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South Carolina shows no interest to expand the gambling industry and improve the business conditions in the sector., Photo by ©Pixabay Sports Betting

‘Palmetto Forum’ Talks South Carolina Sports Betting

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 11 August 2019

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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The Palmetto Forum for Gaming Studies, headed by Jim Rex, former State Superintendent for Education and Converse Chellis, former State Treasurer and State Representative, will travel the state to discuss casino gambling, horse racing, and sports betting with South Carolinians. Even though Rex is a Democrat and Chellis a Republican, the two share a common goal. “This is an attempt to have a non-partisan, non-political discussion on whether or not it is time for South Carolina to reconsider its position on gaming,” said Rex. He also added that a lottery and two gambling boats are already present in the state and now would be a good time to start a broad discussion. The two also want to talk with stakeholders about legalizing different forms of gaming and directing revenue to places that can use the money. Studies back their arguments as they project $215 million in taxable revenue.

The forum will take the show on the road as it visits cities and towns across South Carolina. The group plans to hold over a dozen forums during the next eighteen months, leading to a referendum proposition to the state legislature. The goal is to put the decision on the ballot and allow the public to determine the types of gambling it wants and where the money should go.

A pension-fund deficit is a problem South Carolina has, just like many other states. On top of that, Jim Rex recommends that money should also go to schools and teachers, as well as the roads, infrastructure, and other underfunded areas.

The first meeting of the Forum was held Myrtle Beach, and two more are planned for the coming months. These are expected to be held in York County near the North Carolina border, and Beaufort, in the southern part of the state. Even though South Carolina’s tourism industry is thriving and has several key destinations, the state is considered a pass-through for people traveling from the Northeast to Florida.

Since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in May 2018, South Carolina lawmakers have not demonstrated much appetite for sports wagering, and none of the bills filed in 2018 and 2019 got any hearings. Even though the state has two casino boats and a lottery, it lacks real mature gaming infrastructure. That makes it similar to states like New Hampshire or Tennessee, which legalized sports betting this summer. Introducing sports betting would essentially mean a new business sector would have to be built from the ground up.

Little River is home to the two gambling boats present in the state, and Representative William Bailey was attending the Palmetto Forum’s first meeting. He said that although he tries to be open-minded, he remains very skeptical because he does not believe elected officials would back propositions without true widespread public support. Rex and local lawmakers want to at least have an earnest conversation about legal sports betting and gambling in what they know to be a historically conservative state.

Even though the South remains unenthusiastic for gambling, there have been some notable developments in South Carolina’s neighboring states, including Atlanta and North Carolina. At the same time, the closest states where sports betting is legal are Tennessee and West Virginia.