South Carolina Casinos and Gambling Laws

Rachel Elam | January 20, 2020 | Updated on: November 28th, 2023

South Carolina casinos, as well as betting, were once more popular than those in Nevada. This happened in the 1990s when video poker operatives discovered a gap in the South Carolina gambling laws. Casinos opened up all over the state.

Gas stations, restaurants, and bars all hosted video poker gambling games. These casino games were forbidden in 2000. A state lottery was then created a year later. The only other type of legal betting is a casino cruise and charity bingo that harbors near Myrtle Beach.

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South Carolina Casinos & Gambling

• Year Gambling was Regulated: Lottery (2001)
• Estimated Gambling Tax Revenue: $400 million per year
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: $1.4 billion per year
• Legal Gambling Age: 18
• Online Gambling Status: None

Online Gambling Allowed in South Carolina

There are no types of legalized internet gambling. Daily fantasy sports sites do accept players from the state. These businesses claim exception under South Carolina’s skill gaming laws.

Gambling Games

• Bingo
• Lottery

Live Gambling in South Carolina

There are only two types of live gambling allowed. The state lottery vends tickets to lotto drawings. It also vends scratch-off instant game tickets. There is only one South Carolina casino that is currently operating within the state; the Big M Casino.

This casino is able to work due to the fact that it acts as a cruise casino. Players are able to book a short trip on the cruise while gambling at the casino’s game tables.

Bingo is allowed when offered by charitable organizations. Entries should be $3, $5 or $18. The prize pool should be announced before the night of the games.

It cannot be based on the amount of the prize pool. The Catawba Tribe is also allowed to spread high stakes bingo games through its exemption under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

South Carolina Casinos Gambling Laws

The states prohibits most types of gambling. Video poker machines, slots, table games, and racing are all unlawful. The possession of betting devices is only allowable on cruise ships located in water or in transport en route to approved casinos.

The only kinds of legal gambling games are bingo and the state lottery. State law licenses the operation of a lottery by the government. Profits must go to education. Only traditional tickets and instant games can be sold.

The state citizens can enter multi-state lottery games, such as Mega Millions and Powerball. The lottery cannot operate keno games or even expand into video lottery.

The Bingo Act of 1976 allows charities to offer bingo with rules. A game can only have a single winner. The prize for every game offered during a session should be equal.

Auto-daubers were allowable in 2004 however, only to enable traditional bingo games. Video bingo games are clearly forbidden.

South Carolina Casinos List

The only places to bet in the state are convenience stores that vend lottery tickets, charities offering bingo and the Catawba reservation, which is near Rock Hill and offers high stakes bingo. The state has two casinos, which is SunCruz Aquacasino and the Big M Casino, which are cruise casinos, situated in the Little River Bay just north of Myrtle Beach.

South Carolina Gambling History

Racing was the first type of gambling. Greyhounds and horses raced early in the last century. The traditional movement during those days after World War II ended gambling. The first type of legal gambling in contemporary days was bingo.

This happened in 1976. Only charities offer bingo though the Catawba Tribe also runs the games through its exemption under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

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