South Carolina Real Money Online Poker - play @ these legit sites in 2023!

Can I play online poker in South Carolina? The answer is yes!

Is it legal to play online poker in South Carolina? The answer to this is also yes!

There are no offline poker rooms anywhere in South Carolina, which is why online poker in South Carolina is such an interesting proposition. Despite the traditionalist nature of the state's administration and laws, nobody has ever been legally charged with any crime for participating in poker games over the internet. South Carolina online poker is entertaining, convenient, and potentially very rewarding both in the personal and financial senses of the word.

Some worry not just about South Carolina online poker law but also about federal acts that might impact their hobby. It used to be thought that the UIGEA in combination with the Wire Act banned online poker throughout the country, but new interpretations by the Justice Department mean that the Wire Act doesn't apply to poker played online. Thus, you have no need to be concerned about either federal or state law when you engage in online poker play.

We've reviewed the sites that are available to South Carolinians, and we've found a number of them that have excellent promotions and highly desirable games. If you're searching for a place to play online poker, then you've come to the right place.

When you determine to begin your South Carolina online poker adventure, you might be tempted to start up right away at the first site that catches your eye. We advise you to resist this temptation. Although the majority of existing internet poker sites are legitimate, there are a few that are dishonest. We've gone to the trouble of researching all of them and presenting only the best of the best below. No matter which of the sites on our list you sign up for, you'll get to experience fairly dealt cards, intuitive and easy-to-use software, and reliable cashouts without excessive delays. Read the information we've collected so that you don't have to operate by guesswork and hunches.

1

IGNITION

BONUS:

150% up to $1,500

★★★★★

4.7 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE POKER SITE FOR # OF GAMES

NETWORK:

PAIWANGLUO

EXTRAS

CASINO

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Ignition boasts the highest traffic of any site available in South Carolina, which means more full tables and big tournaments than anywhere else. As far as cash games go, you can sit in NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, PL Omaha-8, LHE, and fast-fold Zone poker games. There are standard sit & goes as well as randomized Jackpot Sit & Gos and a full complement of multi-table tournaments as well. They include the Monthly Milly, which fires off once a month and comes with a seven-figure guarantee, and frequent MTT series throughout the year.

Ignition hosts software that runs on Macs and PCs as well as a web interface that's ideal for mobile users. Newcomers to the poker room get a 150% up to $1,500 Bitcoin deposit bonus, and there's a similar offer for the attached casino as well.

VISIT IGNITION POKER NOW

2

SB POKER

BONUS:

100% up to $1,000

★★★★★

4.5 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BAD BEAT JACKPOTS

NETWORK:

CHICO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

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SB Poker is known for its soft NLHE, PLO, PLO/8, and 6+ Hold'em games and its take on fast-fold poker, Boost Poker. At certain Boost pools and Hold'em tables, there's a bad beat jackpot active, making this one of the few USA-friendly poker rooms that boasts such a promotion. Other promos exist too, like weekly leaderboards and occasional mission rewards. SNGs (both traditional and lottery-style Windfalls) and multi-table tourneys round out this poker platform.

Users of PCs, Macs, Androids, and iOS devices can all play at Sportsbetting Poker. Upon making your initial deposit, you'll qualify for a poker bonus of 100% up to $1,000.

VISIT SB POKER NOW

3

BETONLINE

BONUS:

100% up to $1,000

★★★★★

4.4 / 5

BEST SC SITE FOR MOBILE ONLINE POKER

NETWORK:

CHICO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

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BetOnline is a partner site of SB Poker, and so the tables and tournaments offered are pretty much identical at the two sites. BetOnline is especially renowned for the quality of its mobile cardroom software. Virtually the entire menu of games on the desktop version of the client is also accessible on mobile. The action is smooth, the controls are easy-to-use, and multi-tabling is supported.

Besides mobile clients for iOS and Android, BOL also has Windows and Mac download software. Whichever version of the cardroom you use, you can claim a 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus on your first deposit.

VISIT BETONLINE NOW

4

BOVADA

BONUS:

100% up to $500

★★★★★

4.2 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE POKER SITE FOR SPORTS BETTING

NETWORK:

PAIWANGLUO

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

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Bovada belongs to the PWL Network, the same as Ignition, so the poker product is basically the same. However, Bovada distinguishes itself by hosting a sportsbook, which is absent from Ignition. Within the sports betting division, you can wager on football, baseball, basketball, and more at both professional and collegiate levels. Bovada also offers a racebook with horse races from around the world to bet on.

Bovada's poker software comes in Windows- and Mac OS-friendly versions. Furthermore, you can play on a tablet or smartphone through the web interface. You can get a 100% up to $500 poker bonus as well as $750 free to bet on sports and up to $3,750 in bonus money for the casino.

VISIT BOVADA NOW

5

AMERICAS CARDROOM

BONUS:

100% up to $2,000

★★★★★

4.1 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE POKER SITE FOR FREE BANKROLL

NETWORK:

WINNING

EXTRAS

$10 FREE

MORE INFO

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Americas Cardroom is the second-largest SC-friendly poker site for cash games, including NL Texas Hold'em, Limit Hold'em, PLO, PLO/8, and 7 Card Stud. However, ACR's main claim to fame is its robust tournament schedule that includes a million-dollar guaranteed event every Sunday. Moreover, there are frequent tournament series that award eight figures in prizes as well as recurring VENOM events that guarantee $5+ million. Fast-fold Blitz poker and lottery-style Jackpot Poker round out the selection.

Americas Cardroom works best on a Windows PC or Mac OS machine. There is a mobile client, but the games available are much fewer than in the desktop download. Use our exclusive ACR bonus code PRB10FREE for a $10 no deposit bonus; then get a 100% up to $2,000 match on your first deposit.

VISIT AMERICAS CARDROOM NOW

6

COIN POKER

BONUS:

100% up to $700

★★★★★

4.0 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE POKER SITE FOR CRYPTO ENTHUSIASTS

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

30% RAKEBACK

MORE INFO

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CoinPoker is a room that uses only crypto-currency and at no point depends upon traditional currencies like the U.S. dollar. Of all poker sites that subscribe to this philosophy, Coin is the largest. All games here are denominated in Tether (USDT), but you can fund your account and request payouts in several other cryptos, including Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).

CoinPoker lets you play from a Windows PC, a Mac, or an Android or iOS smart device. There's an impressive group of bonuses available for new depositors here including a 100% bonus worth up to $700, a 100% bonus of up to $300, and an additional 100% match bonus worth up to $100. It is also possible to score 30% weekly rakeback, if you're willing to hold a modest amount of Coin's proprietary CHP token.

VISIT COIN POKER NOW

7

EVERYGAME

BONUS:

200% up to $1,000

★★★★★

3.8 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE POKER SITE FOR PROMOTIONS

NETWORK:

HORIZON

EXTRAS

CASINOS, SPORTSBOOK

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Everygame is a bit on the small side with seldom fewer than a dozen games running simultaneously (NLHE, PLO, and PLO/8 combined). However, it compensates for this in a number of ways chiefly with the steady stream of free money it awards to its regular players. There's 36% rakeback, a weekly rake race, daily freerolls, a loyalty program, and numerous reload bonuses. Additionally, there are frequent opportunities to enter tournaments with overlays where the house kicks in extra money.

The Everygame poker software runs on Windows systems only, but an Instant Play feature lets other devices access the games through the web. The first deposit offer here is 200% up to $1,000 and 25 free slot machine spins.

VISIT EVERYGAME NOW

8

SWCPOKER

BONUS:

NONE

★★★★★

3.6 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE SITE FOR # OF POKER VARIANTS

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

FREEROLLS

MORE INFO

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Players at SwCPoker can look forward to enjoying not just the standard NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, and PL Omaha-8 that are virtually omnipresent at every online poker site. There's also 2 - 7 Triple Draw Low, Razz, Open Face Chinese, HORSE, and mixed games to look forward to. This room is an offshoot of the original Bitcoin poker site, Seals With Clubs, and it continues to employ Bitcoin (and Bitcoin Cash) in its cashier.

SwC has software for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. There isn't any first deposit bonus, but up to 50% rakeback is available via the Krill rewards program.

VISIT SWCPOKER

9

NITROBETTING

BONUS:

100% up to 25 mBTC

★★★★★

3.3 / 5

BEST SC ONLINE POKER SITE FOR BTC POKER

NETWORK:

STANDALONE

EXTRAS

CASINO, SPORTSBOOK

MORE INFO

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Nitrobetting's Bitcoin-only policy means rapid cashouts and no worrying about currency conversions. All gameplay here, which includes NL Hold'em, PLO, Crazy Hold'em, and 6+ Hold'em, is conducted in fractions of a bitcoin. While there are a few tourneys and SNGs, most of the action is concentrated in the ring games section.

Nitrobetting's browser-based app means widespread compatibility with both desktop and mobile computing systems. There's a poker welcome bonus equal to 100% of your first deposit up to 25 mBTC. You can earn additional rewards through the Nitro points system.

VISIT NITROBETTING NOW

How to Choose the Best South Carolina Poker Site For Your Style of Play

As you've just seen, there are several South Carolina online poker organizations for you to pick from. It's not our place to tell you which one is best because this determination has to be made by each individual for himself or herself. Each online poker room has its own strengths and drawbacks, and so you'll have to think about your own preferences and playing habits when attempting to select the right one. That said, we do have a list of items for you to ponder as you make your decision.

How Do I Receive Withdrawals and Payments?

If you're fortunate enough to accrue a sizeable amount of winnings at the tables, then you shouldn't have any problems getting ahold of your cash. You can request a check, and the money will be in your hands within a few weeks. There are other payment processors that might be supported by your site, like bank transfers and debit cards, but some of them carry significant fees. You can bid goodbye to most of the fees and delays inherent in the withdrawal process by opting to conduct your poker banking in the crypto-currency Bitcoin. All of the sites that we recommend support this virtual currency. If you're a Bitcoin beginner, then don't worry because we've written a thorough guide to using BTC for online poker.

Alternatives to Registering Your Poker Account in South Carolina

Perhaps you are lucky enough to have another address in a nearby state, be it your business, vacation home, second apartment, family house, etc. If this applies to you, then you may have other online poker options available to you. Here is a list of the states that border South Carolina and Professional Rakeback's review on each of them: North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. For more info on internet poker rooms available to U.S. citizens in any state, take a look at our guide to online poker in the United States of America.

Ignorance is rife regarding South Carolina online poker, but you can do something about it. If you have any acquaintances, friends, coworkers, or family members whose knowledge of online poker might be lacking, please think about sharing this page with them.

Facts About the South Carolina Poker Industry

This section will serve to provide factual information regarding the legality of online poker, live gambling venues, state regulation, the history involving poker and gambling, and famous poker players from the great state of South Carolina

The Legality of Playing Poker Online in South Carolina

The South Carolina authorities really dislike gambling, and this is reflected in the sheer comprehensiveness of the laws against betting, which can be found in the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses, Chapter 19 - Gambling and Lotteries. The main provision that could apply to playing online poker is 16-19-40, Unlawful games and betting:

If any person shall play at any tavern, inn, store for the retailing of spirituous liquors or in any house used as a place of gaming, barn, kitchen, stable or other outhouse, street, highway, open wood, race field or open place at (a) any game with cards or dice, (b) any gaming table, commonly called A, B, C, or E, O, or any gaming table known or distinguished by any other letters or by any figures, (c) any roley-poley table, (d) rouge et noir, (e) any faro bank (f) any other table or bank of the same or the like kind under any denomination whatsoever or (g) any machine or device licensed pursuant to Section 12-21-2720 and used for gambling purposes, except the games of billiards, bowls, backgammon, chess, draughts, or whist when there is no betting on any such game of billiards, bowls, backgammon, chess, draughts, or whist or shall bet on the sides or hands of such as do game, upon being convicted thereof, before any magistrate, shall be imprisoned for a period of not over thirty days or fined not over one hundred dollars, and every person so keeping such tavern, inn, retail store, public place, or house used as a place for gaming or such other house shall, upon being convicted thereof, upon indictment, be imprisoned for a period not exceeding twelve months and forfeit a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars, for each and every offense.

Poker is included here under “(a) any game with cards or dice.” A 2009 court ruling overturned the convictions of several men under this law in 2006 for playing in a poker home game, noting that poker was a game of skill. However, the South Carolina Supreme Court in 2012 reversed this decision, stating that the issue of skill vs. luck was not relevant to the case. Many of the legal participants in this case commented on how vague the wording of this law dating from 1802 was, and there was some question as to whether or not it was unconstitutional. Chief Justice Toal recommended that the General Assembly revise the law to bring it up to date.

Even if we treat the game of poker as being unquestionably banned by 16-90-40, we must recognize that there are specific types of locations listed as being covered by the law. Using someone's home for gambling among several participants is probably enough for it to be considered a “house used as a place of gaming” and thus falling under the terms of this law, but it's unclear as to whether playing online poker at home by yourself is enough to transform your residence into a “house used as a place of gaming.”

Even if we assume the worst and interpret this passage as criminalizing poker played over the internet, the punishments prescribed are pretty trivial: imprisonment for up to 30 days or a fine of up to $100. Even the short stay in jail can be avoided entirely because of the rule laid out in 16-19-100, Imprisonment in case of conviction:

Upon conviction of any person under any of the provisions of Sections 16-19-40, 16-19-50 or 16-19-90, the court before whom such conviction shall take place shall commit such offender to the common jail of the county in which such conviction shall happen for a period not exceeding the time for which such offender has been sentenced, unless such offender shall sooner pay the fine or fines herein imposed, together with the cost of prosecution.

Even if the unlikely sequence of events should occur where you're arrested, booked, charged, convicted, and sentenced for engaging in online card play, you can avoid any imprisonment by paying the fine and the cost of prosecution. Making this unbelievable parlay of happenings even more remote is the fact that South Carolina has never prosecuted individuals for enjoying online poker. It's only those playing in illicit live games that have been brought up on charges. You can play internet poker as much as you want without any realistic chance of getting into legal trouble.

There's one other oddball statute that might come into play regarding online poker. It's 16-19-70:

Keeping gaming tables open or playing games on the Sabbath.

Whoever shall keep or suffer to be kept any gaming table or permit any game or games to be played in his house on the Sabbath day, on conviction thereof before any court having jurisdiction, shall be fined in the sum of fifty dollars, to be sued for on behalf of, and to be recovered for the use of, the State.

This is undoubtedly a testament to the religious character of the citizenry throughout much of the Palmetto State's history. Other laws on the books prohibit setting up lotteries, the exciting-sounding “adventuring” in lotteries, selling lottery tickets, keeping unlawful gaming tables, betting on elections, and bookmaking. The longest prison sentence attached to these crimes is 12 months while the highest monetary fine of $10,000 is reserved for those selling lottery tickets. Suffice it to say, these potential consequences aren't enough to dissuade any U.S.-friendly poker operators from serving South Carolinians. Their legal counsel has undoubtedly advised them that the risks of continuing to serve the state are minimal.

Interestingly, South Carolina has gone after offshore real money gaming companies in the past. In 2011, the Secret Service, the US Attorney's Office in Greenville, and the Greenville County Sheriff's Office cooperated to bust a couple of underground payment processing companies that facilitated online poker transactions. More than $2 million was seized of which the Greenville County Sheriff's Office got to keep more than $700K. There haven't been any other high-profile actions against internet poker in the state since that time. Perhaps the authorities have been dissuaded from pursuing such a course by the Department of Justice memorandum from later in 2011 that clarified that online poker isn't a violation of the Wire Act.

Live Gambling

If you're in search of offline gambling options in the Palmetto State, then you're limited to charitable bingo and raffles along with the state lottery. That's it. The only workaround for poker players is that you can board a “cruise to nowhere” on a boat owned by the Big M Casino that departs from Myrtle Beach several times per week. There's $2/$5 No Limit Hold'em that you can play while the boat is in international waters. For terrestrial gaming, your nearest option is Harrah's Cherokee Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina, but this may be too far away from where you live.

State Regulation

The state officials in Columbia haven't shown even a glimmer of interest in regulating online poker. Usually, the presence of land-based casinos is viewed as a precursor to a state's expansion into the internet gambling realm, and there are no such facilities anywhere to be found in South Carolina. Occasional bills to permit casinos in the state have repeatedly failed. The roster of allowed real money gaming pastimes in South Carolina is slim, and there's no reason to expect online wagering to be added anytime soon. We don't foresee any state-regulated online poker market coming to fruition within the state for a long time to come.

South Carolina's Gambling History

Charles Town, SC, 1733

The most prominent type of gambling in early South Carolina was wagering on horse races. Owning and racing a successful horse was a marker of social prestige among the wealthy elite. Most people couldn't afford to participate directly in this sport, but they could and did place wagers on the results. Efforts to control gambling soon appeared, like the 1712 “Act Against Deceitful, Disorderly, and Excessive Gaming.” Charles Town (today called Charleston) became a center for racing horses, and the South Carolina Jockey Club is recorded as having opened a race track near the town as early as 1734. This city also hosted quite a few gambling saloons, and card games were popular. South Carolina became a leading producer of two cash crops, rice and indigo, and planters from inland would periodically sell their merchandise in Charles Town and then, their pockets flush with cash, look for entertainment at the gaming tables.

Lotteries were another form of gambling that occurred in colonial South Carolina although they were not as important as they were in New England. Most of them were local affairs rather than statewide. In 1799, the slave Denmark Vesey famously was able to purchase his freedom after winning $1,500 in a city lottery in Charleston. The public mood regarding gambling soured by the turn of the 19th century, though, and gambling at cards and other table games was banned in 1802 while the sale of lottery tickets was prohibited by an 1846 law.

For more than a century, there was no legal outlet for gambling within the state. In 1976, charitable groups were allowed to host bingo games for the first time, and this was expanded to include electronic bingo in 2004. The South Carolina Education Lottery was set up in 2001, and it has since that time generated more than $4.6 billion for educational purposes. In 2014, the charitable gambling rules were changed to add raffles to the menu of permitted games of chance.

Video poker terminals proliferated at South Carolina businesses during the '80s and '90s, and they got around state law by not having the machines themselves pay out any cash. Instead, an attendant would pay out winnings by hand. There was a lot of political maneuvering and legal battles about these machines, and finally, they were banned in 2000.

The Catawba Indian Nation has been attempting to get tribal gaming off the ground in South Carolina, but state leaders have been unenthusiastic. The Catawba filed suit in 2006, but the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled against the tribe in 2007, and so the Catawba have been unable to start a casino although it does run a bingo hall.

Our team has compiled a historical gambling timeline, covering every major gambling and poker-related event to take place in South Carolina. The completed timeline can be found below.

Famous South Carolina Poker Players

With some of the strictest anti-gaming laws in the Union and the lack of a vibrant live poker scene, it may come as no shock to find out that there are but few South Carolina residents who have wound up making a big name for themselves in the game of poker. Perhaps the most notable of them is Adam Adler who hails from Mount Pleasant.

Originally from Florida, Adam received a tennis scholarship from the University of South Carolina, which he attended eventually receiving degrees in Sports & Entertainment Management and Business in 2007. During college, he began playing poker. In October 2007, he decided to try his luck in Vegas for a week. A couple of final table results were enough to keep him hooked, and he elected to turn pro a year later.

Adam Adler has since then recorded more than $1.1 million in live tournament cashes. Among his biggest cashes were a runner-up finish in the 2018 World Series of Poker $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty event, worth $243,323, and fifth place in the 2018 Seminole Hard Rock $5,250 Championship Event, good for $195,491.

Adler's success has by no means been restricted to the green felt. He is also an experienced businessman and investor, having created social networking software, which he sold, and founded Fuse Science, a biotechnology firm. Before retiring from tennis to focus on his businesses and poker, Adam also had success in the sport, including a few notable victories in professional matches.

Other Types of Online Gambling

South Carolina has quite strict laws, and thus there are no live gambling options. Many players wish to gamble on the internet from the comfort of their own homes. There are numerous operators offering wagers on slots, table games, and sporting events. We have researched this topic extensively and below, we will provide our top recommendations for trustworthy online casinos and sportsbooks.

Online Casinos

South Carolina has some of the strictest gambling laws to be found anywhere in the country. Therefore, it's no surprise that there are no land-based casinos within state borders. Thus, your only recourse if you like casino games – other than traveling to another state – is to sign up with an offshore casino provider.

There are hundreds or thousands of such online casinos that accept South Carolina residents as customers, and they range from the upstanding and honorable to the dishonest and shady. Fortunately, we've done the work of evaluating them and have identified three of them that provide a solid gaming experience.

1. Cafe Casino - EXCLUSIVE bonus of 350% up to $5,000 for Bitcoin Depositors

2. Wild Casino - Up to $9,000 in Crypto Welcome Bonuses on Your First 5 Deposits

3. Ignition Casino - 150% up to $1,500 BTC Welcome Deal + Unlimited 25% Reloads

There are other reliable internet casinos available, and you can find out more about them with this list of best trusted online casino websites.

Online Sportsbooks

There are no licensed sportsbooks within the State of South Carolina, and a few recent bills that would have allowed for sports betting licensure have all died without making much progress. This means that you must head online to international bookmaking sites if you wish to partake in betting on sports.

We have evaluated the sportsbooks that do business in South Carolina and have selected three of them that we think are top-notch.

1. Bovada Sports - Bitcoin Welcome Bonus of 75% up to $750

2. Sportsbetting.ag - Bitcoin Welcome Bonus of 100% up to $1,000 and 35% Reload on Every Redeposit

3. Everygame Sports - Choose From Multiple Sports and Casino Bonuses

Other dependable sportsbooks exist that serve South Carolina and the rest of the United States, and you can read more about them on this page about USA internet sportsbooks.

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We strive to maintain this information and update it frequently with our research. However, we are not immune to making mistakes or omitting information that you, dear reader, may find of use. If you have any further questions not addressed in this guide or have noted any discrepancies or inaccuracies we urge you to contact us with your questions and concerns so that we may swiftly address them!