A new bill for 2025 aims to bring sports betting to a state with notoriously little legal gambling, South Carolina.

HB3625 was pre-filed in the state House on Dec. 12 and has been immediately referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The state’s 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 14.

The bill is primarily sponsored by Rep. Chris Murphy (R) and has bipartisan co-sponsorship in Rep. Heath Sessions (R) and Rep. J Todd Rutherford (D), who sponsored the 2023 sports betting effort. It would enact the South Carolina Sports Wagering Act and create a nine-member South Carolina Sports Wagering Commission to oversee and regulate the industry.

Suggested cap of 8 licensees, no brand-new brands

The bill also lays out several specifics of the proposed market, including a maximum cap of eight licensees. Applying operators would have to be already live with sports betting in at least five jurisdictions in order to be considered.

The state’s online sports betting tax rate would be set at 12.5% of operators’ adjusted gross revenue. There would be a $100,000 application fee and a licensing fee of $1 million for successful applicants. Full licenses would last for five years.

Could North Carolina’s thriving market compel SC lawmakers?

Currently, only the South Carolina Education Lottery offers gambling. The state has no land-based casinos, no horse racing and no online regulated betting outside of the lottery.

Previous efforts to pass a sports betting bill have failed. HB 3749 was introduced in January 2023 but quickly got stuck in the mud after being referred to committee. Just one roadblock is that State Gov. Henry McMaster has campaigned against gambling in the past and is in office until 2027.

However, the fact that the bill has bipartisan sponsorship could lend more weight to its consideration. So, too, could the success of North Carolina.

https://sbcamericas.com/2024/12/13/south-carolina-sports-betting-bill-2025/