Quick facts about VGW
- VGW owns Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker
- VGW also owns Golden Feather Studios, a gaming software provider
- VGW started offering sweepstakes gaming in 2012 as one of its pioneers (with Chumba Casino)
- VGW is an Australian-founded company that focuses on the USA
What does VGW do?
If we're simply cutting to the chase in this VGW gaming review, VGW is an online entertainment company that focuses on delivering sweepstakes gaming. But in order to really answer this question, we need to go back in time for some proper background. There was once a time when casinos weren't able to operate freely in the USA.
Then in 2012, sweepstakes rules were shaping up nicely and looked like the only way for brands to get a look-in in what was a promising US market. It was a way for casinos to allow players to play for free, without real-money requirements, so it isn’t classified as gambling.
By this time, an entrepreneur named Laurence Escalante had already built a company that offered casual gaming, mostly poker with friends. Escalante quickly moved in and created Chumba Casino, one of the earliest entrants in the growing online sweepstakes gaming scene. Chumba became a big hit in the US; then came Global Poker in 2016 and Luckyland Slots three years later, all sweepstakes casinos by VGW.
Fast forward to the present day, and VGW is an established online gaming brand with three top casinos to its name and a software-making company called Golden Feather Studios. It is in direct competition with companies like B2 services OÜ and Playtika for a slice of the massive sweepstakes gaming market (read our
Playtika review
for more information).
Pros and cons of VGW
If you've ever whipped out your phone for a quick game of slots at a sweepstakes casino, you have VGW to thank for it, at least to an extent. This is just one of the many highlights that VGW can boast, and there are many others. It is not all great, though. VGW is surely not without its issues, including one that many may feel is a no-brainer. Here are a few pros and cons of GW.
- VGW offers free-to-play gaming
- Its casinos offer plenty of promotions and bonuses
- Wide access to gaming in several regions
- Its casinos have no dedicated apps
How does the VGW sweepstakes model work?
The sweepstakes model that many social casinos operate with today began to take shape with Chumba Casino, a VGW product, over a decade ago. So what exactly is Sweepstakes gaming? In short, it’s a way to play casino=style games under sweepstakes law, away from the restrictions of traditional gambling regulations.
Sweepstakes casinos offer gameplay using virtual currencies, as opposed to real money. They offer a range of promotional offers and bonuses that give you these virtual currencies for free, so you don't have to pay to play. This brief overview defines VGW's operational style across its three casinos. To understand it further, here's a brief look at the VGW details that define its sweepstakes operation.
Virtual currency
Virtual currency is the bread and butter of sweepstakes gaming, and players across all three VGW casinos Gold Coins and Sweepstakes Coins to play. Gold Coins are used for standard play – free-to-play gaming for purely entertainment purposes. They can't be redeemed for real-life prizes as they have no real value.
On the other hand, Sweepstakes Coins are used to take part in sweepstake promotional events. They are free as well, but they can be redeemed for real-life prizes upon meeting certain conditions such as playthrough requirements and redemption thresholds.
Just like virtual currencies, bonuses and promotions are a sweepstakes casino’s favorite staple. They offer several means for players to play for free, via playing credits gotten at no cost.
Many of these freely-gotten credits come from bonuses. VGW is known to offer lots of bonuses across its casinos, from welcome bonuses to weekly raffles, daily logins, tournaments, and events that help you rack up some more of these virtual currencies.
Here's a table comparing the welcome bonuses offered by Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker.
| Casino |
Welcome Bonus
|
| Chumba Casino |
2,000,000 Gold Coins and 2 free Sweepstakes Coins |
| LuckyLand Slots |
Nil |
| Global Poker |
100K Gold Coins and 5 Free Sweeps Coins |
Licensing
Licensing is another important consideration when it comes to online gaming sites. But as you'll find in our Rush Games Interactive review, the rules for sweepstakes casinos are different from those for real-money sites.
Because they're mandated not to operate like real-money gambling sites, sweepstakes casinos do not necessarily need to hold a traditional operating license. This helps them steer clear of the regulatory framework that these other sites have to operate within.
However, it is not exactly a get-out-of-jail-free card. Security is still important to players, so social casino sites tend to put a big focus on it. Additionally, many states have very strict gaming laws that don't exclude sweepstakes casinos. So, some social casinos apply for licensing voluntarily; VGW holds a license from the Malta Gaming Commission.
A B2C Gaming service license also backs it for Type 1 and Type 3 gaming services. You can check out several VGW contact details on its website to get more information about licensing, fair play, or privacy policy as well.
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VGW Products – Sweepstakes casinos and an in-house developer
VGW's role in shaping the future of sweepstakes gaming extends to its ownership of three casinos. These include Chumba, which is a sweepstakes gaming pioneer, plus LuckyLand slots and Global Poker, a site with a focus on delivering poker games. Then there's also Golden Feather Studios, VGW's very own in-house game developers. We'll briefly discuss these below in this VGW review.
Chumba Casino
Chumba Casino Pros & Con
- Generous Bonus Offer
- Good customer service
- Four ways to get free SC
- Play games for free
Chumba Casino prides itself on being North America's premier online social casino, and for good reason, too. It offers free-to-play sweepstakes gaming over tons of slot games, table games, live dealers, and the occasional bingo game. While mostly featuring games from top providers such as Pragmatic Play, Playtech, and Relax Gaming, Chumba Casino also enlists titles from VGW's in-house game makers.
These games include titles like the wildly popular Stampede Fury and the Last Empress. Chumba Casino allows you to play for free, thanks to a series of promotions it has lined up for both new and existing players. The welcome bonus, available across over 40 US states, is a massive 2,000,000 Gold Coins and 2 free Sweepstakes Coins.
While there's no mobile app to play from, Chumba does have a very well-designed and mobile-optimized website that you can access easily from your mobile device or desktop. Its other main highlights include very responsive customer support.
LuckyLand Slots
LuckyLand Slots: Pros and Cons
- Impressive welcome bonus
- Solid customer support
- Great range of games
- Top-end security features
- No dedicated iOS mobile app
Just like Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots operates the sweepstakes model. It offers free-to-play gaming over several slot games and allows for the optional purchase of Gold Coin packages, all of which throw in some extra Sweeps Coins as a bonus. With over 100 slots, it might not have the biggest gaming catalog around, but it does great stuff with the ones it offers.
I am talking about popular games like Big Bass Bonanza and Aztec Quest, replete with all the exciting jackpots and bonuses that add spice to your gaming experience. What I particularly like about LuckyLand Slots is the Lucky Duck of the Month, which is basically a top prize given to one lucky winner each month.
Overall, LuckyLand is a good casino to enjoy some free casino-style gaming, the sweepstakes way. Its mobile-friendly site is easy to navigate as well, and the simplicity of it all is a nice touch.
Global Poker
Global Poker: Pros and Cons
- Free Sweeps Coins at signup
- Legal in 49 US states
- Fast, glitch-free game experience
Global Poker does not pretend to be anything other than a poker gaming powerhouse, and it has a strong claim to be one of the best. One look at its homepage and game lobby, and you'll be greeted by several poker games, including favorites like Texas Hold'em and Bounty Poker. Yet, Global Poker offers even more. You can also play slots with headline titles like Western Gold and Artemis, from a library that includes many classic and Jackpot games.
Fans of table games are not left out – classic and premium Blackjack games are featured here, and you get to play them all for free, too. If you're looking to sign up at Global Poker, you can expect to receive 100K Gold Coins and 5 Free Sweeps Coins the first time you access the site.
You can also opt for any of the Gold Coin package purchases to extend your gameplay. While Global Poker rolls out several weekly offers and promotions, plus some big poker events and tournaments, the Global Poker Championship is the biggest one yet. Several winners have emerged from this massive flagship tournament with merchandise, trophies, and prizes that can be redeemed.
Golden Feather Studios
Golden Feather Studios is the name behind many of the in-house and exclusive games you see at the three VGW Casinos discussed earlier. They produce games like Stampede Fury, The Last Empress, and Cascade Bead for Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker.
The games are developed in-house, so VGW is at liberty to tweak the game mechanics and features as it likes. Other games that Golden Feather is responsible for include titles like American Stacks and the Golden Cheese.
Some alternatives to VGW
VGW started early as one of the first names in the mobile sweepstakes gaming scene. However, it has now been joined by several other players battling for top stakes in the market. Some of its biggest competitors include B2 services OÜ, the owner of top casinos like McLuck and Jackpota.
You can check out our B2 Services OÜ review for information along that line, and you'll find that it does offer some strong competition.
Another name that pops up is YSI (or Yellow Social Interactive), the company that owns and manages Pulsz and Pulsz Bingo. You'll also find a couple of
YSI review
articles talking about its unique offerings and how they are some of the top slot and bingo gaming destinations.
Conclusion – Enjoy sweepstakes casino gaming from VGW
If you've ever enjoyed a game of slots or poker at Chumba Casino, Luckyland Slots, or Global Poker, you have VGW to thank. VGW is a pioneer in mobile-based sweepstakes gaming in the USA, having been around for well over a decade.
As a company deeply rooted in casino-style gaming entertainment, it has built a portfolio of three top casino gaming destinations and an in-house developer. With over a million players on its books, VGW is no small player, and we look forward to seeing what else it has in store for players in years to come.
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VGW review FAQs
🎮 What does VGW do?
VGW is a popular online gaming and entertainment company that is responsible for providing sweepstakes and social casino gaming via its three casinos. These three casinos owned by VGW are Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, and Global Poker.
🛡️ Does VGW have an operational license?
Yes, it absolutely does. The casinos owned by VGW all operate under VGW Games Limited, which, in turn, is licensed and regulated in Malta by the Malta Gaming Authority.
💰 What virtual currencies do VGW-owned casinos use?
As they operate under sweepstakes rules, the three casinos owned by VGW allow players to play their games using one of two virtual currencies – Gold Coins or Sweepstakes Coins (or Sweeps Coins). While Gold Coins offer free, no-stakes gaming, Sweepstakes Coins or Sweeps Coins help you partake in Sweepstakes promotional games and events and are redeemable for real-life prizes one you’ve met the relevant requirements.
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