South Carolina Sports activities Betting Invoice Units Minimal Age at 18
South Carolina’s 2025 legislative session begins subsequent month, however one lawmaker there has already proposed a sports activities betting invoice, marking at the least the fourth try to convey that type of wagering to the state.
Former South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler in a 2023 recreation. South Carolina Consultant Chris Murphy is once more pushing sports activities betting laws within the state. (Picture: AP Information)
Republican Rep. Chris Murphy of Dorchester County just lately launched Home Invoice 3625 (HB 3625), which is also referred to as the South Carolina Wagering Act. If accredited and signed into legislation, it will convey a regulated sports activities betting market to a state lengthy averse to gaming enlargement.
One of many fascinating parts in Murphy’s laws is {that a} minor individual — outlined as somebody youthful than 18 years previous — wouldn’t meet the minimal age a Palmetto State bettor must be to put a sports activities wager, assuming HB 3625 turns into legislation. Of the 39 US jurisdictions that at the moment allow sports activities betting, solely Kentucky, New Hampshire, Washington DC, and Wyoming permit 18-year-olds to guess.
‘Sports activities wagering’ means the enterprise of accepting wagers on sporting occasions or parts of sporting occasions, the person efficiency statistics of people in sporting occasions, or a mix of any of the identical by any system or technique of wagering accredited by the director through a cell sports activities wagering licensee’s cell functions and digital platforms that use communications know-how to just accept wagers,” in accordance with Murphy’s proposal.
The invoice would additionally legalize day by day fantasy sports activities (DFS) within the state.
South Carolina Has an Ominous Sports activities Betting Historical past
Earlier this yr, Murphy sponsored one other sports activities betting invoice, however that proposal didn’t make it far. Final yr, two sports activities betting payments, together with one geared toward bolstering the state’s horse racing business, have been proposed and each gained momentum within the Home, however each died with out even being introduced up for votes within the Senate.
The identical destiny befell a sports activities betting invoice in 2022, and Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) opposes wagering enlargement, indicating it could possibly be a heavy elevate in South Carolina subsequent yr. Even so, Murphy’s latest laws has bipartisan help.
There’s some perception that subsequent yr could possibly be completely different for sports activities betting in South Carolina because of the revenue-generating proficiency of that type of wagering in neighboring North Carolina. However, evaluating the 2 Carolinas when it comes to sports activities betting income might not be truthful as a result of North Carolina has double the inhabitants of its southern neighbor.
Ins and Outs of South Carolina Sports activities Betting Invoice
Murphy’s invoice proposes the creation of the South Carolina Sports activities Wagering Fee as a regulator to supervise sports activities betting within the state. The laws additionally requires a tax price of 12.5%, which might be among the many most favorable within the nation.
If signed into legislation, HB 3625 would permit for eight licensees to function within the state, and the most important competitors to the business would possible be the state lottery, as South Carolina has no casinos.
Based mostly on inhabitants, South Carolina is bigger than a number of others that provide cell betting, together with Louisiana, Kentucky, Connecticut, Iowa, and Kansas.
