South Carolina lawmakers recognize that existing prohibitions on gambling have been largely ineffective, as residents continue to find ways to bet on sports and other games, often through unregulated online platforms. Some legislators and industry representatives argue for legalizing and regulating gambling to provide consumer protections and generate tax revenue to offset social costs. However, efforts to pass bills allowing casino-style gaming, horse race betting, or sports wagering have faced strong opposition, particularly from religious groups and conservative lawmakers who view gambling as morally wrong and fear it could lead to harmful societal changes.

The state’s gambling laws have struggled to keep pace with technological advances such as smartphones, virtual private networks, cryptocurrencies, and federally sanctioned prediction markets, which have enabled widespread unregulated betting beyond state control. While proponents emphasize the inevitability of gambling and the benefits of regulation, opponents maintain that legalization equates to endorsing vice and undermines the government’s role in deterring evil. As a result, despite ongoing debates and some legislative proposals, South Carolina remains deeply divided on whether to embrace or resist the expansion of legalized gambling.