Bingo in South Carolina: Laws, Halls & Online Bingo (2026 Guide)

Is bingo legal in South Carolina?

Yes. South Carolina has very few legal forms of gambling, but bingo is one of them. Nonprofit organizations can hold bingo under a license from the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR), and the rules live in the state’s tax code, in the bingo article of Title 12, Chapter 21 (sections 12-21-3910 and following).

That placement tells you how the state thinks about bingo: it’s a taxed, tightly scripted activity. The statute even spells out how a game must be played, from paying face value for every card to verifying a winning card against the master board in front of the other players.

How old do you have to be to play bingo in South Carolina?

The bingo article we reviewed doesn’t set a minimum player age. In practice, each hall or organization sets its own policy, and many keep games adult-only. Call ahead if you plan to bring a teenager.

Can you play online bingo for real money in South Carolina?

No. South Carolina hasn’t legalized online casino games, online sports betting or online bingo. The bingo law is built around in-person sessions with a caller drawing numbers one at a time, and electronic bingo devices are limited to licensed promoters and can’t pay out coins or cash.

Free bingo apps with no cash prizes are fine. Our online bingo guide explains how to tell the difference between site types.

Are sweepstakes bingo sites legal in South Carolina?

No state law specifically bans them as of October 2026, and we found no state enforcement action against online sweepstakes casinos. Industry trackers updated in September 2026 list South Carolina as a state where major brands accept players.

South Carolina has historically been strict about gambling, and the sites aren’t licensed here, so treat this as a gray area that could close. Other states, including New York, New Jersey and Tennessee, have banned them by statute. Read how sweepstakes bingo works first.

Where can you play bingo in South Carolina?

South Carolina bingo is often run as a promoter-operated hall: a licensed promoter manages the games on behalf of one or more nonprofits. You’ll also find smaller games at churches, veterans’ posts and civic clubs, often under the low-prize Class C, E or F licenses. We haven’t listed individual halls because we couldn’t confirm current schedules.

State law allows federally recognized tribes to use hardwired electronic bingo technology, but we couldn’t confirm a tribal bingo hall currently operating in South Carolina. The Catawba Nation’s Two Kings Casino is just over the line in Kings Mountain, North Carolina.

How to run a charity bingo game in South Carolina

South Carolina sorts bingo licenses by size. The main classes, from SCDOR’s application and section 12-21-4020:

Steps to get started:

1. Pick the right class based on how often you’ll play and how big the prizes will be.
2. Apply to SCDOR using the nonprofit bingo license application.
3. Decide who runs it. Class AA and B licensees either contract with a licensed promoter or designate a member as the promoter. Either way, the promoter and nonprofit are jointly liable for taxes and fines.
4. Screen workers. People with recent gambling convictions or serious criminal records can’t run or help with games.
5. Play by the book. Every card is sold at face value, the pattern is announced before the game, and prizes are paid without delay and split equally among simultaneous winners.

Our bingo fundraiser guide has more on planning the night, and how to play bingo covers the basics for new players.

Bingo should stay entertainment. For help, visit our responsible gaming page or call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.