Online casinos in South Carolina: is it legal?

South Carolina has no casinos and no state-licensed sports betting of any kind. Constitution Article XVII, Section 7 provides that only the State may conduct lotteries, in the manner the General Assembly provides by law, with narrow exceptions only for charitable and fraternal bingo and nonprofit raffles; anything else is a lottery prohibited by that section. The criminal prohibitions sit in SC Code Title 16, Chapter 19 (sec. 16-19-10 setting up lotteries, 16-19-40 unlawful games and betting, 16-19-130 betting, pool selling and bookmaking), which contains no online-specific section. SC runs a two-year session (126th, 2025-2026) and bills carry over. No online casino / iGaming bill exists. Note that the most ACTIVE South Carolina gaming bill is not an online bill at all: H. 4176, the 'I-95 Economic and Education Stimulus Act', creates a SC Gaming Commission and land-based Class III casino licenses in I-95 counties, and was 'Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means' on 2026-01-28 (https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/4176.htm). H. 3353, a constitutional-amendment joint resolution covering horse racing, sports betting and casino games, likewise contains no online language.

What the legislature is doing

Bills that would change what is legal online in South Carolina — loosening or tightening — with the status each legislature publishes. A bill that died still tells you something about the direction of travel.