Are Social Casino Games Really Free to Play?

Yes. On Jackpota you can create an account and play every game without paying anything, no purchase necessary. You play with Gold Coins, a virtual play currency, and there's no real money involved in any game at any point.

That's the short answer. The longer one is worth knowing too, because "free" can mean a few different things online, and most people asking this question want to know if there's a catch.

What you actually play with

Every game on Jackpota runs on Gold Coins. They're the coins you use to spin a slot or play a hand of blackjack. Gold Coins have no cash value: you can't cash them out, trade them or turn them into anything outside the games. They exist only so the games can work.

That one fact is what separates a social casino from gambling. A slot here can look and sound like one in a casino, with the same reels, symbols and bonus features. But when nothing you play with is worth money, the result of a spin is entertainment and nothing more.

What's free, and what's optional

Playing is free. So is our iPhone app, and so is playing in your web browser.

What's optional is buying more Gold Coins. We sell Gold Coin packages for people who want them, and buying one never changes how a game behaves. It doesn't improve your chances, unlock better versions of games or change any outcome. It simply means more coins to play with. Lots of people never buy anything, and every game is open to them.

If you do decide to buy coins, it's worth knowing you can cap it. Our player safety page explains how to set daily, weekly or monthly spend limits from your account. Lowering a limit takes effect immediately; raising or removing one takes 24 hours.

How it's different from real-money gambling

The easiest way to see the difference is to look at what's missing.

• No deposit. You never need to put money in to start playing.
• No cash prizes. Winning a hand or a spin gives you more Gold Coins, which stay in the game.
• No stake in the outcome. Since the coins have no cash value, a bad session costs you nothing beyond your time.

That changes how people play. Without money on the line, most people try more games, play shorter sessions and leave without thinking twice. They tend to judge a game by whether it was fun, which is the right way to judge it. We wrote more about that in what makes a game worth coming back to.

A few details before you start

You need to be at least 21 to create an account, and availability depends on where you live. Our Help Center and Terms of Service list where the service is offered, and those official pages are always the final word.

Free doesn't mean unlimited time is a good idea, either. If you want help keeping play in proportion, session limits and time-outs are on the player safety page too, and they work whether or not you ever buy anything.

The bottom line

Social casino games on Jackpota are free to play from the first spin. Gold Coins are play-only, purchases are optional and don't affect results, and you can stop or step away whenever you like.