South Carolina sports betting had a chance to become a reality in 2022. Unfortunately, as the clock was winding down for lawmakers to pass House Bill 5277 and legalize online sports betting, there just wasn’t enough support for the bill. This was the second-year in a row the state has considered sports betting.
The good news for South Carolina residents is there seems to be growing optimism about the upcoming elections. Almost 30% of the incumbent sitting House members will be contested this go-around. That might be enough to swing this race for 2023.
Legal sports betting is now available in 30 states and the District of Columbia. Sports betting is coming soon to Kentucky as the newest addition to the U.S. legal states.
Rutherford’s bill would legalize sports betting in the Palmetto State. Bill 3395 specifically mentions “sports betting on professional sports” and it also includes provisions for pari-mutuel betting on horse racing, casino activities such as dice and card games, and games of chance involving the use of electronic devices or gaming tables.
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With lawmakers seeing the impact of online sports betting in other states, Rutherford believes there is ample bipartisan support for the bill this year. “You have major corporations, MGM, Caesars, that want sports betting to come (to South Carolina),” the Democrat said. “I think that’s going to drive the needle and move the needle towards more progression and more freedom.”
Proponents of Bill 3395 have estimated that legal sports betting will put $40 million in the state’s coffers each year. Under Rutherford’s proposal, South Carolina would use the revenue “for highway, road, and bridge maintenance, construction, and repair” per the language in the bill.
South Carolina Mobile Sports Betting Updates
Earlier in February, South Carolina Gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham, a Democrat, argued mobile sports betting should be available in the state.
“It is time to give South Carolinians the same freedom people in 30 other states enjoy and finally legalize sports betting,” Cunningham said in a statement posted to his campaign website.
“This is about freedom and generating new revenue for our state to tackle our biggest challenges,” he added. “All of our neighboring states have either legalized sports betting or they are taking steps to do so, and South Carolina once again finds itself at an economic disadvantage.”
North Carolina and Georgia have both created pressure on South Carolina with recent endorsements for mobile sports betting. Cunningham agreed that South Carolina is forfeiting $40 million annually to underground gambling and illegal bookies.
“The fact is sports betting is already happening in South Carolina; but it’s underground, unregulated, and brings in zero tax revenue for our state,” he said. “So we have two options: We can let the bookies run the entire industry and keep it underground with no tax revenue for our state, or we can bring it above board, regulate it, tax it, and fix problems with the money. This is a no-brainer.”
Timeline Of South Carolina Sports Betting
- June 2022 – South Carolina failed to clear H.B. 5277 in time for sports betting in 2022. Their attention will focus on 2023 as their new target date for launch.
- February 2022 – South Carolina Representative Todd Rutherford introduced Bill 3395 at the state’s legislative session in Columbia. The bill would legalize sports betting in the Palmetto State.
- February 2022 – South Carolina Gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham, a Democrat, said mobile sports betting should be available in the state.
Sportsbooks Coming To South Carolina
BetMGM South Carolina
BetMGM is one of the top online sportsbooks across the nation. No competitor boasts a higher rating than BetMGM’s sports betting app on the App Store. BetMGM succeeds on all fronts including market depth, variety of bets, and its wide range of ongoing promotions.
DraftKings Sportsbook South Carolina
DraftKings receives our vote for the best overall betting experience. There are literally thousands of bets available on the DraftKings sports betting app each day. You’ll also find highly competitive odds for a wide variety of sports. DraftKings also boasts the best live betting platform in the industry.
FanDuel Sportsbook South Carolina
FanDuel Sportsbook is another nationally known sportsbook with a stellar reputation. The FanDuel sports betting app is equally effective whether you’re using an iPhone or Android. FanDuel also offers an abundance of betting markets and several easy methods to make deposits and withdrawals.
Legalization Effort In South Carolina
South Carolina’s legalization effort started in earnest this year when Representative Todd Rutherford introduced Bill 3395 at the state’s legislative session in February.
Rutherford’s bill would effectively legalize sports betting in South Carolina. With lawmakers seeing the impact of online sports betting across the country, there could be ample bipartisan support for the bill this year. Earlier in February, South Carolina Gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham, a Democrat, said mobile sports betting should be available in the state.
Neighboring states in North Carolina and Georgia have both put pressure on South Carolina with recent endorsements for mobile sports betting.
“I’m tired of letting North Carolina and Georgia reap the benefits of new industries because South Carolina politicians won’t get out of our way. Legalizing sports betting would allow our state to fix real problems and create good-paying jobs without raising a single cent in taxes,” Cunningham said.
Projected Sports Betting Revenue In South Carolina
It’s difficult to estimate potential sports betting revenue in South Carolina, but we can look at nearby Virginia as a point of comparison. Virginia sports betting celebrated its one-year anniversary on January 21, 2022, with more than $3.2 billion being bet in the state.
South Carolina Compared To Other States
It’s also somewhat difficult to compare South Carolina to other sports betting states, given that it’s in the nascent phase of the legalization process. South Carolina, historically, has taken one of the more hardline stances against gambling. In fact, the state lottery is the only available form of gambling currently available in the Palmetto State. Current South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, a Republican, has said in the past that he is opposed to sports betting.
The best comparisons probably come with neighboring states in North Carolina and Georgia. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said in February 2022 that he thinks it’s time to bring mobile sports betting to the Tar Heel State. Georgia lawmakers are reportedly thinking of reintroducing legislation to bring about a referendum asking voters to approve sports betting. But those recent endorsements don’t have them any closer to legalization than South Carolina. Call it even for now.
If South Carolina Gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham, a Democrat, can supplant McMaster, it will go a long way toward legalization. Cunningham has been vocal about his support of mobile sports betting in the Palmetto State.
South Carolina Betting Successes And Failures
The fact that South Carolina sports betting could become a reality this year is a major success. South Carolina Representative Todd Rutherford introduced Bill 3395 at the state’s legislative session in February. Legal sports betting is now available in 30 states and the District of Columbia, and South Carolina could soon join that list.
In terms of failures, it can be argued that it’s taken far too long for South Carolina to reach this point. After PAPSA allowed states to create their own rules for sports betting in 2018, New Jersey and other states were quick to act.
South Carolina has had stringent rules when it comes to any type of gambling. The state-run lottery is currently the only form of legal gambling in South Carolina.
Professional Sports Teams In South Carolina
For those outside of the state of South Carolina, here are some of the most popular South Carolina sports teams that bettors can place wagers on.
Carolina Panthers
While South Carolina does not technically have a professional sports team, the NFL’s Carolina Panthers have adopted a “Two States, One Team” motto that includes the Palmetto State. The Panthers play their home games at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, which is a mere 12 miles away from the South Carolina state line.
The Panthers have held their annual training camp at Wofford College in Spartansburg, S.C. The tradition of having the team’s training camp in the Palmetto State will continue in 2022 with a move to Rock Hill, S.C., which will also serve as the team’s headquarters next year. Groundbreaking on the world-class sports complex began in 2020, and the first phase opening is scheduled for 2023.
The Carolina Panthers played their inaugural 1995 season in Clemson, S.C. They played their eight home games that season at Clemson University’s Memorial Stadium (more commonly known as Death Valley) while construction was being completed on Bank of America Stadium.
Minor League Pro Sports Teams In South Carolina
Charleston RiverDogs
Actor Bill Murray is a co-owner of the RiverDogs, who play in the MILB (Minor League Baseball). Charleston plays its home games at “The Joe” in front of 6,000 fans when it’s at full capacity. The stadium is named for longtime former Charleston mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. The RiverDogs play a 132-game season that features 66 home and 66 road games.
Greenville Drive
The Greenville Drive is a Minor League Baseball (MILB) team based in Greenville, South Carolina. They are an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and a member of the High-A East league. The team competed at the Class A level in the South Atlantic League prior to the 2021 season.
South Carolina Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays are an affiliate of the NHL’s Washington Capitals. The Stingrays compete in the East Coast Hockey League, which is a “AA” minor league. The South Carolina Stingrays play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The ECHL’s 72-game season starts in October and ends in April.
Greenville Swamp Rabbits
Another ECHL team, the Greenville Swamp Rabbits play their home games at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. “The Well,” is located in downtown Greenville, and seats 15,591 fans for Swamp Rabbits games. The Swamp Rabbits, formerly known as the Road Warriors, have played their games there since 2010.
College Sports Teams In South Carolina
University of South Carolina Gamecocks
Located in the capital city of Columbia, the University of South Carolina competes in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Gamecocks play their home football games at Williams-Brice Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 77,559. While football is king in Columbia, the University of South Carolina has recently won national championships in baseball and women’s basketball.
Clemson University Tigers
Clemson University competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and is known as a college football powerhouse. The Tigers have won three national championships with two of those coming in the last six years. Head coach Dabo Swinney has an unbelievable 150-36 record at Clemson since 2008.
How To Place A Bet In South Carolina
While mobile sports betting has yet to be legalized in South Carolina, we can provide you with the easiest way to accomplish this in the future. Learn how to bet with any of the industry best sportsbooks.
Download Your Sportsbook
IOS users will search and download the DraftKings app on the App Store. Android users will do likewise at the Google Play Store.
Register For Your Sportsbook
This is a fairly straightforward process. You’ll provide identifying information such as your name, age, email address, mailing address, and Social Security number. In this case, you will receive a verification email from DraftKings that you will confirm. Remember that you’ll need to be 21 years of age to bet on sports legally in South Carolina.
It’s expected that South Carolina will follow the prevailing trend of having to be within the boundaries of the state to place a bet. That doesn’t mean you’ll have to be a resident necessarily, but we’ll update you when the picture becomes clearer moving forward.
Fund Your Account
DraftKings has several deposit methods available. It recommends using your online banking platform. Other options include credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover), debit cards, Play+ prepaid cards, PayPal, and wire transfers. Don’t be surprised if your deposit isn’t successful when using a credit card, as many US issuing banks still don’t allow these types of transactions.
Be sure to take advantage of the current sign-up promotion as a new user at any major sportsbook. These often revolve around the amount of your initial deposit. Check Gaming Today for current sign-up promotions and bonus codes.
Place A Wager
Congrats, at this point you’re ready to make your first bet. DraftKings has an excellent user interface and it’s easy to navigate. Click on the sport you’re interested in betting on and a full list of available contests will appear. Then, click on the odds for the selection you’d like to bet. Confirm your bet and the amount, and you’re good to go.
South Carolina Sports Betting FAQs
No. The only legal form of gambling currently in South Carolina is the state lottery.
The answer is still unclear. Despite HB 3749 being introduced, it is unlikely that sports betting will launch anytime soon.
DraftKings has a daily fantasy sports app that is legal and available to residents of South Carolina. The DraftKings sports betting app is expected to be among the available options in the Palmetto State once mobile sports betting is legalized in South Carolina.
Similar to DraftKings, FanDuel’s daily fantasy sports app can be used by South Carolina residents. They will likely have access to FanDuel’s sports betting app after online betting is legalized in the state.
Yes. You will likely need to be located in the state to successfully make a sports bet online. Sports betting apps have a geo-locating component that will confirm if you’re located in (or out of) South Carolina.
Yes, iPhone users will be able to download sports betting apps from BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel at the App Store once mobile sports betting is legalized in South Carolina.
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