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A Statehouse bill proposing a casino along the Interstate 95 corridor appears dead on arrival, despite early optimism that it could pass. The bill failed to gain the support of Gov. Henry McMaster, even after a proposed compromise that would have directed a sizable share of casino revenues toward conservation efforts in South Carolina.
McMaster rejected the compromise, saying he opposes casino gambling and will continue to do so, according to The Post and Courier.
SC casino plan focuses on struggling I-95 corridor
The proposed casino site would be located in Orangeburg County, one of the most impoverished areas in South Carolina’s rural interior, where job prospects are limited and tax revenues are low. The targeted site is owned by Wallace Cheves, a Republican donor and experienced casino developer.
The property currently houses a dilapidated outlet mall in Santee, near the recreational lands surrounding Lake Marion.
Bipartisan bill advances, then stalls amid opposition
The bipartisan bill was first introduced last year and advanced out of committee despite opposition from the Catawba Indian Nation, which operates a casino across the border in North Carolina. It later sat dormant in the House of Representatives until House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister, R-Greenville, introduced the compromise during the first week of this year’s legislative session.
Support in the General Assembly ultimately faltered after the governor withheld his backing.
The bill must now pass through the House Ways and Means Committee again to reach the floor. That move followed Rep. Gil Gatch, R-Summerville, a key supporter, withdrawing his name from the legislation Jan. 22. Bannister subsequently recommitted the bill to the committee in hopes of reviving it.
Still, prospects for progress this year appear slim.
Opponents claim win after full-court press at Statehouse
Religious groups and other opponents of gambling have mounted an aggressive campaign against legalization, increasing their presence at the Statehouse to pressure Republican supporters of the bill. Some of those groups have taken credit for the legislation’s failure.
“Saying ‘no’ to casinos in South Carolina was one of our major legislative initiatives this year,” Steve Pettit, president of the evangelical conservative Palmetto Family Alliance, said in a statement. “I’m thankful to the thousands of South Carolinians who contacted their representatives to urge a ‘no’ vote on casinos.”
Gambling debate continues statewide
Gambling, however, is not a settled issue in South Carolina. Residents who gamble continue to find alternatives, including illegal offshore sites and federally regulated prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
Meanwhile, Senate lawmakers are considering separate bills to legalize interactive sports betting and wagering on horse racing. A previous bill to legalize horse race wagering came within two votes of reaching the governor’s desk.
Randy Page, a spokesperson for the conservative Palmetto Family Council, has written that another casino gaming proposal is likely to be filed in 2027, when the legislative calendar resets and a new governor takes office.
Casino push may resurface under next governor
McMaster’s term expires at the end of this year, after which he will leave office. Despite the current setback, Bannister said supporters have not abandoned the effort.
“There’s a pathway that it could be successful at the end of the day,” Bannister said. “We could get it back out of Ways and Means. But I don’t see that pathway right now based on the current circumstances.”
“No one has quit this,” he added. “This is not going to go away because the bill is in Ways and Means. Where South Carolina is going to be on this issue is going to be an ongoing discussion for a long time.”
