Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins Explained: How the Dual-Currency Sweepstakes Model Works for an Operator

Updated 5 November 2026. Author: Gambling Soft team.

Short answer: a sweepstakes casino runs on two virtual currencies. Gold Coins (GC) are bought in packages and used to play; they never turn into money. Sweeps Coins (SC) cannot be bought: they come free with Gold Coin packages, from daily bonuses, mail-in requests and promotions, and winnings in SC are redeemed for cash prizes or gift cards after identity verification. The operator earns on Gold Coin sales and pays out SC redemptions. In the Gambling Soft platform both currencies, the coin store, bonus ratios, free entry methods, redemption limits and the state list are configured in the admin panel; the mode is included in every product, from the $7,500 Casino Lite package to ready casinos with source code from $8,500 (sweepstakes casino software, pricing).

The two currencies side by side

How the economics work

A typical package sells, for example, 100,000 Gold Coins for $9.99 and adds 10 free Sweeps Coins. The player plays slots with either balance; the game maths is the same, the RTP is the same, only the wallet differs. SC winnings accumulate; once the player passes the minimum redemption (operators set it between 50 and 100 SC) and identity verification, the casino pays the prize. The operator's margin is the Gold Coin revenue minus the value of redeemed Sweeps Coins, game provider fees and processing. Because SC are issued as a bonus on purchases and through free methods, the issuance rate and the redemption rate are the two numbers the admin panel reports every day: too generous an SC ratio turns a profitable store into a loss.

Free entry methods (AMOE)

Sweepstakes law requires that a player can obtain Sweeps Coins without buying anything. The standard methods are a daily login bonus, a mail-in request (a postcard with the player's details, answered with a fixed SC amount), social media promotions and referral rewards. The platform credits daily bonuses automatically, logs mail-in requests entered by the support team and shows the no-purchase-necessary statement on every purchase screen.

Redemption and KYC

1. The player requests a redemption above the minimum threshold.
2. The platform checks identity (document, address, age), the state against the closed-state list and the play-through requirement set in the rules.
3. The prize is paid by bank transfer, card, gift card or crypto where allowed; the SC balance is reduced and the payout is logged for the accounts.
4. Limits per day and per month, cooling periods and manual review queues are set by the operator in the back office.

What the operator configures on the Gambling Soft platform

• Coin packages: price, GC amount, bonus SC, first-purchase offers.
• Bonus rules: daily SC, welcome SC, referral SC, promo codes.
• Redemption: minimum, maximum per period, play-through, KYC level, payout methods.
• States: closed-state list for registration, purchases and redemption.
• Reports: GC sold, SC issued by source, SC redeemed, liability outstanding, by state and by day.
• Social mode: Gold Coins only, for markets where redemption is not offered.

Common mistakes

Selling Sweeps Coins directly (that turns the model into gambling), skipping the mail-in method, paying prizes before KYC, running one state list for registration and another for redemption, and treating issued SC as revenue instead of a liability. Each of these has appeared in the state enforcement actions of 2025-2026.

FAQ

Can players buy Sweeps Coins?

No. Sweeps Coins are only granted free: with a purchase of Gold Coins, through daily bonuses, mail-in requests or promotions. Selling them directly removes the sweepstakes exemption.

What is a Sweeps Coin worth?

Most operators redeem 1 SC for 1 USD in prizes above a minimum threshold; the ratio and the threshold are set in the official rules and configured in the platform.

Are the games different in sweepstakes mode?

No. The same slots, tables and live games run with either currency; the platform keeps two balances and reports them separately.

How are Sweeps Coins accounted?

As a liability when issued and an expense when redeemed; Gold Coin sales are revenue. The admin reports show both so the operator sees the real margin.

Does the dual-currency mode cost extra on the Gambling Soft platform?

No. It is a configuration of any product at the product price, launched in 7 business days after the advance payment with a 12-month software warranty.

Read also: how to start a sweepstakes casino, payment processing for sweepstakes casinos, sweepstakes platform architecture and costs.