South Carolina legislators eye 2023 sports betting fight with new bill
Palmetto State legislation aims to amend constitution to allow casino, horse race betting and online sportsbooks
South Carolina has added its name to the roster of US states looking to legalize sports betting in 2023 with a new bill pre-filed ahead of the Palmetto State’s next legislative session.
Filed as a joint resolution, H 3095 would amend South Carolina’s constitution to allow casino gaming, sports betting and betting on horse racing in the state.
Bill H 3095 was filed by Representative J. Todd Rutherford, a prominent advocate for sports betting in the state, and the current House Minority Leader.
Rutherford was a co-sponsor of legislation last session to allow South Carolinians to place bets on sports, with wagers funded by cryptocurrencies. However, this legislation was ultimately defeated after failing to gain the required traction in the South Carolina Senate.
The amendment states that in specified areas of the state, laws may be enacted which allow for “pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, sports betting on professional sports, casino activities such as card and dice games where the skill of the player is involved in the outcome.”
All revenue derived from the state’s legalization is to be used for highway, road, and bridge maintenance, construction and repair.
In addition, the constitution would be amended to prevent individuals holding “an office of honor, trust or profit” to engage in gambling or betting, requiring the removal of said individual from their respective office once a conviction against that person is filed.
While specifically naming betting on professional sports, the resolution makes no reference to allowing betting on college sports, language which could be subject to amendment in the future, based on South Carolina having no current professional sports teams, only colleges.
The resolution also makes no mention of the taxation basis on which operators would be libel in the state, which, with its 5.19 million residents, could be a lucrative market for sportsbooks.
The pre-filing of legislation before a forthcoming legislative session is an important tactic in US politics as it ensures the legislation will be subject to debate during the period.
Separate bills aiming to legalize sports betting have already been filed in Missouri and Texas ahead of their respective 2023 legislative sessions, with more likely to follow across those markets which have yet to legalize.