Sweepstakes and Social Casinos in Canada

Canadian Players have seen an increase in popularity for sweepstakes and social casinos, so you’re probably here to find out the top operators.

These casinos are great for many reasons, some things to consider:

• You have many games that you can choose from
• They offer the best mobile experiences
• Not all Canadian provinces allow sweepstakes

And if what you’re looking for is an established sweepstakes and social casino, then you should definitely consider our #1 pick this month [TL1-FIRSTOPERATOR]. However, if you’re still unsure about your casino choice, we’ve compiled some of the top operators offering sweepstakes within this article.

Fortune Coins is currently the best Canadian social casino operator, offering a range of high-spec free casino games and a generous welcome sweeps offer worth 140,000 gold coins and 500 free fortune coins. 

The main thing to remember regarding sweepstakes and social casinos is that no purchase is necessary to start playing. This is a key foundation to their legal status, and it also gives players an entirely free route to enjoy various types of casino games. Keep reading for everything you need to know.

What Are Sweepstakes and Social Casinos?

Sweepstakes and social casinos are relatively new platforms that started life in the US as land-based sweepstakes cafes. They take advantage of the sweepstakes mechanic to offer casino games for free using virtual currencies. There are two main coins to be aware of:

• Gold Coins: This is the primary currency at most sweepstakes sites. Gold coins hold no inherent value and cannot be redeemed for cash prizes. They are typically awarded to players via various promotions, including social media offers, daily login bonuses, and more. You can also purchase gold coin packages if you run out, but most sites offer ample free opportunities to grow your virtual bankroll. 
• Sweepstakes Coins: Sweepstakes coins can be redeemed for cash prizes but cannot be purchased. Sweeps operators generally offer a small number of these as gifts on top of gold coin packages or contest prizes. You can choose to play with this currency at sweepstakes casinos to hopefully grow your redeemable bankroll.

As mentioned, the central tenet of how sweepstakes and social casinos work is that no purchase is necessary to play. These sites offer multiple opportunities to win free virtual currency. In most cases, you can even send a letter to a specified address requesting coins.

Are Sweeps Casinos Legal in Canada?

Canadian gambling laws have traditionally pushed players to look for offshore sites, but this is no longer the case. As long as they keep to the “No Purchase Necessary” mantra, sweeps casinos operators can operate outside of the traditional legal framework. With that being said, Quebec moved to block sweepstakes platforms. However, these sites are technically legal across other Canadian provinces.

Fortune Coins is one of the first sweeps operators to make a concrete move into the Canadian market, striking up a partnership with the popular Interac payment method for coin purchases and redemptions. We expect more platforms to make an official move into the market during 2023. For now, sweeps casinos are legal across all Canadian provinces and territories other than Quebec.

How Do We Test Sweepstakes Casinos?

Our expert sweepstakes team is passionately committed to helping you find the best sites. These platforms can differ significantly regarding their game libraries and bonuses, so we’re here to help you navigate the options available. A few of the main ways we test sweepstakes casinos include:

Number of Games Available

Sweepstakes casino players don’t typically have quite as much access to online casino games as they would with traditional Canadian casino sites. Nevertheless, sites like Fortune Coins still offer a fantastic selection. 

This is one of the most important things we look for when testing sweepstakes casinos. We rate platforms based on the number and variety of gaming options. Additional points go to operators with leading software developers in their collections.

Free Sweeps Coins Offer

Free sweeps coins offers are fundamental to the legal sweepstakes casino framework, but they’re also important to attracting new customers. We look for the best free sweeps coins offers when reviewing these platforms, exploring the amount on offer and ease of claiming.

As a result, our readers can play on the most generous platforms and enjoy the largest sweepstakes bankroll possible. Hopefully, this can lead to increased redemptions and greater all-round enjoyment.

User Experience

Testing the user experience at sweepstakes and social casinos is also a high priority. Recommended platforms must have a smooth and glitch-free design. Otherwise, playing can become more of a chore than a pleasure.

We also look for mobile-optimized websites and apps to ensure players can enjoy sweeps games using their smartphones. It goes without saying, but our testing process also aims to make sure all games are fair and transparent.

Games Available at Social and Sweepstakes Casinos

Don’t be fooled into thinking social and sweepstakes casinos offer less impressive game libraries than normal sites. These platforms often have a wide array of different options, encompassing slots, table games, video poker, and more. We’ll explore the main categories below:

Sweep Slots

Sweep slots are pretty much identical to normal online slots. The only difference is that you play using gold coins or sweepstakes coins. Many platforms offer slots from world-leading developers like Pragmatic Play or design their own games. For example, Fortune Coins offers inventive slots, such as Lucky Panda, Magic Castle, and Pyramids of Giza.

Table Games

Most social and sweepstakes casinos also have a selection of table games. These can range from roulette and blackjack to baccarat and casino war. Leading operators like BetRivers.net and Rush Games even offer live dealer casino games.

Video Poker 

Video poker is another common option at social and sweepstakes casinos. These free games can be a great way to test your skills against friends and evolve your strategy without spending any real money.

Purchasing Gold Coins at Canadian Social Casinos

Despite the number of free gold coins and sweepstakes coin promotions, you will occasionally need to buy gold coin packages to continue playing. Making purchases is effortlessly simple on most platforms. Simply navigate to your profile section and click on “Purchases” or something similar. You’ll then be asked how many coins you want to buy.

Fortune Coins is the only operator currently offering Interac as a payment method, although there are several other common options. For example:

• Visa
• Mastercard
• Neteller
• Skrill
• PayPal
• Trustly

Redeeming Cash Prizes at Sweepstakes Casinos in Canada

Won enough sweepstakes coins to make a redemption? Don’t hesitate to claim. Sweepstakes coins offering redemptions make the process a piece of cake. First, you’ll need to make sure you meet the minimum threshold. This is typically between 50 and 100 SC.

Sweepstakes platforms are also obliged to run KYC checks before completing redemptions, so make sure you have the necessary documentation to pass these assessments. Afterwards, you’ll be free to claim a redemption using one of the popular methods below:

• Visa
• Mastercard
• Interac
• PayPal
• Trustly
• Skrill
• Neteller