South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster Is Blocking Casino Legislation

Posted on: February 2, 2026, 04:13h. 

Last updated on: February 1, 2026, 12:17h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • South Carolina casino legislation is likely dead for 2026
  • Gov. McMaster continues to oppose gambling expansion efforts

Legislation to authorize commercial casinos in South Carolina is presumably dead for 2026. For anyone who’s been keeping tabs on gambling pushes in the Palmetto State, that comes as little surprise.

South Carolina casinos gambling Henry McMaster
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, pictured in 2022, remains adamantly opposed to casinos. McMaster has told lawmakers not to send him gambling legislation, with the threat of a veto. (Image: Governor’s Office Photo Archive)

Last week, House Bill 4176, a moderately partisan bill backed by 16 Democrats to just three Republicans, was recommitted to the House Ways and Means Committee.

After advancing out of the committee last year, the gambling bill, which seeks to authorize a Las Vegas-like casino along a rural part of Interstate 95, was recommitted by Committee Chair Bruce Bannister (R-Greenville).

Bannister amended the gaming bill to require that a considerable portion of the casino taxes go to conservation efforts, a pillar of South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s (R) governorship. The governor, in his second term, however, wasn’t won over.

Governor’s Casino Opposition

McMaster has been steadfast in opposing casinos since he took office in 2017. That position hasn’t changed.

I’ve always opposed gambling. I think the majority of the people in the state do not want casino gambling, and I don’t either,” the governor said.

Bannister conceded that even with the conservation amendment to HB4176, McMaster has informed the Ways and Means Committee chair that he would veto the legislation. The governor’s stern opposition will likely result in the casino bill being shelved. McMaster’s ongoing opposition led state Rep. Gil Gatch (R-Summerville) to remove his name from the gaming bill.

McMaster, then lieutenant governor, became governor in 2017 upon Nikki Haley’s resignation to become United States ambassador to the United Nations. He was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022 to full four-year terms, making him the state’s longest-serving governor in history.

Bannister believes there is a pathway to bringing casinos to South Carolina, but that path remains impenetrable until at least January 2027, when McMaster’s term-limited governorship ends.

“There’s a pathway that it could be successful at the end of the day,” Bannister told the Post and Courier. “But I don’t see that pathway right now based on the current circumstances.”

Faith Leaders Rejoice

Located in the Bible Belt, pushes to expand gambling in South Carolina are met with strong opposition from religious organizations. Last April, a group of Christian leaders and pastors gathered at the South Carolina State House to voice their opposition to casinos.

We prayed together, spoke with lawmakers, and held a press conference — bringing light to issues that affect every family in South Carolina. These included moral concerns such as the potential legalization of casino gambling and the responsibility we have to protect our communities from harm,” said Chad Connelly, founder and CEO of Faith Wins.

“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.”