Best of Pennsylvania’s sweepstakes casinos in 2025

Pennsylvania sweepstakes casinos don’t follow the same playbook as traditional online gambling sites – and that’s exactly why they’re available across the state. While licensed casinos are tightly regulated, these platforms use a promotional model that plays by different rules. On this page, you’ll find which sweepstakes sites are actually open to PA players, how they work, and what’s changing in 2025 that might shape where (and how) you play next.

Profile picture of Nemanja Manojlovic

Nemanja M.

Content Writer

Last updated

29 May 2025

Fresh picks: PA’s hottest sweeps casinos this June 2025

1
Crown coins casino logo on black background.

9.6

Rating by Jovan I.

Sweepcasinos Choice

100,00 Crown Coins + 2 SC

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2
Casino.click logo on a dark blue background.

9.1

Rating by Jerard V.

Welcome bonus

550K GC + 55 SC

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3
BC.game US Casino logo

8.3

Rating by Jerard V.

Welcome bonus

60 Free Spins + Up to 3 SC

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4
Fortune Coins logo with light purple background

8.1

Rating by Pavle D.

Welcome bonus

360,000 GC + 1,000 FC

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5
An image of Sportzino logo in a dark blue background

8.0

Rating by Nemanja M.

Welcome bonus

Up to 170,000 GC + 7 SC

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6
Zula casino's logo on a dark blue background

8.4

Rating by Jovan I.

Welcome bonus

120,000 GC + 10 SC

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7
An image of The Money Factory logo on a black background.

8.1

Rating by Jerard V.

Welcome bonus

15,000 GC + 3 SC

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8
Stake.us Logo

8.0

Rating by Jovan I.

Welcome bonus

550,000 GC + 55 SC

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9
Pulsz logo with black background

8.7

Rating by Nemanja M.

Welcome bonus

5,000 GC + 2.3 SC

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10
An image of MegaBonanza logo on a black background.

8.8

Rating by Jovan I.

Welcome bonus

7,500 GC + 2.5 SC

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🔎 What makes PA sweepstakes casinos legal

The state itself doesn’t license U.S. sweepstakes casinos, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’re banned. Instead, they’re very much allowed to operate as long as they follow two key rules written into state law.

As you will see, both of the rules don’t target you as a player – they’re focused on operators. So you won’t get in trouble for playing, but you should still stick to sites that follow the rules.

The Free Entry Rule

18 Pa. C.S. § 5512 – Makes it illegal to run an unlicensed lottery or chance-based game unless it’s authorized by the state.

The No-Lottery Loophole Rule

18 Pa. C.S. § 5513(a.1) – Targets any game that looks and plays like a casino slot but doesn’t offer a real, no-cost way to enter (e.g. sweepstakes cafés and similar setups).

What keeps sweepstakes sites legal in most U.S. states?

Judge iconWe break it all down – how the model works, what laws apply, and why free entry makes all the difference.

➡️ Why sweepstakes casinos are legal in the US

Pennsylvania nature cartoon drawn banner

What needs to line up before you play in PA

You don’t need much to get started, but there are two main things you need to be aware of:

  • You’ve got to be 18 or older. Not 21 like regular online casinos.
  • The sweeps operator needs to give you a real way to play without paying. Daily sweeps bonuses, promo offers, even old-school mail-ins — something’s got to be there.

💡 Side note: You can’t be buying your way into prizes. Paying for coins is fine. But the ones that can be cashed out? Those have to be handed out for free.

What PA law says about sweepstakes payouts

So you cashed out from a sweeps site – good for you! But it’s also pretty good for the state of Pennsylvania. If your prize has real-world value, the state expects you to treat it like income. Because nothing says “fun” like taxes.

Types of prizes you’ll need to report

If your winnings can be redeemed or used like cash, the state wants to know about it. That includes:

  • cash payouts (bank transfers, checks, PayPal, etc.)
  • gift cards or store credits
  • redeemable Sweeps Coins
  • prizes that combine cash and goods
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Tip: The moment your prize becomes “available” to you – not just when you withdraw it – it counts as income. So don’t wait for a payout to file.

The percentage you pay in taxes

If you win cash, redeemable coins, or gift cards from a sweepstakes casino and live in Pennsylvania, you’ll pay 3.07% on those winnings – the state’s flat personal income tax rate.

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Tip: Keep track of your wins and any entry costs throughout the year. Even small cash-outs can add up, and having proof makes tax time way easier. A simple spreadsheet or screenshot folder works just fine.

What the minimum threshold looks like

Unlike the IRS, Pennsylvania doesn’t have a minimum threshold for reporting sweepstakes or gambling winnings.

That means:

  • All taxable winnings count from dollar one – even if you only cash out $1 worth of Sweeps Coins.
  • The moment a prize becomes redeemable or spendable, it’s taxable income.
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Tip: Don’t assume small wins slide under the radar – they don’t. The Department of Revenue expects a full year’s total, no matter how many micro-payouts it took to get there. Keep records as you go so you’re not scrambling in April.

When a prize is actually free

Not everything gets taxed. You can ignore prizes you didn’t actively try to win,  like:

  • door prizes handed out without signup
  • freebies where you didn’t enter, pay, or take any action
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Watch out: If a platform requires you to like, comment, or share to enter – that counts as effort and could tip it into taxable territory.

Living in Pennsylvania? Then you’re always on the hook

If you live in PA, it doesn’t matter where you played – in-state, out-of-state, online – the moment you win something of value, it becomes taxable in Pennsylvania.

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Reminder: That includes sweepstakes wins from international platforms too – if you’re a PA resident, they count.

Not a PA resident? Here’s when you still have to report your winnings

If you don’t live in Pennsylvania, you still report sweepstakes or gambling wins if:

  • the promotion or event was run by a Pennsylvania-based operator
  • you played on a PA-hosted platform or entered while physically in the state
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Tip: If you traveled to PA and entered while here (even online), your winnings may count as Pennsylvania-source income.

How you file your winnings in PA

When tax season rolls around, use PA Schedule T to report your sweepstakes and gambling income (Here’s an example of what the form looked like in 2024).

  • if you win big, the casino might send you a W-2G form
  • but even without a form, you’re still responsible for reporting your prize

News: PA’s 2025 sweepstakes crackdown

In 2024 and early 2025, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) issued cease-and-desist letters to multiple unlicensed operators running online casino-style games in the state – especially those using sweepstakes-style mechanics without offering legitimate free-play options.

As a result, some sites have:

  • Quietly added PA to their list of excluded states,
  • Blocked access based on your location,
  • Or pulled out entirely.

If you hit a wall during signup, that’s probably why.

📎 Source: Yogonet International

Pennsylvania vs. neighboring states

See how PA’s sweepstakes laws stack up against neighboring states.

FAQs

Yes, you can legally play as long as the site follows Pennsylvania’s rules – like offering a free way to enter and not requiring you to pay for a chance to win real prizes.

No, you’re not at risk. The law targets unlicensed operators, not players. Just make sure you stick to sites that follow the state’s sweepstakes guidelines.

Yes, you can redeem cash prizes or gift cards as long as they came from free-entry options like daily bonuses or mail-ins – not from direct purchases.

You need to be at least 18 years old. That’s younger than the 21+ rule for regular online casinos in the state.

If you live in PA, your sweepstakes winnings – including cash, redeemable coins, or gift cards – are taxed at 3.07%. There’s no minimum threshold, so even small wins count and must be reported on your state taxes.

 

Other sources

  • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (2025). Gambling and lottery winnings. Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Link
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About the Author

Nemanja M.

Content Writer

Nemanja Manojlović – Could be described as a unique blend of bad puns, literary references, film quotes and fitness wisdom. He’s a bit of an odd package, yet more than good at his job, punctual and always willing to help, so the rest of the team lets his quirky humour slide – for now. He likes to research and loves the industry, so what is not to like about him? (Nemanja has been a writer for SweepCasinos since June 2024).