Author avatar
Stan Fox
Stan Fox is an accomplished author specializing in legal gambling content and US gambling laws. With a deep understanding of the intricate regulatory landscape, he combines his passion for writing with his expertise in the field to provide readers with informative and engaging articles. He has been writing for LetsGambleUSA.com since 2019.

South Carolina is not what you would exactly call a gambling-friendly state. In fact, it has some of the strictest laws around gambling in the US -- and the most vigorously enforced.

There are no land-based casinos, and South Carolina's only federally recognized tribe, the Catawba, has been thwarted by the state in its attempts to establish one. The tribe recently launched a casino on ancestral lands just north of the border, in North Carolina, where it claims ancestral ties.

The state has legalized neither sports betting nor online gambling and has never come close to doing so. It has a lottery, but it was late to the party, establishing it in 2000.

There is nowhere to get a game of poker that is strictly legal, even in a private home game where no one is taking a rake.

Weirdly, though, in the 1990's, South Carolina had one of the biggest video poker industries in America. At one point, local gas stations and convenience stores were operating more than 34,000 video poker machines.

But in this conservative, Bible Belt state, church groups and anti-gambling activists opposed widespread access to these terminals, and the plug was pulled in 2000.

Allowed?Notes
Land-based gamblingNoApart from lottery sales, charitable bingo
Online gamblingNo
Sports bettingNo
LotteryYes
Minimum gambling age18 (lottery)

South Carolina Unlawful Gambling

Gambling-related laws in South Carolina are draconian and occasionally absurd. For example, the state lacks a clear-cut definition of gambling, while making it illegal to play any games on a Sunday.

Existing laws do not mention online gaming or even the internet – and since the law is somewhat enumerative, an argument could be made that the relevant statutes do not apply to gambling over the internet. Certainly, no one has been prosecuted to date for doing so.

Gambling-related matters are covered in the South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 16-19-40 et seq. The minimum gambling age is 18 for lottery games and 21 for casino cruises.

South Carolina Online Gambling Laws

South Carolina lawmakers haven’t legalized online casinos and aren’t likely to do so in the foreseeable future. In a 2014 poll, 68% of South Carolina voters were opposed to internet gambling, so any attempt to pass such a bill would likely meet significant resistance.

South Carolina regulations are ambiguous about gambling over the internet. The definition of unlawful gambling provided in the South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 16-19-40, states that any person caught playing “(a) any game with cards or dice, (b) any gaming table (...), (c) any roley-poley table, (d) rouge et noir, (e) any faro bank (f) any other table or bank of the same or the like kind under any denomination whatsoever or (g) any machine or device licensed pursuant to Section 12-21-2720” at “any tavern, inn, store for the retailing of spirituous liquors or in any house used as a place of gaming, barn, kitchen, stable or other outhouse, street, highway, open wood, race field or open place” shall be “imprisoned for a period of not over thirty days or fined not over one hundred dollars.”

Online gambling in South Carolina isn’t explicitly mentioned, but players can get in trouble over home games, as established by a 2009 Supreme Court ruling. Also, South Carolina bans playing any games on Sundays. The penalty for breaking this rule is a fine of up to $50, but local authorities don’t tend to enforce it due to its outdated nature.

Ultimately, the legality of playing on offshore sites is unclear, and we recommend consulting a lawyer before engaging in such activities.

South Carolina Casinos

Ever since South Carolina liquidated its video poker industry, Big M Casino Cruises have been the only legal outlet for live gambling. Big M Casino operates two ships that give their customers access to dozens of slots and several table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and 3-card poker. The cruises sail 365 days a year from Little River.

South Carolina's Gambling Cruise Act (2005) gives the power to municipal or county authorities to exempt county passenger cruise liners, specifically, from a ban on "gambling vessels" because they are "principally engaged in destination cruises and are not vessels used primarily for the operation of gambling."

South Carolina Poker

The general prohibition on card games extends to competitive poker, and Big M Casino ships don’t operate any poker games beyond the standard casino-style 3-card variation. Consequently, South Carolina residents who want to participate in live games need to travel to North Carolina, where they can play at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

South Carolina lawmakers haven’t legalized online poker, so local businesses aren’t allowed to operate poker sites as per the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. The legality of playing on offshore networks is just as ambiguous as the legality of using offshore casino sites, so once again, we recommend consulting a lawyer before joining such platforms.

South Carolina Parimutuel Betting

Horse racing has a long history in South Carolina and remains popular, despite the absence of legal wagering. A South Carolina tradition, the Carolina Cup draws over 30,000 racing fans to the Springdale Race Course in Camden to enjoy steeplechase horse racing.

South Carolina Video Poker

In 2000, voters demanded a referendum on whether video poker terminals should remain legal, but the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that such a referendum would be unconstitutional and ordered all gambling devices to be unplugged by June 30, 2000.

The industry was subsequently dismantled, putting thousands of people out of work. State gambling proponents never recovered from this staggering defeat, and South Carolina remains almost entirely devoid of legal casino-style gaming options to this day. The only exception is two casino cruise ships owned by the Big M Casino Company.

South Carolina Sports Betting

South Carolina’s Constitution contains a provision that prohibits betting on races and sports. According to the South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 16-19-130, any person that “engages in betting at any race track, pool selling, or bookmaking” can face a fine of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail.

However, bills to legalize and regulate sports betting have been introduced in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, and it's not unfeasible that South Carolina could have sports betting in the future. As it stands, though, both retail and online sports betting in South Carolina remain illegal.

South Carolina Daily Fantasy Sports

South Carolina DFS fans enjoy access to all major platforms, such as FanDuel, DraftKings, and Yahoo DFS. This doesn’t have any bearing on DFS contests’ legality, especially as the Attorney General’s Office hasn’t weighed in on this issue so far. The issue remains legally gray since it is neither explicitly prohibited nor authorized by South Carolina law.

South Carolina Lottery

Founded in 2000, the South Carolina Education Lottery (SCEL) is the Palmetto State’s official lottery and one of the few gambling opportunities for state residents. It offers both state and national draw games, including Mega Millions and Powerball. Scratchers and instant-win games are also available, but all tickets must be purchased from land-based retailers, as the SCEL isn’t allowed to sell its products over the internet.

South Carolina Bingo

Bingo is allowed as a form of charitable gambling and is overseen by the Department of Revenue Bingo Licensing and Enforcement Unit. South Carolina bingo fans don’t have access to any commercial bingo halls or state-sanctioned bingo sites, and the legal status of playing on offshore sites is just as questionable as in the case of casino and poker platforms.

South Carolina Gambling FAQ

Does South Carolina have casinos?

No, there are no casinos in South Carolina. Your best bet is to hop aboard one of the Big M Casino Cruises, which sail daily from Little River. Otherwise, head to the Catawba Two Kings Casino, just across the border near Charlotte, North Carolina.

Can I play video poker in South Carolina?

No, South Carolina once had a large video poker industry, but this was dismantled by authorities at the turn of the century.

Can I bet on horses in South Carolina?

No, while horse racing remains a popular sport in South Carolina and the state has several racetracks, there is no opportunity to bet legally on the races.

Is online gambling legal in South Carolina?

No, and there appears to be little appetite in the legislature to change that.

Can I play poker in South Carolina?

No. There are no casinos, no poker rooms, and no legal online poker. Even private home games are against the law.

Can I play the lottery in South Carolina?

Yes! The South Carolina Education Lottery was founded in 2000 and is one of the state's very few legal gambling opportunities.

South Carolina Code of Laws

Title 32 - Contracts and Agents
GAMBLING CONTRACTS

SECTION 32-1-10. Suit by loser at cards or other game for recovery of losses.

Any person who shall at any time or sitting, by playing at cards, dice table or any other game whatsoever or by betting on the sides or hands of such as do play at any of the games aforesaid, lose to any person or persons so playing or betting, in the whole, the sum or value of fifty dollars and shall pay or deliver such sum or value or any part thereof shall be at liberty, within three months then next ensuing, to sue for and recover the money or goods so lost and paid or delivered or any part thereof from the respective winner or winners thereof, with costs of suit, by action to be prosecuted in any court of competent jurisdiction.

SECTION 32-1-20. Suit by person other than loser for recovery of losses.

In case any person who shall lose such money or other thing as aforesaid shall not, within the time aforesaid, really and bona fide and without covin or collusion sue and with effect prosecute for the money or other things so by him or them lost and paid and delivered as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for any other person, by any such action or suit as aforesaid, to sue for and recover the same and treble the value thereof, with costs of suit, against such winner or winners as aforesaid, the one moiety thereof to the use of the person that will sue for the same and the other moiety to the use of the county in which the offense shall have been committed.

SECTION 32-1-30. Orders for discovery.

Any person who, by virtue of the provisions herein contained, shall or may be liable to be sued for such moneys or other things so won shall be obliged and compellable to answer, upon oath, such order as shall be made against him for discovering the sum of money or other things so won at play as aforesaid.

SECTION 32-1-40. Notes or other securities or conveyances given to secure wagers are void.

All notes, bills, bonds, judgments, mortgages or other securities or conveyances whatsoever given, granted, entered into or executed by any person whatsoever when the whole or any part of the consideration of such conveyances or securities shall be (a) for any money or valuable thing whatsoever won by cockfighting, horse racing or by gaming or playing at cards, dice tables, tennis, bowls, or other game whatsoever or by betting on the sides or hands of such as do game at any of the games aforesaid or any other game or games or (b) for the reimbursing or repaying any money knowingly lent or advanced at the time and place of such cockfighting, horse racing or play to any person (i) so gaming or betting as aforesaid or (ii) that shall, during such cockfighting, horse racing or play, so bet shall be utterly void, frustrate and of none effect to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

SECTION 32-1-50. Mortgages or other conveyances of land given to secure wagers are void.

When such mortgages, securities or other conveyances shall be of lands, tenements or hereditaments or shall be such as to encumber or affect the same, such mortgages, securities or other conveyances shall enure and be to and for the sole use and benefit of, and shall devolve upon, such person or persons as shall have been or may be entitled to such lands, tenements or hereditaments in case the grantor thereof or the person or persons so encumbering the same had been dead and as if such mortgages, securities or other conveyances had been made to such person or persons by the person so encumbering the same. And all grants and conveyances to be made for the preventing of such lands, tenements or hereditaments from coming to, or devolving upon, such person or persons hereby intended to enjoy them as aforesaid shall be deemed fraudulent and void and of none effect, to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

SECTION 32-1-60. Application of statutes to gambling activities not authorized by law.

Beginning on the effective date of this section, the provisions of Sections 32-1-10, 32-1-20, and 32-1-30 apply only to those gambling activities not authorized by law.

Anti-Gambling Laws

SECTION 16-19-10. Setting up lotteries.

Whoever shall publicly or privately erect, set up, or expose to be played or drawn at or shall cause or procure to be erected, set up, or exposed to be played, drawn, or thrown at any lottery under the denomination of sales of houses, lands, plate, jewels, goods, wares, merchandise, or other things whatsoever or for money or by any undertaking whatsoever, in the nature of a lottery, by way of chances, either by dice, lots, cards, balls, numbers, figures, or tickets or who shall make, write, print or publish, or cause to be made, written, or published any scheme or proposal for any of the purposes aforesaid is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined one thousand dollars and imprisoned for one year. One-third of the fine imposed shall be paid to the person, if any, who informed law enforcement officials or other appropriate authorities about the violation which led to the conviction. Each violation constitutes a separate offense.

[South Carolina has authorized a state lottery.

SECTION 16-19-20. Adventuring in lotteries.

Whoever shall be adventurer in or shall pay any moneys or other consideration or shall in any way contribute unto or upon account of any sales or lotteries shall forfeit for every such offense the sum of one hundred dollars to be recovered with costs of suit, by action or indictment in any court of competent jurisdiction in this State, one moiety thereof to and for the use of the State and the other moiety thereof to the person who shall inform and sue for the same.

SECTION 16-19-30. Selling lottery tickets.

It shall be unlawful to offer for sale any lottery tickets or to open or keep any office for the sale of lottery tickets, and if any person shall offend against any of the provisions of this section he shall, on conviction thereof, forfeit and pay to the State a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars. The county treasurer of the county in which such offense occurs shall prosecute the offender.

SECTION 16-19-40. Unlawful games and betting.

If any person shall play at any tavern, inn, store for the retailing of spirituous liquors or in any house used as a place of gaming, barn, kitchen, stable or other outhouse, street, highway, open wood, race field or open place at (a) any game with cards or dice, (b) any gaming table, commonly called A, B, C, or E, O, or any gaming table known or distinguished by any other letters or by any figures, (c) any roley-poley table, (d) rouge et noir, (e) any faro bank (f) any other table or bank of the same or the like kind under any denomination whatsoever or (g) any machine or device licensed pursuant to Section 12-21-2720 and used for gambling purposes, except the games of billiards, bowls, backgammon, chess, draughts, or whist when there is no betting on any such game of billiards, bowls, backgammon, chess, draughts, or whist or shall bet on the sides or hands of such as do game, upon being convicted thereof, before any magistrate, shall be imprisoned for a period of not over thirty days or fined not over one hundred dollars, and every person so keeping such tavern, inn, retail store, public place, or house used as a place for gaming or such other house shall, upon being convicted thereof, upon indictment, be imprisoned for a period not exceeding twelve months and forfeit a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars, for each and every offense..

SECTION 16-19-50. Keeping unlawful gaming tables.

Any person who shall set up, keep, or use any (a) gaming table, commonly called A, B, C, or E, O, or any gaming table known or distinguished by any other letters or by any figures, (b) roley-poley table, (c) table to play at rouge et noir, (d) faro bank (e) any other gaming table or bank of the like kind or of any other kind for the purpose of gaming, or (f) any machine or device licensed pursuant to Section 12-21-2720 and used for gambling purposes except the games of billiards, bowls, chess, draughts, and backgammon, upon being convicted thereof, upon indictment, shall forfeit a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars and not less than two hundred dollars.

SECTION 16-19-70. Keeping gaming tables open or playing games on the Sabbath.

Whoever shall keep or suffer to be kept any gaming table or permit any game or games to be played in his house on the Sabbath day, on conviction thereof before any court having jurisdiction, shall be fined in the sum of fifty dollars, to be sued for on behalf of, and to be recovered for the use of, the State.

SECTION 16-19-80. Forfeiture of wagers.

All and every sum or sums of money staked, betted or pending on the event of any such game or games as aforesaid are hereby declared to be forfeited.

SECTION 16-19-90. Betting on elections.

Any person who shall make any bet or wager of money or wager of any other thing of value or shall have any share or part in any bet or wager of money or wager of any other thing of value upon any election in this State shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined in a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars and be imprisoned not exceeding one month.

SECTION 16-19-100. Imprisonment in case of conviction.

Upon conviction of any person under any of the provisions of Sections 16-19-40, 16-19-50 or 16-19-90, the court before whom such conviction shall take place shall commit such offender to the common jail of the county in which such conviction shall happen for a period not exceeding the time for which such offender has been sentenced, unless such offender shall sooner pay the fine or fines herein imposed, together with the cost of prosecution.

SECTION 16-19-110. Exoneration for becoming State's evidence.

Any person who might be subject or liable to the fines and penalties imposed herein, either for gaming at or keeping a gaming table or tables, shall, upon being permitted by the circuit solicitor to become evidence in behalf of the State, be freed and exonerated from the same.

SECTION 16-19-120. Officers shall destroy gambling devices after confiscation.

All officers of the law in whose care, possession or keeping may be placed any gambling or gaming machine or device of any kind whatsoever or any gambling or gaming punchboard of any kind or description whatsoever which has been confiscated for violation of any criminal law or laws of this State shall immediately after conviction of the violator of the law destroy the same.

SECTION 16-19-130. Betting, pool selling, bookmaking and the like are prohibited.

Any person within this State who:

(1) Engages in betting at any race track, pool selling or bookmaking, with or without writing, at any time or place;

(2) Keeps or occupies any room, shed, tenement, booth, building, float or vessel, or any part thereof, or occupies any place or stand of any kind upon any public or private grounds within this State with books, papers, apparatus or paraphernalia for the purpose of recording or registering bets or wagers or of selling pools;

(3) Records or registers bets or wagers or sells pools or makes books, with or without writing, upon the result of any (a) trial or contest of skill, speed or power of endurance of man or beast, (b) political nomination, appointment or election or (c) lot, chance, casualty, unknown or contingent event whatsoever;

(4) Receives, registers, records or forwards or purports or pretends to receive, register, record or forward, in any manner whatsoever, any money, thing or consideration of value bet or wagered or offered for the purpose of being bet or wagered by or for any other person or sells pools upon any such result;

(5) Being the owner, lessee or occupant of any room, shed, tenement, tent, booth, building, float or vessel, or part thereof, or of any grounds within this State knowingly permits the same to be used or occupied for any of these purposes or therein keeps, exhibits or employs any device or apparatus for the purpose of recording or registering such bets or wagers or the selling of such pools or becomes the custodian or depository for gain, hire or reward of any money, property or thing of value staked, wagered or pledged or to be wagered or pledged upon any such result; or

(6) Aids, assists or abets in any manner in any of the aforesaid acts, which are hereby forbidden;

Shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.

SECTION 16-19-140. Violation of Section 16-19-130 constitutes a nuisance.

The violation of any of the provisions of Section 16-19-130 shall be deemed a common nuisance.

SECTION 16-19-150. Punishment of offense covered by Section 16-19-40.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 16-19-130 and 16-19-140, wherever the offense is covered by Section 16-19-40, the punishment there provided shall be imposed, it being the intention to leave the jurisdiction of such gambling as is there specifically prohibited in the courts now having jurisdiction of the same.

SECTION 16-19-160. Punchboards for gaming.

It shall be unlawful for any person to use or offer for use any punchboards or other kinds of boards with numbers concealed thereon for the purpose of gaming or chance in this State. Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than twenty-five dollars or imprisoned not less than five days nor more than thirty days, or both, at the discretion of the court; provided, that for the second or third offense hereunder the fine shall not be less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars or imprisonment on the public works of the county for a period not exceeding three months.