Technically speaking, there are 48 legal sweepstakes states, with Washington and Idaho being the only two places where they are outlawed completely. However, I have found that players from some other states are also regularly excluded from sweepstakes casino sites.

While the above also includes Michigan and Nevada, this still means that players in the vast majority of states can play at sweepstakes gaming sites, even in locations where all forms of online gambling are outlawed. This includes some of the largest and most populous states in the country, such as California, Texas, and Georgia.

Why are sweepstakes casinos legal?

I’d like to start by covering the legal question in layman’s terms. Sweepstakes casinos are legal in states where online gambling is illegal because of one simple reason; they are not gambling sites.

At a gambling site or “traditional” online casino, you play games by using and risking real money. At a
sweeps casino, you use virtual currencies, usually Gold Coins (GC) and Sweeps Coins (SC).

Another key thing is that no purchase is necessary, meaning that all sweepstakes casinos have to facilitate free play. As I’ll show a bit later, most brands do this by giving you free Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins in a number of ways.

The
legal sweepstakes states
where gambling is illegal

A big reason why sweepstakes online casinos are so popular is that traditional online casinos remain prohibited in all but six states. While online sports betting is now legal to some extent in well over 30 states, it’s still illegal in some of the biggest states in the country, including the three states I’ve already mentioned:

California

Given its reputation for being one of the most liberal states in the country, it’s a surprise to many that the Golden State has yet to legalize online gambling in any way, shape, or form. While there have been several pushes to get it off the ground since 2019, all of them have been met with stiff opposition, particularly from tribal casino owners who don’t want their footfall affected by an online shift.

Sweepstakes casinos, on the other hand, remain perfectly legal, as does DFS (daily fantasy sports). Also, three of the top sweepstakes casino brands that I’ve mentioned in this article accept players from CA.

Texas

The fact that all forms of online gambling remain illegal in the second-largest state in the country (by land mass) is probably less surprising to most of you. The Lone Star State is notoriously conservative and while it is loosening up restrictions on land-based casino venues, legal online gambling doesn’t look like happening any time soon.

However, of all three legal sweepstakes states that I’ve focused on, the sweepstakes industry is probably thriving here the most. Even in liberal California, social casinos have been met with some resistance, which isn’t the case in Texas.

Georgia

Georgia probably has the strictest gambling laws in the United States, and to be honest, I’m not sure I can ever see them legalizing “traditional” online casinos or sports betting. The only three things remotely close to gambling that are legal in the Peach State are the state lottery, bingo games, and charity raffles.

Still, the laws in Georgia allow both social gaming and promotional sweepstakes, which allows sweepstakes casinos to operate legally in the state. Therefore, if you are located in GA and over 18 (21+ for some sites), you can legally register and play at an online social casino.

The best sweepstakes casinos to play at in these states

Now that I’ve focussed on the top three legal sweepstakes states, let’s take a look at the best online sweepstakes casinos that accept players from these locations. You can read more about these in our
sweepstakes casino reviews
here at DeadSpin, but for now, here’s a quick overview:

Stake.us

Explore exciting Stake.us casino slot games

Game anywhere on Stake.us casino mobile

This is my favorite online sweepstakes casino thanks to its original games, minimalist site designs, and decent opportunity to redeem crypto prizes. If you register today with the promo code ‘DEADSPIN’, you can get an exclusive welcome offer of 55 SC + 260k GC and 5% rakeback.

Stake.us Social Casino Bonus

$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback

Exclusive Stake Originals. Stunning live casino. Over 700 slot games. 3x . T&Cs apply, 18+

Real Prize 

Play intriguing Real Prize casino slot games

Game on the go on Real Prize casino mobile

This social gaming site gives you the opportunity to win real prizes with SC gameplay, as the name suggests. With 46 legal sweepstakes states, it is one of the most widely available sweeps online casinos in 2024.

Real Prize Social Casino Bonus

Up to 105 SC FREE + 575K Golden Coins + 1000 VIP Points

Claim a welcome bonus of 100,000 Gold Coins and 2 Sweeps Coins. 200+ unique social casino games. Generous on-going promotions. T&Cs apply, 18+

Spree

Discover fun Spree casino slot games

Enjoy exciting promotions at Spree

What I like about this online casino is the quality of the games and the fact that you can play live dealers as well as slots. However, the slight downside is that it has a larger number of prohibited states than the other two sites that I’ve recommended above.

Spree Social Casino Bonus

32.5 SC FREE and 1.03M Gold Coins

Welcome bonus: 1,000,000 GC and 2.5 SC. Live dealer games. Top-rated software providers. T&Cs apply, 18+

Legal sweepstakes states
– Conclusion

In summary, there are 48 legal sweepstakes stakes, but you will rarely find one that accepts players from all of these locations. Still, as long as you are not in Idaho or Washington, where sweepstakes are outright illegal, you will be able to find at least one legit online social casino where you can play casino-style games for free.

For players who live in US states where online gambling is forbidden, online sweepstakes casinos provide you with a great opportunity to play slots and other casino-style games for fun. Thanks to the “sweepstakes” element, no purchase is necessary to play, including at my top three recommended platforms.