New to social casinos?
Here's how sweepstakes casinos work, from your first free coins to your first cash prize. We walk through one real site, Deal or No Deal Win, step by step, including the ID check nobody explains.
Two coins, two jobs
Every sweepstakes casino runs on two currencies. Once this clicks, the rest makes sense.
- For fun only
- Never redeemable
- Free at sign-up, or bought in packs
What you are actually buying in the coin store.
- Play for prizes
- 1 SC = $1 when you redeem
- Never sold, only given free
They come free with Gold Coin packs, from daily bonuses, missions and by mail.
What you can do
Every game works in Gold Coin mode. Nothing to win, nothing to lose but time.
Many sites give SC for daily logins, missions and giveaways, and every site has a free mail-in request. At Deal or No Deal Win, those extras only open up after a first buy, so without buying it's the mail-in.
Packs come with free SC on top. The first one is usually the best deal a site will ever offer you.
Switch to SC mode. Wins land in SC, losses come out of it, just like any casino game.
Once your SC is played through and you hit the minimum, cash it out to a card, bank or gift card.
Walkthrough: your first week on Deal or No Deal Win
Deal or No Deal Win is our featured casino. It's run by Mamba Limited, the same company as Spinfinite, with a 1x playthrough and payouts to your debit card. Here's exactly what happens, start to finish.
- Check your stateDeal or No Deal Win has no prize play in 15 states: CA, CT, DE, ID, IN, LA, ME, MI, MT, NJ, NV, NY, OK, TN, WA. If you live in one, stop here. Every site has its own list.
- Sign upName, email, date of birth and address, then verify your email. Reviews report 3,000 GC to start. You get no SC at sign-up here, which is unusual; most sites give a few.
- Optional: the $20 first buy60,000 GC plus 40 SC right away and one Welcome Wheel spin worth 2 to 15 SC. This is the only time that deal is on offer.
- Log in 8 days in a rowThe Power Boost adds 25 SC and 52,000 GC over your next 8 logins, a little more each day. Miss a day and it stops.
- Play your SC through onceFree SC has to be played once (1x) before it counts toward a prize. If you have 40 SC, play 40 SC worth of spins. What you have left after that is redeemable.
- Verify your identityBefore your first redemption: photo ID, proof of address and the debit card you want paid to. Details below.
- Redeem from 100 SCAt 100 SC or more, request a redemption to a debit card in your name. Deal or No Deal Win's FAQ says it typically takes up to 72 hours, weekends included, then your bank.
That works out to 3.35 to 4 SC per $1. In the coin store, the $100 and $200 packs are 1 SC per $1 plus a wheel, and the smallest pack is 20 SC for $10. The SC still has to be played once, and you can lose it.
#ad. Sponsored link: we earn a commission if you buy. 21+. Buying is optional.
Verification: what's required
Before any sweepstakes casino pays a prize, it has to confirm who you are. This is called KYC ("know your customer"). It's a one-time check per site, and it's the most common reason a first redemption is slow.
A current driver's license, state ID or passport. The name and date of birth have to match your account exactly.
Usually a recent utility bill, bank statement or similar showing your name and the address on your account.
Deal or No Deal Win only pays to a debit card in your name, so it checks that the card is yours. Cover all but the last four digits if you send a photo.
Some sites ask for a selfie holding your ID or a short face scan to match you to the document.
How it goes on Deal or No Deal Win
When you redeem, the site asks for your documents if it doesn't have them yet. Deal or No Deal Win pays only to a debit card in your name, so have that card ready; credit cards and someone else's card won't work. When we checked Spinfinite, the same company's flagship, the redeem page asked for ID, proof of address and the card, and opened document uploads 72 hours after first play. After approval, its FAQ says redemptions typically take up to 72 hours.
Tips so it goes through the first time
- Sign up with your legal name and the address on your ID. A nickname or an old address is the top reason for a hold.
- Use clear photos: all four corners, no glare, not expired.
- Play from home, in an eligible state, without a VPN. Sites check your location and close accounts that hide it.
- One account per person on each site. A second account can get both closed and the prizes voided.
- Play your SC through once before you redeem, or the request will bounce.
Play it safe
Sweepstakes casinos are real casino games. Set a budget before you buy, never chase losses, and take breaks. Most sites let you set purchase limits or take a cooling-off period from your account settings. If it stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER. More on our responsible play page.
Is a social casino the same as a sweepstakes casino?
People use both names. Strictly, a social casino only has play coins. A sweepstakes casino adds Sweeps Coins you can redeem for prizes. Every site on StackSweeps is the sweepstakes kind.
Is it legal?
In most states, yes: no purchase is necessary, so it runs as a sweepstakes promotion. A growing list of states bans it, and each site keeps its own list of states it won't serve. Deal or No Deal Win is not open in 15 states.
Do I have to buy anything?
No purchase is ever required, by law. Every site has a free mail-in request, and many also give SC for daily logins. At Deal or No Deal Win and its sister sites, the daily bonus and missions only paid SC after a first buy in our accounts, so without buying it's 3 SC per mailed request.
Can I lose money?
Yes, if you buy. The SC that comes with a pack is played like any casino balance, and most sessions end with less than you started. Only spend what you'd spend on any other night out, and treat a redemption as a bonus, not a plan.
Why do they need my ID?
To prove you are of age, live in an eligible state, own the payment method and have only one account. It is the same check any regulated money service does, and you only do it once per site.
When should I verify?
Start right after sign-up if the site allows it. Some only open the upload after you have played for a while. Spinfinite, run by the same company as Deal or No Deal Win, let us upload documents 72 hours after first play.
How long does the first redemption take?
The first one is the slowest because your documents are checked. After that, Deal or No Deal Win's FAQ says redemptions typically take up to 72 hours, weekends included.
Do I pay tax on prizes?
Yes. Prizes are taxable income in the US. A site sends a 1099-MISC once it pays you $2,000 or more in a year. Keep your own record either way.
How old do I have to be?
Deal or No Deal Win's own rules say 18+, and some sites are 21+. StackSweeps only promotes to adults 21 and older.
More guides
Tables on this page are built from the same data as our casino pages and update when we re-check a casino. Values marked * are reported by independent reviews and not yet confirmed on the casino's own site. Sweeps Coins have to be played through and can be lost. No purchase is necessary. 21+. Play responsibly.