Difference Between Sweepstakes Casinos and Social Casinos

If you’ve ever searched online for internet casinos, chances are you’ve encountered two terms: “sweepstakes casino” and “social casino.” What’s the difference?

While the two types of platforms are similar and the terms are often used interchangeably, there are key differences to be aware of. In this article, we’ll cover the notable differences and minor distinctions between sweepstakes casinos and social casinos.

The main difference

Your idle school geometry class is about to come in really handy. You might remember learning that all squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. That’s the case with Sweepstakes and social casinos. All sweepstakes casinos count as social casinos, but not all social casinos are Sweepstakes sites.

Confused? Don’t worry; we’ll break it down for you.

We place social casinos into three categories, and sweepstakes casinos all fall into one of those categories:

• Social casinos with cash prizes
• Social casinos with non-cash prizes
• Social casinos without prizes

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Social casinos with cash prizes are where sweepstakes casinos fall. These sites allow you to play for fun, but there’s also a premium currency available for free and from purchase bonuses. When you play with the premium currency—usually called Sweeps Coins, but the names can vary—you can eventually redeem them for cash prizes and gift cards.

In other words, social casinos with cash prizes are synonymous with the term “sweepstakes casinos.” WOW Vegas, Pulsz, and High 5 Casino are some examples of social casinos with cash prizes, aka Sweepstakes Casinos.

Next, you have social casinos with non-cash prizes. Hard Rock Social Casino is the latest addition to this category and serves as an excellent example. You can play for fun at Hard Rock Social Casino, and you can even redeem Coins for merch or special perks at Hard Rock properties, but you can never redeem cash prizes. This means Hard Rock Social Casino and similar sites are not sweepstakes casinos.

Finally, there are social casinos with no prizes. These sites offer casino-style games for fun, and you can still purchase virtual currency to play with if you wish. However, you can enver redeem real prizes or claim other prize types. The most prevalent example of this type of social casino is BetRivers.net, which offers hundreds of for-fun casino games.

Other key differences between sweepstakes casinos and social casinos

First, it’s important to remember sweepstakes casinos are a type of social casino. So, for this section, we will cover the differences between core sweepstakes casinos, which offer cash prizes, and other social casinos, which do not.

• Sweepstakes casino apps are limited (but growing) and some sweeps casinos must be played via mobile browsers. On the other hand, social casinos often have dedicated iOS and Android apps.
• Social Casinos tend to offer more purchase methods than sweepstakes casinos, though that’s not always the case.
• Social Casinos are legal in almost every state, while sweepstakes casinos are prohibited in a handful of markets.

How sweeps casinos and social casinos are similar

We’ve covered the differences, but the similarities between sweepstakes and social casinos are equally important. In fact, the terms are often used interchangeably despite the differences we describe above.

Sweeps casinos and their social casino counterparts often have similar game libraries featuring titles from top slot developers. Both types of sites can also offer live dealer games such as blackjack or roulette.

Additionally, social and sweeps casinos offer promotions, loyalty programs, and other rewards. They may take different forms to account for the different currencies on offer, but the ideas and concepts remain the same.

Which is right for you?

If you want the chance to redeem cash prizes by playing with premium currency, then sweepstakes casinos are for you.

Players who prefer a laid back, for-fun play style or those who look for convenience should give social casinos a try. Their mobile apps and widespread availability make them an excellent choice.