South Carolina: Amendment Proposal to Legalise Gambling

South Carolina holds out against the wave of legalization of online gambling. Their laws stand out as some of the most restrictive in the United States. That's why it came as a surprise when state legislature drafted a new amendment proposal that will address and expand upon the legal definition of online gambling.

What the Amendment will Focus On

The amendment proposal will allow state legislature the clearance to regulate several forms of gambling that the state restricts. The outcome remains in the air because of the amendment proposal being in the earliest stages, but it does show promise. H 3095, the potential amendment proposal, will be brought before South Carolina voters to amend the state constitution.

The amendment focuses on giving the state new legislative powers to regulate the gambling industry better. H 3095 focuses its efforts on three key areas:

• Casino gaming
  
• Horse race gambling
  
• Sports betting
  

Along with influencing the online gambling realm, the new proposal will open the state legislature's ability to choose where to put new casinos. They can specify a purpose for the new gaming tax revenues as well.

Early in the Process

No one can say what will happen because everything remains in the earliest stages. As of right now, the South Carolina House assigned the proposal to the Committee on Judiciary. This committee considers all judicial nominations and conducts oversight. South Carolina's state constitution directly says that amendments must receive a 2/3 approval rate to pass in both chambers of the legislature.

After they receive approval from legislature, the general population will vote on the bill. The vote must pass with the majority in support of it. That means that before H 3095 ever receives approval, it will come under a great deal of scrutiny. Most believe that South Carolinians will vote on the measure in November 2024.

Uphill Battle: Online Gambling in South Carolina

South Carolina stands out as one of the last holdouts against online gambling measures, and even sports betting remains illegal in the state. Legislators have tried to legalize it in recent years, but it has always failed. Some believe that at least sports betting has begun to gain momentum as many see it as a chance to make extra state revenue. H 3095 is a bill with a wider scope, and it may see disapproval because of past failures from less ambitious bills. For example, two members of the South Carolina House tried to pass a narrower bill that would have legalized sports betting. That bill was the second bill of its kind and both died at the committee.

Conclusion

While past bills of this nature died before they passed through the committee, some momentum has begun to swing in the right direction to expand gaming in South Carolina. This proposal represents a robust expansion, and the closeness to the other bill proposals and its language could help to see it pass.