Online casino gaming has been among the biggest and most lucrative industries worldwide for several years. This popularity, combined with diverse legal rules and regulations across the globe, has given rise to a pair of unique types of platforms — social and sweepstakes casinos.
The two are often lumped together because they are so different from traditional gaming platforms. Nevertheless, true casino aficionados know that they diverge in more ways than one. The following article sheds light on these discrepancies to help you choose the right option for your tastes and preferences.
Operational Models
The primary difference between social and sweepstakes casinos lies in the way they operate. Sweepstakes casinos adopted their business model from the no-purchase-necessary competitions popularized in the mid-20th century. At its core, the model allowed participation without a monetary investment, giving everyone the same opportunity to win rewards.
Social gaming sites run on a similar free-to-play operation model, hosting a range of casino games at no cost. However, unlike their sweepstakes counterparts, they don’t offer real rewards. Their main purpose is entertainment and socialization.
Bonuses and Promotions
Social and sweepstakes casinos both offer promotions, but the former might have the edge in their number and diversity. Their lack of real-world winning potential pushes social gaming brands to go one step beyond standard welcome and daily login incentives. Join the best ones, and you’ll enjoy:
- Refer a friend casino bonus offers, which reward those who recommend the platform to friends and get them to register.
- In-game promotions and gifts, which provide free spins, coin refills, win boosters, and other bonuses to encourage gameplay.
- Elaborate loyalty clubs, which grant exclusive bonuses, special game access, better limits, and other perks to the most active players.
- Social media giveaways, which offer various rewards to followers who complete specific tasks or quests.
Virtual Currencies
Because of their no-purchase-necessary operations, sweepstakes and social casinos work with virtual currencies. Sweepstakes usually feature two types of coins: Gold coins (GC) and Sweeps coins (SC). GC don’t have a monetary value outside the platform — they’re only a means for players to try their luck at casino games. On the other hand, SC can be exchanged for real rewards if the player meets specific rules.
Social casinos may work with one or more types of virtual currencies, but none of them carries the monetary value Sweeps coins do. You can only use them to play games or make in-game purchases.
Social Interaction
Social casinos are known to thrive on social interaction. If you’ve ever played in one, you would’ve noticed multiplayer titles, exciting leaderboards, and in-game chat features. Together, these elements are designed to help users connect, encourage their competitiveness, and motivate them to play.
While sweepstakes gaming brands also make an effort to foster a community spirit among players, they don’t put as much emphasis on it. Their main selling point is the potential to win real rewards through free-of-charge gaming experiences.
Conclusion
Though rarely highlighted, differences between sweepstakes and social casinos are pretty stark. Both host casino-style games for free, but the former focuses on reward-driven gaming and the latter on social interaction. If your goal is entertainment and community engagement, social casinos are the place to be. However, if you value winning real rewards more, sweepstakes might be a better choice.
