South Carolina Gambling
South Carolina is a Bible Belt state, so its stance on gambling is pretty obvious. Even though it is not as rigid as Hawaii or Utah, it is not the most liberal state either. When it comes to gambling, the South Carolina gambling regulation is pretty strict and closed to any new ideas and opportunities. Shame, as gaming has proven to be a lucrative industry that can help develop whole communities.
Overview of Gambling in South Carolina
Although some efforts have made the South Carolina gambling dream come true, we have yet to see the plans and initiatives come to life. Still, it is not all dark and gloomy when it comes to South Carolina casinos. There are certain forms of gambling that are allowed. Residents of the Palmetto State can play the lottery, buy scratch cards, and enjoy charity gaming or charity bingo.
Also, there is one casino boat ready to rock the world of all players who don’t mind taking a short trip. We can only keep our fingers crossed that the situation will be better in the future.
Online Gambling in South Carolina
Okay, but if you can’t play at a brick-and-mortar South Carolina casino, all you have to do is play at an online casino, right? Not really. “Is online gambling legal in South Carolina?” - this question appears in our inbox every so often, and we have to say that the authorities aren’t exactly making a clear stance.
The reason for this is that online casino laws in South Carolina don’t exist. The entire industry is regulated based on laws voted on before the online gaming rush kicked in. Does this mean that online gambling South Carolina sites are simply a grey area, and you can get away with it? Once again, we have to say - no. There is not a single real money online casino South Carolina site out there.
According to SC law from Part 16-19-40, illegal gambling is any activity where a real money win might occur, played on a device or machine without a proper licence. We simplified it to the max, but the message is clear: gaming is illegal unless it is licensed by the state.
Online Poker
We hate to bring you the bad news, but poker in all its forms, shapes and sizes was banned in 2012. Licensed and renowned poker rooms don’t accept players from South Carolina. Those that do aren’t the ones we would recommend anyway. Stay on the right side of the law, and play when visiting friends or family in Nevada. We hope you have some!
Online Betting
If you are wondering if there is any legal sports betting South Carolina has to offer, the answer is - it’s complicated. There are a couple of daily fantasy sports operators who have found their way around the local legislation. However, formally speaking, the state doesn’t recognize daily fantasy sports, nor does it regulate betting on any such contests.
And what about standard sports betting? Efforts have been made to make sports betting South Carolina 100% legal. At the same time, the progress has been painfully slow. In April 2022, lawmakers introduced the HB 5277 bill with the idea to allow up to 12 bookies to run their online businesses in Palmetto State. They suggested a $500,000 initial licensing fee, plus the 10% tax on all the revenues.
The Bill has not yet been ratified. South Carolina Governor gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham openly supported online sports betting, warning about the dangers of unregulated betting markets. But that was pretty much it. Since the proposal, no moves have been made to make betting happen.
Top Gambling Cities in South Carolina
Is there some cool gambling casino city in South Carolina we could call the Las Vegas of the South? Not for now. The only casino establishment is a single gaming boat.
Little River Casinos
Little River is famous for several reasons. First, you can enjoy all the fresh seafood you can eat and visit the annual blue crab festival. Then, there are centuries-old oak trees. It is also an ideal place to chill, unwind and experience a more relaxed lifestyle. But that is not why you came here.
Little River is the only town we could say is a gambling city in South Carolina. It is home to the Big M Casino boat. Well, technically, it’s two boats, but it’s the same casino. On these fancy cruisers, you’ll find more than 400 slot machines, blackjack, craps, 3 card poker, roulette, let it ride and several other games.
Tribal Gaming
In 1993, the Catawba Indian Nation became South Carolina's only federally recognized tribe. After many back and forth discussions, all the tribe’s efforts to establish gaming facilities were silenced. In the past, the Catawba Indian Nation used to own two bingo halls, but they both shut down due to low profits. The same tribe, however, operates the Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.