South Carolina Weighs Future of Legal Sports Betting
South Carolina is continuing to wrestle with the concept of legal sports betting, while NFL fans in many other states in the US are placing bets on their favorite teams. That includes customers in the neighbouring legal North Carolina sports betting market.
According to Stephen Shapiro, a Sports and Entertainment Management professor at the University of South Carolina, legalizing gambling could bring significant financial benefits.
“There’s been significant interest and participation in sport gambling when it becomes legalized in states, and because of that, a lot of people participating. A lot of revenue has been generated and that can benefit in a lot of ways, depending on how the state decides to use it,” he said.
Lawmakers in the state have introduced several bills over recent years, including a bipartisan proposal co-sponsored by House Minority Leader Rep. Todd Rutherford.
If passed, the measure would allow anyone aged 18 and over to place bets online. Rutherford has argued that the ban is outdated and restricts personal freedom. Governor Henry McMaster, however, has remained staunchly opposed and has described gambling as “bad for our culture."
Nevertheless, Shapiro predicts that South Carolina will eventually legalize sports betting and grant residents access to the best sports betting sites, though with tighter consumer protections than early-adopting states.
Push for sports betting in Georgia
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Georgia, the PGA Tour has joined professional sports teams in lobbying lawmakers to approve sports betting. Less than a day after the Tour Championship wrapped at East Lake, the Head of the PGA Tour’s gaming division, Scott Warfield, was making the case to lawmakers.
“This is a way to get the core fan engaged longer on our sport,” Warfield said at a hearing held by the House Study Committee on Gaming. He also said betting could draw a younger audience to golf.
Atlanta’s major sports teams have also consistently supported legalization, aligning with the PGA Tour’s position. Supporters have pointed to North Carolina’s first-year revenues of more than $110 million through taxes and licensing fees as evidence of the potential benefits.
Still, opposition remains strong. Critics argue that gambling poses moral and social risks.
Speaking against legalization, Mike Griffin of the Baptist Mission Board compared the argument to legalize sports betting to calls for the legalization of fentanyl, prostitution, and recreational marijuana use.
The House Study Committee on Gaming is reviewing both sports betting and casino gambling proposals. With renewed interest fueled by a push to eliminate the state income tax and the need to replace lost revenue, lawmakers are weighing whether gambling could finally gain traction.
The committee will meet twice more before delivering its recommendations to the General Assembly.
