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. Thatâs 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 âGAMECHAMPIONSâ.
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 âSweepstakesâ 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 six social casino sites in 2026
Now that I have answered the question âwhat casino was the first to offer online social gambling?â hereâs a look at the top SIX sites right now in 2026:
| Social gambling site | Welcome offer |
| Stake.us | 560,000 GC, 56 SC, and 5% rakeback, |
| Fortune Coins | 650,000 GC and 1,000 FC |
| WOW Vegas
| 250,000 WOW Coins and 5 SC |
| High 5
| 600 Diamonds, along with 250 GC and 5 SC. |
| Funrize
| 125,000 Tournament Coins and up to 100 Free Entries (FC), |
| Luckybird | 1,000 GC and up to 1 SC |
| McLuck | 7,500 GC + 2SC |
Stake.us – Best welcome bonus
Pros & Cons
- Amazingly varied game selection with slots, live dealer, and table games
- Unique and in-house developed games
- Redeem your SC for real world prizes
- Huge welcome bonus
- Unique bonus drop codes
- Not available in all states
- Only crypto deposits available
- No social betting
Everyone with an interest in sweepstakes gaming knows Stake.us, and there are so many reasons to love the site. One of the reasons I enjoy playing here is for its game library.
You can find regular casino games, such as slots and table games, but I prefer the other categories on the site. I spend a lot of time playing its Originals games, which include titles like Mines, Plinko, Crash, Dragon Tower, and Chicken. Other options, such as poker and scratch cards, may make your day if youâre looking for something that isn’t slots.
Stake.us is a crypto sweepstakes casino that provides access to provably fair gaming technology. This means when playing certain games, you can confirm that all results are RNG-based and not manipulated.
You get one of the largest welcome bonuses on Stake.us, which includes
560,000 GC, 56 SC, and 5% rakeback, if you use the promo code
GAMECHAMPIONS. I also got to claim a 10,000 GC and 1 SC daily bonus, complete challenges, participate in tournaments, and climb up a VIP ladder for better rewards.
Unlock 25K Gold Coins +
25 SC
Stake.us Highlights
- Amazing Stake Originals
- Great community
- Fantastic VIP program
Fortune Coins – Great for jackpots
Pros & Cons
- Welcome package
- Famous slots
- Fish games
- Seasonal game recommendations
- Limited site availability
Fortune Coins is another fun casino that Iâve been playing on since its launch in 2022, and I’m impressed with how much it has changed over the years. During its early years, the website had a classic feel, but I prefer the newer version, which opts for a more modern look and feel.
The operator still maintains a great welcome bonus of
650,000 GC and 1,000 FC
for setting up an account. However, although itâs still a substantial offer, the 1,000 FC bonus is equivalent to a 10 SC bonus on other operators.
There are numerous other promotions, including the Friends with Fortune (referral bonus), Mystery Bonus, Daily Login Bonus, and social media offers. Tournaments are quite common on the site, along with bonuses for new game launches.
Fortune Coins offers excellent slot games, but its fish games truly stand out. You can find 20+ fish-themed games, and some of these have a unique shooting feature. Other game options, such as slots, table games, instant win games, and live dealer titles, are also available on the site.
For larger win multipliers, Fortune Coins gives you access to 55 jackpot games. There is a GC and FC jackpot, and the prize pools are progressive. You can land a Mini, Super, Grand, or Fortune jackpot, but itâs not going to be a walk in the park.
Get
3K FC
+ 3M Gold Coins
Fortune Coins Highlights
- Welcome bonus
- Fish-based games
- Famous slots
Wow Vegas – Best for shooting games
Pros and cons
- Top slot games
- Quick signup
- Big Betsoft slots
- Megaways games
WOW Vegas is one of the most impressive sweepstakes casinos available, and I am thoroughly impressed with a lot of its features. One of its standout features is its selection of shooting games, which separates it from most sweepstakes sites. The shooting games are fun titles that give you control over a cannon and let you shoot down fish or other targets to boost your multiplier.
If you prefer traditional casino games, WOW Vegas offers a selection of over 1,500 games. As expected, a lot of these titles are slot games, but you also get other options like the live dealer games, scratch cards, Plinko, and even a few bingo-themed games. I didnât notice any locked games, so youâll have full access to the entire library once you sign up.
With the option to enjoy a new game daily for more than a year, youâll need lots of free virtual coins on WOW Vegas. Fortunately, the operator offers numerous promotions. One of the best is the sign-up bonus, which rewards you with
250,000 WOW Coins and 5 SC
for setting up an account.
Get
30 SC
+ 1.75M Wow Coins
Wow Vegas Highlights
- Signup bonus available
- Hundreds of slots
- Classic and modern slots
High 5 – Great for gameplay boosts with Diamonds
Pros & Cons
- Giant welcome offer
- Over 800 slots
- In-house slots
- Slots from top game providers
High 5 is like any other sweepstakes casino, but a defining feature is its use of three virtual currencies, rather than two. It has the Gold Coins, Sweeps Coins, and Diamonds. The Diamonds on High 5 give you an option to buy boosts, which can get you free spins or increase the max multiplier on a game.
Becoming a member of High 5 allows you to claim
600 Diamonds, along with 250 GC and 5 SC. You have other options to get free virtual currencies, including a referral bonus, daily login bonus, random bonus drops, mail-in requests, and a loyalty program.
High 5 has unique games, many of which are developed in-house by its team of game developers. If you prefer games from known providers, youâll find titles from Thunderkick, Nolimit City, NetEnt, IGT, Evoplay, and BGaming. Live casino games, slots, instant win games, and table games are all available on High 5, so there is an option for everyone.
You have the option to redeem your winnings on High 5, and I found a gift card and cash prize redemption option. There is a minimum redemption requirement of 50 SC for gift cards, which increases to 100 SC if you prefer the cash prize option.
700 High 5 Casino Coins+
60 SC
High5Casino Highlights
- 800+ slots
- Range of table games
- Amazing features
Funrize: Pros & Cons
- Generous welcome bonus
- Mobile app available
- User-friendly website
Funrize casino launched in 2022, and the operator has done a great job climbing the ranks to become one of the top sweepstakes gaming sites. The casino features many of my favorite games, including slots, shooting games, and scratch games. You wonât find live dealer or table games here, but you can always get them on Funrize alternatives.
There are many ways to boost your bankroll on Funrize, and you can go through the entire game catalog without spending a cent. You can set up an account for
125,000 Tournament Coins and up to 100 Free Entries (FC), which is the casino’s version of Sweeps Coins.
On a good day, Funrize typically has six or more promotions that you can claim every day. These include a daily login bonus of 0.2 Free Entries and a daily wheel for up to 4 FC if you have a verified account.
Funrize frequently hosts tournaments that you can join for free virtual currencies, along with daily tasks that you can complete. If you have a large friend group, you can get them to sign up for a bonus of 900,000 Tournament Coins and 25 Free Entries.
Funrize Highlights
- Great welcome offer
- Exceptional customer support
- Real money prizes
LuckyBird – Great Faucet feature for constant free virtual coins
LuckyBird: Pros & Cons
- Simple registration process
- Great range of casino-style games
- Responsive support team
- Regular perks and promotions for returning players
LuckyBird is one of the few crypto sweepstakes casinos that offer several features similar to those found on Stake.us. Iâve had a lot of fun playing on this site, and the community chat is a great feature that is difficult to ignore. Through the chat, you get to interact with other players, find the latest promotions, and even gift SC to other users if youâre feeling generous.
Before you get to gifting others, LuckyBird rewards you with a welcome bonus of
1,000 GC and up to 1 SC
for completing various tasks like verifying your email or using the chat feature. Ongoing promotions are common on the site, featuring daily races, weekly bonuses, treasure chests, cashback offers, and VIP promotions.
There is a faucet feature that lets you add more coins when you have a zero balance. I tried this feature and got 0.0230 SC free.
LuckyBirdâs game library has one of the most diverse selections of games, so it’s difficult to get bored here. I found 1,080 slot games and 22 live dealer games. There are special games and original titles, like Plinko, Keno, Coin Flip, Gems, Mines, and Wheel.
McLuck – Great responsible gaming features
McLuck: Pros & Cons
- Generous welcome bonus
- Daily promotions
- 24/7 live chat customer support
- Slots from top developers
- Mobile app still under development
McLuck is a go-to option if youâre looking for a casino with lots of promotions. For setting up an account, I got a welcome bonus of 7,500 GC and 2.5 SC after registering with the promo code
GAMECHAMPIONS.
A daily login bonus of 1,500 GC and 0.2 SC is available, and this increases up to 0.4 SC if you maintain a 7-day login streak.
Other promotions that I came across include a 100 SC referral bonus, missions, social media promotions, and tournaments. Being a loyal member of the casino also boosts your VIP level, enabling you to receive more exclusive perks and offers.
If youâre looking for great slot games to play, McLuck has a decent number of these titles. You have access to the Megaways, cascading slots, hold & win, and unlimited play titles. These games are from top operators like Playtech, Playson, and 3 Oaks, so theyâre safe to play.
Live dealer games also appear on McLuck, but youâre limited to Blackjack, Roulette, and game shows. McLuck has an exclusive GC games category, but these games can only be unlocked with an optional GC purchase.
There are several gaming control features that encourage responsible gaming on McLuck. I found session limits, spend limits, time-out options, and a self-exclusion feature on the site.
227K Gold Coins+
107.5 SC
McLuck Highlights
- Free-to-play options
- Low minimum redemption
- Multiple bonus offers
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 no purcahse bonus worth 56 SC, 560k GC and 5% rakeback at Stake.us with this promo code:
GAMECHAMPIONS.
Sweepstakes casinos worthy of your play
1.
Get 200% More Coins on First Purchase – 1.5M CC +
75 SC
Playthrough: 1x Bonus
2.
3.
Unlock 25K Gold Coins +
25 SC
4.
5.
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What casino was the first to offer online social gambling FAQ
đ° 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.
đ„ 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 no purchase bonus worth 56 SC, 560,000k GC and 5% rakeback using the code:
GAMECHAMPIONS.
đ 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.
