If you are among those holding out for South Carolina sports betting to get legalized sometime in the near future, we strongly recommend not holding your breath. It does not sound like it’s happening anytime soon.
With sports betting in Missouri set to launch this December, 10 states so far do not have any pending sports betting legislation. South Carolina, of course, is among them. But how likely are they to legalize wagering relative to the nine other holdout markets?
This is a question Ryan Butler endeavors to answer for Covers. The conclusion he comes to does not bode well for the chances of sports betting in South Carolina.
Only Two States are Less Likely to Legalize Sports Betting Than South Carolina
The Palmetto State comes in at No. 3 on Butler’s list. To be clear, this means that just two states are less likely to legalize sports betting than South Carolina. Here is what Butler writes on the matter:
“Reasons why it could: South Carolina encompasses part of the rapidly growing Charlotte metro area, and thousands of daily commuters into the Queen City have a convenient way to place bets (and lose money) that’s going to North Carolina.
“Reasons why it won’t: North Carolina has become a ‘purple’ political state and features a Democratic governor and a Republican-controlled legislature that (sometimes) have to work together. That’s not the case in GOP-dominated South Carolina. Gov. Henry McMaster has steadfastly opposed any gambling expansion, chilling any serious effort in the legislature. When he leaves office due to term limits in 2027, his replacement will likely also be a Republican – and odds are will be inclined to carry their predecessor’s anti-gambling approach.”
This final point is the most poignant.
Republican Opposition to South Carolina Sports Betting is Strong
So many have taken to believing that South Carolina sports betting could be legalized once McMaster is out of office. It’s a similar stance experts take to sports betting in Oklahoma. Most think legalization will be fast-tracked once Governor Kevin Stitt vacates that position.
Except, the situation in The Sooner State is not the same. Sports betting talks in Oklahoma generate interest on both sides of the aisle. Stitt’s insistence on allowing legal sports betting online is what has torpedoed discussions.
Meanwhile, when it comes to South Carolina sports betting, conversations are virtually nonexistent. Even when the subject is broached, it typically gets shot down posthaste.
Make no mistake, Governor Henry McMaster is among the driving forces behind this opposition. But the operative word here is forces. Plural. He is far from the only conservative in The Palmetto State who doesn’t view sports betting as a worthwhile cause.
And like Butler notes above, this is bad news for sports betting supporters in South Carolina. The next governor is almost assuredly going to be similarly conservative. McMaster himself won 58 percent of the popular vote while running on an anti-South Carolina sports betting platform back in 2022. That was the single largest margin of victory in a governor’s race in over two decades.
What’s more, according to OpinionsAndRatings.com, over 75 percent of The Palmetto State’s voting population identifies as Christian, a religious denomination that overwhelmingly tends to skew toward conservative candidates.
Now, there’s always a chance the next Republican governor favors South Carolina sports. At this time, though, this feels like a longshot. Republican Nancy Mace is currently the odds-on favorite to take over for Henry McMaster. And as a devoutly conservative MAGA-movement supporter, it’s tough to imagine her running on a pro-gambling platform.
Which States are Less Likely to Legalize Sports Betting Than South Carolina
For those wondering, sports betting in Idaho and sports betting in Utah are the two cases considered more of a moot point than South Carolina’s sports betting future. This is not great company to keep if you are hoping The Palmetto State changes course.
Neither Idaho nor Utah has ever proposed a piece of sports betting legislation. In fact, many experts believe these states will never introduce sports betting into their markets. With South Carolina ranked right behind them, it makes you wonder whether we should feel that way about them, too.
Frankly, it is tough to say. But ultimately, it feels like there’s a gap between South Carolina and the Idaho-Utah duo. South Carolina sports betting legislation actually exists. That by itself is a huge departure from Idaho and Utah.
This is not to say The Palmetto State will change course anytime soon. By all appearances, they probably won’t. But with North Carolina sports betting returns already piquing curiosity, there’s a chance South Carolina’s neighbor pushes them to prioritize the financial benefits.
Regardless of where you land on the argument, a resolution is unlikely to come anytime soon. Or rather, we should say a big development is unlikely to come anytime soon. The earliest we can see that changing is in 2027—and even that might be ambitious.
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