Sports betting isn’t legal in SC. That could change as lawmakers push for horse race gambling
A bipartisan legislative duo wants to let South Carolinians place bets on horse races and use the money generated from the wagers to help the state’s equine industry.
State Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun, and state Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, on Tuesday introduced legislation that would allow bets through mobile apps, joining 37 other states. Both served on a legislative equine study committee that looked at the horse industry in South Carolina.
The equine industry has a $1.9 billion impact in South Carolina, and employs more than 28,000 people.
But those in the industry say it’s shrinking.
“This bill would really help push through so much needed funding for the state to try to bring back the industry, to try to bring back the people associated, all of the grooms and the riders and everybody else that goes along with the horses,” said Kate Dalton, a steeplechase trainer in Camden.
Most gambling, including sports betting, isn’t allowed in South Carolina, which only permits the lottery.
State leaders have long been resistant to legalizing sports betting of any kind. Years ago, the state got rid of video poker machines and opposed casino operations, which led the Catawba tribe to open a casino in North Carolina.
The state hasn’t considered sports betting legislation since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a federal law that barred sports betting in most states.
Under the joint proposal, bettors would open an account with an approved operator, like a Fan Duel or Draft Kings, where they could deposit money. They could then use their cell phones to wager on races across the country. Money would be added to an account after winning a wager.
“It’s almost like a banking transaction,” Ott said. “It’s trackable, it’s transparent and we are able to keep our arms around it as a state.”
Only a handful of operators would be allowed to offer horse race betting, and they would be highly regulated by a a state equine commission, Shealy said.
Ott said 10% of the profit wagered through a site, plus the license fees set by a commission for operators would go to the state to, for example, cover grants to help improve trails, for thoroughbred associations to offer incentives for trainers and help pay for equine studies programs at the state’s colleges and universities.
The state could stand to bring in $8 million to $14 million if the Legislature legalizes sports betting, according to an analysis done by the Racing Resource Group included in the equine study committee.
Despite gambling being illegal in the state, Shealy said people are still making online wagers in South Carolina by hiding their computers’ locations.
“I’m not saying lets open up a big horse race track and have live gambling,” Shealy said, “but people are already doing it and the state of South Carolina is just not getting money for it.”
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This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 4:29 PM.
