South Carolina Online Casino Sites 2024

What’s the current situation for South Carolina online casinos? As a resident of the Palmetto State, it’s essential to understand where the law stands regarding online gambling. We’ll cover it all in this guide.

South Carolina is a state with clear laws when it comes to real money casino gaming and gambling in general. For instance, it approves of sweepstakes sites and land-based gambling establishments.

We’ll recommend the best places to play as you read on, and also provide helpful information to help you gamble safely in SC.

🔑 Key Takeaways

Find out SC’s strict penalty for illegal casino gambling.
Get to know the complicated history of gambling in the Palmetto State.
Discover the best South Carolina online casino sites for sweepstakes gaming.

Are Real Money Online Casinos Legal in South Carolina?

From our findings, real money online casinos are yet to be supported in South Carolina. If you’re in the state, you can’t gamble on games using actual cash.

We must also mention that the state has one of the strictest online gaming laws. According to the South Carolina Code of Laws, individuals found involved in illegal gambling can be imprisoned for up to 30 days or fined a maximum of $1,000.

To make sure you play legally from South Carolina and avoid any potential issues with the law, check out our recommended sites below. That said, you can check out our guide on what US states allow online casino games to know what’s happening in nearby states.

Our Top 5 Sweepstakes Online Casinos in South Carolina

While you can’t play on real money South Carolina online casino sites, sweepstakes casinos offer a commendable alternative. The difference with these platforms is that they’re entirely free to play. Since they don’t require payment, sweepstakes casinos are legal in South Carolina.

We have a guide on the best US sweepstakes casinos you can check for quality platforms. Meanwhile, below are the top sites available in SC for 2024.

Chumba Casino in South Carolina

Ranked at number one, Chumba Casino is a quality sweepstakes casino with many slot games. You can visit the site and register an account within minutes. When done, you’ll receive 2,000,000 GCs and 2 SCs from the welcome package. It’s one of the top South Carolina online casino bonus offers.

While slots are the majority, Chumba Casino also boasts an impressive collection of instant win games, Bingo, scratch cards, and table games. The best part is that some are Chumba Exclusives, which you won’t find on other sweepstakes gaming sites.

→ If you want to play a top Chumba Casino game, go for Hypernova Megaways by Relax Gaming. You’ll have fun with the jackpot respins during bonus rounds.

Luckyland Slots in South Carolina

Signing up with Luckyland Slots provides you with access to top-notch games with spinning reels. You can play slots of different types, including classics, megaways, jackpots, and cascading reels, to name a few. Each one is entirely free.

After registration, Luckyland Slots give you 7,777 Gold Coins and 10 Sweeps Coins to start playing. Away from slots, this NC online casino for sweepstakes gaming also features table games. However, the count is few and only includes blackjack and poker. All the same, it’s better than some other US sweepstakes platforms.

→ You can play Cai Shen Lai by SkyWind Group if you sign up with Luckyland Slots. It’s a 1×1 slot with one payline, and the target is to hit the three golden symbols simultaneously.

Sportzino in South Carolina

When you visit Sportzino, you first land on the social sportsbook section. However, it takes only two or three clicks to switch to the casino. With up to 100 titles, it’s understandable why the platform ranks among the best. Based on our checks, Sportzino welcomes new players with 170,000 GCs and 7 SCs.

Sportzino is yet to launch an installable app at the moment. However, you won’t miss one, as the mobile site is responsive. It’s also fast and intuitive, so you can easily find titles you love.

→ Check out the Emerald Bounty slot when you visit Sportzino in North Carolina. This title from Kalamba Games comes with the Hold and Win mechanic, so you can expect unique spinning sessions.

Gambino Slots in South Carolina

This South Carolina online casino for sweepstakes gaming focuses on offering classic experiences. Most games you get replicate the traditional machines at gambling houses. They’re still free to play, and there are 100,000 GCs and 200 free spins to claim from the welcome bonus.

Gambino Slots features a mobile app, which you won’t get with many other SC sweepstakes casinos. Thanks to this, the platform is perfect for playing on the go using your smartphone. When you visit the site, check the progressive slots section for games that allow you to win many coins.

→ An impressive title to play is Portal of Fortunes, an in-house slot, as it comes with unique features such as Temple Spins and Relic Respins.

LuckyBird.io in South Carolina

LuckyBird.io offers a casino where you can play Provably Fair games. That makes it one of the best platforms since the technology isn’t one you get everywhere. Plus, there’s a handsome welcome bonus to claim once you sign up over the first seven days. In total, you can receive 5,000 GCs and 0.6 SCs.

As you log into your LuckyBird account, expect an impressive collection of originals. The bulk of the casino’s library includes games from in-house providers, and this makes the platform exclusive. Generally, you’ll get slots, table games, and instant wins.

→ One of the LuckyBird Originals, Blackjack, is a top-notch title if you want to have fun at the sweepstakes casino. It obeys the classic rules of the card game, so you’ll find it simple to play.

Fact: Provably Fair is a recent and trendy technology that allows you to verify the result of casino games first-hand. It keeps the games transparent.

Want to Bet Real Money? The Top 3 Land-Based Casino in South Carolina

If you’re particular about real money gambling, sweepstakes SC online casino sites won’t serve as an alternative. Instead, we recommend visiting legit land-based casinos in South Carolina. At these locations, you can gamble with your money on slots and table games without legal issues.

Below are the top three options for your next visit to South Carolina.

Big M Casino: Ship II in Little River

Big M Casino offers the best real money gambling experience in SC. It’s an exquisite ship casino that floats on the little river. So, playing at this location is quite premium, and you’ll get slots, roulette, and card games like blackjack and poker.

Interestingly, there’s an ATM on board, so you don’t have to walk around with cash. However, you must be at least 21 to join the sail. Here’s player feedback that perfectly describes the experience on the Big M Casino ship:

Very fun experience, and we even won some $$. Views were beautiful, and the staff was awesome.
Rachel Swift, From Google Review

Address: 4491 Mineola Ave, Little River, SC 29566, United States
Phone Number: +1 (843) 249-9811
Website: bigmcasino.com/ship-ii
Opening Hours: 8 AM to 6 PM (5 PM on Monday and Tuesday)
Review on Google: 4.3/5

Carolina Bingo in Rock Hill

This is your best stop in South Carolina if you’re a fan of bingo. It’s still relatively new, but the location has already drawn many loyal players around Rock Hill. You can join the bingo rooms every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and there are many exciting games to play.

To spice up the experience, Carolina Bingo has up to $8,000 to win every night. Plus, it’s a no-smoke bingo hall, so you can expect a clean atmosphere as you play. This is what one player had to say after visiting:

Callers were easy to understand. Interior clean, and atmosphere good. Bingo lovers like me are in paradise!!
Charles Rains, a first-time visitor

Address: 1102 Cherry Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Phone Number: +1 (803) 323-6523
Website: carolinabingosc.com
Opening Hours: 5 PM to 12 PM (Only on Tuesday to Thursday)
Review on Google: 4.0/5

Carnival Sunshine in Charleston

Here’s another casino to go to if you want a cruise ship experience. Visiting Carnival Sunshine feels like being at a carnival, with the vibrant design of the casino’s interior. When you walk onto the gaming floor, you’ll find slot machines, blackjack and poker tables, scratch-offs, roulette, and craps.

Carnival Sunshine has a lower 18-year-old minimum age to play real money casino games. Also, if you own a Sail & Sign Card, you can enjoy free drinks at the tables. This user review briefly highlights what to expect from Carnival Sunshine:

Very nice, beautiful casino room, helpful people. Great staff!
Lana Verlie, From Google Review

Address: 32 Washington St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States
Phone Number: +1 (800) 764-7419
Website: carnival.com/cruise-ships/carnival-sunshine
Opening Hours:
Review on Google: 4.4/5

How to Declare Taxable Winnings in South Carolina?

You have to pay income tax when you win at a casino in South Carolina. Like most other US states, it’s a withholding tax, so you’ll receive Form W-2G from the casino if your winnings are up to:

$1,200 for slot or bingo games
$600 for all others

After completing the form, you return it to the gambling establishment. However, note that you must still report your winnings on Form 1040. Plus, there is a state tax to file with Form SC1040.

The good thing is that you can file online via the SC Department of Revenue website. The tax will be calculated on your total income, including other sources.

Other Legal Gambling Activities in South Carolina

As we’ve explained, real money South Carolina online casino sites are prohibited. So, your options are sweepstakes and land-based casino houses. What about other gambling forms? Well, the Palmetto State is still not friendly to many.

You only get the two options below, besides casinos:

Lottery: You can legally participate in the state-run lottery games in South Carolina. Revenue from these games is channeled into funding education in the state.
Charitable games: Games held for charitable reasons are legal in SC. However, the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) must grant the organizers a license.

Fact: The South Carolina Education Lottery is the body in charge of conducting and regulating lottery games in the state.

History of Gambling in South Carolina

You may wonder if gambling in South Carolina has always been as restricted as it is currently. Well, here’s a walkthrough of the state’s gambling history to see how the situation has evolved over the years:

Early 1700s: Gambling on horse races became popular in the area now known as South Carolina.
1712: Authorities attempt to control the growing gambling industry with the Act Against Deceitful, Disorderly, and Excessive Gaming, though enforcement is largely unsuccessful.
1734: The first formal racetrack opens in Charles Town (now Charleston).
1799: Local lotteries become popular. Notably, Denmark Vesey (Telemaque), a formerly enslaved person, wins $1,500 in a lottery, allowing him to buy his freedom.
1802: Public opinion turns against gambling, leading to the prohibition of gambling at tables.
1846: Lotteries are banned in South Carolina.
1976: Charitable bingo is legalized, marking the first legal gambling activity in over a century.
1980s-1990s: Video poker terminals become popular, operating in a legal gray area by not paying out cash directly from the machines. Instead, attendants hand over winnings.
2000: The state bans video poker machines, ending their popularity.
2001: The state establishes the South Carolina Education Lottery, legalizing a new form of gambling for educational funding.
2004: Laws are expanded to include electronic bingo as charitable games.
2014: Charitable gaming laws are amended to allow for raffles.

What’s Next for South Carolina Online Casinos?

There’s not much hope that online casinos will get the legal green light in South Carolina anytime soon. Currently, many US states are making moves to approve online sports betting. North Carolina already legalized the activity in early 2024, but no such happenings are taking place in South Carolina.

According to reports, there’s a detailed sports betting and horse racing bill, HB 3749, for SC lawmakers to deliberate. However, here’s a comment from an anonymous source in the house:

The support is really soft, even with NC legalizing. That certainly helps, but it could take another year, even though they’re in the second year of the session, to pick up where they left off last year.

There is some real ‘disenchantment’ with some incumbents who are making a lot of asks and annoying lawmakers.

The outlook is that if lawmakers are not considering legalizing sports betting, it’s a more challenging situation for real money South Carolina online casino sites.

So, Will You Bet From South Carolina Tonight?

As you’ve read, existing laws don’t allow real money South Carolina online casino gaming. There is also no set date for when this will change or if we can expect approval in the upcoming years.

Thankfully, you have options with the sweepstakes sites and land-based gambling locations we listed. Suppose you still want to play online, stick to our recommendations to play your favorite games safely for free in SC.

To discover more high-quality options, visit our page on the best new sweepstakes casinos.