Is Gambling Legal In South Carolina
- South Carolina Legal Gambling Age - One of the first things we looked for in the world of gambling in the state of South Carolina was that of the South Carolina Legal Gambling Age. To gamble in South Carolina you will have to be at least 18. In some online gambling sites you will have to be 21.
- As we’ve covered so far, South Carolina is tough on gambling. This is seen throughout their entire history, which starts with banning all forms of gaming in 1802. The Palmetto State allowed video poker machines throughout the 1990s, but they decided to ban all of these games in 2000.
- South Carolina has historically been extremely opposed to almost all forms of gambling, including betting on sports. Unfortunately for sports betting fans in the state, that opposition is still going strong. Right now and for the foreseeable future, sports betting is not legal in South Carolina.
- The only legal form of gambling in South Carolina is the lottery. People must be 18 years or older to participate in one of the state or national lotteries. The legal drinking age in the state is the same as the one laid out in the federal law, 21 years or older.
Talking about South Carolina online casinos is nothing shorter than hoping for a miracle to happen. Actually, knowing the strict and almost hostile stand that this state took on this debate comparing to other states, perhaps one should even question if is gambling legal in South Carolina? In fact, a market and some options for gambling in South Carolina do exist, but they are rather limited. Not having even a single casino in South Carolina, gets to show exactly how the law-makers of this state feel about this particular business.
South Carolina Online Casino Sites
But generally, South Carolina is an anti-gaming state. You won’t find casinos, sports betting, or legal private gambling in the state at all. South Carolina’s criminal code contains numerous laws that prohibit games, and little outlining games that are allowed.
Casino | Bonus | Website | Rating | Features | Deposit |
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1 | $2000 | 257 voted Review |
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2 | $12250 | 114 voted Review |
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3 | $12000 | 145 voted Review |
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4 | $2500 | 471 voted Review |
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5 | $1000 | 424 voted Review |
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6 | $7777 | 475 voted Review |
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7 | $3000 | 369 voted Review |
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8 | $800 | 151 voted Review |
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9 | $4000 | 276 voted Review |
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10 | $5000 | 387 voted Review |
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Contents
South Carolina Gambling Laws
The ancient-almost South Carolina gambling laws date all the way back from the start of the 1800s. So, being more than 200 years old, they pertain to some piece of notions that aren’t of real notoriety. Not that hard to believe that a piece of legislative information that refers to roulette as “rouge or noir” is not that keen on taking on the impact for South Carolina online gambling could have. Read the source about gambling laws in South Carolina.
There are no Indian casinos in South Carolina as we’ve become accustomed to seeing in other states. That is not for lack of trying, though. Native Americans can start this sort of business under federal law protection. However, they still need to sign an agreement with the state their reservation is in. The Catawba tribe asked for such a compact in order to open a new casino in South Carolina, but have been refused.
Trying to substitute the need for a casino in SC, other options became available, such as lottery, bingo halls and the most popular, casino cruises.
The Crusade against Internet Gambling
The law-makers of this state not only do not agree on the existence of online gambling in South Carolina, but they have taken it on themselves to ban in the whole country the phenomenon, or at least stop its expansion. For some of the loudest voices in the Senate of South Carolina, online casinos are seen as a facilitator of organized crime and even terrorism. Also, the main point of debate was that the geolocation couldn’t be that precise as to clearly tell if a player resides in a state where Internet wagering is allowed or not. And as a result, it was asked that these virtual venues be banned all around the country.
Surely, these ideas were quickly dismissed by any senator who can figure out the basics of how these simple concepts function. Unfortunately, this opinion caught a lot of air under its wings locally. Furthermore, going into an argumentative debate with such a representative, oblivious to the modern age of technology, becomes futile.
Offline and Online Gambling Options in South Carolina
Off-shore Online Casino Websites
South Carolina online gambling being looked at the way it is, with such a low interest to be legalized, it has created a proper market for off-shore based RTG all casinos, virtual wagering websites. This state’s residents are allowed and welcomed to legally play betting games on such sites. Surely there is a South Carolina casinos list, where one can find all the websites that accept US players, residents from SC included, that meet the security demands and are legally licensed, although in other jurisdictions, and that is safe for playing. And our top choice is Bovada. Bovada is legal in South Carolina and is a well-known online casino brand in the United States.
- Top 1 USA online casino
- Fast payouts
Lottery
Not having a proper casino, South Carolina embraced all the other forms allowed, the lottery is one of the popular ones. Ironically enough, the greatest winning in lottery’s history happened in October 2018, when a South Carolinian won a 1.6 billion USD prize.
Cruises
The regulators didn’t agree on any Indian casinos South Carolina. Therefore the gaming services operators shifted towards alternatives. Seeing how for setting such a venture on-land there couldn’t be found any goodwill, they reoriented towards the water. More precisely, beyond 3 miles from shore, in international waters. The Charleston casino cruise departs twice a day, while other ships offer similar services of gambling casinos in Myrtle Beach, SC. Aboard these cruises are the only places where legal SC slots can be found.
Bingo
The demand of a South Carolina casino being left unanswered, residents went along with whatever legal options they had at disposal. Thus, bingo halls have become largely popular, seeing how even raffles, poker nights and all other charitable gaming, are forbidden.
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Is gambling legal in South Carolina?
In the general sense, yes it is. But the options it offers are scarce, to say the least, seeing how the only casinos in SC operate in the form of casino cruises and as for online gambling, South Carolina is so unwelcoming, it borders straight-on war.
Are there casinos in Charleston, South Carolina?
Some of the few South Carolina casinos are based on sorts in this town, although they come in the shape of ships departing for daily cruises, up to the international waters, where gambling is not forbidden any longer.
Can I gamble in SC online casinos?
There are no such venues, but you can find a couple of off-shore websites that offer their services and give you access only those on the list of reviewed and verified sites, can gamble stress-free.
What is the age legal gambling age in South Carolina?
For this state, it is legal to bet from 18 years, except when embarking on a cruise ship, in which case, 21 is the lowest limit.
How can I know if an offshore casino is legit?
For players coming from South Carolina, online casinos offer some of the sweetest deals, hoping to attract them to their website. Indeed, some of these aren’t what they claim to be. However, there is at least one list of casinos in South Carolina that have been carefully reviewed and tested for security discrepancies, every website on that list being recommended for a safe-play.
Any future change in the legislation to allow Internet gaming for money?
Given the general stand in regards to the subject at hand, it is highly unlikely that even a debate on the legalization of SC online casinos is going to take place in the short term future.
- Casino Gambling: Not Legal
- Poker: Not Legal
- Horse Racing Betting: Legal
- Dog Racing Betting: Not Legal
- Lottery: Legal
- Daily Fantasy Sports: Not Specified
- Charitable Gaming: Legal
- Social Gambling: Not Legal
- Online Gambling: Not Specified
South Carolina gambling law is restrictive compared to other states in America. No casinos, tribal or commercial, exist within state lines. Charitable games are heavily-restricted, and social gambling is implicitly illegal in all cases.
Is Sports Gambling Legal In South Carolina
The Palmetto State recently added provisions to allow a couple of businesses to launch casino cruises from South Carolina cities, but these businesses are restricted in terms of what games they can offer and what range of wagers they can accept. The South Carolina Education Lottery is popular – since its launch in 2002, the lottery has provided the state with more than $3.5 billion in revenue.
There’s talk of changing gambling law in the state to allow for pari-mutuel wagering, OTB bets, and even a parlay card betting system run by the SC lottery. These ideas are in their early stages, with early efforts dying in legislative committees. When a politically-conservative state with a history of gambling bans starts to consider new regulated markets, it’s worth mentioning.
Below is a breakdown of what we’ve learned about the legal status of gambling in South Carolina. We’ve also thrown in a few links to give people other insight into the state’s gaming laws.
South Carolina is one of the worst states in America if you’re a gambler. The state’s lone casino gambling operation is a gambling cruise that doesn’t depart very often and charges hefty fees thanks to state regulation. Yes, the lottery is a popular way to gamble in the state, but South Carolina was one of the last states to offer it, and the state has still not accepted any of the new forms of lottery play, such as online ticket sales, football parlays, and other games. With that in mind, let’s look at some important facts and figures related to South Carolina’s gambling industry.
Sports Gambling South Carolina
- Age Requirements
- 21
- Approximate Annual Gambling Revenue
- n/a
- Approximate Annual Gambling Taxes
- n/a
- Number of Commercial Casinos
- 1
- Number of Racinos
- 0
- Number of Tribal Casinos
- 0
- Casino Regulatory Body
- South Carolina Lottery
- Lottery National Rankings
- 12th
States Where Gambling Is Legal
Below is our analysis of the legality of gambling in South Carolina. The information presented here is for educational purposes only. We aren’t lawyers. We are gamblers who are interested enough in gaming law to research the topic extensively. We’ve read every South Carolina law related to gaming and we’ve tried to condense that knowledge into something digestible.