Best Sweepstakes and Social Casinos in Michigan
Unless they hold an MGCB license, sweeps casinos aren’t legally allowed to admit players from Michigan. And since very few operators do, good luck finding any decent sweepstakes casino in the state.
The only exceptions are pure social, like Vegas World, that are legal, as there is no money involved at all.
Are sweepstakes social casinos legal in Michigan?
Technically, they are not illegal. However, Michigan’s recent crackdown on sweepstakes platforms has resulted in many sweepstakes platforms leaving the state. Therefore, although not illegal, you won’t find many such casinos in Michigan in 2025.
Can I win real money playing at Michigan social sweepstakes casinos?
Unfortunately, no. Michigan sweepstakes casinos, although not illegal, need to be licensed by the MGCB to operate in the state. As a result, there are no sweepstakes casinos that offer cash prize redemptions.
Can I claim bonuses at Michigan sweepstakes casinos?
No, but you can claim free promos in the few social casinos that still hang around in Michigan. These include but are not limited to BetRivers, ZitoBox, and Fliff.
What is the difference between social and sweepstakes casinos?
Social casinos can only be played with GC for entertainment, while sweepstakes casinos let you redeem real money prizes. Michigan only has social casinos where you can play for free.
Michigan Sweepstakes Casinos in 2025
Michigan legalized online casinos in 2019, but it still prohibits all forms of unlicensed online gaming from operating within the state. Similarly, Michigan doesn’t look too kindly on unlicensed sweepstakes casinos, joining states like Washington State, Idaho, and Nevada in opposing the special status often granted to these gray area platforms.
Some social casinos like BetRivers or Gambino Slots are active, and you can play their casino-style games from Michigan. But you can only engage in free play and not redeem real cash prizes.
Online Gambling Legislation in Michigan
Let’s get down to business and break down the complex gambling legislation in Michigan.
The Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) oversees the state’s casino operations, enforcing strict regulations and licensing requirements for all operators. The MGCB has so far issued licenses for 20+ land-based casinos, several sports betting sites, DFS, and an array of online casinos.
The state has given the nod to large casino operators like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel but still maintains a zero-tolerance policy for good-quality online casinos not licensed under the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act.
The same rule applies to the Michigan sweepstakes casinos. While not expressly banned, they are lumped together with real-money online casinos and forced to apply for a license - something most don’t pursue. As a result, many of these casinos have left the state for good.
What Are Michigan Sweepstakes Casinos?
Sweepstakes or social casinos are platforms that resemble real money casino sites in many respects. They have the same casino-style games, similar or the same design, and comparable registration processes.
But where they differ is perhaps more important. In order to stay legal in well over 40 US states, they replace real money gaming in favor of their own set of in-house currencies like Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins. But Michigan views this as a distinction without a difference. Sweepstakes platforms are considered illegal if not licensed under the Michigan Gaming Control and Revenue Act.
And since none of them are, there are no sweepstakes casinos in Michigan that operate legally. Some social casinos are still up and running, but you can’t redeem cash prizes or gift cards from them. You can only play for pure entertainment.
Recent History of Sweepstakes Casinos in Michigan
In early 2024, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) issued cease and desist letters to several household owners of sweeps casinos like Sweepstakes Limited and VGW Luckyland Inc. Sniffing the danger, operators like Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots had seized their operations 6 months prior.
This 2024 crackdown is just the latest episode in Michigan’s complex history of digital gambling.
Michigan was a pioneer with the Michigan Lottery’s online ticket sales and is now one of the most regulated states for legal online gambling. It legalized charitable casino gaming as early as 2012 and officially allowed online casinos in 2019.
The gaming legislation in Michigan is largely a success story. In 2024, the total iGaming gross receipts amounted to $2.9bn, surpassing the previous year by more than 20%.
