Louise | November 20, 2020 | Updated on: April 26th, 2021
South Carolina casinos, as well as sports betting, were once popular than 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. Read this guide to learn more about South Carolina gambling.
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 in South Carolina. Daily fantasy sports sites do accept players from South Carolina. These businesses claim exception under South Carolina’s skill gaming laws.
Gambling Games
Live Gambling in South Carolina
There are only two types of live gambling allowed in South Carolina. The state lottery vends tickets for 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 can work because it acts as a cruise casino. Players can book a short trip on the cruise while gambling at the casino’s games 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. Also, 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
South Carolina prohibits most types of gambling. Video poker machines, Slots, table games, and also racing are all unlawful. The possession of betting devices is only allowable on cruise ships located in water or transport en route to approved casinos.
The only kinds of legal gambling in South Carolina are bingo and a state lottery. State law licenses the operation of a lottery by the government. Profits must go to education. Only traditional tickets, instant games, and lottos can be sold. South Carolina’s lottery can enter multi-state drawings. This comprises Mega Millions and the 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 South Carolina are convenience stores that vend lottery tickets, charities offering bingo,, and the Catawba reservation which is near Rock Hill and offers high stakes bingo. South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina gambling in the 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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