Best Social Casinos May 2024

If you want to play casino games online but live in a state where real-money gambling sites are not yet legal, social casinos are the perfect solution for you. Instead of placing real money bets, players use virtual currency to powerfree-to-play casino games. You don’t need to place real money deposits at social casinos. You can play your favorite games and even win real cash prizes without ever spending a single cent.

Social casinos offer legal and accessible casino fun. Since you aren’t wagering your real money bankroll, they are not classed as “gambling” platforms. Therefore, they are legal in pretty much every US state. But with so many out there, knowing which is the best can be difficult. That’s where our experts step in to lend a helping hand.

At oddschecker, we do the hard work for you, testing every social casino online out there using strict criteria. As such, you can be sure that only the best of the best make it to our pages. We look at everything from their bonuses and security to their games and mobile capabilities. So, by the time you’ve finished reading this guide, you’ll have everything you need to know about US social casinos and know which are a cut above the rest.

What are Social Casinos?

Currently, only a handful of US states like Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia have passediGaming legislation. You can wager at real-money online casinos and win cash prizes in these states.

Social casinos provide a legal and fun alternative for the rest of the US for players who want to experience the thrill of online casino gaming. You can try your luck at popular casino games, such asonline slots like Gonzo’s Quest and Mega Moolah, progressive jackpots, and table games, even without being physically located in one of the few legal gambling states.

Although social casinos offer the same sort of games as real money sites, social casino games work slightly differently. These sites are designed to be played for fun and do not involve placing a real money bet. Instead, you use free site credit, usually called Gold Coins, to facilitate gameplay. You can grab Gold Coins from regular socialcasino bonuses. Due to the risk-free gaming style, social casinos online are becoming increasingly popular, which is likely why there are so many in the US.

In fact, social casinos offer more than just casino entertainment. Unlike traditional casinos, slots social casino sites allow players to meet and interact with other like-minded users. Some sites even provide exciting tournaments to battle against one another.

Social Casinos vs. Online Casinos

• Risk-free: At a social casino online, real money deposits are not required. There is no money to be won or lost. Instead, you play social casino games using virtual currency. You can obtain this for free through various on-site means like bonuses or giveaways. You can always purchase Gold Coin bundles if your bankroll runs low.
• More accessible: You can play social casino games for free. As such, social casinos are not classed as gambling platforms and are legal in most US states, unlike real money sites, which are only available in a select few.
• Free to play: The beauty of social casino games is that they are always free to play, which is something not always offered by real money sites. So, whatever your financial situation, you can get in on the casino action.
• Practice before you wager: Playing social casino games in free-play mode allows newbies to pick up the rules without risking a financial loss. More advanced players can also improve their skills and practice strategies.
• Can’t win real money: Free-to-play social casinos do not allow you to win real cash. Unlikereal money casinos, games don’t pay out money – instead, you get more virtual currency. However, if you play at sweepstakes casinos, you can eventually exchange your Sweepstakes Coins for real-life prizes.

Can you win real money at social casinos?

While you can’t win real money at social casinos, real-life prizes are up for grabs at sweepstakes casino sites. Social and sweepstakes casinos are pretty similar, both offering the same free-to-play casino-style games. However, it’s a little more complicated than that. Before we clarify what Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins are, it’s important to remember that operators may use slightly different names, but essentially, their purpose remains the same.

Gold Coins

Gold Coins, or Game Coins, are free-to-claim tokens that allow you to play social casino games. These are only used to power games and cannot be redeemed for cash prizes. You can pick up Gold Coins for free through on-site bonuses, social media giveaways, or purchasing bundles.

Sweeps Coins

Some social and sweepstakes casinos also offer Sweeps Coins, which you can redeem for cash prizes or other rewards, like gift cards. Some sites may let you purchase these directly or win them through promotional offers.

Social Casino Games

What if we told you that you can play most of the same games offered by traditional real money casinos at social casinos, but for free? Now that’s caught your attention, read on to discover what types of social casino games are on offer to US players.

Slots

Like real money sites, slots occupy most of a social casino’s games lobby. You can spin the reels of popular classics, visually appealing video slots, thrilling Megaways, exciting jackpots, and sometimes even exclusive titles you won’t find anywhere else. Slots social casino games come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, covering every theme you can think of. From the Wild West to Ancient Greek Mythology, social casinos have got you covered.

Slots social casino games are developed by some of the same providers that power real money games. These include some of the biggest names in software development, like NetEnt, High 5 Games, IGT, Pragmatic Play, and Play’n GO. These are well-known in the industry for innovative in-play visuals, exciting mechanics, and high-quality graphics.

More importantly, these industry-leading developers are always finding ways to keep you on your toes and keep gameplay exciting. Within games, you’ll often find free spin bonus rounds, a wide range of game mechanics, sleek animations, unique symbols, and more.

Roulette

Roulette is probably one of the most popular casino table games out there. The main premise is easy to understand and requires very little skill. Your job is to predict what number or color a ball will land on in a roulette wheel.

Within roulette, you can make many different wagers, such as betting on red/black or a single number. Roulette and other table games aren’t as prevalent as slots at social casinos, but you’ll still find several games at our recommended sites. Top social casinos often offer multiple roulette variants, including popular classics like European, American, and French Roulette, alongside more unique versions like Mini Roulette, Multi-Ball Roulette, and Multi-Wheel Roulette.

Blackjack

Blackjack is a staple table game you’ll find at many top social casino sites. You can often try your hand at multiple blackjack variants, from traditional European Blackjack to Vegas Strip, Atlantic City, Double Exposure, and Blackjack Switch.

Blackjack is especially popular with new and inexperienced players as it requires little to no skill to start playing. However, if you dive below the surface, it is home to plenty of complex bet types and wagering strategies, so it is also popular among skilled players. The basic aim is simple: get a higher hand than the dealer without exceeding 21.

Baccarat

Most casino players are familiar with baccarat since it has one of the lowest house edges of any table game. You’ll find many popular variations at traditional online casinos, including Punto Banco and Dragon 21. The objective of baccarat is to predict whether the “Player” hand or the “Dealer” hand will obtain a value closer to nine.

Although baccarat is less widely represented at social casinos, you can play popular titles such as First-Person Baccarat and Live Dealer Baccarat for free at many of our recommended sites.

Pros and Cons of Social Casinos

Advantages

The biggest advantage of social casinos is accessibility. You don’t have to be located in one of the few real money gambling states to spin the reels of top slot games. For many players, social casinos provide a legal and fun way to play slots and games like blackjack, roulette, poker, and baccarat online.

Although most states have land-based retail or tribal casinos, visiting one is not always convenient. They can also be pretty intimidating for first-timers. Online social casinos cure this as you can play from the comfort of your own at home and at your own pace.

Also, there is often a time limit when playing at land-based casinos. Your money or chips will eventually run out. Social casinos online, however, allow you to play for hours on end, as there are always opportunities to replenish your free coins if you run low.

Disadvantages

Like most things, there are also drawbacks to playing at online social casinos. There are fewer social casino games, after all. Top sites like McLuck and Wow Vegas feature less than a thousand titles, mostly slots. Plus, many don’t even offer table games like roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker. So, if you’re into table games, you may best stick to real money sites.

Furthermore, one of the biggest pitfalls of social casinos is that you cannot win and withdraw real money. Even if lady luck is on your side and you hit a big win, there is no way to show for it. Sweepstake casinos mitigate this by allowing you to claim real-life prizes, but even then, you are usually required to collect a large amount of Sweeps Coins before requesting a cash prize redemption.

What to look for in a Social Casino

Before joining a social casino online, you should consider a few things. We’ve highlighted them below.

Bonuses & Promotions

If you’re looking to play social casino games for free, selecting a site with a generous welcome bonus is a must. For example, High 5 Social Casino rewards all new players with more than enough free coins to get them started, along with plenty of other exciting promos to obtain more if running low.

Games

When searching for your next best social casino, you should pick one that offers the type of games you enjoy playing. If you’re looking for variety, then Stake.us offers close to 1,000 titles, including table games like blackjack and roulette.

Mobile capabilities

Some of the top social casinos will also offer amobile app for on-the-go fun. Pulsz has one of the best social casino apps, which you can download for free, and is compatible with Android devices. On the other hand, all our recommended social casino sites are built on HTML5 technology and responsive on mobile browsers.

Safety & Security

Social casinos aren’t classed as gambling platforms, so they don’t technically need a license. However, you still want to be sure that where you’re playing is safe. To clarify, any sites recommended on this page are legal. Reputable parent companies operate these sites and use SSL encryption technology to protect your personal data.

Social Casino Apps

Unlike at real money online casinos where they almost always have an app available for players to download, that isn't always the case with each social casino online.

For example, one of the biggest social casinos in the US is WOW Vegas, and they have opted not to have an app for players to download as things stand. Similarly, Sweeptastic is the same and does not have an app to download for users on the App Store for iOS users or Google Play Store for Android players.

However, we must stress that this doesn't mean they don't have an excellent product for mobile! Users who play at WOW Vegas or any other sites that don't have social casino apps can still enjoy a fantastic mobile experience, but just from a browser.

In some cases, this can be preferable for players because it involves no download or storage space being taken up by social casino apps, even if the convenience can be handy with it easy to find on your mobile device or tablet.

The mobile experience at any social casino that we recommend is an excellent one, even if they don't necessarily have social casino apps which you can download.

Responsible Gaming at Social Casinos

While you’re not required to spend any money while playing at social casinos, you should still practice responsible gambling. After all, you don’t want to pick up bad habits that can transfer to gambling with actual cash, which could leave you in a sticky financial position.

To help control your gambling habits, we’ve listed some helpful hints and tips below:

• Stick to a budget: Even though you can’t technically wager with actual cash, you can purchase coin bundles at social casinos. This can quickly get out of hand. So, set a budget and stick to it to avoid spending money you can’t afford to lose.
• Take a break: Know when to stop if you hit a losing streak. It can be difficult but try not to chase a win. When it’s not your day, log off and return another day.
• Ask for help: You should never be ashamed to ask for help. If you, or anyone you might know, is struggling to control your gambling urges, there are support groups like the National Council on Problem Gambling. Regardless of your state, you can contact these organizations 24/7 via phone, text, or live chat.