So what casino was the first to offer online social gambling? Slotomania, which launched back in 2010, is attributed as being the first site to offer this low-risk alternative to traditional online gambling.
Fast-forward to the present day, and there are more social casinos than you can shake a stick at. That’s where I can step in as the expert to help you find the best ones. Right now, the sweepstakes casino that I enjoy the most is Stake.us, where you can get an exclusive welcome offer with the promo code ‘CHAMPIONS’.
Pros and cons of social gambling
Before I answer the question of what casino was the first to offer online social gambling, here is my summary of the main pros and cons of the practice:
- Free to play
- Less risk than traditional gambling
- Legal in more locations
- Social element
A brief history of social gambling
So
what are social casino games? Basically, they are similar to regular online casino games, only that you play them with virtual currency as opposed to real money.
This means that the focus is more on entertainment and socialised fun than any form of gambling. As you are playing with virtual currency, no real money gambling takes place at a social online casino.
Can you win real money from social gambling?
When playing games at a social casino, you can only use virtual currency, so you can never wager or win real money directly from gameplay. However, on some social gaming sites, called “Sweepstakes” casinos, you can redeem real money prizes when you win. You can find out exactly
what is a sweepstakes casino
in my article here.
What casino was the first to offer online social gambling?
From my extensive research, I have managed to identify Slotomania as the first online casino to offer social gambling. It set the precedent for a more accessible and safer alternative to traditional online gambling, the model of which was taken and developed by the top five current sites that I have listed below.
The top five social casino sites in 2024
Now that I have answered the question “what casino was the first to offer online social gambling?” here’s a look at the top five sites right now in 2024:
| Social gambling site | Welcome offer |
| Stake.us | $25 no deposit, 250k GC + 5% rakeback |
| Sweeptastic | 27,777 LC + 2 SC |
| Golden Hearts Games | Spend $10 get 6,250 free SC |
| Fortune Coins | UP to 360k GC + 1,000 FC |
| Chumba Casino | 2m GC + 2 SC |
Stake.us
Try sweeps gaming at Stake.us
Stake.us slot games
Stake.us Pros & Cons
- Exclusive welcome offer
- 400+ games
- Original games
- Real money prizes
This is my favourite social casino of modern times thanks to its original provably fair games and exclusive welcome offer. You can get $25 no deposit, 250,000 GC and 5% rakeback with the promo code ‘CHAMPIONS’.
$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Stake.us Highlights
- Amazing Stake Originals
- Great community
- Fantastic VIP program
Sweeptastic
Experience fun sweeps gaming at Sweeptastic
Sweeptastic casino games
Sweeptastic Pros & Cons
- 1,000+ games
- Free welcome offer
- Save up to 100% on first purchase
- Good VIP program
Sweeptastic is currently the biggest social gambling site on the market with 1,000+ games. As a new player, you can get up to 27,777 Lucky Coins and 2 free SC when you sign up.
33 SC FREE and 67,777 Lucky Coins
Sweeptastic Highlights
- 100+ casino games
- Redeem real money prizes from your Sweeps Coins
- Ongoing offers
Golden Hearts Games
Check out Golden Hearts Games sweeps casino
Golden Hearts Games slots
Golden Hearts Games Pros & Cons
- Charity donations
- Large number of SC with 1st purchase
- Fun games
- Cash prizes
What makes this social casino stand out for me is the fact that it is charity-based. 2% of all your purchases on the site are donated to a charity of your choice. On your first purchase of $10 or more, you will get 6,250 free SC.
250,000 Gold Coins + 500 FREE Sweeps Coins & First Purchase 1,750,000 Gold Coins + 12,500 Sweeps Coins for $9.99
Golden Hearts Games Highlights
- Possibility to fund charity
- Easy-to-use website
- Wide availability
Play casino games. Win Sweeps Coins. Redeem for cash! Use this link to get: Sign-up bonus: 250,000 Gold Coins + 3,000 FREE Sweeps Coins! No purchase necessary. U.S. residents only. 18+.
Fortune Coins
Get rewards when you sign up for Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins casino mobile
Fortune Coins Pros & Cons
- Progressive jackpot slots
- Fish table games
- Massive welcome offer
- Multiple offers
This is one of the only social gambling sites that I have found with progressive jackpot slots. These games have a prize pot that grows every time someone plays the game. On top of that, Fortune Coins has one of the largest welcome offers that I’ve seen.
Claim Your Free 650,000 Gold Coins & 1,400 Fortune Coins
Fortune Coins Highlights
- Welcome bonus
- Fish-based games
- Famous slots
Chumba Casino
Try sweeps gaming at Chumba Casino
Redeem free coins at Chumba Casino
Chumba Casino Pros & Cons
- One of the original social casinos
- Solid welcome offer
- Great game selection
- Social casino app
Originally, this casino was my answer to the question “what casino was the first to offer online social gambling?” However, it is just the oldest social casino on this list and is still one of the best.
What casino was the first to offer online social gambling? My conclusion
Slotomania was the first site to offer what we now call social gambling. However, the concept has moved on since then, and many great sites have added innovations to the concept. None more so, in my opinion, than Stake.us, which was the first site to develop original games using provably fair technology. As a final reminder, you can get an exclusive $25 no deposit bonus with 250k GC and 5% rakeback at Stake.us with this promo code:
CHAMPIONS.
Sweepstakes casinos worthy of your play
1.
$55 Stake Cash + 260K Gold Coins + 5% Rakeback
Players from United States of America accepted
Requirements (WR): 3x
2.
27.5 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus
3.
35 SC FREE and 1.75M WOW Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
Requirements (WR): 1x Bonus, Min. Deposit: 9.99
4.
25 SC FREE and 57.5K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
5.
Purchase Offer: 20 SC FREE and 100K Gold Coins
Players from United States of America accepted
Min. Deposit: 20
What casino was the first to offer online social gambling FAQ
🎰 What is an online social casino?
An online social casino is a platform where you can play casino-style games for fun using virtual coins instead of real money. You can find out more about
how sweepstakes work
here at GameChampions.com.
🥇 What was the first social casino?
The first social casino was Slotomania, which launched in 2010. Now, there are many social casino sites across the world, and you can find the best ones here in my article. One of my top-rated sites is Stake.us, where you can claim an exclusive $25 no deposit bonus with 250k GC and 5% rakeback using the code: CHAMPIONS.
🃏 Are social casinos the same as real casinos?
At social casinos, no actual gambling takes place, while at real online casinos, you can gamble with real money. As a result, the rules and laws are different, including the minimum age,
sweepstakes casino verification time, and more.
