Best sweepstakes & social casinos in Wisconsin for 2024

Are sweepstakes casinos in Wisconsin legal?

Sweepstakes casinos operate under the sweepstakes model, making them legal. This model involves free-to-play games, differentiating them from traditional online casinos.

In regular online casinos, players must use real money to gamble and play games. Sweepstakes casinos replace money with free virtual currencies that players obtain through casino bonus or winnings.

That allows players to play for free, using only virtual coins. However, they have the option to purchase more virtual coins if they need them. The crucial element is that there is no mandatory payment in sweepstakes casinos. What makes them so popular among players in Wisconsin is that these virtual coins are often redeemable for gift cards, cash, and other rewards.

Wisconsin sweeps gambling illegalities

Players and sweepstakes casinos must follow the sweepstakes model and other Wisconsin sweepstakes laws to avoid legal issues. Depending on their gambling laws, different states restrict sweepstakes casinos slightly differently. WI sweepstakes casinos must fulfill two requirements to avoid legal problems: a free-to-play model and chance.

Sweepstakes casinos must be free to play. That is how they differ from traditional online casinos. A casino breaks the sweepstakes model if it obligates players to pay to play games. Players must be able to play games for free using virtual currencies (Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins) they obtain through bonuses and promotions.

Chance is another critical factor in sweepstakes gambling. Sweepstakes gambling is casino-like gambling that lets players play games without mandatory payments.

Moreover, sweepstakes casinos select every prize winner randomly. The Wisconsin law forbids sweepstakes gambling from selecting winners by their skills.

Since sweepstakes gambling is legal in Wisconsin, the state doesn’t prohibit any sweepstakes casino.

Legalities of sweepstakes in Wisconsin and other states

Wisconsin permits several types of gambling, including sports betting, licensed bingo, raffles, horse race betting, and pari-mutuel betting. However, a game involving prizes, chance, and consideration is illegal under Wisconsin Law. Therefore, sweepstakes casinos must clearly display the “No Purchase Necessary” message.

Similarly to Wisconsin, Minnesota also allows bingo, raffles, pari-mutuel horse race betting, and licensed charitable gambling. Moreover, Minnesota permits sweepstakes casinos to operate if they follow the sweepstakes model.

In fact, all of Wisconsin’s neighboring states (Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois) allow sweepstakes gambling. However, due to some loopholes in Illinois law, Illinois doesn’t tax the winnings from sweepstakes gambling.

Unlike neighboring states, Michigan is one of six states that have legalized online casinos for players over 21. That includes online casino games like slots, poker, roulette, etc. On the other hand, Illinois and Iowa have legalized riverboat casinos and horse racing.

Thus, besides Michigan’s legal online gambling, Wisconsin’s law on gambling is very similar to those of its neighboring states.

Governing laws of Wisconsin’s sweeps gambling

The following organizations regulate and govern sweepstakes gambling nationwide:

• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• United States Postal Service (USPS)
• United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

Besides the nationwide laws, state-specific laws regulated sweepstakes casinos and gambling. Many states use the Dominant Factor Doctrine to ensure sweepstakes casinos follow the sweepstakes model and choose winners by chance.

Wisconsin Criminal Code (945.01) deals with the legalities and illegalities of different gambling types. Thus, licensed horse and dog racing, on-track pari-mutuel betting, licensed bingo and raffles, and crane games are legal in Wisconsin. On the other hand, the state prohibits off-track betting, casino gambling, and dealing in gambling devices.

WI sweepstakes casinos game variety 🎲

Since casino gambling is popular in Wisconsin yet against the state law, players turn to the legal option—sweepstakes casinos.

To fully enjoy the legal casino-like experience, players should opt for casinos that offer various casino games, such as roulette, poker online, slots, baccarat, blackjack, dice games, keno, lottery games, etc. We’ll cover some of the most played and exciting game types for Wisconsin players.

Baccarat games

Baccarat games are highly sought-after in Wisconsin sweepstakes casinos due to their exciting gameplay. Baccarat is a card game where the dealer deals two hands: one for the player and another for the banker. Players place bets on a hand they think has a higher value. In baccarat, face cards (kings, queens, and jacks) are worth ten points, number cards have their face value, and tens are worth nothing.

Baccarat is prevalent in many sweepstakes casinos like BetRivers.net, Stake.us, and others. To enjoy the baccarat experience fully, try finding a sweepstakes casino that offers many popular baccarat titles, such as Wall Street Baccarat, 3D Baccarat, and Punto Banco.

Blackjack games

Blackjack is one of the most popular games nationwide, especially throughout Wisconsin. It’s a card game where players and the dealer get a hand. The goal is to have the card sum closer to 21 than the dealer. If a player’s hand exceeds 21, they lose. Face cards are worth ten points, while aces can be worth one or 11, depending on the hand.

You can find online blackjack games in almost all sweepstakes casinos in Wisconsin, including Bally casino, Sweeptastic, Gama casino, and Caesars Slots. Wisconsin’s most popular titles include European Blackjack, Multihand Blackjack, and Black Gold.

Keno games

Keno is one of the most exciting lottery-style games in Wisconsin. It has a simple gameplay that appeals to players. Players select several digits from 1–20. Then, the randomly drawn numbers are the winning ones. The winnings depend on how much a player’s numbers match the winning numbers.

Some popular keno game titles include Hexa Keno, Five Time Pay Delux, Wild West, and Super Ball Keno. Keno players can enjoy their favorite games in numerous sweepstakes casinos, like Sweepslots, ZitoBox, and Websweeps.

Find the best legal sweepstakes casinos in Wisconsin

Finding Wisconsin’s best legal sweepstakes casino sites can be long and potentially dangerous. If you accidentally pick a shady sweepstakes casino, you risk someone stealing your confidential data. Therefore, consider all the factors before making a decision.

These are the critical factors you must pay attention to when picking a WI sweepstakes casino:

• Legality and regulation – Always verify the legitimacy of a sweepstakes casino. Check the regulatory bodies that authorized its operating licenses in your jurisdiction. If reputable authorities regulate the sweep coin casino, it’s likely legitimate and safe. 
• Security measures – Many sweepstakes casinos require personal information when creating an account. If a particular casino site doesn’t have data encryption and other security measures, your data is at risk of theft. 
• User experience – While some sweep coin casinos may seem legitimate initially, they may have underlying issues that can ruin the casino-like experience. Therefore, find user reviews of that sweepstakes casino and check the other users’ experiences. 
• Game variety – A lack of game options can quickly lead to repetitiveness and boredom. Thus, find sweepstakes casinos that offer plenty of game options and titles to keep it diverse and entertaining. 
• Responsible gambling policies – A positive gambling experience depends on these policies, which include tools that allow players to set daily spending limits. Moreover, they provide resources on gambling issues and addiction. 
• Customer support – This feature is crucial when you need help on your sweepstakes casino site. If you face an issue you can’t resolve, a customer support option to help you fix it is essential. The more customer support channels the casino offers, the better.

Sources

• Humphrey, C. (2007, Sept 30). State Gambling Law Summary. Gambling Law US.
• Contests, Sweepstakes and Sales Promotions. Wisconsin Department of Administration.
• Common Questions Regarding Raffles. State of Wisconsin Department of Administration.
• The Evolution of Legalized Gambling in Wisconsin. USCourts.
• Office of Charitable Gaming. State of Wisconsin Department of Administration.