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Ohio Sweepstakes Casinos

Author Author Thumbnail Cheryle Shepstone
Edited By Author Thumbnail Nicole Myslik
Updated: October 17, 2025
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    Social and sweepstakes casinos are legal in Ohio. The Buckeye State is one of 40+ US states that allow various types of sweepstakes.

    Ohio gaming regulations permit sweeps casinos and traditional sweepstakes contests to operate in the state. This guide to Ohio sweepstakes laws aims to clarify the types of sweepstakes that are legal in the state, as well as point Ohio players to the best sweeps casino sites available.

    Top sweepstakes casinos in Ohio for 2025

    âś… Our top picks of Ohio sweeps casinos

    While not all sweeps casino sites are legal in the Buckeye State, Ohio players do enjoy access to around 25 platforms that get the stamp of approval from our experts here at Sweepsy. 

    The U.S. market includes hundreds of sweepstakes casino sites, any of which can offer casino-style games, sports picks games, poker, and more. Not all sweeps casinos are created equal, however.

    Our team has thoroughly researched more than 100 sweepstakes casino sites. If you’re in Ohio, we recommend the following platforms:

    1. 🍀 LuckyLand Slots

    LuckyLand Slots is an excellent destination for sweepstakes casino players in OH. It features a small library of 120+ games, but it packs a punch with hot titles like Barn of Justice and The Godfather. New players receive a generous welcome bonus of 7,777 GC + 10 Free SC. Once you’re registered, you can start grabbing the daily login bonus and other promos.   

    • Welcome Bonus: New players can get 7,777 GC + 10 Free SC after signing up with no purchase required. 
    • Game Highlights: The casino features slot games from top developers like Pragmatic Play, with titles including Enchanted Elixirs, Crown of Fire, and LuckyLand 7s.  
    • Redemption: Sweeps Coins are eligible for redemption. The minimum balance for prizes is $50. 
    • Ohio access: LuckyLand Slots is available to play in Ohio.

    2. đź’“ Pulsz

    Pulsz Casino is one of the pioneers of the sweeps casino industry. Launched in 2020, Pulsz is one of the most well-known casino-style platforms operating in the U.S. Slots dominate the game menu at Pulsz, and you’ll find 673 total games available. If you’re looking for a particular slot title, you’ll very likely find it at Pulsz.

    • Welcome bonus: New users receive 5,000 GC + 2.3 Free SC after registering with no purchase required.
    • Game highlights: Find arcade-style games and a couple of traditional table games from industry titans like NetEnt, BGaming, 3 Oaks, Pragmatic Play, and many more.
    • Redemption: Sweeps Coins are eligible for redemption. Minimum of 10 SC for gift cards and $10 (eligible SC) for cash prizes. 
    • Ohio access: Pulsz is available to play in Ohio.

    3. 🍔 McLuck

    McLuck is a great spot for sweepstakes casino players in OH and elsewhere. You’ll find a stacked library of 1,681 games, including entertaining hits like Elvis Frog Trueways and Cowboy Coins. There’s a fantastic no-deposit bonus of 7,500 GC + 2.5 free SC for new players. Once you’re signed up, there are prize drops, daily login bonuses, and more to look forward to. 

    • Welcome Bonus: New players get 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC after registering. There is no purchase required to play. 
    • Game Highlights: The casino features games from top providers such as Booming Games and Playtech, with titles including Tiki Hut Megaways and Buffalo Blitz Live. 
    • Redemption: Sweeps Coins are eligible for redemption. A minimum balance of $10 (eligible SC) is required for gift cards, and 75 SC to redeem for cash prizes.  
    • Ohio access: McLuck Casino is available to play in Ohio.

    4. 🎇 WOW Vegas

    Since launching in 2023, Wow Vegas has garnered a well-earned reputation as one of the best all-around sweeps casinos available in the U.S. The game selection at Wow Vegas includes 2,317 titles. The software developers behind those titles include industry powerhouses like NetGaming, Evoplay, Pragmatic Play, Atomic Slot Lab, and many more.

    • Welcome bonus: New players get 250,000 WOW Coins and 5 SC as a sign up bonus with no purchase required. 
    • Game highlights: Wow Vegas includes 2,317 game titles from top software developers like NetGaming, Evoplay, Pragmatic Play, Atomic Slot Lab, and many more.
    • Redemption: Sweeps coins are eligible for redemption. A minimum balance of $25 SC is required for prizes. 
    • Ohio access: WOW Vegas is available to play in Ohio.

    5. đź‘‘ CrownCoins

    Crown Coins is one of the top rated sweepstakes casino sites in OH. There’s an awesome selection of 410 games, including popular titles such as Immortal Romance. New players receive 100,000 Crown Coins and 2.5 free SC as a no-deposit welcome bonus after registering. Once you’re signed up, there’s a daily login bonus, a VIP program, and more. 

    • Welcome bonus: New players get 100,000 Crown Coins and 2.5 SC as a sign up bonus with no purchase required. 
    • Game highlights: The casino features games from top developers like Hacksaw Gaming and RubyPlay, with popular titles including Gold Blitz and Immortal 5. 
    • Redemption: Sweeps coins are eligible for redemption. A minimum balance of $50 SC is required for prizes. 
    • Ohio access: Crown Coins is available to play in Ohio.

    📰 What’s happening now in Ohio

    • October 10, 2025: NoLimitCoins, Fortune Wheelz, and Tao Fortune (all operated by A1 Development) lower the minimum age from 21 to 18 in Ohio.
    • October 2, 2025: Ohio land-based casinos generated $89 million in revenue in August, according to reports from the Ohio Casino Control Commission.
      September 18, 2025: Baba Casino re-enters the Ohio market, along with five other states.
    • September 17, 2025: Vivaro.us announces it will exit the U.S. entirely, and Ohio players must redeem Sweeps Coins by September 30.
    • September 2, 2025: Pragmatic Play announces that it will exit the Ohio market, citing “regulatory developments and evolving legislation.”
    • August 22, 2025: Thrillz adds Ohio to its list of restricted states, effectively pulling its sweepstakes games out of the Ohio market.
    • July 31, 2025: Governor Mike DeWine asked the Ohio Casino Control Commission to remove certain prop bets from the betting products list, amid concerns linked to recent MLB investigations and threats involving former players.
    • July 27, 2025: Senate Bill 197, which aims to legalize online casino, iLottery, and horse-race wagering. The bill would grant licenses only to Ohio’s existing casinos and racinos, with high fees. Each operator would be required to pay $50 million initially, $5 million renewal, and tax rates between 36%–40% depending on operator structure.
    • July 25, 2025: At the Ohio State Fair, Gov. DeWine reiterated his opposition to iGaming expansion, stating, “I’m not for it,” and signaling potential veto consideration. The biggest hurdle is fear that it would enable 24/7 access that could fuel gambling addiction.
    • July 2, 2025: Ohio’s gambling industry posted strong May revenue results—retail casinos earned $91.6 million (up 8.4% YoY), and sportsbooks reached $88.8 million (up 31.7%, driven largely by online handle). Hollywood Columbus led with $25.8 million, Hard Rock Cincinnati generated $22.2 million, among other top performers.
    • May 2025 – Legislation: Senate Bill 197, introduced by Sen. Nathan Manning, proposes legalizing online casinos, iLottery, and parimutuel horse betting, with steep licensing and tax terms.
    • May 2025 – House Bill 298, introduced by Rep. Brian Stewart, would legalize iGaming but exclude sweepstakes, limit license availability to existing operators, impose a 28% tax, and demand licensing rollout by March 31, 2026. Sweepstakes‑style games would be explicitly banned—violations could be criminal.

    Yes. Sweepstakes casinos are legal in Ohio, as they fall under the broader category of sweepstakes gaming. In order to understand their historical place in Ohio, it’s important to first grasp how sweepstakes casinos work, and their legal positioning.

    The model that powers sweeps casinos is simple in form but muddled in legal standing. Sweeptake casinos offer two parallel currencies: a Gold Coin, which is a non-cashable currency to use for free play and a Sweeps Coin, obtained as a bonus when players buy the gold currency (or sometimes via other promotional giveaways). Importantly, sweeps coins can be redeemed for cash prizes while gold coins cannot. 

    Operators argue the arrangement makes their games bona fide sweepstakes (because people can play for free and no purchase is required to enter), which places them outside state gambling statutes and their licensing or regulatory regimes.

    Critics and many regulators counter that the sites are functionally online gambling products hiding behind the dual-currency system, which they see as a legal loophole.

    Sweepstake casino sites in Ohio operate under the premise of federal sweepstakes laws by default, as there is no state-specific statute governing sweepstakes contests. 

    To satisfy both federal and state sweepstakes laws, sponsors must offer ways for players to enter sweepstakes contetsts without having to purchase anything. Sweepstakes sponsors must clearly state a “no purchase or payment necessary” message to all potential participants.

    As this rule pertains to sweepstakes casinos, they must offer “alternative means of entry” (AMOE) that allow players to play in the Sweeps Coins games offered by the casino without being obligated to make a purchase or spend any money.

    All sweepstakes casinos offering games in Ohio must meet the AMOE requirement by offering at least some of the following methods of obtaining free Sweeps Coins:

    Sweeps Coins (SC) function as a virtual currency that players can use in the sweepstakes games at the casino. Players can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes, usually at a rate of 1 Sweeps Coin to 1 U.S. dollar.

    All sweepstakes casinos give players free Sweeps Coins as a gift/bonus with the purchase of Gold Coins (play money currency) packages. While Gold Coins/Sweeps Coins bundles are a great way to collect SC, you can always obtain SC for free using the AMOE methods listed above.

    You can find more details about the AMOE methods offered at a particular sweeps casino within that casino’s Sweepstakes Rules. The link to the sweepstakes rules page is usually found in the footer or side menu of the main lobby.

    All sweepstakes contests operating in Ohio (including sweeps casino websites) must clearly list the official rules of the contest.

    At sweepstakes casinos, the official rules are usually labeled as “Sweepstakes Rules” (or something similar) and found in the footer or side menu of the main lobby (when you’re logged into your account).

    The sweepstakes rules provide a detailed outline of how the Gold Coins/Sweeps Coins dual-currency system functions and how Sweeps Coins redemptions work. The sweepstakes rules will also inform players how to use any available alternative means of entry.

    Ohio sweepstakes laws don’t allow sweepstakes sponsors to promote a contest with the tactic of informing players that they’ve been “specially selected” to win something.

    In most states, the language around this restriction reads something like this:

    “Specially Selected means a representation that a person is a winner, a finalist, in first place or tied for first place, or otherwise among a limited group of persons with an enhanced likelihood of receiving a prize.”

    In other words, a sweepstakes sponsor can’t legally send any kind of communication that indicates that a player has already won a prize, and can claim that prize by following certain next steps, etc.

    A “sweepstakes sponsor” refers to the operator or administrator of a sweepstakes contest. As it relates to sweeps casinos, the sweepstakes sponsor is the casino itself (or the parent company of the casino).

    By Ohio sweepstakes law, a sweepstakes sponsor isn’t permitted to sell any kind of information that could give a player a perceived edge in the contest.

    🛫 Ohio sweeps casino departures

    With two sweepstakes-banning proposals currently making their way through Ohio legislative chambers, some sweeps casinos took proactive measures to voluntarily leave the state.

    Legendz Casino, Thrillz, and Baba Casino all exited the Buckeye State in 2025. Baba Casino re-entered the Ohio market, however, in September.

    The current legislative session for Ohio ends on December 31, 2025. The passage of a sweepstakes-banning bill would force all sweepstakes operators to exit Ohio, but for the foreseeable near-term future it looks like Ohio players will continue to enjoy access to many top sweeps casino platforms.

    Sweepstakes laws

    Ohio law does not specifically regulate online sweepstakes casinos, but it does have strict general sweepstakes laws.

    • All sweepstakes must offer a free, alternative means of entry so no purchase or payment is required to participate to avoid illegal lottery classification. 
    • The sweepstakes platform must clearly disclose the AMOE. 
    • Entrants using the free method must have an equal chance of winning as those who enter by making a purchase.
    • These requirements eliminate the “consideration” element that would otherwise make sweepstakes a lottery under state law.

    Official rules

    Sweepstakes sponsors must provide clear, comprehensive, and conspicuous official rules that include the following:

    • Eligibility requirements, such as age and residency.
    • Entry methods and deadlines.
    • Prize descriptions and approximate retail values.
    • Odds of winning each prize.
    • The sponsor’s legal name and address.
    • All material conditions to receive the prize.
    • The actual number of prizes to be awarded.
    • The date(s) when the final winner(s) will be determined.
    • A clear “No purchase or payment necessary” statement, or similar. 

    Additionally, these disclosures must appear conspicuously, like larger or contrasting type, and must be easily accessible for all users and potential participants.

    Specially selected

    Sweepstakes sponsors and operators are prohibited from falsely representing that a person has been “specially selected” to win a prize unless that is the case. This includes cases where the same message is sent to a wide audience, including language or techniques that suggest a recipient is a winner, finalist, or part of a limited group with an enhanced chance of winning.

    If more than 25% of recipients receive the same message from a sweepstakes claiming they are  “specially selected,” it’s considered deceptive, unless it’s an accurate representation and the number of recipients is disclosed. False claims of special treatment, urgency, or personal attention, unless it’s actually substantiated, are also illegal.

    Sweepstakes sponsor

    A sweepstakes sponsor falls under the following definition:

    • A person or entity that operates or administers a sweepstakes.
    • Or a person or entity that offers, by means of a notice, a prize to another person in conjunction with any real or purported sweepstakes that requires or allows, or creates the impression of requiring or allowing, the person to purchase any goods or services, or pay any money, as a condition of receiving, or in conjunction with allowing the person to receive, use, or obtain a prize or information about a prize.
    • A person or entity that furnishes a prize in connection with a sweepstakes operated or administered by someone else is not considered a sponsor.

    No-purchase-or-payment-necessary message

    All sweepstakes must offer an “alternative means of entry,” allowing players to enter without making any purchase or payment. This is a critical requirement to ensure sweepstakes casinos do not meet the legal definition of an illegal lottery, which Ohio law would prohibit. Sweepstakes casinos fulfill this obligation by offering the following free methods:

    Ohio sweepstakes at the federal level

    Sweepstakes casinos are currently available in 40+ states. Operators must comply with federal laws, plus any individual rules and regulations at the state level. At the federal level, sweepstakes casinos and contests must adhere to the following foundational rules:

    • A sweepstakes is defined as a promotion in which winners are chosen at random, not based on skill or merit.
    • It must award prizes by chance, not skill. 
    • Entering the contest cannot require a purchase or payment. 
    • Sweepstakes must offer a free, alternative means of entry so that anyone can participate without buying anything or paying a fee.
    • Official rules must be available and cannot change once the contest has begun.
    • Sweepstakes winnings of $5,000 or more are subject to a 24% estimated federal income tax.

    🧍Responsible gambling in Ohio

    Florida’s sweepstakes casinos offer an alternative to traditional online gambling. Responsible gaming practices still apply and should be followed at all times. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling-related issues, several confidential resources are available.

    Final thoughts

    Ohio hosts a bustling online sports betting economy, and land-based casino gaming is available in several areas throughout the state. Real-money online casinos probably aren’t coming to Ohio any time soon, however, despite the success of other forms of real-money gambling in the state.

    If you’re looking for casino-style games on safe and secure platforms in Ohio, sweepstakes casinos are your best bet. The status of sweepstakes gaming won’t likely change in the near future, and as such the Ohio sweeps casinos that we highlight in this article aren’t going anywhere.

    While not every sweeps casino operates in Ohio, the list of available platforms includes some of the very best, as rated by our experts here at Sweepsy.