While by no means a state known to support gambling, South Carolina has drafted a bill that reflects a changing stance on the matter. State Representative Todd Rutherford introduced a bill last year that would drastically expand gambling within the state. The bill (H3102) would allow for casinos to legally operate and sports betting is mentioned in the bill’s language. As of now, South Carolina doesn’t have any land-based casinos or legal sports books. The former is due to state laws and the latter is due to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or PASPA.
“The General Assembly by law may provide in specified areas of the State for the conduct of gambling and gaming activities on which bets are made to include pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, sports betting on professional sports, casino activities, such as card and dice games where the skill of the player is involved in the outcome, and games of chance with the use of electronic devices or gaming tables, all of which strictly must be regulated and may be conducted in one location or in separate locations within the specified area, with the revenue realized by the State and local jurisdictions to be used for highway, road, and bridge maintenance, construction, and repair.” (H3102) So, this bill deals with an extensive gambling operation, however the fact that ‘sports betting on professional sports’ is explicitly mentioned paves the way for a sports gambling industry should PASPA be repealed.
PASPA’s repeal is the overarching deciding factor when it comes to having legalized sports gambling in the United States. The bill was passed in 1992 and bans sports betting in 46 states. While South Carolina’s bill is more of an all-inclusive gambling endeavor, they aren’t the only state to draft legislation that allows for sports betting. There is an ongoing effort to put pressure on Congress to repeal PASPA or at least amend it to include sports gambling, which has emerged to be both a very popular and profitable industry. South Carolina’s situation is different because their bill doesn’t depend on PASPA’s repeal as much as some other states’ do. If South Carolina’s bill makes it through the legislative process and passes a voter referendum, its proposed casinos can open and begin to operate without sports betting. Sports betting would only come in should PASPA be repealed.
South Carolina has long been against gambling, so Representative Rutherford is ambitious in pushing this bill forward. The public would also have to vote in this bill, going against any reservations they may feel about gambling. However, the amount of interest in sports betting has created a sense that something is brewing. Perhaps it’s the financial incentive, as sports gambling is a lucrative industry and could bring in a lot of profit for states. From a fan standpoint, sports gambling allows for more engagement. As of now, Nevada is the only state that has state-run, single-game betting in physical sportsbooks. This bill would help pave the way for the Palmetto State to emulate that with South Carolina sports gambling. For South Carolina residents, this presents a whole new industry that could help benefit the state’s infrastructure and increase sports fandom and interaction.