The topic of sports betting is once again on the table in the South Carolina General Assembly for the upcoming legislative year.
The online sports betting bill 444 will be introduced by Sens. Matt Leber (R-Charleston) and Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) in 2025. The South Carolina Sports Wagering Commission would be established to oversee the growth of gaming.

The Senate Labor, Commerce, and Industry Committee discussed the sports betting measure that had been carried over on Wednesday, but it was not put to a vote.

If SB444 passes, an online sports betting license would cost $1 million. At $1 million each year, renewals would be performed. The sports betting measure states that the state will receive 12.5% of the total revenue generated by the online sportsbooks.

Sports Betting Outlier

In 39 states and Washington, D.C., legislation legalizing sports betting has been approved since May 2018, when the United States Supreme Court ruled that a federal law could not permit one state (Nevada) to conduct a kind of gambling while prohibiting it everywhere else. One of the 11 states that haven't is South Carolina.

Some state officials in the Palmetto State claim that it's time to quit financing the government of North Carolina, where sports betting is authorized.

"Last year, North Carolina made $129 million off of these online sports bets. South Carolinians, hundreds of thousands of them, are going across the North Carolina border to place bets,” Sen. Josh Kimbrell (R-Spartanburg) said during the committee hearing, as reported by WYFF News.

The proceeds from North Carolina's sports betting tax are used to draw large events, create jobs, and encourage investment.

North Carolina has around half the population and is far smaller than South Carolina. Proponents of sports betting, however, believe that such gambling might bring in $50 million to $60 million annually for the state.

“That could provide opportunities for additional tax relief and provide a first responder pay increase. There’s a whole range of things,” Kimbrell added.

Opposing governor

The sports gambling legislation in South Carolina is likely to be vetoed by Governor Henry McMaster (R), and it also faces significant opposition from religious leaders.

"I’ve always opposed gambling,” McMaster said recently.

McMaster has openly stated his opposition to Columbia's attempts to establish a commercial casino in the state. The governor, who is term-limited, is in his last year in office.

Kimbrell has announced his intention to run for McMaster's seat. According to recent polls, only around 4% of voters currently support him.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and US Representative Nancy Mace (R-NC) are now considered to be the favorites for 2026. Mace hasn't made a formal statement regarding sports gambling. Wilson, on the other hand, is vehemently against it.

Online sports betting has been dubbed "frictionless gambling" by Wilson, who claims it causes financial devastation and other social difficulties.