- South Carolina legislators struck down a bill that would legalize casinos in the state on Wednesday, further pushing back the introduction of domestic gambling.
- Governor Henry McMaster has been on record opposing casinos in South Carolina, which is arguably the biggest hurdle in the process.
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Already facing an uphill battle, proponents of bringing casinos to South Carolina suffered a devastating blow on Wednesday as a bill with that exact intent was recommitted on Wednesday.
The House sent the bill back to the House Ways and Means Committee, essentially sending it back to the beginning of the legislative process. This decision came before the bill made it to a vote on the House floor.
Governor Henry McMaster has been vocal in his opposition to South Carolina casinos and argues that the majority of people in the state are opposed as well.
Leaders in the state Senate have not shown interest in casinos either, further decreasing the likelihood of legislation passing in favor of such.
A key selling point for Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister was an amendment that would mandate 35% of revenue from casinos to be allocated to conservation efforts, which is a point of emphasis for many in the state.
The hope was that this clause would sway some in favor of the bill, but to no avail. Now, if lawmakers were to attempt to revive the bill, more changes would have to be made to earn the backing of governing members in the state.
The plan included a casino to be built in Orangeburg County off of I-95 near Lake Marion, which was projected to generate $100 million for the state in tax revenue.
South Carolina remains as one of the most staunch states against gambling, just one of nine US states yet to regulate casinos.
Even if the bill was to make a comeback effort with alterations, it would likely be some time down the road, so South Carolina does not appear to be heading towards adding any of the best legal casinos in the South any time soon.