | Golden Heart Games Review |
| LuckyBird | 2022 | 45 SC FREE and 451K Gold Coins + 10 Treasure Chest | ❌ | Slots, Crash, Poker, Blackjack, Keno, Dice, Roulette. | LuckyBird Review |
| Pulszbingo | 2022 | 5,000 GC + 2.3 Free SC
| ❌ | Bingo | Pulszbingo Review |
| BetRivers | 2012 | Daily Free credits up to 10.120 VC$ | ❌ | Slots, Crash, Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Keno, Dice, Roulette. | BetRivers Review |
| Chanced | 2023 | 22 SC FREE and 210K Gold Coins | ✅ | Slots, Crash, Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Keno, Dice, Roulette. | Chanced Review |
| Funrize | 2022 | 3,600 SC FREE + 1.225 Million Gold Coins | ✅ | Slots, Crash, Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Keno, Dice, Roulette. | Funrize Review |
| Scrooge Casino | 2023 | 250 Sweeps Tokens and 2M Gold Coins | ❌ | Slots, Crash, Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Keno, Slingo, Roulette. | Scrooge Casino Review |
| Jackpota | 2024 | 25 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins | ❌ | Slots, Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Keno, Dice, Roulette. | Jackpota Review |
| Pulsz | 2019 | 367,000 GC and 460 VIP Points | ✅ | Slots, Poker, Blackjack, Baccarat, Dice, Scratch cards, Roulette. | Pulsz Review |
What is social gambling – and what is it called that?
Now, you may have noticed so far that none of the above has addressed the “social” element of these online casinos. So, where exactly does that come into it? You’ll be pleased to find out that it’s not just a buzzword put in front of the word “casino” for a bit of fun.
- You can exchange and gift coins to your friends
- You can play for free consistently
- Social Gambling allows you to compete with your buddies on the leaderboard
- You can even set up your own poker room.
Keep in mind that when we say “friends”
here, we’re referring to both real-life and online buddies.
What are social casino games and are they different?
Social casino games are pretty much exactly the same as those found in regular online casinos. The slots and table games that you play will most likely look very similar to those found in a regular online casino. Similarly, the rules of the games are more or less exactly the same. Naturally though, there’s one crucial difference – you are never at any stage staking real money when playing in a social casino.
Our favorite social casino providers
1.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase – 1.5M CC + 75 SC
2.
625K Golden Coins + Up to 125 SC FREE + 1250 VIP Points
3.
25 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 3.5% Rakeback
4.
100% More Coins: 80,000 GC + 40 FREE SC + 100 Free SC Spins
5.
Get 227,5K GC + 107.5 SC FREE
Who should make use of our social casino gaming comparison?
Quite literally anyone and everyone above the legal age of 21 who’s in any way interested in the concept of social online casinos. Given that you’ve joined us here and made it this far down the page – we’re pretty sure that this comparison is most definitely for you!
It doesn’t matter if you’re a complete beginner who’s only just been introduced to the concept by our above explanation, or you’re a seasoned social pro who’s looking for a newer and more expansive provider. Either way, we’ve got you covered.
Additionally, we also cater to a wide selection of desires and tastes. We understand that some of you may be looking for a nice variety of social casino slots, while others will be more focused on setting up an online poker tournament with your buddies. At the end of the day, what we want to do is provide you with a comparison that feels tailor-made to suit your needs as an individual.
| ♣️ Social Casino | ❓ Recommendation | 🏅 Alternative |
| AmWager | ❌ No |  |
| 888 | ❌ No |  |
| Bet365 | ❌ No |  |
| Betfair | ❌ No | 
|
| Bally Casino | ❌ No | 
|
Helping you to find your way in the social sphere
Social online casinos are in many ways a different animal from online casinos. Therefore in helping you to find your ideal site, there are different things that we have to take into account. We understand that some players will be looking for a place to play with real friends, while others will be taking the virtual route. A great many of you, we understand will be residing in states where online gambling is not yet legal, and will simply be looking for the closest legal alternative.
Checklist – 5 things we look for when rating social casinos online
Despite technically not being within the remit of legal gambling, we still always check for licensing first and foremost when reviewing any social casino. Ideally, we still prefer to see a US-based provider with a US license. However, overseas providers can legally provide their services to US customers. In this case, though, we only accept the gold standard MGA or UKGC stamps.
Social online casinos are completely legal in the majority of US states, and when it comes to casinos that merely offer free social play and nothing else, there is rarely a problem. However, when it comes to those who offer cash prizes via sweepstakes games, we have to ensure that they know what they are doing and aren’t treading a fine line. A solid explanation and statement on their page usually helps to give us peace of mind.
With social casino gaming, your personal information, and in most cases your financial info will still come into play. It’s therefore of vital importance to us that the site cuts no slack when it comes to HTTPS and encryption security measures.
Good social casinos should still have a solid
social casino bonus
and rewards system. You might not be playing for real money, but you can still expect a welcome package with virtual coins and a VIP system to reward your custom.
Just like with any service industry here in the USA, we believe that customer care is key. We therefore always test out all of the available customer service channels to ensure they offer ample assistance at the very least when things go wrong.
Our editor’s recommendation for the best social casinos
Given the fact that social online casinos are legal and therefore more widely available in the US than regular online casinos, there are naturally far more to choose from. As a result, this gave us a difficult task in choosing one as the ultimate best to recommend to you today. As we mentioned above, the aim of our service is to help find the right platform for each individual. However, we have managed to select five top operators based on overall balance.
Sweeptastic – Best Social Casino Overall
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Free spins at Sweeptastic
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Daily bonuses at Sweeptastic social casino
Sweeptastic is quickly becoming a popular choice among the new social casinos in the U.S., thanks to its modern, mobile-first approach. Its user-friendly design and clean and intuitive interface make it easy to use. The site’s layout, with a simple menu bar at the top, helps players navigate easily, improving the user experience.
Game Selection
Sweeptastic offers a wide range of over 1,000 Vegas-style casino games, ensuring there’s something for every player. It works with leading game providers to offer a high-quality experience without slow load times or glitches. The game library includes popular favorites and unique new games not found elsewhere. Whether you prefer classic slots or are looking for new experiences, Sweeptastic has a diverse selection to meet all tastes.
Bonuses and Promotions
Sweeptastic’s bonuses and promotions are some of the best in social casinos. New players receive a welcoming bonus of 44 Sweepstakes Coins and 70 Lucky Coins. The platform regularly updates its promotions, offering new and existing players many chances to gain extra rewards. Sweeptastic accepts various payment methods, including credit cards, cryptocurrency, and bank transfers, making it convenient to buy more coins. With ongoing special promotions, giveaways, and missions, Sweeptastic keeps the gaming experience exciting and rewarding.
Stake.us: Welcome bonus at the best social casino in 2023
One of the key reasons why we picked Stake.us as the best social casino in 2023 is its reputation. It features sportsbook and casino sections – all of them successful.
Stake.us offers everything gamblers might think of. Whether you want to leverage some generous bonuses promotions or play games with excellent features, Stake.us has them all!
Games
The game library features everything you could think of, including over 400 slot titles and table games, such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, etc. Stake.us also has its own exclusive social casino games that you can not get anywhere else on the internet. You can play Plinko, Crash, Dice, and other amazing titles under the Stake Originals section.
Bonuses and promotions
One thing that you will love about Stake.us is its promotions page. It has one of the best welcome bonus offers in the social casino industry. For instance, you can claim 55 stake cash + 260,000 Gold Coins + 5% rakeback on all your losses.
We also discovered that regular players can claim various exciting bonuses, including:
- $75 weekly raffle
- $100,000 daily races
Miscellaneous
Stake.us features an excellent user interface. You can access the games, promotions, and other sections with only a few clicks.
We also loved how helpful and responsive the customer support is at Stake.us. For instance, if you need assistance making a purchase or playing games, there is a 24/7 live chat customer support ready to help you.
25 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 3.5% Rakeback
Fortune Coins: Newest social casino in 2023
Fortune Coins is a new social casino that is already popular among gambling enthusiasts. We highly recommend Fortune Coins because of its generosity with daily offers and free coins.
Games
To be fair and honest, the 600-plus games offered by this social casino, with more being added weekly, is a great offer for any player. That said, Fortune Coins also focuses on quality when it chooses its titles.
There are thousands of slots, most of which provide lucrative jackpots. Some popular slots at Fortune Coins casino include Hot 777 and Lucky Panda. Games available range from table and fish to card games.
Bonuses and promotions
At Fortune Coins, new players are welcomed with an exciting sign-up bonus of up to 360,000 Gold Coins and 1400 Fortune Coins by simply signing up and completing mini-tasks like connecting via Facebook. This allows you to dive into your favorite games without purchasing additional coins. Regular players looking to leverage the no deposit bonuses can check the promotions page as there is a wide selection of active bonuses, including daily login bonuses and VIP program.
Miscellaneous
While navigating through the Fortune Coins website might be complicated for beginners, it gets relatively easy once you become familiar with the platform.
We tested the platform’s customer support and found it to be completely reliable. You can easily access the customer support service via the 24/7 Live Chat button.
Claim Your Free 650,000 Gold Coins & 1,000 Fortune Coins
Wow Vegas: Best for real money prizes
WOW Vegas is another top social casino where you can play your favorite games for fun. This platform offers a vast range of exciting games, catering especially for slot enthusiasts. You can play all games for free, thanks to the WOW Coins, which are the equivalent of Gold Coins.
Games
With an impressive game library of over 700 games, including the Megaways options, WOW Vegas stands out as the best platform for slot enthusiasts.
Developed by reputable software developers, such as Betsoft, the games at WOW Vegas boast top design quality. The only downside is that the casino does not offer live dealer games and table games. However, slot titles, such as Thai Blossom, Black Bull, and Towering Fortune are worth exploring.
Bonuses and promotions
All new WOW Vegas gamblers can claim 35 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins as the welcome bonus. This offer lets you kickstart your social casino journey by playing all your favorite slots. You do not need a promo code to claim it. You only need to create a betting account and connect three days in a row to collect it completely.
Miscellaneous
WOW Vegas’s website is super easy to use. While the homepage may appear a little cluttered, signing up allows you to access everything seamlessly. This top casino features a separate FAQs section that covers general topics such as payments, games, coins, etc. If you can’t find what you are searching for, you can raise a support ticket with their professional customer support team.
200% Extra: 30 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins
McLuck: Best for casino-style games
McLuck is another best social casino that offers an enjoyable and safe platform to enjoy a vast range of casino-style games. Besides, you can choose whether you want to play games for fun or for a chance to redeem your sweepstake coins winnings for promotional sweeps prizes.
Game
The McLuck’s games lobby features an impressive range of casino-style games, powered by reputable game developers, such as NetEnt, and 3 Oaks. You can choose from a range of classic slot games, Exclusive GC games, Megaways, or other new releases.
One standout feature of McLuck is that before playing your favorite game, you are given detailed information showcasing what to exactly expect from your selected slot title. You will also have the option to check the volatility of your chosen slot game.
Bonuses and promotions
If you are a new gambler at McLuck, you can qualify for a sign-up bonus of 7,500 Gold Coins. This will automatically be credited to your account once you sign up. After you verify your phone number and complete your profile, McLuck will award you an additional 2.5 Sweepstakes Coins. Once you have used these bonuses, you can navigate to the promotion page for a chance to claim more exciting offers, available for exciting players.
Miscellaneous
Besides a user-friendly desktop website, McLuck offers a dedicated mobile browser that works flawlessly and allows you to play on your small screen.
While McLuck’s customer support methods are limited, we found that they were responsive and available 24/7. You can get customer support services via a dedicated phone line or form submission.
Get 227,5K GC + 107.5 SC FREE
Finding the right social casino slots for you
As we’ve mentioned throughout this article, our objective is not only to inform but to help each individual find their ideal social casino gaming site. On our site, you can find a number of expert reviews of all the operators available in the US today.
What you will find consistently throughout these reviews, is that they are divided and rated based on a number of detailed categories that should help you to find exactly what you are looking for as an individual. As we said before, no matter what your experience level, location, or flavor – our comparison can most definitely help you.
Casinos to suit all needs and wants
If you’re an experienced player, our reviews will help you to find the best social casinos to up your game. At the other end of the scale, you’ll also find the most beginner-friendly operators around. When it comes to games, we’ll direct you towards everything from the sensational slots specialists to the premier poker platforms and the roaring roulette rumblers.
Although social casinos are more widely available throughout the US, we will still list each and every state in which each operator works. That way, you can be sure to find the best operators where you are today!
5 Ultimate tips for using the best social casino slots
They are called social casinos for a reason – therefore, it’s essential that you take advantage of that “social” element. Whether you’re playing with your real-life buddies or online acquaintances, socializing can help you to save money, win prizes, and generally have more fun when playing games with these operators.
Take advantage of the freebies
When you run out of virtual currency for the first time, you will be given the option to buy more using real money. However, by the legal nature of social casinos and how they work, there will always be a free workaround. Always explore the avenues that can help you to keep playing for free to save your hard-won cash!
Just like the best new online casinos in US, social casinos also offer you plenty of bonuses to take advantage of. You can expect to find ways to get extra virtual coins when signing up, as well as VIP schemes and existing customer bonuses to reward you while playing.
You might not be able to gamble in the traditional sense when playing social casinos online. However, with many operators, you can get your hands on cash prizes via the games that offer sweepstakes promotions. You can refer to the earlier sections of this article to find out exactly how such games work and why they are 100% legal if promoted correctly by the operator.
The majority of social online casinos will have leaderboards throughout their site. You can climb the leaderboard to gain recognition, gain extra coins to play with, and even win gifts and cash prizes. You may also be able to create a mini leaderboard within your group to compete with your friends on a smaller scale.
Social casino gaming – the conclusion
If you currently reside in a state where online gambling isn’t yet legal, then social casinos are the closest legit alternative available to you – in most states at least. That being said, even if you do live in a legal US gambling state, social casinos definitely shouldn’t be overlooked. What they offer is a less risky form of casino gaming that can in many cases be more fun. You don’t even have to completely miss out on the prospect of winning real cash prizes either!
Top social casino bonuses
1.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase – 1.5M CC + 75 SC
Playthrough: 1x Bonus
2.
625K Golden Coins + Up to 125 SC FREE + 1250 VIP Points
3.
25 Stake Cash + 560K Gold Coins + 3.5% Rakeback
Playthrough: 3x
4.
100% More Coins: 80,000 GC + 40 FREE SC + 100 Free SC Spins
5.
Get 227,5K GC + 107.5 SC FREE
Social Casinos FAQ
This is the most commonly asked question with regards to the concept of social casino gaming. While social casino gaming is done with virtual currency, you may have noticed that some providers do offer the chance to win cash prizes. The distinction is therefore quite complicated. These casino-style games may look like gambling but do not meet the legal definition of gambling.
🎰 How do social casinos work?
wetten.com US
have provided a very detailed expert guide that explains the distinctions between the two concepts. While the games in social casinos may look similiar or virtually the same as the ones in real money casinos, you cannot wager or win real money in a social casino. The games are played using a virtual currency and are just for fun.
🤔 What is a social casino site?
A social casino site is a relatively new concept that has been taking the world by storm in recent years – especially the US. You can enjoy a great variety of casino-style games on a social casino site, without having to risk any real money.
❓ What is the difference between social casino games and online casino games?
If you were to be a fly on the wall watching someone play social casino games and online casino games, you could be forgiven for thinking that they are exactly the same with absolutely no differences. However, there are a couple of vital distinctions which must be made clear. You cannot win any real money when playing social casino games. At the same time, you also do not risk losing any real money when you decide to play social casino games.
