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If you’re on this page, the internet has probably already given you an inkling about social casinos in Canada. You’ve heard some interesting terms–Gold Coins, Sweeps Coins, casino-style slots, real money prizes…so what does it actually all mean?
In this guide, we’ll be covering all the need-to-know for those interested in kicking off their gameplay at these online entertainment sites for the first time. We’ll show you how they work, how they differ from actual casinos, and, of course, what our favorite sites are for those simply looking for the hottest sweeps in 2024.
Looking for an updated list of the best social casinos available online? Here are some of the best sites our experts have found for Canadian players looking for a quality sweeps experience!
The social casino market in Canada might not be as huge as the one in the US, but it doesn’t mean you don’t have any options. In this section, we showcase our three favorite sites and what they have to offer Canadian players!
If you’re for one of the biggest gaming libraries, you’ve found it. Whether you want slots, card games, live dealer…they’ve got it! At High5 Casino, you’ll get to socialize with other players via Discord, and you can even compete against them to land a spot on the leaderboards! Another of the most interesting features here is that you get to play with more than just SC and GC. Unlock most sites, here you also get a unique currency called Diamonds, which can be used to buy special game boosts and free spins!
Diamonds can be collected from the sign up offer, but you can also get them when you buy GC packages. With tons of great deals such as limited time offers and 20% off discounts, you could be collecting all three currencies rapidly. Turning to areas of improvement, it’s true that High5 could launch an actual promos page on their site. Right now, all you’ll find is some ads on the main page for ongoing offers. In addition, it would be nice if their customer chat feature was actually a live chat, but it’s just a way to submit a help request form.
WOW Vegas does well to keep up with High5 Casino in terms of their game library. You’ll have access to 900+ slots, but that’s only slots. So, we recommend it namely for slot fanatics. With the huge reel collection, you’ll be able to participate in plenty of free ongoing promotions too. When we signed up, we saw over 25 different free offers, including daily races, tournaments, spin to win promos, and more.
You automatically get enrolled into their VIP program as a “Rising Star.” Leveling up to collect rewards is simply a matter of SC gameplay. Although you can only unlock the community player chat when you hit the Bronze level, at least you get to claim a free easy login bonus everyday from the start! Moreover, if you’re trying to get your hands on more coins, WOW Vegas is known for handing out awesome first purchase offers to new players. They’re ideal for value-for-money GC packages, which are great for loading up on credits without spending a lot!
One of the best things about Fortune Coins is that they take their welcome bonus seriously. Just by completing a series of easy steps like signing up, verifying your phone number, and consenting to notifications, you’ll collect up to a whopping 630,000 GC and 1,000 FC! Sign up through our site’s direct links, and you can add a nice bonus on top of that!
The coins don’t stop rolling in thanks to the 3-Day Bonus Bash promo, which is one of the most generous daily login bonus streak bonuses we’ve seen. Other aspects we love about this site is that fact that your SC stay active for 120 days, which is great next to the 60 day average. Moreover, Fortune Coins does a great job giving players access to a full knowledge base to help you learn about the site.
On the other hand, we noticed that the game selection seems to be a bit smaller than the site advertises for, and you won’t find as many games as you would at the other top sites. Also, we noticed that the exchange rate is 100 SC = 1 USD, which makes reaching the minimum redemption amount seem like a much slower process. Though with a 1x playthrough and cash prizes as low as $50, we think it balances out.
If you’re new to the scene, you might be tangled up in the lingo used in the social casino world. Let’s break it down quickly:
These are online sites where you can play casino-style games 100% for free. They are designed to incorporate some form of socializing while you play. Think chat features to hang out online with friends and other players, friendly races and competitions, leaderboards, etc.
Sweeps casinos are similar to social casinos in that they also offer free casino-style gameplay. The difference is that at a sweeps casino, players can exchange their Sweeps Coins for real prizes, which is often real money. So they run on a “sweepstakes model,” and they don’t need to involve the social features that a social casino does.
A social sweeps casino is clearly a hybrid term being used. You see, many sweeps casinos these days are actually social casinos too, as they mix both the social and sweeps elements together. That’s why when players search for social casinos online, they quickly come across sweepstakes casino sites.
Real money casinos are exactly what they sound like: true casinos that involve real money investment and gambling. Think of the likes of the famous Las Vegas strip, but online. You buy in to play, and you might lose it all, or you might walk away with real money payouts.
The main difference between social/sweeps casinos and real casinos is that you do not need to use real money to play the games at social casinos like you do at real money casinos. Since the end goal of Canadian social casinos is to enjoy free casino-style gameplay with an online player community, players get to play with free virtual coins. We’ll discuss how these coins work in a bit.
Since social casinos and sweeps casinos use fake virtual currencies, they don’t technically count as real casinos. This makes them perfectly legal in many jurisdictions in Canada and the US. Unlike true gambling casinos or even the best betting sites in Canada, you don’t need to check for legal gambling licenses or anything of that sort. They aren’t real casinos, period. The only thing to double check is that your specific social casino is legal where you are playing from, as this can vary.
There are a couple main reasons why you might go for a social casino rather than a real money casino:
Signing up at a sweepstakes casino is easier than you think. Knowing if you’re eligible to sign up as a player is easy too. If it’s your first time, this is what you can expect at most sites:
How do you know if you’re eligible to play at a social casino?
When you first sign up, it will often become immediately clear if you can sign up on the site or not. Some sites might automatically block you from accessing the sign up form if you are from a restricted area. Other sites will show you at some point in the sign up stages if your region is actually available or not.
If you’ve ever played at a real casino before, the social casino games found at sweeps sites will be very comparable. If you haven’t, we’ll run through what you can expect from your online gameplay.
Slots are hands down the dominant type of social casino games. They are pretty simple in concept. You choose the size of your wager, you spin the reels, and you see what winning combinations you land. Some are simple and resemble old-fashioned slot machine games, while others could involve more modern gaming features. We’re talking expanding reels, special bonus rounds, tumbling and cascading reels, progressive jackpots, etc. These are features that you couldn’t get as easily if you were playing on a physical slot machine.
Social casinos also sometimes offer players the chance to play other traditional casino classics. Think poker, blackjack, roulette, baccarat…They usually are far less common compared to slots, but it’s certainly not impossible to find sites with these kinds of games. Another fun aspect of table games is that some sweeps sites go extra measures to offer their players live versions. This means playing with a live dealer to get that casino-like feel.
Arcade games are great for those who might get bored with the classics and are looking for something a bit more modern. Some sites offer crash games, plinko, dice, keno, etc. Similar to table games, they aren’t as plentiful as slots, but they can be found if you know where to look.
We mentioned earlier that social casinos don’t operate on real cash. Instead, you play with two main virtual currencies, typically called Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins, or Sweeps Coins for short. You’ll find these currencies abbreviated on sites as GC or SC. Let’s summarize the differences and similarities between these coins in a chart:
Gold Coins (GC) | Sweepstakes Coins (SC) | Tips | |
---|---|---|---|
Abbreviation | GC | Sweeps Coins, SC | Some sites might have a unique name for their GC or SC, but they function the same. |
What are they for? | Standard gameplay only | Standard gameplay and prize redemptions | Play with GC to practice games first. SC are rewarded in smaller quantities, so use them wisely. |
Do they have real value? | No, this is a virtual currency with zero monetary value | No, this is a virtual currency with zero monetary value | Eligible SC can be exchanged later for real money prizes. But that doesn’t mean you can withdraw your SC for real money. |
Can you buy them? | Yes | No | You can’t buy SC, but they aren’t often thrown in for free with a GC purchase. |
You will always need GC or SC to play on any social casino site. To get you on the right track, here’s a list of key ways to claim free Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins.
This is the first way you’ll land a good amount of GC and SC. If sites claiming to be social casinos didn’t offer a free coin package to begin with, they’d be hard-pressed to find users who stay on the site. Fortunately, welcome bonuses tend to be very generous, and they are often more than enough to let you start exploring several games.
Many social casinos have a page full of offers, or at the very least some ads showcasing the current ones. There are plenty of free ways to claim more coins, such as competitions, tournaments, and leaderboards. There are also simple tasks like connecting your social media accounts.
It’s not mandatory, but one of the simplest ways to get more GC and SC is to buy a GC package. Many sites offer a huge range of packages to choose from, whether you’re looking to spend less than $5 or more than $100. The great news is that these packages will throw in sums of free SC as a bonus.
Sharing your favorite sweeps sites is a great way to get more free GC and SC. Each site tends to have it’s own referral program rules. Some reward you if your friends simply sign up. Others require them to sign up AND make a minimum purchase.
A common promotion is called AMOE. It stands for Alternative Method of Entry. It typically involves sending a handwritten postcard to the company to get a small amount of free SC. You’ll find the specific instructions on their webpage.
Social casinos will usually ask if you want to join their mailing lists via email or text. This is a great way to receive exclusive offers, and also just to be notified of anything new.
For those hoping to walk away with real prizes, especially cash ones, it’s critical to understand the redemption process as a whole. Remember, there is no such thing as a “payout.” You can’t just collect SC and withdraw them as real cash. Instead, you’ll have to redeem your eligible SC.
IMPORTANT: Before you make a prize redemption request, be sure to fully verify your account. Only verified players are eligible for real prizes.
Every social casino has their own unique KYC process. The good news is that they are in general very similar and easy to follow. Before starting the process on any site, we recommend having the following prepared:
If you have these things prepared in advance, verifying your account will be easy. And if you don’t have a smartphone, don’t worry. There are usually alternative ways to upload your photos.
Once your account is verified, you’ll need to understand the basic rules of redeeming your SC:
This is how many times you have to play with your SC to make them eligible for redemption. The average is 1x at social casinos.
Example: If you get 25 SC from a welcome bonus, odds are these aren’t yet considered ‘eligible SC.’ You’ll have to play the 25 SC at least one time in a game (in SC mode). Then if you win more SC during gameplay, these SC are considered eligible.
This is the minimum amount of eligible SC you need to collect before you can request a redemption. The average is 100 SC minimum for cash prizes, or 10 SC for gift cards.
Example: If you only have 90 eligible SC, but the minimum is 100 SC, you’ll have to win more SC in SC game mode before making a request. Usually you won’t even be able to place the request at all until you hit the minimum.
This is how much each eligible SC is worth for exchange. The average is 1 SC = 1 USD.
Example: If the exchange rate at your social casino is 1 to 1, and the minimum redemption limit is 100 SC for cash prizes, that means you’ll get $100 USD in exchange for 100 eligible SC. Always double check the rate, as it’s not always 1 to 1.
These are the methods you can receive your prize (i.e. gift card, bank transfer, crypto, etc.) The most common methods are ACH bank transfers and gift cards.
Example: Gift cards are usually sent in digital form to your email. ACH bank transfers involve your prize being sent directly to your bank account.
Example: Gift cards are often sent instantly within the same day. Bank transfers could take up to 10 days.
Once you know you’ve satisfied the playthrough requirements and have accumulated enough eligible SC, placing a request is usually straightforward.
As a general rule of thumb, no news is good news. You should get your prize within the expected time frame given to you. If you’re trying to redeem a very large sum (e.g. over $2000) there might be an additional verification check involved, so be prepared. Fortunately, the customer support team will be quick to alert you if anything else is required to process your request.
Our social casino comparison rankings reflect the best casinos available in Canada according to our team of experts. We equip you with the required knowledge and understanding to separate the well-oiled sweeps sites from the rustier ones. Back that up with our brand-specific social casino reviews, we are confident that you will find the best Canadian social casino in no time.
First aspect we look at is the reliability of a brand. Here at Betting.net we only review and recommend reputable and top-tier social casinos. However in case a completely new social casino emerges on the block, our experts are ready to put the platforms to the test.
Whether you’re playing at real casinos, sweeps casinos, social casinos, or even Canadian hockey betting sites, you want a selection that suits your main preferences, and perhaps even persuades you to expand your gaming horizon. Game libraries can be evaluated based on various factors, including:
The more boxes a site’s game selection ticks, the more likely you’ll want to keep playing on that site long-term!
Apart from free gameplay, one of the main reasons players choose social sweepstakes casinos is because you stand a chance to get your hands on real prizes. The most popular prize of course is money. Remember, this is not the same as a real casino payout. You never win any actual money from playing games; you only win more virtual coins. And if you play with Sweepstakes Coins and win, you’ll eventually get to exchange these for cash prizes. In this case, it’s important to watch out for the factors we discussed earlier: playthrough requirement, minimum redemption limit, exchange rate, payment methods, and processing time.
Effective functionality and fluidity can take your gaming experience to a different level and it is often overlooked. Our experts consider site usability, as well as aesthetics, to determine an operator rating. Furthermore, we also highly recommend operators with mobile-compatible sites. This could be in the form of official social casino apps on iOS or Android, similar to that of the best sports betting apps in Canada, or it might just be fully optimized web browser versions.
Unfortunately, every service comes with its flaws and there may be a day that you will need some assistance from your operator. Our team of experts tests the operator’s customer support team to determine if they are fast, reliable, and effective.
Just as we would conduct real reviews on Canadian sports betting and their main sites for places where they’re legal, we also do the legwork for the best social casinos for those who don’t have access to the former.
The internet has gifted the world endless opportunities and convenience, but it has also created an environment for scammers. It is essential that you use the official link when you sign up at a site. Our links will always direct you to the real site. And if you’re thinking about downloading an app, be sure to source it directly from the main site when possible.
Social casinos are completely free, so if you find yourself torn between a couple sites, just sign up for both! Then you can decide on your personal experience which one you like more, or if you actually like both.
Most online social casinos will offer a free welcome package of GC and SC if you sign up. However, sometimes you might find an even better deal by browsing review sites like ours. We have exclusive codes as well as extra benefits just by using our links! So always compare the available deals first before signing up.
Canadian social casinos generally offer their customers free daily login bonuses, the chance to spin bonus wheels, or some other easy way to claim more free virtual coins. Even if you aren’t playing everyday, these offers are a great way to stock up on tokens.
Canadian social casinos use use free credits or tokens, but you might spend some money at some point buying more credits. It’s never mandatory to spend, but if you do, be sure to keep an eye on how much you do. Some sites offer handy tools to keep track of your transactions and place limits on your account to help you.
When it comes to social casinos in Canada, it is all about having fun online with other players without spending a single cent. Many social casinos today are also sweepstakes casinos, which blend social gaming with the chance to claim real money prizes. Altogether, that means rewarding and dynamic casino-style free play, without the pressures of the gambling experience you’d find at true online casinos!
Of course, finding the perfect sweeps site takes time. That’s where our handy social casino site reviews come in handy. Paired with this guide on social casinos in Canada, you’ll be signed up to a great site in no time. Explore a generous collection of slot games, table games, arcade games and more at our favorite sites, as well as equally generous sign up offers and promotions!
Finding a Canadian social casino can be overwhelming at first, and we do not want you to be put off the scene because you can not find what you are looking for. So whether you are looking for a great social casino or the best online betting site Canada has to offer, Betting.net has got you covered. Stay tuned for all our reviews to help you find the best operator for you.
Canadian social casinos only accept real money if you’re buying Gold Coin packages, the main virtual playing currency. They will not, however, accept real cash to play the games. Only Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins can be used to play the games.
The games offered at Canadian social casinos will vary by site. Expect slots to be the most prominent game category. Only the best online social casinos will offer alternative options, such as card games, arcade games, and live casino games.
No. While both the US and Canada are countries that allow sweepstakes casinos to operate, it always varies by state and jurisdiction.
You can only win Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins through gameplay at social casinos in Canada. Though, if you win SC during gameplay, you can often exchange those for real money prizes. Make sure you understand the redemption rules, such as the playthrough and minimum redemption limit, before you try to claim a prize.
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