Maybe you’re heading out to Springdale for a nice day playing the ponies or heading out on a casino cruise from Myrtle Beach. Or maybe you’re hosting a poker night or placing some friendly wagers on the Gamecocks / Tigers game. All of these activities are covered (and some prohibited) by the Palmetto State’s gambling laws. So make sure you’re on the right side of those laws. Here are the basics of gambling laws in South Carolina.
Gaming Law in South Carolina
While many states have relaxed gambling statutes and permit limited casinos and other gaming venues like card rooms, certain types of gaming and gambling remain illegal under state gaming statutes. South Carolina’s gambling laws allow some betting on horse racing and the above-mentioned casino cruises. Betting, pool selling, bookmaking and the like are all prohibited
South Carolina Gambling Statutes
The chart below highlights some of South Carolina gambling laws.
| Code Section | South Carolina Code of Laws 16-19-40 et seq.: Gambling and Lotteries |
| Gambling | Playing card or dice games; roley-poley; rouge et noir; faro; or at any gaming tables or gaming devices. |
| Horse Racing/Off-Track Betting | Horse racing at Springdale Course Track; used for Carolina Cup and Colonial Cup International Steeplechase only. |
| Dog Racing/Off-Track Betting | - |
| Casinos Allowed? | Gambling devices prohibited. |
| Other Kinds of Gambling-Related Activities Allowed or Banned | Card and dice games; lettered gaming tables; roley-poley tables; rouge et noir; faro banks; playing games in one's home on Sunday; betting on elections; pool selling; bookmaking; punchboards; gray machines are illegal. |
Gambling and gaming laws can cover everything from office betting pools and Sunday games in the home to racetracks, casinos, and all the way up to state lotteries. State that do allow limited gambling also have government divisions or gaming commissions that control industry practices like licensing casinos and employees and regulating the games and finances. Many states have also created strict zoning ordinances to separate casinos and racetracks from schools and residential areas. States aren’t the only ones creating gambling laws: at the federal level, gambling establishments on Indian reservations are subject to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
South Carolina Gambling Laws: Related Resources
Gaming laws and gambling restrictions can vary from state to state. For more articles and resources on this topic, you can visit FindLaw’s Gaming Law section. If you would like legal advice regarding a gaming or gambling matter, you can contact a South Carolina gaming law attorney in your area.
