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South Carolina remains one of only nine states where traditional sports betting remains illegal, even as 38 other states and Washington, D.C. have legalized some form of sports gambling following a 2018 Supreme Court ruling. This ban hasn’t stopped residents from betting; rather, it has simply expanded across state lines. Recent estimates estimate that tens of thousands of South Carolinians travel regularly to neighboring states to place legal wagers, with major events like the NCAA tournament and NFL season creating noticeable spikes in cross-border betting traffic. This significant movement of dollars between states speaks volumes about South Carolina’s political environment, economic priorities, and consumer behaviors, and its legislative shortcomings that remain an impediment to consumer behavior change.
Current Legal Landscape in South Carolina
South Carolina’s gambling laws are among the nation’s strictest, reflecting conservative values and historical opposition to gaming expansion. Most forms of gambling are criminalized under Section 16-19-40 of its code, with exceptions for state lottery, established in 2002, and limited charitable gaming like bingo or raffles. South Carolina still classifies sports betting as misdemeanor offense punishable with fines up to $1,000 and six months imprisonment–despite rarely enforcing this statute on an ongoing basis.
Recent legislative efforts to change this have encountered formidable roadblocks. A bipartisan sports betting bill (H 3749) gained initial traction before eventually dying in committee due to opposition from religious groups and legislators opposed to gambling. Meanwhile, South Carolina’s powerful hospitality and tourism industry has surprisingly remained neutral during this debate, while neighboring states have moved aggressively into South Carolina’s betting market–costing millions in potential tax revenue annually for South Carolina.
Where South Carolinians Bet
Geography plays an instrumental role in how South Carolinians wager their bets. Residents from Upstate South Carolina frequently travel into North Carolina where 12 retail sportsbooks operate within 50 miles of the border including Harrah’s Cherokee casinos, while Charlotte metro area just across state lines has become particularly active since North Carolina launched mobile betting in March 2024; traffic data indicates increased travel along I-77 during football season, with South Carolina plates often visible near betting locations.
Georgia’s new sportsbooks at Savannah Riverfront (opened 2023) and planned venues in Augusta have quickly become convenient betting options for residents in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina. Regular bettors even make longer journeys for this purpose!
- Tennessee was the first southern state to launch online-only betting with no physical casino requirement.
- Virginia: Virginia hosts over 15 mobile sportsbooks operating legally.
- West Virginia: Another early adopter with robust mobile betting options is West Virginia.
Gas stations and convenience stores near border crossings report increased sales as bettors stop for snacks and drinks on their betting excursions; an unexpected boon for South Carolina businesses along the edges.
South Carolina Economic Impact
South Carolina’s betting prohibition has become ever more expensive. According to a 2023 study by the South Carolina Policy Council, the estimated loss in sports gambling tax revenue ranged between $25 and $ 40 million per year, with much of it moving out of state to neighboring states. When combined with lost tourism and hospitality spending income lost during the gambling prohibition prohibition prohibition prohibition prohibition estimated costs likely exceed $100 million each year! Furthermore, these figures fail to take into account underground betting markets operating without consumer protections or tax contributions that dot South Carolina.
Revenue disparity between border counties is clear. North Carolina’s Cherokee County, home to two tribal casinos with sportsbooks, collected $8 Million in gambling tax revenues in 2023 — much from visitors coming from South Carolina–while Oconee County in South Carolina saw no direct benefit from such activity. Residents in border towns have quietly begun lobbying state lawmakers for change and argue they’re indirectly subsidizing neighboring states’ schools and infrastructure via lost revenue streams.
Social and Cultural Factors at Play
South Carolina sports culture runs deep, creating strong demand for legal betting options. College football reigns supreme with Clemson and the University of South Carolina games attracting massive attention from would-be bettors. On rivalry weekends, social media is filled with posts showing residents’ betting slips from North Carolina sportsbooks–an extremely public demonstration that current laws are ineffective at curbing demand. Furthermore, bars across South Carolina host regular “bookie nights” where illegal betting happens in plain view–further demonstrating its ineffectiveness in controlling demand.
Current systems also foster generational disparities: young residents familiar with daily fantasy sports and cryptocurrency betting view it as entertainment, while their elder legislators see gambling through moralistic lenses. This creates tension that plays out unexpectedly – churchgoing football fans who oppose gambling legislation often participate in office betting pools or make casual bets with friends regardless of official policy regarding gambling; as national attitudes regarding betting continue to change, this gap widens further each year.
What Are South Carolina’s Next Steps Regarding Sports Betting?
South Carolina is currently on its way towards legalized sports gambling; however, significant hurdles exist on this journey, and key developments to keep an eye on are:
- Tribal Gaming Compacts: The Catawba Nation’s efforts to expand gaming could force state officials’ hands regarding wider gambling issues.
- Neighbor State Success: As Georgia expands mobile betting in 2025, revenue comparisons may become difficult to ignore.
- Legislative Turnover: Columbia continues to gain ground from an increase in pro-gaming lawmakers, who continue to increase in influence over time.
The Tennessee model provides one possible compromise – mobile-only betting without physical casinos, which face strong opposition in Tennessee, which could generate $15-20 million annually in tax revenue and keep betting dollars within its borders. Such an approach would likely need to tie revenues generated to popular causes like education funding or property tax relief to garner sufficient public and political support.
Conclusion
The South Carolina sports gambling prohibition has proven itself an example of failed policy; rather than discouraging gambling altogether, its economic benefits are simply being exported elsewhere, and nothing is being done to address problem gambling or consumer protections. The surge of license plates at neighboring sportsbooks shows what’s going on: demand remains strong, and states’ resistance only hurts their financial interests. As the 2026 legislative session approaches, pressure for change continues to mount from both sides of the border. Every weekend when South Carolinians cross state lines to place bets at casinos across state lines, they bring potential tax revenue and economic activity with them that is becoming harder for lawmakers to ignore.