Is Stake legal in Washington? No, it’s not. However, Stake.us social casino is legal in 43 US states, with ID, NV, KY, NY, MI, and VT joining WA as excluded states. The Evergreen State is known for its strictest gambling laws and is one state that exclusively restricts sweepstakes casinos like Stake.us.
However, sweepstakes casino restrictions do not entirely throw away the chance to play social casino games in the state. This guide sheds light on Stake.us legal status in Washington and the alternative platforms for playing social casino games in WA.
Why is Stake.us Not Legal in Washington?
Washington State has the strictest gambling laws in the US. All forms of gambling are illegal, including online casinos, sportsbooks, poker, and sweepstakes casinos, where Stake.us falls. A quick look at the Stake.us terms of service reveals Washington as one of the excluded states.
We hope this changes in the future since Stake.us has much to offer. As a sweepstakes casino, Stake.us operates on a free-to-play model where you can play games for free without risking any of your funds. The good news is that you can win cash prizes without any purchases.
The model differs from that used in real-money online casinos, where you must deposit funds to play games. It explains why most states legalize sweepstakes casinos but not traditional online casinos, which are legal in six (6) US states.
How Sweepstakes Casinos Work
Here is a brief overview of how sweepstakes casinos like Stake.us work:
- No real money wagering: You’ll not use real money on these platforms. Instead, you’ll use virtual currencies offered freely on the platform. At Stake.us, players use Gold Coins and Stake Cash.
- No purchase necessary: You do not need to make any purchases to acquire GC and SC coins. Instead, sweepstakes sites like Stake.us offer them freely through bonuses and standard gameplay. You can purchase more if you wish.
- Winning cash prizes: Despite not using real money, you can win cash prizes at sweepstakes casinos. At Stake.us, you can redeem Stake Cash coins once you’ve played them three times (3x) and accumulated around 50 SC. Each SC equals 1 USD.
Besides the mentioned, sweepstakes casinos offer a similar experience to real-money online casinos. You can join and play similar casino games, with the only difference being that you use virtual currencies with no purchase necessary.
Alternatives to Stake.us in Washington
But what happens if you wish to play social casino games while in the Evergreen State? The door may seem shut at the moment, but there is a reprieve for WA players looking to enjoy the experience.
You can play at a unique social casino that is 100% legal and safe to use within the jurisdiction. The social casino is Golden Hearts Games. You’ll be wondering how Golden Hearts Games operates and not Stake.us. WA allows social gaming, provided the host or organizers do not generate profits.
- Being a charity social casino, Golden Hearts Games players will donate to their preferred charity and, in turn, receive Gold Coins (GC) that allow them to play games.
- Of course, there are other ways to collect Gold Coins, including standard gameplay and bonus offers, but the main one is donating to a charity.
Since Stake.us is out of the picture, Golden Hearts Games is our recommended platform for playing social casino games in Washington.
Conclusion
Yes, you cannot play Stake.us in Washington, as it is the state with the strictest gambling laws. The laws restrict gambling at online casinos, sportsbooks, poker sites, and even sweepstakes casinos. The same cannot be said of other states that have wholly embraced the idea of sweepstakes casinos for their unique freemium model.
However, that does not restrict you from enjoying social gaming in the Evergreen State. You can play 90+ social casino games at Golden Hearts Games. The social casino is a charitable organization where purchases go to different charities. Thus, it is a social casino that is 100% legal and safe to play in Washington State.
