North Carolina Betting Delay is Bad News for South Carolina’s Efforts

Peter Lewisby Peter Lewis
Updated: November 30, 2023
North Carolina Betting Delay is Bad News for South Carolina's Efforts

When it comes to the future of the South Carolina sports betting push, lawmakers and officials are no question looking at what’s been going on in North Carolina. Not long ago, it was announced that the state would be legalizing wagers, with the thought that things would arrive in time for the start of 2024, but mid-January or so. However, that’s not going to happen and few people can argue with the fact that the North Carolina betting delay is bad news for South Carolina efforts.

Per a report, North Carolina sports betting indeed will be pushed back a bit, as things are now not expected to arrive after the Super Bowl. This is not what anyone was hoping for, as people all over North Carolina and South Carolina were eyeing a launch for the postseason – things are always going to be high in terms of NFL betting as we inch closer to early February. However, it seems people in the area will be out of luck, which is disappointing in so many ways.

While this is troubling news for South Carolina, what are officials in North Carolina going to say about this? In recent months, the speculation has continued to grow that officials in South Carolina will look to potentially model the format and structure used by folks in South Carolina to try and move forward with their own sports betting project. However, if things are a bit of a mess in SC, then that could lead people in North Carolina to try and eye something else.

A quick look at social media shows that people in South Carolina aren’t too happy about the most recent update, as that means legal Super Bowl betting won’t be on the menu this year and people are going to have to wait until next season. This is not what anyone imagined would be the case. Only time will tell if there will be a last-minute change to how things have been laid out, but it’s not looking good. All this negative news doesn’t have us feeling too good either in this case.

What’s the latest for South Carolina’s sports betting push?

A question a lot of people continue to think about is what’s the latest for South Carolina’s sports betting push? Things have been quiet this year because there are no general elections on odd years, they are done for even years. Because of that, nothing will be voted on this fall. Instead, the hope right now is for legislation to move forward at some point next year and then for a sports betting bill to make its way on the November ballot.

If that’s the case, then the wide expectation is that the good people of South Carolina won’t hesitate to vote for legal betting. This is something that folks in South Carolina have wanted for a while. With North Carolina sports betting coming around the corner, it will surely lead to a lot of folks traveling across state lines for their sports betting needs. These two states border one another.

However, while that might be fun for some people from a tourist and vacation standpoint, why should they have to travel outside of the state to make legal bets? The convenience of being able to drive to a local sportsbook or place a wager via an online betting option is what people want in South Carolina. Countless proponents have been pushing the government to step up and try and help out with the push.

Soon enough, we should have a bit more clarity on what the future might have in store for South Carolina. However, the earliest we will see things come in will be 2025. If that doesn’t happen, then things could potentially get delayed to 2027. Keep in mind that if no bill pushes forward next year, then the earliest things could be on the ballot would be November of 2026. Absolutely no one wants to see that end up being the case. Let’s hope that kind of an issue is avoided at all costs.

People in South Carolina are dreaming of football betting

With the popularity of the sport, it’s easy to understand why people in South Carolina are dreaming of football betting. There are no pro teams, but people in the area are definitely keeping close tabs on the Carolina Panthers, located in NC in Charlotte. It’s been a rough year for the Panthers, with the team recently firing Frank Reich as head coach.

Now, the Panthers are eyeing a bright future for former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, but who knows if that’s going to come to fruition or not. Despite that uncertainty, the belief is that once legal sports betting is allowed in South Carolina, people will be all over betting on the NFL and NCAA football too. The South Carolina Gamecocks are a popular, competitive team in the SEC. The sooner lawmakers can get something done, the more revenue the state will be able to bring home as well.

Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis Jr. comes from Mississippi where he and his family spend their days discussing college football, baseball and basketball. He's written sports journalism for years after studying journalism at a local university. Over time, Peter has cultivated extensive knowledge covering sports betting legislation across the country. He closely tracks the latest regulatory developments and provides key insights into their impacts. Peter also offers sharp MLB betting analysis, leveraging stats and trends to identify value on matchups.

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