South Carolina Online Poker Rooms
Is Poker Legal In South Carolina?
Live poker rooms in South Carolina are banned under Section 16-19-40 of their Code of Laws, which considers poker to be an “unlawful game” since it involves betting on a game of chance. The statute prohibits any game with cards in public or private used for gambling purposes and doesn’t exempt skill-based games like poker.
However, poker is legal in South Carolina when played on a Big “M” Casino cruise. South Carolina’s Gambling Cruise Act made it legal for passengers to voyage on a “gambling vessel” into international waters for the purpose of playing poker and other forms of gambling.
The act defines “gambling vessel” as a “boat, ship, casino boat, watercraft, or barge kept, operated, or maintained for the purpose of gambling, with one or more gaming establishments aboard, that carries or operates gambling devices for the use of its passengers or otherwise provides facilities for the purpose of gambling, whether within or without the jurisdiction of this State, and whether it is anchored, berthed, lying to, or navigating, and the sailing, voyaging, or cruising, or any segment of the sailing, voyaging, or cruising begins and ends within this State.”
South Carolina online poker is also an option with offshore poker sites. Ignition and other internationally-regulated poker rooms offer daily tournaments and cash games for No Limit Hold’em, Omaha, and more in the Palmetto State.
What Is The Legal Poker Age In South Carolina?
State-licensed casino cruises require passengers to be 21 years or older to board the boat and play poker. The 21+ age requirement applies to all gambling activities according to cruise operator policies.
South Carolina poker players can sit at some of the biggest online poker tournaments in the US starting at 18 years old with internationally-regulated poker sites. Ignition, BetOnline, and Bovada can take 18+ players since they’re under the purview of international regulation.
Live Poker Rooms In South Carolina
Since there aren’t any live poker rooms in South Carolina, in-person players are left with table game poker variations at casino cruises. Big “M” Casino is the only casino cruise in South Carolina and they offer 3-Card Poker and Let it Ride, but no tournaments for Texas Hold’em or other poker games. They have two ships sailing from 11 AM – 4 PM, Tuesday through Sunday.
Big “M” Casino Cruise
- Address: 4491 Mineola Avenue, Little River, SC 29566
- Phone Number: 843-249-9811
- Website: https://www.bigmcasino.com/
- Big M Casino Cruise Poker Information: No dedicated live poker room but offers 3-Card Poker and Let It Ride. Both poker games have a $10 minimum and a $100 maximum bet amount.
The ship offers poker near Myrtle Beach, but mostly focuses on slots and table games like blackjack, craps, and roulette. The SunCruz Aquasino formerly had a live poker room with No Limit Hold’em cash games on their casino cruise, but it closed in 2014.
Closest Live Poker Rooms
The closest live poker room to South Carolina is the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in North Carolina. It’s roughly 100 miles from highly populated cities like Greenville and Columbia, but also around 215 miles (3.5-hour drive) from Charleston and Myrtle Beach.
Catawba Two Kings Casino in Kings Mountain, North Carolina is another in-person option but only has table game poker like three-card and Ultimate Texas Hold’em. BestBet Jacksonville is a better choice with No Limit Hold’em tournaments and cash games.
Closest Live Poker Room To South Carolina
| Out-Of-State Poker Room (State) | Location | Closest South Carolina City (Distance) |
|---|---|---|
| Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (North Carolina) | 777 Casino Dr, Cherokee, NC 28719 | Greenville, SC (165 miles) |
| Catawba Two Kings Casino (North Carolina) | 538 Kings Mountain Blvd, Kings Mountain, NC | Greenville, SC (100 miles) |
| BestBet Jacksonville (Florida) | 201 Monument Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32225 | Charleston, SC (240 miles) |
Harrah’s Cherokee Poker Room
- Address: 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, NC 28719
- Phone Number: 1-800-522-4700
- Website: https://www.caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee/casino/poker-room
- Harrah’s Cherokee Poker Room Information: World Series of Poker (WSOP) room with 32 tables for cash games and daily Omaha and Texas Hold’em tournaments. Players must be 21+. Best poker room in North Carolina with top-tier promotions like their Royal Flush Progressive and daily splash pots, where a random table is selected for a $50 splash pot every 30 minutes.
BestBet Jacksonville Poker Room
- Address: 201 Monument Road, Jacksonville, FL 32225
- Phone Number: 904-646-0001
- Website: https://bestbetjax.com/poker
- BestBet Jacksonville Poker Room Information: One of the best poker rooms in Florida that has daily high hand jackpots. The closest poker room for coastal South Carolina residents in Myrtle Beach or Charleston with weekly tournaments.
Catawba Two Kings Casino
- Address: 538 Kings Mountain Blvd. Kings Mountain, NC 28086
- Phone Number: (704) 750-7777
- Website: https://www.twokingscasino.com/casino/table-games
- Catawba Two Kings Poker Room: Doesn’t have a dedicated poker room since it’s a temporary casino but a potential live poker room is being discussed for the permanent location. Catawba Two Kings currently offers Three-Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em table games.
Answering FAQs - How To Play Poker In South Carolina
Can You Play Poker At Home For Money?
It’s technically illegal to play poker at home for real money in South Carolina, even without a rake. Other states with poker that have strict gambling laws (Alaska) include an exception for social games, but South Carolina does not.
Section 16-19-40 for unlawful games and betting defines gambling as any card game with wagering, regardless of location and profit motive. There are records of South Carolina authorities raiding home poker games and charging players, confirming home games are subject to enforcement.
Is Ignition Poker Legal In South Carolina?
Ignition is the best South Carolina online poker site available based on their welcome bonus, tournaments, and game quality. New players at Ignition can claim a 150% first online poker deposit matchup to $1,500 for depositing with crypto and up to $1,000 for depositing with a credit or debit card.
Ignition offers daily poker tournaments for No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Omaha Hi/Lo. They also have live cash games available 24/7 where players can cash out whenever they like or re-buy when they run low on chips.
Can I play On PokerStars In South Carolina?
PokerStars isn’t authorized to accept South Carolina players, as their player pool is limited to New Jersey, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Online poker is not regulated in South Carolina, keeping sites like PokerStars out but allowing for internationally-regulated poker sites to operate in the state.
Is Bovada Legal In South Carolina?
Bovada is another reliable online poker option for South Carolina players that doesn’t require a VPN. Poker players at Bovada can play real money tournaments for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Omaha Hi/Lo at varying limits.
Bovada offers a South Carolina online poker bonus with a 100% first deposit match up to $500. These bonus funds can be used for their daily tournaments and 24/7 Sit & Go cash games.
Is Bet Online Poker Available in South Carolina?
South Carolina players also have access to BetOnline Poker, who have provided online poker in SC since 2011. BetOnline has a strong US player base with a weekly $150,000 guaranteed No Limit Hold’em tournament every Sunday.