The dense legalese in the laws surrounding gambling confuses many non-professionals, and misreading’s of the regulations have spawned rumors about the legality of gambling in the states. We have deciphered the federal/state laws that affect South Carolina residents, and will present them in an easy-to-read format. The South Carolina gambling laws, once understood, are straightforward and much less harsh than many people think. Gambling has been a part of the American culture for decades, and shows no signs of slowing down. There are more legal gambling sites for South Carolina residents than ever before, and we will show you the best venues to play with.
South Carolina state gambling laws are quite straightforward. The language does seem like it has not changed since the prohibition era, but we will quote the sections that pertain to average bettors. In a nutshell, South Carolina does not allow gambling within the state, except for a cruise ship in Myrtle Beach that allows low-stakes gaming. Let’s look at the important sections of the law to see what exact regulations are in place.
SECTION 16-19-10 - This section criminalizes the facilitation and operation of a gambling racket. South Carolina does not allow land-based gambling in the state, and this section regulates that. It is not hard to find an underground gambling operation in most cities throughout the US, but we suggest staying far away from them. Laws like this ensure that these illegal rackets are rooted out.
SECTION 16-19-40 - This long, dated section of the South Carolina law was written to discourage attendance at illicit casinos. This ensured that anyone caught inside of one during a raid could face at least petty charges in order to discourage the behavior. No otherwise honest resident in the state of South Carolina has ever run into any trouble for merely using legal South Carolina Gambling Sites.
SECTION 16-19-120 - This section is in place to make sure that law enforcement does not contribute to illegal gambling rings. Dirty cops definitely exist in almost every county, so laws like this attempt to stop them from engaging in criminal behavior.
SECTION 16-19-130 - This simple section criminalizes any behavior that aides gambling practices. This is the main section of the anti-gambling law, and states as plain as day that indulging in any form of gambling within the state is illegal. The great new is that using the online gambling sites is fine. There has never been a conviction for online gambling, and millions of Americans are using these sites every day.
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There is one key factor you will notice missing from all the federal laws concerning online gambling: you. The player does not come into factor and the laws do not target mere participants in online gambling, only the facilitators. This, most of all, is why South Carolina players can enjoy online gambling with no fear of prosecution.
Wire Act – The first major federal law enacted to regulate online gambling was the Federal Wire Act of 1961. During the early 20th century, gambling was become a booming business, and organized crime took every opportunity to seize the market. In an attempt to limit the amount of crime involved with betting, congress passed the Wire Act, banning bookmakers from using wire communication devices in gambling ventures. This took away the criminals main tool used in money laundering, racketeering, and monetary theft. The Wire Act put a stop to much of the organized crime that was involved in gambling.
PASPA – The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was the next law to limit illegal gambling activities. Sports betting has been a staple in American culture for as long as competitive games have been around. Organized Crime took over many of the sports betting rackets that were available in the states, causing congress to deem sports wagering a “national problem”. The PASPA outlawed sports betting in every state except for Delaware, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. This is why you will not find a legal sports betting venue in South Carolina.
UIGEA – The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 outlawed online gambling sites from function in most of the US. This is the law that confuses people the most, as it makes it sound like online betting is illegal in the states. The fact is, only the operation of an online gambling site is illegal, but the many gambling sites that function legally overseas ore completely fine to use. Therefore, you will not find an online gambling establishment in your hometown, but the overseas sites are legal to play on.
The age to participate in legal South Carolina gambling is 21, but many of the online sites only require players to be 18. We suggest following the state law in this situation. Not meeting the minimum age to gamble as set by the State of South Carolina is punishable by law, and you don’t want to get arrested for something so easily avoidable. If you stick with the oldest age you find when looking at online/state gambling ages; it is the safest way to gamble.
The state gambling laws in South Carolina are similar to many states in the nation. Gambling, in most instances, is not allowable. The only land-based option in the state is the Myrtle Beach Casino Cruise, which can be fun, but is too costly for regular gamblers. The online sites that we review offer the best gambling action around, and you don’t have to pay to become a member. You can only bet what you put deposit, and there are games for players of all skill levels.
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