Nevada Sweepstakes Casinos

Sweepstakes casinos viscerally emulate authentic Las Vegas-style casino gaming experiences with a few major differences – for example, you can play your favorite slots for free and from the comfort of your home.

Our experts at SweepsKings have witnessed a mass exodus from the Silver State with new bills that could lead to legal prohibitions. However, we’ve pinpointed what’s available in NV for now.

Nevada Gambling Laws: Online Casino Legal Updates

Nevada is one of the few US states that has not one, but two regulatory bodies: the Nevada Gaming Commission and the Nevada Gaming Control Board. These authorities collaborate on defining, shaping, and setting legal frameworks under which all gambling-related businesses are required to operate, with the most prominent being the Gaming Control Act.

Some Nevada lawmakers have created a hostile environment for sweepstakes casinos, but it can be a long-winded process to prove and enforce any applicable laws, so a handful of operators are still choosing to operate in the Silver State.

I’ve carefully analyzed relevant Nevada gambling laws, statutes, regulations, and official publications and noticed that they follow many other US states in not specifically defining what sweepstakes casinos are. Instead, the Commission broadly describes unlawful and prohibited activities in the Nevada Revised Statute (NRS).

Namely, NRS Chapter 465 clause 465.086 says something that may have already scared many sweepstakes casinos away:

It is unlawful to “Transmit or deliver anything of value resulting from a bet or wager to a person who has placed a bet or wager”.

It’s all about how sweepstakes prizes (or ‘coins’) are marketed and worded. Some sweepstakes casinos feel that they legally operate in Nevada by ensuring no purchases are necessary and offering Sweepstakes Coins for free through bonuses.

On the other hand, nearly all other sweeps casinos choose not to operate in Nevada, with the state seemingly becoming hostile towards the format. Recently, both chambers of the Nevada legislature approved SB 256, and it’s now just waiting for the Governor’s signature. In the debates on this proposal, sweepstakes casinos were mentioned, and the bill increases punishments for illegal operators with the following methods:

1. Disgorgement of profits: “Any online gaming app or operator found guilty of illegal gaming activities must forfeit all profits, gross receipts, and benefits obtained from these activities. That money will go into the state general fund.”

2. Increased criminal penalties: “The bill increases fines and turns some offenses from misdemeanors into felonies, meaning serious legal consequences for the violators.”

3. Extension of liability beyond state borders: “Even if an illegal gaming app operates outside of Nevada, it can still be prosecuted if it takes bets from people within the state.”

We expect SB256 to soon be signed into law, which will strengthen penalties for unwanted operators, further discouraging sweeps casinos from Nevada.

How You Can Play Online Slots and Casino Games in Nevada

Objectively, the best way to play slots and casino-style games in Nevada is to visit the Entertainment Capital of the World – Las Vegas. With over 175+ famous casinos, this is the ultimate place to be if you’re looking for a high-class land-based casino.

Online sports betting and poker are legal in Nevada, too. The same cannot be said for online casinos, which are only available in a handful of states (Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia).

If you’re on a cash-strapped budget or want to enjoy online slot games for free, you can try the social and sweepstakes casinos we highlight in this guide.

Why Our Experts Selected These Brands

We have reviewed over 100 US sweepstakes casinos but shortlisted the ones that legally operate in Nevada – which aren’t necessarily the most-feature rich platforms. Our reviewing system takes into account the following aspects:

Online reputation: With licensing being optional, we had to dive deep into real-user testimonials to ascertain how trustworthy these sites are.

Bonuses: Our testing team at SweepsKings creates new accounts and tests all available bonuses to determine if they’re real and as large as advertised.

Games Quality & Variety: We demo games using Gold Coins and objectively weigh the quality of each title based on various elements, such as smooth gameplay, UI, RTP, and volatility. We also rate casinos based on how many unique iGaming categories they cover, such as jackpots, Megaways, hold ‘n’ win, scratch cards, and more.

Redemption Rules: Our top recommendations offer pro-player bonus wagering rules, allowing you a fair shot at claiming cash prizes without spending a dime.

Payment Methods: Although most sweepstakes casinos usually support just a handful of payment methods, we test each option to ascertain its security level and redemption speed.

California, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, and the majority of US players have more sweeps casino options at their disposal. Nevada’s stance on online gambling certainly limits the quality of gaming sites you have at your disposal, yet the ones we highlighted should be good enough for almost every type of player.

How Payments Work

Sweepstakes casinos always ensure you can play for free. This means that all sites must have at least one no deposit bonus, which is typically provided after registration.

Additionally, sweepstakes sites can’t sell their sweeps currencies, but they can gift them to players who purchase Gold Coin bundles. You’ll often be offered a special bonus called the first purchase bonus that can give you more of both currencies on your first deposit.

Sweepstakes casinos don’t process deposits or withdrawals in the traditional sense. Instead of depositing money, you’re using it to buy virtual coins. Instead of withdrawing funds, you’re ‘redeeming’ Sweepstakes Coins for a cash prize.

Your Gaming Options at Nevada Sweepstakes Casinos

Although sweepstakes casinos are usually smaller compared to their online casino counterparts, our recommended sites cover all bases with hundreds of video slots, Megaways, jackpots, Hold ‘n’ Link, fish shooters, scratch cards, and arcades.

Ruby Sweeps is our top destination for quality slots; they offer bespoke slots, fish games, Megaways, and Tumblers. Some of our personal favorites include Pot of Gold and Immortal Ways Buffalo.

We at SweepsKings recommend Bingoport if you’re a bingo fanatic. You’ll find exclusive titles you won’t find anywhere else and tournaments with 12 different bingo rooms to enter.

If you want a taste of all types of games, we recommend ZitoBox. Fish games here include Force of Dragon and Alter World, and you’ll find jackpots and video poker, along with table games like Caribbean Stud, Roulette, and Jacks or Better.

Bonuses and Promotions at Nevada Online Casinos

Sweepstakes casino bonuses are a bit different from promotions you typically see at real-money online casinos:

No purchase is necessary to play, so sign-up bonuses always have to offer free currency.

The bonus wagering requirements are usually significantly lower at sweepstakes casinos, often as low as 1-2x (compared to the average of 30x in online casinos).

Regular promotions like Referral Programs, Spin the Wheel, and Daily Login offer extra currency without requiring deposits.

Social media promotions are extremely popular, featuring frequent bonus drop codes, giveaways, and social tournaments.

All Nevada sweepstakes casinos offer different welcome bonuses. These are always free to claim and are typically available as soon as you register and log into your new account. Most sites include a first-purchase deal, boosting the value of select Gold Coin packs.

Apart from these new-player bonuses, Nevada sweepstakes casinos also offer various promotions for regular players, such as the mail-in bonus, daily login bonus, alternative method of entry (mail-in), referral programs, VIP rewards, and much more. The only sure thing is that you won’t have to spend money to play at NV gaming sites, unless you want to.

Aspects For and Against Sweepstakes Casinos in Nevada

The biggest advantage sweepstakes casinos offer is an opportunity to play for free for a chance to claim free cash prizes. Additionally, sweepstakes casinos allow you to enjoy slots from anywhere in Nevada – you won’t have to be physically seated in front of a slot machine in crowded rooms.

On the downside, sweepstakes casinos often have much smaller gaming libraries than real money online casinos or brick-and-mortar casinos. Their bonuses can be claimed for free or very little cash, but they usually pale in comparison to hefty deposit match offers from real money casinos. Still, the latter are not legal in the Silver State leaving you limited options.

At the end of the day, sweepstakes casinos allow you to enjoy authentic iGaming experiences while guaranteeing free play, so you can rely on our secure links to join Nevada’s cream of the crop for now.