The online casino industry remains one of the most divisive topics in the United States. It remains accessible in only seven states presently, although that is set to expand to eight later this year.
Maine became the eighth state to legalize internet gambling in 2026, with a framework that provides exclusive rights to the Wabanaki tribes. While the timeframe regarding when Maine online casinos will become widely available is uncertain, it is likely that they will be accessible by the end of the year.
With online gambling continuing to grow in popularity throughout the United States, there is growing debate across the country regarding its legalization elsewhere. For residents in South Carolina and specifically in Charleston, is there a world where they could follow in Maine’s footsteps?
Most forms of gambling remain illegal throughout South Carolina
Before answering that, it’s important to examine the current legal landscape in South Carolina. Traditionally, the state has had one of the strictest attitudes towards gambling in any format. Land-based casinos and betting in most capacities have been kept illegal, and the state has applied those same laws following the emergence of online gambling.
Despite online sports betting being popular throughout the United States, it remains prohibited in South Carolina, as does the online casino industry. Live dealer games, online slots, and table games are as illegal as the physical versions of those same games.
What gambling is legal in South Carolina currently?
Only a few forms of gambling are available to residents of Charleston and those throughout the Palmetto State. Charitable bingo games have been permitted since 1976, but remain a highly regulated sector where nonprofit organizations can host games to fundraise for their community initiatives.
Decades later, the Education Lottery was introduced into law in 2001, and has been widely played since it was made available the following year. But while both bingo and the lottery are permitted by the state, so too are sweepstakes casinos, which don’t fall under the legal definition of illegal lottery.
For the state to deem a lottery illegal, the game must contain a prize, involve chance, and require consideration. By operating on a 'no purchase necessary' model where virtual Sweeps Coins are given away for free or awarded via promotions rather than bought outright, these platforms successfully eliminate the element of consideration, keeping them just outside the legal definition of gambling. Nevertheless, it remains a gray area, and one that has been cracked down on in other US states.
Increased debate regarding online gambling in South Carolina, but no change so far
Considering the current setting, it comes as no surprise that efforts to legalize gambling in South Carolina have so far fallen flat, although there have been attempts to spark a conversation. In 2025, three separate bills were introduced in an attempt to legalize both casinos and online sports betting.
However, the bill examining the introduction of a single casino in South Carolina was returned to the House Ways and Means Committee in early 2026, which effectively halted progress for the remainder of the year. If opposition to physical casinos continues, then it’s fair to say that the chances of the Palmetto State following in Maine’s footsteps of legalizing online casinos are just as slim.