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Days before bettors place their final wagers on the Super Bowl, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham is making a pitch to allow sports gambling in South Carolina.
Cunningham on Thursday called for South Carolina to legalize sports betting at brick-and-mortar locations, online and on mobile apps, a move he says could bring in about $40 million a year to the state in new revenue.
“This is about freedom, this is about personal liberty,” said Cunningham, a former South Carolina congressman for the 1st District. “We don’t need government telling you whether you could bet on tonight’s NBA game or Sunday’s Super Bowl.”
An estimated 31 million people will wager $7 billion on the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Sports betting has grown in the country since 2018, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that barred sports betting in most states.
Thirty-three states plus the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting. Seven more states are considering it, according to the American Gaming Association.
North Carolina has legalized sports betting at two Cherokee casinos and is considering whether to allow people to make wagers on their mobile devices. Georgia lawmakers also are considering whether to allow gambling.
South Carolina lawmakers last year began studying the horse industry, something which may in the future open up wagers on horse races in the state.
Now, the only gambling permitted in South Carolina is through the lottery.
What Cunningham supports
During the campaign, Cunningham has called for the legalization of recreational and medicinal marijuana, and for a suspension of the state gas tax until the end of June because of high gas prices.
Cunningham said the potential $40 million from sports gambling could be spent on roads and schools. For perspective, state lawmakers last year adopted a state spending plan of more than $10 billion.
Cunningham’s estimate is based off of an Action Network analysis that estimated how much states could bring in from sports betting. The website based its analysis on how sports betting is taxed in New Jersey, which legalized it in 2018.
New Jersey taxes 8.5% for wins on in-person wagers and 13% for wins at online sportsbooks or on mobile apps.
Ultimately, how much South Carolina could bring in depends on how sports betting would be taxed.
Cunningham added the state could use some of the money to help with gambling addiction programs.
Cunningham argues sports betting already is taking place in the state, but it’s not being regulated.
“It’s just happening in the shadows,” Cunningham said. “It’s happening in the dark. Bringing this to light, regulating it and taxing it can be a net benefit and help reduce crime.”
This story was originally published February 10, 2022 5:00 AM.
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