Sports Betting in South Carolina, USA: When Will It Be Legal? DashTickets Research Opinion

South Carolina, while not the most exciting place in the world, is home to plenty of sports lovers. Unlike much of the rest of the country, the state of South Carolina does not allow its residents to enjoy betting on their favourite sports. However, there have been developments of late that might change this.

Historically, South Carolina has been conservative in its outlook as far as gambling goes. You could perhaps place some bets here and there, but it would be at the discretion of the state’s gambling legislator, which isn’t saying much because the enterprise is very strict. So, in order to gamble, the people of South Carolina have to go to other states or even abroad, which is very inconvenient. The other choices are state-sponsored lotteries, horse races, casino cruises and charity raffles; however, these aren’t suitable for everyone.

The Supreme Court’s 2018 decision to tear down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) has led to a nationwide trend toward legal sports betting, but the strict attitude has endured in South Carolina. Let’s take a look at how things are now and where they might go in the future.

Legislative Efforts and Challenges

The conservative voices are strong in SC. While there has been growing support for allowing sports betting, the majority has resisted it. Several proposals from prominent legislators have been shot down because people are afraid about the effects of widespread gambling on society. In the process, they’ve squeezed out all the fun, too.

According to DashTickets magazine, which researches the betting and online casino market, the wave of sports betting legalization will take place from 2024 to 2026.

Recent Developments

Some progress has been made despite these obstacles. A bill to legalise sports betting in South Carolina was submitted by Representative Todd Rutherford in 2022. Known as House Bill 3395, the plan proposed legalising sports betting both online and in-person, with the proceeds going toward public school funding. Despite failing to pass, the measure was a major step forward since it got people talking about the issue.

In May 2024 the House Bill to legalise sports betting, didn’t make it out of committee before the session ended. However, the push to legalise gambling and sports betting is gaining serious momentum. A bunch of state reps and senators are jumping on board, including Sen. Gerald Malloy, Reps. J. Todd Rutherford and Kambrel Garvin, who are all backing the legislation. So all is not lost!

South Carolina has the potential to earn substantial tax revenue from legalised sports betting, similar to what neighbouring states like Virginia and Tennessee have done. This revenue could be used to fund public projects like healthcare, infrastructure, and education. What’s not to like?

Looking Ahead

So, when will sports betting be legal in South Carolina? Perhaps in the next few decades. We say this because there has been a visible shift in recent years towards legalisation, but the decision is still far off. Everyone is busy debating it right now, and that means intelligent voices are being heard and cutting through the conservative smog. The journalists at DashTickets monitor the situation and update data for different states and countries on a quarterly basis and publish online gambling news on their blog.

The ever-expanding sports culture in the Palmetto State is becoming even more exciting as a future where sports fans can legally gamble on their favourite teams and events gets closer with each legislative session. Maybe you’ll live to see the day!