The Rise of Alternative Gaming in the US: New Markets & Trends

In simple terms, it’s a catch-all label for gaming styles outside of the traditional online casinos and sportsbooks – from sweepstakes/social casinos to skill-based contests, prediction markets, and other models that don’t always fit neatly into existing definitions.

With a slow and uneven rollout of legal online casino gaming across US states, plus skepticism towards offshore gambling platforms, demand exists for products that sit somewhere between entertainment apps and real-money gambling.

Below, we’ll break down the main categories you’ll find under the wide alternative gaming umbrella and point out the USPs and best examples for each:

Sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks

Social casinos

Parimutuel-powered games/advance-deposit wagering

Card collection games

Prediction markets

Daily fantasy sports (DFS)

Skill-based games

Subscription-based games

Then modern sites like Horseplay and GiddyUp wrap race outcomes in a video slot or arcade game interface. The spin of a slot at these sites doesn’t work on randomness in the way a standard online slot would (via a random number generator). Instead, the game effectively acts as a visual layer that reveals the result of a horse race (and its associated betting pool).

This difference is important from a legal point of view. Traditional online slots are treated as casino games and are restricted in most states, whereas parimutuel wagering falls under separate racing regulations. Whether this is legal depends on the state.

In short, these sites exist largely because they are classified as legal horse racing wager platforms rather than casino-style gambling, even if the user experience feels much more like the latter.

Sites to play at: Horseplay, GiddyUp

USPs: These sites offer games that play like slots but are available in a different set of states compared to sweepstakes casinos. For example, Horseplay and GiddyUp are both available in CA and NY currently.

Fun level: If you like slots and arcade games, you’ll likely enjoy this style of alternative gaming.

The platform is aimed squarely at markets where sweepstakes-style models have been outlawed, and rather than using a vanilla GC/SC dual currency system, Card Crush centers around Mystery Boxes which hold both collectible cards and in-platform Mystery Coins (much like SC).

The cards are used in automated player vs. player tournaments – your deck is matched against other members’ and outcomes are determined by card stats rather than any skill-based input. Winners then earn Loyalty Points which feed into VIP tiers and unlock platform perks.

However, in practice, users tend to engage mostly with the casino-style games (slots, live dealer games, and arcade titles) at Card Crush using Mystery Coins to play. The card game functions as a progression and reward layer sitting alongside the casino – it works as a vehicle to deliver the Mystery Coins.

This setup is widely seen as an attempt to reframe how in-game value is packaged, particularly in states with restrictions on sweepstakes-style dual currency models like California and New York.

Sites to play at: Card Crush, ZumbaCards

USPs: A card-led progression system where players build decks, then cards feed into automated PvP games with rankings. A virtual token is bundled with the card purchases, and this can be used on casino-style games and eventually redeemed for cash. It’s generally available in states without other sweepstakes-style options.

Fun level: The card game is basic and tends to have limited appeal. Most players spend time on the casino-style games.

Instead of wagering on traditional sportsbook markets, players buy and sell ‘shares’ in the outcome of real-world events – that’s anything from sports, elections, and weather events to even pop culture moments like who’ll appear at the Super Bowl half-time show. Speaking of the Super Bowl, Kalshi trading on the game’s result in 2026 hit around $1 billion!

Each prediction outcome is generally priced between $0 and $1, reflecting the market’s view of how likely it is to happen. If your prediction is correct, the contract settles at $1, and if not, it settles at $0.

Vitally, prices move based on supply and demand, meaning you can choose to lock in profits early or cut losses before an event concludes – this is rather than waiting for a final result like you would with a traditional bet. Of course, you can buy more than 1 ‘share’ for each event, resulting in big wins, and potentially big losses.

This creates a system that feels less like gambling and more like trading, so in the US, platforms like Kalshi operate under regulation from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. It frames these markets as financial derivatives rather than gambling products. For example, Kalshi argues that users can hedge the results and impact of a team losing a baseball game, whereas regulators might argue that this is just sports betting.

Indeed, Kalshi is facing plenty of legal challenges by state regulators in 2026. We’ll just have to wait and see how these battles play out and affect the future of prediction markets.

Sites to play at: Kalshi, PredictIt, Robinhood

USPs: Trade on real-world events where prices reflect probability, with ability to enter and exit positions before settlement. Increasingly available as an add-on in mainstream trading apps like Robinhood too.

Fun level: More analytical than traditional gambling. Very appealing if you like spotting trends/probabilities and wagering on a wide range of topics.

In simple terms, DFS involves players building a virtual team of real-world athletes within a salary cap, then competing against other users based on how those athletes perform in real matches. Points are awarded for stats like goals, yards, assists etc., and the highest-scoring lineup wins a share of a prize pool funded by entry fees. NBA and NFL are the most popular DFS sports to compete on, but MLB, NHL, and soccer competitions are also available.

However, with the expansion of legal sports betting in the US (thanks to PASPA being repealed in 2018), DFS has become less of a draw. In DraftKings’ 2025 SEC filing, the company said revenue from DFS had dropped as users moved to sportsbook products.

Still, some users prefer DFS, especially those who like the strategy side of building lineups and tracking stats. DFS also has a strong social edge to it, with private leagues and friend-based contests where you’re competing against people you know.

Sites to play at: DraftKings, FanDuel

USPs: Strategy-based betting format where you get to create your own team – its performance is based on real sports outcomes.

Fun level: Best for users who enjoy strategy and long-form competition rather than single game/state betting. Competing against friends and other users can add an extra social edge.

MaxDuel has 21 different titles too, and most of them are available as player vs. player games. One of the best is MaxPlosion Royale, which is reminiscent of the arcade game Bomberman. You can compete against up to 3 other players, and the aim is to clear the crates and try to trap your enemy by planting one or more bombs in the right place.

By the way, you can bank in cryptocurrencies at MaxDuel too.

The Skillz platform introduces a broader tournament system, hosting thousands of mobile games where players compete in leaderboard-based contests across multiple skill genres.

WorldWinner has also long operated cash tournaments based around puzzles and card games – it’s one of the earliest examples of this model.

Sites to play at: MaxDuel, Skillz, Blitz

USPs: Real-money competitive gaming where outcomes are determined by player performance rather than chance. Entry fee contests feed into prize pools, with winners decided by head-to-head results across arcade, puzzle, and strategy-style games.

Fun level: Strong appeal for competitive players, but less so for users looking for more passive, luck-based gameplay.

One of the most established examples of subscription-based gaming is ClubWPT, an online poker site where members receive Play Chips for casual games and Tournament Points (TPs) for competitive play. TPs are then used to enter player vs. player poker tournaments, where cash prizes are awarded based on finishing position.

This system is how ClubWPT has been able to operate in many US states where licensed real-money online poker is not available – it’s structured around a subscription-based sweepstakes model rather than direct real-money poker buy-ins.

We’ve also seen Thrillaroo launch recently, a casino with an interesting and novel subscription model.

Players can sign up for 7-day or 30-day memberships (at $29.99 or $99.99 respectively), receiving access to casino-style gaming in Chill Mode and Thrill Mode. The former uses Chill Points, which are analogous to Gold Coins, and the latter uses Thrill Tokens, which have real monetary value assigned. These must be purchased on the platform, and they can also be cashed out if winnings are achieved.

As you can see there are elements of both sweepstakes and real-money gaming at play.

Then, the twist comes at the end of the subscription period – this involves the ‘Win Win Guarantee’. If the player is up, they get to keep their winnings, but if they’re down, their losses are refunded! So the player will always come out at least even, aside from their subscription fee, and there’s a chance they could have made money overall.

This system is brand new and yet to be tested legally against online gambling restrictions, but it helps illustrate the broad church of subscription-based gaming.

Sites to play at: Thrillaroo, ClubWPT

USPs: Subscription-based access to casino and poker-style gaming. Can allow broader availability across US states than traditional real-money gambling.

Fun level: Can be really fun as it often mirrors real-money gaming formats, but with a subscription-based twist.

Are Deposits and Withdrawals Necessary?

Whether deposits are necessary depends on the format, but we can say that the following styles of alternative gaming work via a ‘no purchase necessary’ rule:

• Sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks
• Social casinos
• Card collection games

These three styles all offer some form of welcome bonus to get you going at the start, and you may find other ongoing bonus methods to fuel your play too. More on this below.

Out of these three, sweepstakes casinos/sportsbooks and card collection games allow redemptions into real cash too – usually at a 1:1 rate from virtual token to cash. Social casinos, on the other hand, are purely for the love of gaming!

In fact, all formats listed on this page except for social casinos should allow some form of redemption or winnings, if that’s what you’re looking for.

What About Bonuses?

We touched on bonuses above, but free coins are generally available at:

• Sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks
• Social casinos
• Card collection games

First, you’ll find a welcome bonus, which gives you GC and SC (or equivalents) to begin your journey on the platform. This will usually include a no deposit bonus – something that everyone receives completely for free. Then players will often be able to find first purchase bonuses in the coin store which offer huge discounts on…their first purchase!

After the signup period is over, there are plenty of ongoing bonus methods too. These can include:

Some players manage to exist purely on bonuses without spending a cent at sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks. In fact, it’s estimated that around half of all sweepstakes players game in this way. This is one reason why the format is so popular in the US!