Sweepstakes and Social Casinos in Canada

Top 3 sweepstakes comparison

We compared the best sweepstakes by testing them in 3 different categories. The categories were chosen to represent what our users are usually interested in: slot games, customer support and mobile usability.

Categories	Sweepstake casino
🎰 Best for online slots	Fortune Coins
🤵 Best for support	Chumba Casino
📋 Best for security	Global Poker

Fortune Coins has consistently ranked as the best sweepstakes casino in 2024 because it offers a good range of high-spec free casino games and a generous welcome sweeps offer worth 100,000 gold coins and 200 free fortune coins. 

How I test sweepstakes casinos

I follow our rating guidelines to test and rate different casino elements. For sweepstakes, I also particularly pay attention to the following three details:

• Size of the games library: Since sweepstakes players don't have access to the full range of online games available, I look for the operators that can offer the most variety to the player.

• Free Sweeps coins offer: The offer needs to be competitive and provide the most to give Canadian players the best gameplay experience.

• User experience - I test out the platform and all of its features to make sure the site runs smoothly and is easy to navigate.

How do sweepstakes casinos work

Sweepstakes and social casinos are relatively new platforms that take advantage of the sweepstakes mechanic to offer casino games for free using virtual currencies. There are two main coins to be aware of:

• Gold coins are the primary currency at most sweepstakes sites. Gold coins hold no inherent value and cannot be redeemed for cash prizes.

• Sweepstakes coins can be redeemed for cash prizes but cannot be purchased. Sweeps operators generally offer a small number of these as gifts on top of gold coin packages or contest prizes which can be used for more gameplay.

While no purchase is necessary to play, these sites offer multiple opportunities to win free virtual currency. In most cases, you can even send a letter to a specified address requesting coins.

Are sweeps casinos legal in Canada?

As long as they keep to the “No Purchase Necessary” mantra, sweeps casinos operators can operate outside of the traditional legal framework. With that being said, Quebec moved to block sweepstakes platforms.

Purchasing gold coins at Canadian social casinos

If you want to buy Gold Coins at sweepstake casinos in Canada, you'll usually find the following 6 popular payment methods:

• Visa

• Mastercard

• Interac - currently only available at Fortune Coins

• Neteller

• Skrill

• Trustly

I found that making purchases is an easy process on all sweepstakes I tested. I first navigated to my profile section and then selected the “Purchases” button which can vary from one operator to another. All I had to do next was simply enter the amount I wanted to purchase and choose Interac to make our purchase which was instant.

Redeeming cash prizes

If the sweepstakes casino you chose offers prize redemptions, you can use the same payment options as those listed above. Here's how it worked for me when I redeemed my prize from Fortune Coins:

1. I first checked the minimum threshold, which you'll typically find to be between 50 and 100 sweep coins.

2. I submitted all the necessary documentation needed by the operator following legal obligations to run KYC Checks which guarantees more player safety.

3. Once I was verified, I was able to click on the Redemption button on my profile.

Most popular social casino & sweepstake games?

The 3 most popular sweepstake casino games are Swep Slots, Tabel games and Video Poker. If you think you won't find as many options on a sweepstakes site compared to other casino sites, think again! While game libraries are more limited in size, they usually offer great versatility of games, including:

• Sweep slots: They're identical to normal online slots. Many platforms offer slots from world-leading developers like Pragmatic Play or design their own games. For example, Fortune Coins offers inventive slots, such as Lucky Panda, Magic Castle, and Pyramids of Giza.

• Table games: These can range from roulette and blackjack to baccarat and casino war.

• Video poker: These games are basically virtual versions of poker. They also come in many variants including Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, and Jacks or Better.

Other categories include Keno games, Card games, Game shows, Fish Games and Bingo.

How to find the best sweepstakes casino

Here are some quick tips by our Sweepstakes experts to keep in mind when choosing the right sweepstakes casino:

1. Choose a reputable site: Do your research and choose a reputable online sweepstakes casino. If you're in doubt read our extensive sweepstakes reviews.

2. Practice responsible gambling: Set your budget and abide by it. Only gamble what you can afford to lose and don't chase your losses.

3. Read user reviews: Always read user reviews before depositing money in a casino. We’ve noticed that most of the negative reviews about an operator are about the same thing.

4. Take advantage of bonuses: Take advantage of these bonuses to increase your chances of winning. If you're in doubt about which bonus is best for you, speak to customer support.

5. Understand the terms: Before you start playing, make sure you understand the terms of each game to help you make wise decisions.