Independent editorial ranking · 2026

The best CardCrush sites, ranked by what matters.

CardCrush and the competing sweepstakes card & casino brands, scored on the same rubric: legality, content, prizes, value and trust — across 13 legal states.

⚖ Same rules for all 8 brands🗽 13 legal states🚫 No paid placements

See the ranking How we score

Brands reviewed

40+

Criteria scored

Legal states covered

Monthly

Re-scored cadence

Editor's Choice · #1 Ranked

CardCrush

RPG card battler · Single-currency skill contest

The only RPG card-battler in the category and the most widely legal skill-contest brand we rank.

258Games

Mystery CoinsEntry currency

$10Min. redeem

1×Wagering

8.6/10

Crush score

Visit CardCrush Full review

In 60 seconds

What a card sweepstakes brand actually is.

A free-to-play game where a sweepstakes or skill-contest currency unlocks prize-eligible play. You own no licence and risk no stake to start — the model is built to operate legally where dual-currency sweepstakes are restricted.

Pick the model.

Single-currency skill contest (CardCrush), parimutuel ADW (Horseplay, GiddyUp), or dual-currency sweepstakes (Modo, Stake). Each clears different state laws.

Legality is the foundation.

AB 831 (CA) and SB 5935A (NY) restrict dual-currency models. The card / skill-contest and ADW models survive in more states.

Content vs depth.

Library size matters less than the right format — card battlers, live dealer, or poker — for how you actually want to play.

Redemption decides value.

Thresholds, methods and KYC speed separate a good prize loop from a frustrating one. Lower minimums win.

The index · 2026

Every CardCrush-style brand. Ranked. Reviewed. Re-scored monthly.

Six weighted dimensions: legality, content, prizes, bonuses, trust and UX. Tier 1 are the legal-in-CA/NY core. Tier 2 are national alternatives where CardCrush isn't offered.

Tier 1 · legal coreAvailable in CardCrush states; proven prize redemption.

#01🥇

CardCrush

Editor's ChoiceTier 1

RPG card battler

The only RPG card-battler in the category and the most widely legal skill-contest brand we rank.

258Games

Mystery CoinsEntry currency

$10Min. redeem

1×Wagering

Only RPG card battler in the category — Mystery Coins + Battle Cards, no direct equivalent
Widest legal footprint of the skill-contest models — all 13 states
Lowest bonus wagering (1×) versus 10× at parimutuel rivals

8.6/10

Crush score

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#02🥈

Horseplay

Tier 1

Casino-style · ADW parimutuel

The biggest welcome bonus in the category, riding a federal parimutuel model that preempts state sweeps bans.

150+Games

$10Min. redeem

10×Wagering

100% to $250Signup

Largest welcome bonus in the category (100% match up to $250)
Federal ADW law preempts AB 831 / SB 5935A — legal in CA and NY
Fast 3–5 day withdrawals

8.1/10

Crush score

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#03🥉

GiddyUp

Tier 1

Casino-style · ADW parimutuel

Zero-cost entry on the same parimutuel legal model as Horseplay — newer, smaller, but free to start.

33Games

$5No-deposit

VariesWagering

YesFree start

$5 no-deposit start — zero-cost entry to a legal-core brand
Same parimutuel legal model as Horseplay (CA / NY legal)
Simple onboarding aimed at first-time players

7.4/10

Crush score

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#04

ClubWPT Gold

Tier 1

Poker

World Poker Tour brand trust and broad NY access — but it's poker-only, with no slots or table games.

Poker onlyFormat

$20Min. redeem

SubscriptionEntry

AvailableNY

World Poker Tour brand trust and recognition
Available in NY; subscription model clears federal sweepstakes law
No pay-to-play barrier on the subscription tier

7.0/10

Crush score

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Tier 2 · national alternativesBroad coverage, but blocked in CA / NY. Dual-currency sweepstakes.

#05

Modo.us

Tier 2

Social casino

The deepest game library among the alternatives — roughly 8× CardCrush's count — but blocked in CA and NY.

2,000+Games

$20Min. redeem

1×Wagering

94%+RTP

Biggest library among the alternatives (2,000+ titles)
94%+ average RTP on a 1× wagering model
Strong daily bonuses and ongoing promotions

7.2/10

Crush score

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#06

Stake.us

Tier 2

Casino + poker

A recognizable casino-plus-poker brand with strong UX — but a high $100 redemption floor and no CA / NY access.

Casino + pokerFormat

$100Min. redeem

1×Wagering

~33States

Casino library plus a dedicated poker room
Strong brand recognition and a polished, fast platform
1× playthrough on the sweepstakes currency

6.9/10

Crush score

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#07

McLuck

Tier 2

Slots + casino

A well-known sweeps brand with a broad slots-and-table library — but it exited CA / NY in late 2025.

Slots + tableFormat

VariesMin. redeem

1×Wagering

NoCA / NY

Well-recognized sweepstakes brand
Broad slots and table-game library
Clean, modern platform and onboarding

6.7/10

Crush score

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#08

Crown Coins

Tier 2

Slots

A focused slots catalog on the dual-currency model — but no live dealer, and it exited California in Jan 2026.

SlotsFormat

VariesMin. redeem

NoLive dealer

NoCA / NY

Focused, easy-to-navigate slots catalog
Simple onboarding for slots-first players
Free AMOE for no-cost entries

6.3/10

Crush score

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Our methodology

40+ criteria. 6 categories. Zero paid placements.

Each criterion scores 0–10 on documented capability and evidence. Final scores are weighted averages, heaviest on legality and content. Read the full methodology →

25%

Legality & state coverage

Legal model + legal states + regulatory durability

20%

Game & card content

Library size, card-battler depth, live dealer

15%

Prizes & redemption

Thresholds, methods, speed, KYC friction

15%

Bonuses & value

Signup offer, wagering, AMOE, ongoing value

15%

Trust & compliance

Registration, AMOE, RG tools, transparency

10%

UX & platform

App quality, onboarding, support, performance

Where CardCrush is legal

Available in 13 states.

CardCrush operates in the states below. Tap a state to see every brand legally available there.

California Connecticut Delaware Florida Indiana Louisiana Maine Maryland Montana New York Ohio Tennessee West Virginia

Decision matrix

Which brand fits your profile?

🃏 Card-battler players

Want the RPG card format. CardCrush — the only card battler, legal in 13 states, 1× wagering.

Alt: ClubWPT Gold (poker)

🎁 Biggest bonus

Horseplay — 100% match up to $250, fast withdrawals, parimutuel legal model.

Alt: GiddyUp ($5 no-deposit)

🆓 Zero-cost entry

GiddyUp — $5 no-deposit. CardCrush — 2 MC free. Real-prize play with no deposit.

Both legal in CA / NY

🎰 Game variety (outside CA/NY)

Modo.us — 2,000+ titles, 94%+ RTP. Blocked in CA / NY.

Alt: McLuck

♣ Poker

ClubWPT Gold — WPT poker, NY available. Or Stake.us outside CA/NY.

Poker only

🗽 NY players

CardCrush, Horseplay, GiddyUp, ClubWPT Gold — all NY-legal.

Dual-currency brands blocked

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

What states is CardCrush legal in?

CardCrush operates in 13 states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Montana, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. State availability can change — verify on the brand's terms page before signing up.

How do you rank these brands?

One fixed-weight rubric across six categories (legality, content, prizes, bonuses, trust, UX) applied identically to every brand. No brand pays for placement. See the methodology.

Is CardCrush a sweepstakes casino?

No — CardCrush uses a single-currency skill-contest model (Mystery Coins), distinct from the dual-currency sweepstakes model used by Modo.us, Stake.us and McLuck.

Which brand has the lowest redemption minimum?

Among the legal-core brands, CardCrush and Horseplay both redeem from $10 — the lowest floors we track. Verify current thresholds on each brand's payout page.

Written & maintained by

J. Marsh

Independent reviewer covering sweepstakes and skill-contest gaming since 2021. Scores brands against a fixed rubric before any commercial outreach. No brand pays for placement or ranking. More about the editor →