The History of Predatory Gambling in South Carolina
When it comes to gambling restrictions in the United States, South Carolina is second only to Utah. Commercial and tribal gambling are illegal, casinos are banned, as is betting on races and sporting events. In 1999, opponents of predatory gambling won a major victory when the state banned video poker machines that had popped up in convenience stores, liquor shops, and gas stations across the Palmetto State.
Yet even with these provisions in place, predatory gambling maintains a foothold through the gambling cruise industry which carries gamblers into national and international waters just outside South Carolina’s jurisdiction, and the state’s education lottery. The predatory nature of the lottery is confirmed in a recent study by the Charleston-based Post and Courier which found that residents of poorer counties spend far more on lottery tickets.
Currently, in the South Carolina General Assembly, the House Minority Leader is working to amend the state’s Constitution in order to legalize gambling to pay for road work. If the prefiling is approved, the proposed amendment may well be on the 2018 ballot.
Key Groups and Individuals Pushing for Change Include:
The Palmetto Family Council is a faith-based non-profit working with other organizations and state legislators to make South Carolina a great place to live and raise a family. For more information visit PalmettoFamily.org where you can learn more about predatory gambling in the Palmetto State.
