South Carolina lawmakers started discussing sports betting this week with senators seemingly warming to the idea, but any movement on their part could still run head‑first into Governor Henry McMaster’s unwavering opposition.
During a Senate Labor and Commerce Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday on SB 444, lawmakers fielded comments from a variety of parties about legalising online sports betting. The committee did not vote on the bill.
While industry sources are largely sour on prospects for passage in South Carolina, as in prior years, legislators appeared receptive to arguments for legalisation during Wednesday’s hearing.
Still, any potential legislative passage would need to get past McMaster, who has been a vocal gambling opponent. McMaster already derailed a casino bill this year by promising to veto it if it passed.
“Gambling is bad for our culture. It’s not a part of our heritage and there are better ways to make money to get jobs and generate tax,” McMaster said last year.
McMaster is term-limited and cannot run for reelection in 2026.
South Carolina sports betting bill details
Senators Tom Davis and Matthew Leber sponsored SB 444, which would create the South Carolina Sports Wagering Commission.
The initial bill allowed the new commission to award up to eight licences. Senator Josh Kimbrell proposed an amendment to dedicate two of those licences to the PGA Tour and NASCAR if the bill moves forward. The committee adopted the amendment.
The bill restricts licences to companies already operating in at least five other jurisdictions. It also would tax the industry at 12.5% and set the legal sports betting age at 18.
Only five other states allow betting below 21 years of age:
- Kentucky
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Wyoming
Sports betting advocates focus on illegal market
Trevor Hayes, Caesars Entertainment vice president of government relations, kicked off the hearing by noting the robust access that South Carolinians already have to sports betting through offshore sportsbooks and prediction market contracts.
Hayes also noted GeoComply figures, including nearly 12 million geolocation checks from South Carolina residents attempting to log into legal sportsbook accounts during the 2025 NFL season. More than 50,000 users drove across the border into North Carolina, per the GeoComply data.
Several representatives of religious organisations, meanwhile, testified against the legalisation of online gambling.
While Kimbrell said he does not gamble because of religious morals, he said the currently availability of gambling is concerning and that regulating seems to be a smart choice. Kimbrell said if neighbouring states were not legal, then working to simply eliminate the illegal market would be easier.
Hayes said the potential tax revenue would not be a major haul for the state, with estimates of up to $60 million per year.
“I’m not going to give pie in the sky numbers of tax estimates – we’re not solving the state’s budget problems,” Hayes said. “It would be a nice amount to solve a few problems.”
Prediction market concerns
The commission asked questions about the gambling industry’s views on the prediction market industry. Senator Sean Bennett said he believes prediction markets are a serious issue in the state, particularly with regard to insider trading potential. Senator Tom Corbin expressed concern that prediction market operators, including a FanDuel representative in attendance, are operating in South Carolina.
Louis Trombetta, FanDuel director of government affairs, explained the prediction markets landscape and the argument that event markets can be offered nationwide under the regulation of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trombetta also noted the number of lawsuits between state regulators and prediction market operators across the nation.
Trombetta then said the operator prefers to work within a licensed sports betting market and with state regulators.
“As this legal issue is figured out, we felt we had to participate [in the prediction market sector] because we were missing out,” Trombetta said.
Pat Evans
Pat covers the legislation and regulation of online gambling in North and South America, having covered the US sports betting industry extensively since 2019.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/sports-betting/south-carolina-senate-sports-betting-hearing-support/
