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What Is a Social Casino?

August 30, 2024

What Is a Social Casino?

With so many states in the US lacking a regulated online casino gambling market (only seven states have a regulated market as of 2024), casino fans are constantly on the lookout for similar options.

Some players turn to offshore casinos, but this can be dangerous as these platforms are not licensed in the US.

If you want a safe casino-like experience, your best option is social casinos. The reason is simple — they enable you to play various casino games within a high-quality and secure environment without spending money.

But what exactly are social casinos? Keep reading to learn all you need to know about them.

Social Casino Gaming Explained

Social gaming, whether involving mobile games like Candy Crush Saga and Clash Royale or online games like Fortnite and Minecraft, has been around for a long time. It’s a way for people to connect and have fun together.

Social casinos aim to achieve something similar, using the medium of casino games. Since regulations can make casino releases problematic, especially when we bring problem gambling into the picture, social casinos have emerged as a way to circumvent the issues while maintaining the essence of casino gaming.

In essence, social casinos are the same as regular online casinos, except they lack the element of real money.

You register on these sites like you do at every other casino. However, you skip the depositing part as the platform awards you with free virtual currency. You use these coins to play the same casino games people expect to see in real-money casinos, like slots, jackpots, bingo, keno, scratchcards, table games like blackjack and roulette, and more.

In essence, social casinos aim to mimic real-money casinos, but they ditch the real-money element so they can operate throughout the US, especially in states where casino gambling isn’t allowed, like Maine and Indiana.

History of Social Casinos

Social casinos arose from social gaming. After the initial success of games like FarmVille and Mafia Wars on social media in the 2000s, it was clear that this successful concept could be combined with casino games.

Consequently, the late 2000s saw the rise of the first social casino platforms, notably Slotomania and Zynga Poker.

Platforms like these offered free-to-play casino games and incorporated social elements like leaderboards, chats, friend invites, and more. They also experimented over time, adding more games and new social aspects like contests, tournaments, quests, missions, and more.

As the 2010s progressed and smartphones started taking over the globe, social casinos capitalized by becoming better optimized for the small screen. Some even developed dedicated apps, while game providers began creating mobile-friendly games and optimized old ones.

Today, social casinos continue to grow and improve while placing an even greater focus on mobile phones.

Social Casino Coins — What They Are and How to Get Them

Casino games wouldn’t be fun if there weren’t something you could win, even if that something is not real money. Consequently, social casinos use virtual currency, usually called coins or gold coins. These are effectively in-game currency and have no real-world value.

You obtain these coins in several ways:

By playing and winning in casino games — As most social casinos give new players a good amount of free coins just for registering, you can use them to play casino games. If you’re lucky enough or skilled in games like poker and blackjack, you’ll win more, so you can continue playing with your winnings.
For free through bonuses and other promotions — Most social casinos offer promos like a hefty welcome bonus to get you started and additional offers for existing players, notably daily login bonuses and referral bonuses. Social casinos also organize giveaways, contests, and constant challenges, all awarding players with coins.
By purchasing coin packages — Similar to what mobile games do today with in-app purchases, social casinos allow players to buy additional coins. Players usually use this option when they are down on coins and have no bonus to claim or another promo to participate in.

It’s worth noting that most social casinos allow you to buy additional coins, as this is the main method these businesses use to make a profit.

How to Join and Play at a Social Casino

Once you’ve chosen a social casino you like, you’ll have to complete a few steps to get started. Here’s what you need to do:

Visit the official site — To enter your chosen social casino, click our link and go to the official website.
Start the registration process — Click the Register/Join/Sign Up button to begin the registration procedure.
Complete the registration process — Enter the requested personal details if you want to join with your email address or signup using a social media account or with Google, as long as the option is available.
Claim the welcome bonus — Claim the signup promo once you join. Bear in mind that some social casinos award these automatically after registration.
Pick a game — Browse through the library to see the available games. Choose the one you want to try and open it.
Check the mechanics — Even though most casino games are simple, especially slots, it’s crucial to check the in-game explanations on how the game works, how to play it, and what features it offers.
Play with coins — Start playing the game using the coins you have in your account. Pay attention to how much you’re spending so you don’t burn through your coins quickly.

Social Casino Games

As mentioned, you can play a wide range of casino games in social casinos, many of which are the same titles people play in real-money casinos, with the only difference being that they use in-game coins and not real money. Here’s a better overview of what’s available:

Slots — Online slot games are always the most commonly available type of casino games you’ll find in social casinos. You’ll typically get a wide range of video slots, megaways, jackpot slots, and others.
Poker—Many social casinos offer several poker variants, such as Texas Hold’em and Caribbean Stud, and even various video poker games.
Blackjack — You’ll often find at least a few blackjack games in social casinos, sometimes both simulated and live dealer versions.
Roulette — Roulette variants like American, European, and French are quite popular among casino players, so expect to see them in many social casinos.
Scratchcards — Scratchcards are games that mimic real-world scratch cards with prizes. In social casinos, they often combine quality graphics and additional gameplay elements to make them more exciting.
Keno — Keno games mimic the real-world lottery but offer fast gameplay and deal with smaller coin-based prizes.
Bingo — Bingo and video bingo games are found in many social casinos, with the latter taking inspiration from slots to offer a different take on the classic bingo formula.

Differences Between Social and Real-Money Online Casinos

As most people know what a real-money online casino is but are uncertain about social casinos, here’s a quick comparison between the two to give you a better picture of what to expect from social casino gaming:

Social Casinos	Online Casinos
Anyone 18+ in the US can use	Legal only for people 21+ in select states
Uses fake virtual currency	Use real money
No real-money winnings	Real-money winnings
No purchase required; buying coins is optional	A deposit is required to play
Social elements like chats	Primarily focused on individual play
Diverse game libraries	Slightly more varied and more extensive game selection
Various free promotions	Most bonuses tied to deposits

What About Sweepstakes Casinos?

Whenever anyone talks about online social casinos, sweepstakes casinos are inevitably mentioned. These social casinos with sweepstakes elements allow players to redeem virtual currency for real-world prizes, usually real money or gift cards.

The way these work is the same as social casinos, but they also incorporate an additional virtual currency called sweep coins. These coins cannot be bought, and you can only obtain them for free through promotions or as a complimentary addition to gold coin packages. You can play casino games with them and redeem the winnings for real cash or gift cards.

This intricate model circumvents the rules of gambling yet offers a similar experience. Sweepstakes casinos are legal throughout the US, except in Washington, but there are still some restrictions in select states.

For many players, online sweepstakes casinos are a better option than standard social casinos or simply an upgraded one that allows them to actually win something tangible. This raises the stakes and makes the experience more enjoyable. However, it’s more akin to gambling, which is why it’s crucial to play responsibly in sweepstakes casinos.

FAQ

Are social casinos legal?

Yes, social casinos are entirely legal throughout the United States and available to anyone 18 or older.

Are social casinos safe?

You have nothing to worry about as long as you’re using reputable social casinos. If you plan to purchase coins to play, choosing a verified and safe site with prominent payment methods is even more crucial.

Can I win real money in social casinos?

No, you can’t. Social casinos operate with fake virtual currency that has no real value. If you’re using a social casino with sweepstakes elements, you can play with sweep coins, which are redeemable for real money.