As of 8th July 2023, betting on sports in any form is illegal in the state of South Carolina. It is not far-fetched to expect a bill to gain traction in 2023’s legislation but looking at the track record of previous bills in 2019, 2021, and 2022 it does seem unlikely.
Bill number HB3749 is currently making its way through the legislation in South Carolina. The bill focuses on the legalization of sports betting, but its road to passage is time-consuming and certainly not smooth. If the bill is passed, it will result in the legalization of 8 sport betting apps offering the best platforms for anyone over the age of 18.
Also Read: How Sports Betting Works? Explained
South Carolina sports betting timeline
2019: A joint effort from the Senate and the House, which looked to legalize multiple forms of gambling such as casinos, dice games, sports betting, and more, failed to create any room for discussion.
2021: HB3395 is introduced, which proposes an amendment to the constitution of South Carolina to legalize betting on sports, horse racing, and also casino gambling. The bill was only read once before dying down after being referred to the judiciary committee.
2022: HB5277 is introduced to the legislation. This bill proposed the legalization of sports betting as well as mobile sports betting. The bill received bipartisan support but died in committee.
2023: HB3749 is introduced and is currently being read. It could take some time and a few hearings before a full committee vote.
What sports can one bet on in South Carolina?
There are currently no legal sports betting options in South Carolina. Although there are a few websites that claim they accept sports bets from anywhere in the States, this is illegal as these websites aren’t licensed to operate in any US jurisdiction. Despite this, all gambling websites are legal and operational at the local level.
If someone were to place a bet with an unlicensed website, that person is taking on a considerable amount of risk as there are no consumer protection acts in place for such websites.
In simple terms, if an offshore sportsbook decides to shut down its operations out of the blue, then the bettor will be left without legal recourse for the same.
For the residents of South Carolina, in order to place a bet, they have to travel either to Tennessee or North Carolina.
Popular sports in South Carolina
In South Carolina, similar to the other states, football is the most popular sport. The state is home to the country’s most prestigious college football programs at Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. The football team of Clemson University is the most famous team across the state in any sport.
Some states in the country allow betting on college games and in-state teams but not South Carolina. Despite not being home to any professional sports teams, South Carolina hosts NASCAR at the Darlington Raceway. Data suggests NASCAR would be a heavily bet on events.
