Best South Carolina Online Casinos 2026

Top SC Online Casinos for Real Money in January, 2026

Is Online Casino Gambling Legal in South Carolina?

No. Online casino gambling is not legal or regulated in South Carolina. The state does not license real money online casinos, and there is no state framework that authorizes online slots, table games, or live dealer casino play.

In practical terms, this means there is no South Carolina regulator to approve operators, audit games, enforce payout standards, or handle player disputes for online casino products. When online casino proposals appear in the statehouse, they typically focus first on land-based casino authorization and the creation of a state gaming commission, rather than a fully regulated online casino market.

South Carolina lawmakers have also continued to introduce sports betting proposals, which matters because sports wagering is often treated as a separate issue from online casinos, with different political pathways and bill language. For example, House Bill 3625 in the 2025-2026 session proposes a “South Carolina Sports Wagering Act” and a dedicated commission for sports wagering.

Historical Context

South Carolina has long maintained one of the country’s more restrictive gambling environments, with legal gambling largely confined to the lottery and tightly controlled charitable bingo. Bingo enforcement and licensing are handled by the South Carolina Department of Revenue under the Bingo Tax Act, which reflects the state’s broader preference for narrow, supervised gambling exceptions rather than commercial expansion.

In the last few years, however, there has been more recurring legislative interest in expansion proposals, especially around economic development arguments. A key example is House Bill 4176 (the “I-95 Economic and Education Stimulus Act”), which proposes authorizing casino gaming in specific areas and establishing a South Carolina Gaming Commission to oversee it. While this is not an online casino bill, it signals a renewed willingness among some lawmakers to revisit casino legalization as a policy tool.

Key Milestones in South Carolina Online Casino Legislation

• 2025-2026: HB 3625 is introduced, proposing a regulated mobile sports betting framework and a new sports wagering commission.
• 2024: Renewed discussion around HB 4176, proposing land-based casinos tied to economic development along the I-95 corridor.
• 2023: No online casino or iGaming bills advance beyond early committee review.
• 2022: Casino resort proposals resurface but stall without floor votes.
• 2019-2021: Multiple sports betting bills introduced; none enacted.
• 2016: Court rulings reinforce broad state authority to prohibit gambling activities.
• 2000: South Carolina Education Lottery launches under a narrow constitutional allowance.

Why SC Still Has No Legal Online Casinos

South Carolina’s main barrier is structural. The state does not have a mature commercial casino sector or an established regulatory framework for casino gaming that could be extended to online casinos. When lawmakers propose change, they often start with land-based casino authorization plus a new state gaming commission, rather than jumping straight to internet casino regulation. HB 4176 is a current example of this “build the land-based framework first” approach.

There is also a political reality: gambling expansion frequently faces resistance grounded in social and moral objections, and proposals often need to be packaged with specific earmarks to broaden support. Recent reporting around the revived I-95 casino proposal highlights attempts to tie casino revenue to conservation and other public priorities as a strategy to move legislation forward.

Finally, South Carolina’s repeated sports betting efforts illustrate how incremental the path has been. Bills like HB 3625 (sports wagering) show lawmakers trying narrower expansions that can be debated separately from full casino gaming. Even if sports wagering advances, that does not automatically create a pathway for online casinos, which tend to attract higher scrutiny due to 24/7 access and enforcement concerns. 

Gambling Options Available in the Palmetto State

South Carolina allows only a narrow range of gambling activities. The table below summarizes what is permitted.

Gambling options vary significantly by format and regulatory oversight.

Gambling Option	Legal Status
Commercial Casinos	Prohibited
Tribal Casinos	None
State-Licensed Online Casinos	Prohibited
Offshore Online Casinos	Not state-regulated but accessible
Sweepstakes Casinos	Restricted and under scrutiny
Social Casinos	Prohibited
Eight-Liners	Prohibited
Bingo	Legal but highly regulated
Lottery	Legal

Brick-and-Mortar Casinos

South Carolina does not have traditional land-based casinos. The state has no tribal gaming operations and no commercial casino licenses.

Casino-style gambling is limited to cruise ships that depart state waters, commonly referred to as “cruises to nowhere.”

Popular gambling cruise options include the following.

Casino Name	Address	Established	Types of Games Available	Interesting Fact
Big M Casino	Little River, SC	1991	Slots, table games	Operates only once in international waters
SunCruz Casino	Myrtle Beach, SC	2000	Slots, blackjack	Sailings last several hours offshore
Little River Casino Cruise	Little River, SC	1995	Slots, roulette	One of the oldest casino cruises on the East Coast

Is Online Poker Legal in South Carolina?

No. Online poker is illegal in South Carolina and is not regulated at the state level. There are no licensed online poker rooms operating within state jurisdiction.

Some players access offshore poker platforms, but these sites are not regulated by South Carolina authorities and operate under foreign licenses like Curacao, Anjouan, or Malta.

Sweepstakes Casinos and South Carolina Law

Sweepstakes casinos use virtual currencies instead of direct cash wagering. Players typically purchase one currency and receive another as a promotional sweepstakes entry.

South Carolina law does not explicitly regulate sweepstakes casinos, but enforcement actions and legal interpretations have made their operation increasingly uncertain.

A comparison helps clarify how they differ from real money casinos.

Feature	Sweepstakes Casinos	Real Money Online Casinos
Cash wagering	No	Yes
State regulation	No	No
Legal clarity	Unclear	Prohibited
Withdrawal method	Prize redemption	Cash out

A Bordering State Comparison

Neighboring states highlight how different policy choices affect gambling access.

• North Carolina: North Carolina is more permissive than South Carolina in two practical ways. First, it has legal tribal casinos that offer casino-style games in person, providing residents with a local, regulated option that South Carolina lacks. Second, North Carolina launched statewide mobile sports betting on March 11, 2024, under oversight structures tied to the state’s lottery commission, creating a regulated online sports betting market. That said, North Carolina still does not offer state-licensed online casinos. So while crossing the border changes what is legal for sports betting and land-based casino play, it does not create a regulated option for online slots and table games.
• Georgia: Georgia’s gambling footprint is closer to South Carolina’s than North Carolina’s. It has a lottery but lacks a broad commercial casino framework and has not established a regulated online casino market. This makes the SC–GA border less relevant for casino access than the SC–NC border, because players generally do not gain access to nearby regulated casinos by traveling into Georgia.

For South Carolina readers, the takeaway is simple: if you are comparing “what’s available nearby,” North Carolina is the meaningful contrast due to tribal casinos and regulated mobile sports betting, while Georgia is not.

Responsible Gambling

Because South Carolina does not regulate online casinos, player protection tools are limited. Players should use personal limits, avoid chasing losses, and seek help when gambling stops being recreational.

Support resources include: 

• The South Carolina Offisce of Substance Abuse Services
• The National Council on Problem Gambling hotline: 1-800-522-4700

A Summary of the South Carolina Online Casino Landscape

South Carolina maintains one of the strictest gambling frameworks in the United States. Online casinos, online poker, and commercial casino operations remain prohibited, with only limited exceptions such as the state lottery and bingo.

Without a regulatory framework, online gambling activity is driven by offshore platforms and casino cruises, leaving players responsible for evaluating risk, fairness, and security on their own.