It’s been said success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan. Well, it looks like the latest push to bring legal sports betting to South Carolina could also have many parents for what's shaping up to be another failed effort.
The two sports betting-related measures filed in the South Carolina House of Representatives this legislative session, House Joint Resolution 3353 and House Bill 3625, have made little progress. Both proposals are stuck in committee, awaiting attention or action after supporters formally introduced them in January.
Many sponsors, nary progress
The only bit of progress South Carolina sports betting supporters could point to is that H. 3625 now has 11 sponsors, after Democratic Rep. Seth Rose added his backing Wednesday. H. 3625, the proposed "South Carolina Sports Wagering Act," would create a nine-member "South Carolina Sports Wagering Commission" that would issue five-year licenses to up to eight online sports betting operators.
Potential licensees would have to be active already in at least five other states, ruling out any startups or smaller operators. Applicants would also need a “resident representative,” a South Carolina-based company or corporation owned by at least two state residents “with a demonstrated commitment of public service to the State.”
The bill imposes a $100,000 application fee, a $1 million licensing fee, and a 12.5% tax on an operator’s adjusted gross revenue. Of the state tax revenue raised, 82% would go into South Carolina’s general fund, 10% would go to local governments, 5% would go to the Department of Mental Health, and 3% would be used to fund the commission. South Carolina residents would have to be 18 or older to wager under the proposed law.
Politicians in South Carolina and Oklahoma have introduced sports betting legalization bills during their respective 2025 legislative sessions.
— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) February 25, 2025
Do not expect either of them to pass this year.
While these details and the support among lawmakers for H.3625 are all well and good, they mean nothing if there's no progress and no passage for the bill. South Carolina's legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 8, so something needs to happen before then to give sports betting backers some hope. South Carolina lawmakers have tried and failed several times to legalize sports wagering in their state, as neighboring North Carolina did.
It doesn’t look like Gov. Henry McMaster has any hope to give sports betting enthusiasts, either. A McMaster spokesperson told local media that “Governor McMaster has long opposed efforts to legalize casino and sports gambling in South Carolina. The negative repercussions from casino or sports gambling far outweigh any minimal financial benefit the state may receive and would damage our reputation as a great place to live, work and raise a family."
