Online gambling for South Carolina?

The need for alternative tax revenue sources to help fix South Carolina’s disintegrating road network has prompted the state’s Democratic Party to ask state residents for their views on internet gambling legalisation, reports the WLTX television station.

The referendum envisaged by the party in the June ballot will ask whether the $20 billion road and bridge fixing requirement could be at least partly addressed by legalisation and the expansion of other gambling projects rather than increases in existing tax streams.

State Rep. Todd Rutherford, the House Minority Leader, said this week that land gambling expansion could bring in hundreds of millions through land casinos in Myrtle Beach, along with horse racing or betting on horses.

Party spokesmen have been at pains to point out that the referendum is an advisory vehicle only, and will not immediately change the state gambling laws; Rep. Rutherford says it is important for voters
to share their opinions with lawmakers.

WLTX reports that questions on the Democratic primary ballot will ask whether voters think each state, rather than the federal Congress, should decide for itself whether to allow online gaming and determine how to regulate online gaming in their state.

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