New York continues to take a tough stance against sweepstakes casinos.
With legislation already in the works to ban sweepstakes, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on June 6th that her office has ceased operations of 26 sweepstakes casino operators within the state.
Of course, this leaves players with questions about where they can play online casino games in New York. With New York targeting sweepstakes casinos, social casinos, which are for entertainment purposes only and don’t allow prize redemptions, are still available.
Here are four social casinos to consider amid the sweepstakes casino New York crackdown:
BetRivers.NET
BetRivers is among the popular gambling brands, and its social casino site lives up to the expectations that come with such a recognizable name. It’s available to those in New York, along with 46 other US states, and new players receive a no-deposit bonus of 20 VC$ Virtual Credits (VC$).
BetRivers.NET boasts over 1,000 games for players to enjoy, from classic slots to table games to Megaways. One of the site’s rare features is its 21 live casino games from Evolution, which aren’t typical at social casinos. So it’s definitely the place if you’re looking to get as close to a true Las Vegas experience as possible.
BetRivers.NET also partners with some of the biggest software providers around, including Pragmatic Play, Konami, and NetEnt. All in all, you can dive into the libraries of over 20 providers, a high number for a social casino.
Ultimately, with its wide array of sites to pull from, BetRivers.NET has created an experience that feels as close as possible to the real thing and makes it one of the best social casinos out there.
BetRivers.NET summary
- Number of games — 1,042
- Welcome bonus — Free 20 VC$ of credits
- Great for — Live casino games
Fortune Wins
Fortune Wins operates as a sweepstakes casino in 45 states, but in New York, players can only use GC to play games and aren’t eligible for promotional play, essentially making it a social casino in the state.
While New York players might not get the full benefits of Fortune Wins, there’s still a lot to enjoy. Firstly, a game library of over 1,500 that dwarfs the other options on this list. The library is predominantly made up of slots, and comes from 22 software providers. Fortune Wins also boasts 50+ in-house games.
Fortune Wins is also one of the few social/sweepstakes casinos to offer fish table games, and also produced the industry’s first multiplayer version. The exclusive fish game, Emily’s Treasure, is a particular standout.
Overall, Fortune Wins is a great destination for those looking for a wide variety of games, fun exclusives, and regular and rewarding promotions.
Fortune Wins summary
- Number of games — 1,500+
- Welcome bonus — Up to 650,000 GC
- Great for — Fish games
Chumba
Another VGW site, Chumba launched in 2012 as one of the first sweepstakes casinos in the US and now boasts over a million users. Those in New York can use GC to dive into over 200 games from the likes of NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming, and Pragmatic Play.
Not only that, but Chumba has an impressive variety of themes and game types. In addition to the expected slots, the site offers players video poker, progressive jackpots, and solitaire. There are also multiple blackjack and roulette table games to enjoy.
With all those games to choose from, it’s great that Chumba is generous with its coins. You get 2,000,000 GC on sign-up, and a daily credit of 200,000. While I’d have liked to see a VIP program, Chumba makes up for that absence with on-site tournaments and social media contests.
When you’re on the site, you quickly understand why Chumba has built up such a large user base, and it should be a top pick for those in New York looking for a complete social casino experience.
Chumba summary
- Number of games — 200+
- Welcome bonus — 2,000,000 GC
- Great for — Bonuses
Global Poker
VGW’s other major brand, Global Poker, has been around since 2016. It operates in 46 US states, with New York, Idaho, and Delaware the three locations where only GC play is permitted.
Global Poker is, of course, a poker-first site with casino games as the cherry on top. Newcomers to the site will receive a one-time no-deposit offer of 5,000 GC, and can top up the coins with a progressive daily login bonus that starts at 1,000 GC and tops out at 2,500 Gold Coins on the seventh consecutive day you sign in.
The site offers up Texas Hold ’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Crazy Pineapple in a variety of different tournaments and ring games. Multi-tabling is also available, so you can play at a variety of tables at the same time.
Even though poker is the main attraction, if you need a change of pace, there are 54 slots, eight jackpots, and four table games from providers like Pragmatic Play. Overall, Global Poker is a leading name for poker-specific social casinos and is a great choice for amateurs and seasoned veterans alike.
Global Poker summary
- Number of games — 11 poker, 58 casino
- Welcome bonus — 5,000 GC
- Great for — Poker
