About Freeplay Report
We explain no-deposit bonuses, sweepstakes casinos and US gambling law in plain terms, without dressing up the fine print as good news. Here is who writes this guide and how we go about it.
By Tessa Lindgren · Reviewed by Marcus Hill · Updated July 20, 2026
Our mission
Freeplay Report started from a simple irritation: almost everything written about no-deposit bonuses online is produced by someone who gets paid when a reader clicks through and signs up. That arrangement shapes the writing whether the author admits it or not. A page funded by referral commissions has a built-in incentive to make an offer sound bigger than its terms allow, and readers rarely have an easy way to tell which pages are doing that.
Our mission is narrower and, we think, more useful: explain what a no-deposit bonus actually is, what it actually pays out once wagering requirements and cashout caps are applied, and what US law actually says about where sweepstakes coins and real-money casino play are allowed. We are a consumer information site, not a directory of offers, and we are not trying to get anyone to gamble who wasn't already going to.
A lot of the numbers in this space are technically true and practically misleading at the same time: a "$25 free" bonus with a $50 cashout cap is both. Closing that gap is most of what we do here.
Independence
No Affiliate Links, No Referral Codes
Freeplay Report carries no affiliate links, no referral codes and no paid placement for any casino, sportsbook or sweepstakes platform. Nobody on our team receives a commission tied to a reader clicking through to any operator, because there is no such link on this site. We are not a casino, not a sportsbook and not a state or federal regulator, and we don't pretend otherwise.
That independence is a deliberate choice, not a marketing line. It means we have no financial reason to soften a bad wagering requirement, round up a maximum cashout figure, or leave out an inconvenient state ban. When a sweepstakes operator's terms are stingier than its homepage suggests, we say so. When a real-money bonus is only realistically worth a few dollars after the math, we say that too.
If our independence ever changes, meaning we take on any affiliate or advertising relationship with an operator we cover, we will disclose it clearly on the relevant pages rather than let readers assume nothing changed.
How we work
Our Sources and Editorial Process
Every page starts from primary sources rather than secondhand blog posts: operator terms and conditions, IRS guidance on gambling income, state gaming commission bulletins, and legislative text such as California's AB 831, the 2026 statute that banned dual-currency sweepstakes casinos outright. Tessa Lindgren, who covers state gaming law and consumer protection, researches and writes the guides. Marcus Hill, whose background is in regulatory and compliance reporting, reviews each page before publication, checking figures against the underlying sources and flagging anything that reads as advertising rather than explanation.
Keeping Pages Current
We date every page and revise it when the facts change. The 2026 W-2G reporting threshold, the shifting list of states banning dual-currency sweepstakes platforms, and the short list of states offering licensed real-money online casino play are all subject to change with little notice, so a page that was accurate in March can be stale by July if nobody updates it. We would rather correct a page quickly than leave outdated numbers standing because a correction is inconvenient.
Where We Draw the Line
We are careful about the line between information and advice. Nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice, and we say so directly rather than burying that caveat in small print. For a specific tax question, the right resource is the IRS or a licensed tax professional. For a specific legal question about a reader's state, the right resource is that state's gaming regulator or an attorney, not an article on a website.
Responsible gambling
No amount of careful bonus math changes the fact that gambling can become harmful, and a no-deposit bonus is not a safer category of gambling just because the initial credit was free. The reward mechanics behind sweepstakes coins and real-money slots are built the same way, and the same warning signs apply to both: betting more than intended, chasing losses, losing track of time, or feeling unable to stop even when it stops being enjoyable.
If gambling has stopped feeling like entertainment for you or someone you know, help is free, confidential and available at any hour. Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER, or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling for state-specific referrals and support resources for family members as well as players. We are not counselors and this site is not a substitute for professional help, but we think pointing readers toward that help is part of doing this job responsibly.
Contact us
Questions about a specific page, a correction to suggest, or a source we should be citing that we missed: email us at [email protected]. We read every message, though as a small editorial team we can't always promise a fast reply. If you're reaching out about an operator dispute or a withdrawal problem, we're not able to intervene on your behalf since we have no business relationship with any operator, but we can point you toward the right regulator or complaint channel where one exists.
If you spot an error, especially anything involving a dollar figure, an age minimum or a state's legal status, tell us. We would much rather fix a mistake than leave it standing because nobody flagged it.