The iGaming picture across the United States is not always easy to understand. With each state in control of their own online gambling laws, there are differences throughout the country. On this page, we are focusing on South Carolina and the prospect of legal and regulated iGaming in the state.
Is Gambling Legal in South Carolina?
Before look more closely at iGaming, we must assess the overall gambling laws in South Carolina. While many states offer some form of gambling, such as land-based casinos or horse racing, there is nothing like that in South Carolina. In fact, South Carolina is one of the strictest states in the country in terms of gambling and there are no land-based casinos or sportsbooks at all in the state. It is illegal to host a poker night at home, such is the severity of the law when it comes to gambling in the Palmetto State. The only two forms of gambling approved by the state of South Carolina are the state lottery and bingo. So, when considering if South Carolina will ever legalize iGaming, the outlook is poor when land-based gambling, including home poker games, are forbidden.
Online Casinos and Sportsbooks
The two main forms of iGaming are casino games and sportsbooks. At the time of writing, neither are legal in South Carolina. That will come as no surprise considering land-based casinos and sportsbooks are illegal. The laws that prohibit iGaming in South Carolina are the same as those that ban in-person gambling. The 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that handed the power to states to regulate their own sports gambling has seen a huge rise in the number of states legalizing online sportsbooks. However, South Carolina is one of the states that has refused to regulate online sports betting.
There is pressure from residents of South Carolina for the online gambling laws to be loosened but there is not a great deal of movement in that direction. A ray of light for those who want to see legalized iGaming in South Carolina is the introduction of legal gambling cruises. This happened in 2008 and shows it is possible for new gambling legislation to pass in the Palmetto State.
What are the Options for Gamblers in South Carolina?
With all forms of casino gaming and sports betting illegal in South Carolina, gamblers must get creative. The law in South Carolina does not prevent residents from gambling using offshore casinos and sportsbooks. That means the website must be regulated outside of the country and gives people access to some of the leading iGaming brands from around the world. One of the best options is anonymous casinos. Anonymous casinos: Your guide to hidden gaming gems by Ancient Egypt, is the perfect place to begin. You can find out more about how anonymous online casinos work and the best games to play. Essentially, you do not have to register at anonymous casinos and can play games without having to provide any form of identification.
In addition to anonymous casinos, the cruising casinos are the next best option for gamblers in South Carolina. You must be at least 21 years old to book a trip on a gambling cruise and, at the time of writing, there are three different ships offering gambling cruises based in Charleston.
There could be a long wait for iGaming to be approved in South Carolina. However, there are some good options for those who would like to gamble online, including offshore casinos and sportsbooks plus anonymous casinos, the latter of which require no registration.