Confusing landscape

What is, and is not, legal when it comes to gambling in the USA is somewhat confusing. On the one hand, America is home to the self-declared capital of gambling, Las Vegas. On the other hand, it is famous for having some of the most restrictive anti-gambling laws in the Western world. Working out precisely what you can and cannot do in each state can be hard.

Suffice to say, however, that is the state that regulates gambling, and it is not for any federal lawmakers to decide on individual state policies. This was tested and proved after the Professional and Amateur Sports Act of 1992 set out to restrict all but one state from fully legalizing sports betting. In May 2009, Delaware was set to be the second state to have a legalized, regulated, and taxed sports betting market to plug a projected $700 million hole in the state’s finances. However, the Circuit Court ruled that PASPA restricted Delaware from offering single-game bets and only allowed parlay wagers on NFL games.

Striking down of PASPA

To cut a long story short, the ruling was challenged, and in 2018, the Supreme Court struck down PASPA, deeming it unconstitutional, and the individual states were free to decide on the rules relating to sports gambling within their borders. While all of this was going on, casino and online casino gambling were progressing down a different trajectory, governed by a different set of rules. These days, real-money gambling is allowed in some form or another in around 48 states, if you include lotteries.

However, despite the popularity of Las Vegas and Atlantic City’s poster children of slots and table games, online casino games for real money are still only legal in seven states. As most people are aware, banning something does not make it go away and usually just drives the banned ‘thing’ underground, or in the case of online gambling, offshore. While there are some respectable companies running offshore gambling sites, there are also some decidedly dodgy ones.

Better Safe Than Sorry

In addition, it is an illegal activity; if anything goes wrong, a player has no one to fall back on. The chances of getting scammed or even sanctioned are pretty high. Many states are cracking down on offshore sports betting sites to provide better consumer protection, encourage responsible gambling, and recoup billions in lost tax revenues. Fortunately, for those who like their betting game rather than sport-focused, there is an alternative that is legal and available almost everywhere.

Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins

The alternatives that are sweeping the nation and bowling gambling fans over are social and sweepstakes casino gambling. These online platforms that feature all your favorite games are governed by an entirely different set of laws from those regulating real-money casino gambling. That is because a player is not gambling on the outcome of a single spin of the wheel but entering into a sweepstakes or draw with the chance to win virtual currency (or gold coins).

The player can then enter a subsequent sweepstakes game with the gold coins won. If they win using the virtual currency staked, they can cash in the virtual Sweeps coins for physical prizes, including cash. It all seems too good to be true, but for once, it isn’t!

Look Before You Leap

However, as with real-money gambling, it is essential to ensure bettors are playing on reputable and well-managed sites. Sweepstakes are online nowadays, and there is no doubt that some online sweepstakes casinos are better than others, and the bonuses and incentives to choose one site over another vary enormously. Fortunately, review sites are on hand to help players in Colorado navigate to the best sites. They employ a team of experts who provide a verified list of sweepstakes casinos, guiding players through claiming Sweeps Coins and enjoying 24-hour redemption for cash prizes.

Sweepstakes casinos should not be confused with social casinos. While the two are similar in that they can be played in states where playing real-money online casino games is illegal, they have some notable differences. The biggest one is that social casinos are about fun and glory, while sweepstakes casinos can lead to winning real prizes. Social casinos do not offer the option of earning Sweeps Coins; the fun is all virtual, and there are no ‘cash out’ possibilities.

Some of these casinos blend the two, allowing players to switch between Social and Sweeps mode to decide which playing style suits their mood and ambition. However, one thing is for sure: there are Gold Coins galore to be snaffled up in daily giveaways and other promotional offers. Keep your eyes peeled to collect coins and enjoy the ride.

Buying Extra Coins

Sweepstakes casinos do not require you to purchase Sweeps and Gold coins; however, many players choose to, so it is important to check out the payment options before committing to payment. Many sites offer fintech payment options like PayPal, while others are strictly cryptocurrency sites. Before you commit to anything, the advice is to have a good look around to familiarize yourself with everything. Social casinos are a great place to start, and let players acclimate themselves to all the ins and outs of online play.

Sweepstake casinos have the look and feel of their traditional counterparts and offer a wide selection of casino games. Slots are the most common, but play is not restricted only to these. You can find table games with blackjack being the most commonly available, and you can also play video poker, baccarat, and roulette. Gaming is not restricted to video versions either; live dealer sweepstakes gaming is becoming increasingly popular and available. Game availability can be relatively limited, but live roulette, blackjack, and baccarat are available at many sweepstake casinos. If you are lucky, you can also find bingo games on offer.

Remember The Golden Rules

The golden rule is to remember that there are two types of virtual coins – Gold and Sweeps. Hold on to your Sweeps coins as only these can be cashed in for real prizes. It is also worth bearing in mind that most of these sites have a minimum redemption balance of 100 Sweeps coins, and you will need to follow the rules to exchange them for physical prizes. Whatever you do for fun, make sure it’s for enjoyment, just as you would any other type of entertainment!

John Mali Director of Media Relations

Director of Media Relations at AboutBoulder.com

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