By admin 
The idea of casino gambling in South Carolina has traditionally been frowned up on the reliably Republican state.
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Gov. Henry McMaster has been a vocal opponent of expanding gambling beyond the current education lottery. If bills to expand gambling in the state ever made it to his desk, they most likely would be vetoed.
But his term ends in January and the next governor may have a different outlook.
During the legislative session, there were efforts to allow construction of a casino in Santee as supporters say it would act as an economic driver for the area.
With a runoff election for the GOP nomination for governor set for June 23 between Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson, and with state Rep. Jermaine Johnson set as the Democratic nominee, where does the next potential governor stand on casino gambling?.
Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette
Evette in Tuesday’s GOP debate said she would want to put the issue in front of the voters. The creation of the South Carolina lottery was approved after voters in 2000 voted to change the state constitution to allow for a state lottery.
“I’ve been to all 46 counties many times, and I’ve heard from you, the people of South Carolina, if a development came to South Carolina that was five stars, similar to the Greenbrier, we should look at it and see what economic impact it plays in that area,” Evette said. “But before we make any decisions, it should be put on the ballot, and the people of South Carolina should be voting on it, because nobody should have to live with (an) industry in their backyards that they don’t want.”
Attorney General Alan Wilson
Wilson last week signed a pledge with the Palmetto Family Alliance saying he would veto any legislation that brings a casino to South Carolina. He conceded his stance would probably lead to proponents of casino gambling spending money ahead of the runoff to support Evette.
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“I feel like, as the governor, you have to be honest with people, you have to tell people what you feel, and not hide behind, ’I’m going to give it to the people.’ Tell them what you think, be honest. I tell folks all the time, I’d rather have your respect and your trust than your vote or your support,” Wilson said. “I made it abundantly clear that I have serious concerns about casinos in South Carolina, because I’m talking to law enforcement, faith leaders in other states, and they have voiced concerns that they wish they could go back and roll back the clock on having them in their state.”
State Rep. Jermaine Johnson
During the June 3 Democratic debate, candidates were asked about gambling and how much they would support.
Johnson, the Democratic nominee for governor, said he has a personal issue with gambling because gambling addictions led to his family, while he was growing up, to live in motels. However, he acknowledged gambling already is taking place in the state, even though most of it is illegal.
He added that he would have to study a bill if it reached his desk, and he would want to make sure it had protections to deal with ills that are associated with gambling.
Johnson said any gambling bill would need “tremendous guard rails, things to protect against human trafficking and drugs and crime, the things that come up and down I-95. We have to make sure we’re protecting our citizens first before we start going out to look for a profit for corporate businesses.”
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