Golden Hearts Games claims to be the world’s first charity sweepstakes casino. Play a range of slots and table games for the chance to win cash prizes while supporting your favorite local and national causes.
While this is certainly noble, it is also slightly misleading, as we will explain below. That, plus paltry game selection and customer support, leaves a lot to be desired at Golden Hearts. Overall, we can’t recommend it highly.
Highly Recommended Social and Sweepstakes Casinos
of Gold Coins for $10
There’s a lot going on at Golden Hearts Games. Donate to a charity of your choice (choose from over one million IRS-approved US charities) to gain access to Coins, which can then be used to play any of the games at Golden Hearts. There’s also the choice to play entirely for free.
A Golden Hearts welcome offer is up for grabs. New users receive a small sum of Coins upon sign-up with the promo code that the site provides. Players can also receive extra Coins on their first donation.
Here’s our full review of Golden Hearts Games, so you can come to your own conclusions. We’ll cover the site’s welcome offer, slots, purchase options, and more.
Golden Hearts Games Promo Codes 2023
You do need a promo code to claim your welcome offer from Golden Heart Games. However, the site will provide you with a code if you do not have one. So really, just create an account. When you get to the “promo code” box, click for more info, and a Golden Heart Games promo code will appear. When we reviewed the site, the promo code WELCOME2023 got us 1,000 unplayed Coins.
This is a bit annoying compared to most social and sweepstakes casinos, which do not require a promo code. But overall, it’s just one tiny extra step. After you make your account, hit ‘Get Coins’ to view your first donation bonus. Here are the basic details you need ahead of registration.
| Sweepstakes Casino | Golden Hearts Games Casino |
|---|---|
| Promo Code | Golden Hearts Games promo code will be provided by the site |
| No Purchase Bonus | N/A |
| First Purchase Offer | Bonus coins (e.g. 5,000 extra coins on your first $10 charity donation) |
| Last Verified | September 2023 |
Golden Hearts Games Welcome Offer—What Do You Get?
We’re disappointed to say that the Golden Hearts Games welcome offer isn’t one of the best out there. One thousand Unplayed Coins is better than nothing, of course. But given the respective redemption rates, the 10 Sweeps Coins you get at WOW Vegas and LuckyLand Slots are much stronger welcome bonuses.
If you choose to make a donation at Golden Hearts, the casino will reward you with a small bonus of up to 6,250 extra Coins. The exact bonus available to you depends on your first donation amount. It breaks down like this:
- $10 donation – 10,000 Coins (was 5,000)
- $25 donation – 17,600 Coins (was 12,500)
- $50 donation – 30,300 Coins (was 25,000)
- $100 donation – 56,250 Coins (was 50,000)
To play without making a donation, you will need to spin the Daily Bonus Wheel or write to the social casino to request free Coins. More on that later, but the main point is that you won’t receive a major Coins bonus simply for signing up.
Golden Hearts Games Promotions for Existing Users
Golden Hearts runs the majority of its promotions via Facebook and Twitter, with the exception of the Daily Bonus Wheel and several seasonal offers. You won’t find a dedicated offers page on the site itself, so you will need to follow the operator’s social channels to keep up to date. Here’s the style of promotions you can expect from the social casino.
- Daily Bonus Wheel: Win free Coins by logging in and spinning the bonus wheel every day. Prizes range from 50 to 2,500 Coins, meaning you’re always guaranteed to win something.
- Seasonal Giveaways: Receive entries to Golden Hearts’ seasonal giveaways by logging in, spinning the bonus wheel, and playing slot games at the social casino. The site will then draw winners at random to win a share of free coins. Expect giveaways around Christmas, Easter, and other big holidays.
- Solve the Puzzle: Check out the regular puzzle-solving challenges on the Golden Hearts Games’ Facebook page. Leave your answers in the comments of each challenge. Three entries will be chosen at random to win a share of a Coins prize.
How Does Golden Hearts Games Work?
Golden Hearts Games is an online sweepstakes casino that uses a charitable business model to give back to local and national causes. You will never play with (or for) real money on this site. Instead, you play with a currency called Unplayed Coins. When you win anything, the winnings will be paid out as Redeemable Coins. With enough Redeemable Coins (you need at least 12,500), you can trade in your coins for cash prizes. That means each Redeemable Coin is worth $0.002.
You can also make a donation to a charity of your choice to get more unplayed coins. The minimum donation amount is $10, and there are currently over a million licensed charities to choose from.
However, if you read the fine print, not all of your “donation” goes to your charity. Some of the money goes to your charity, absolutely, and no other social/sweepstakes casino does this. However, some of your “donation” will also go to pay anyone who redeems coins and to “operator fees.”
In other words, if you want to support the charity, you are better off going directly to it. However, if you want to play games and potentially win cash, with at least some of what you pay going to your charity, Golden Hearts Games presents that option.
How to Get Free Coins at Golden Heart Games
All social casino players have the choice to enjoy games entirely for free—no donation necessary. There are a few ways to receive free Coins at Golden Hearts Games, beyond those you get when you sign up. You can spin the Daily Bonus Wheel, join social media contests, or send a written request to the social casino. Here’s a breakdown of each option.
- Daily Bonus Wheel: Spin the Golden Hearts Games prize wheel every day that you log into the site. Prizes of between 50 and 2,500 Coins are guaranteed each time you do so.
- Social media contests: Look out for competitions and giveaways on Golden Hearts’ Facebook and Twitter pages. Promotions usually run daily for the chance to win free Coins.
- Written request: All Golden Hearts Games players can mail in a Redemption Code request for free Coins at any time. To do so, handwrite your full name, email address, phone number, and mailing address onto a 3×5 inch card. Send this to the address listed on the Golden Hearts website. The team will then mail you a 12-digit Redemption Code for 5,000 complimentary Coins. Check the social casino’s full instructions and small print before sending your request.
Pros and Cons of Golden Hearts Games
Unsure if Golden Hearts Games is the right social casino for you? Let’s take a look at the full picture.
Pros:
More than a million charities. Redeem Coins for cash or gift cards. Bingo games every 10 minutes. 5,000-Coin refer-a-friend bonus.
Cons:
Poor customer support. Very small game library. Mandatory Golden Hearts Games promo code for the welcome bonus.
Full Review of Golden Hearts Games
You can find our complete review of Golden Hearts Games below, graded feature by feature. This is designed to give you an indication of the experience provided by the site upon registration. Our scale is set between one and five, with five being the very best when compared to other social and sweepstakes casinos in the US.
Golden Hearts Games Software Grade—3/5
Golden Hearts Games works well on web browsers, but there is no Golden Hearts Games mobile app, which is why our software score is just average. Most social and sweepstakes casinos offer a downloadable product for both Android and Apple devices, which is where Golden Hearts seems to be lagging behind.
Web Browser Version
On the whole, the Golden Hearts website is pretty strong. It’s easy to navigate using the main menu at the top right-hand side of the screen, and all features seem to work at speed. The site is colorful and can also readjust to smaller screens, meaning you can play split-screen with minimal disruptions.
Separate site pages allow you to get Coins, redeem prizes, and access support at the touch of a button. Additional help and Golden Hearts’ social links can be found in the website’s footer.
As the social casino’s games library is small, no additional navigation is needed at this time. However, it’s difficult to tell whether the site will adapt easily to more games and a potential increase in traffic. If Golden Hearts aims to be ahead of the competition, it should introduce individual game pages and further navigation in the near future.
We would like to see the option to sort games in an alphabetical format or by popularity, but we’re waiting for this feature across the competition board, too.
Golden Hearts Games App
Golden Hearts Games does not have an app for iOS or Android devices, which can make it a little more difficult to access site features on smaller screens. Though most games work well via mobile browsers, users have reported problems with Golden Hearts’ Daily Bonus Wheel. The social casino is not supported on iOS devices older than the iPhone 6.
To avoid usability issues, we recommend playing Golden Hearts Games on your laptop or desktop computer. We would love to see a Golden Hearts app, but there’s no word on anything of the sort yet.
Golden Hearts Games Available Grade—2/5
The game library at this social casino is disappointing when compared to the huge array of titles found at Pulsz, Chumba Casino, and Funzpoints. In fact, the range of titles at Golden Hearts Games is more on par with the likes of Loyal Royal social casino.
We’re fans of the live bingo games that take place every 10 minutes, but the number of slots available at this casino could do with a little work. We’ve gone into more detail on both game types below.
Online Bingo
Online bingo games take place every 10 minutes at Golden Hearts Games. There are four daily jackpots up for grabs: Mega Jackpot, Jumbo Jackpot, Super Jackpot, and Ultra Game. Prizes range from 5,000 to 125,000 Coins. We’ve found the games to be super basic, which is great if you’re new to online bingo, but it can leave a lot to be desired for more experienced players.
Online Slots
The slot selection at Golden Hearts Games is very small, covering just one or two bases in an industry where so much is possible. We’re used to seeing games themed around ancient worlds, explorers, animals, Las Vegas, TV shows, movies, and more at social casinos like Pulsz, but Golden Hearts Games offers only a fraction of that.
For now, you will find just a handful of titles focused on Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt, pirates, and several cartoon games. There’s also a small number of traditional-style games to replicate being on the casino floor.
Golden Hearts Games would really benefit from adding more slots to its library. We would also like to see table games like promotional blackjack and roulette here, but there are no signs as of yet.
Golden Hearts Games Purchase and Redemption Options Grade—3.5/5
Golden Hearts Games keeps its purchase and redemption options simple. Open the menu at the top right of the site and click ‘Get Coins’ or ‘Redeem’ to begin.
Get Coins
This sweepstakes casino rewards players with Coins for making a donation to charity (with the caveat we mentioned above.) You will see various amounts on the ‘Get Coins’ screen to choose from, usually between $10 and $100. Make your selection and choose a charitable cause from the site’s searchable database of over 1.4 million US-based organizations. Payments are currently accepted using Visa, American Express, and Discover cards. We would like to see Skrill and PayPal added to the mix to keep Golden Hearts in line with the competition.
Once your donation has been made, Golden Hearts Games will send you Coins as a thank-you. This virtual currency can be used to play all titles at the social casino but has no real money value. Excluding offers, here are the donation options available to Golden Hearts players, and the Coins you will receive as a result:
| Donation Amount | Coins Awarded |
|---|---|
| $10 | 5,000 |
| $25 | 12,500 |
| $50 | 25,000 |
| $100 | 50,000 |
Redeem
Click ‘Redeem’ in Golden Hearts Games’ main menu to view your Unplayed Coins and Redeemable Coins balance. As the name suggests, only Redeemable Coins are redeemable for prizes, and the minimum withdrawal amount is 12,500. The minimum at this social casino used to be 5,000, which we’re disappointed to say is no longer available.
Redeemable Coins can be exchanged for cash via PayPal or a digital gift card via Prizeout. Most popular retailers, restaurants, and online merchants are available through Prizeout. It is possible to receive real cash prizes via ACH or paper check, but these options come with additional fees and minimum exchange amounts.
Each Redeemable Coin holds a value of $0.002, which means the minimum redeemable balance of 12,500 Coins is equivalent to a $25 prize. Most payouts are processed and paid within two business days.
Golden Hearts Games Customer Service Grade—2/5
Golden Hearts’ customer support is powered by Zendesk. The help page can be accessed by clicking the FAQ link in the social casino’s main menu, but it leaves a lot to be desired. Though the FAQ page itself is very helpful, it’s difficult to escalate queries if you can’t find the information you’re looking for.
We’ve found the live chat to be very rarely available, giving players the option to speak to a bot or leave a message for the team. The bot struggles to find the correct information at times, which can cause both frustration and a long wait for an email reply from the customer support team. Your only other option is to ‘Submit a Request’ to the team, which we can only assume heads into the same pile as the live chat messages.
Golden Hearts Games Overall Grade—3/5
Though Golden Hearts Games has the potential to be a great sweepstakes casino, we can only give it a middle-of-the-road score due to its small slots library, lack of a mobile app, and poor customer support.
Unfortunately, this means we can’t recommend the site to players at this time. Instead, we’d suggest checking out Pulsz. This social casino has a large games library that’s updated weekly and a mobile app for both iOS and Android users.
Is Golden Hearts Games Legit?
Golden Hearts Games is a legit sweepstakes casino based in Boston, Massachusetts. The promotional games platform aims to support over 1.4 million IRS-approved charitable causes. You might need a large chunk of Coins to redeem prizes, but the records show that this social casino does pay out once you reach the minimum and go through the process to redeem your funds.
All games at Golden Hearts are developed and operated by the sweepstakes casino. Out of preference, we prefer to play at Pulsz, which uses titles from licensed gaming providers like High 5 Games and Pragmatic Play. We also prefer the security at Pulsz, and a full player safety statement is provided to help protect users from the effects of problem gaming. We could not find a responsible gaming statement in clear view at Golden Hearts Games at the time of this review.
Is Golden Hearts Games Legal?
Golden Hearts Games is a legal sweepstakes casino. The site is open to legal residents of the US who are 18 or older, including any of the US territories. In Alabama and Nebraska, players must be 19 or older. Users in Mississippi and Puerto Rico must be 21 or older.
Golden Hearts Games FAQ
For the no-purchase offer, you must use a Golden Hearts Games promo code, which the site will provide when you register.
You will not need a promo code to claim your first donation offer at Golden Hearts Games. Instead, just head to the “Get Coins” section of the app right away.
Golden Hearts Games offers some free Coins for signing up. The offers vary, but we received 1,000 Unplayed Coins during our review. You can also receive bonus coins if you choose to make a donation at the sweepstakes casino. The offer will be applied to your first donation and is accessible by clicking ‘Get Coins’ in the main menu.
Redeemable Coins are coins you have received as a prize for playing titles at Golden Hearts Games. Each Coin has a value of $0.002, and you will need a minimum of 12,500 to redeem your RCs for cash.
You can redeem your Coins at Golden Hearts Games for cash prizes via PayPal or gift cards via the social casino’s partner, Prizeout. Most retail and restaurant gift cards are available here.
Golden Hearts Games is owned by Golden Hearts Games Incorporated. The company is based in Boston, Massachusetts, and was publicly launched in August 2020.
Yes, Golden Hearts runs bingo games every 10 minutes. These games run around the clock and there are several available to play, including Mega Jackpot and Super Jackpot Bingo.
About the Author
