by WILL FOLKS
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Last week, South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace distinguished herself among the candidates for governor of the Palmetto State by refusing to kowtow to a cabal of two-faced, sanctimonious moralizers within her party.
At a time when most candidates are seeking safe ground on hot-button issues, Mace took a decidedly different approach – adopting a bold position on the issue of private sector gambling.
As we have previously reported, S.C. Republican Party (SCGOP) leaders are hypocritically carrying water for the Palmetto State’s government-run gambling monopoly – the abysmally managed S.C. Education Lottery.
Why is a party purportedly in favor of freedom and free markets – a party led by a president who has embraced multiple forms of private sector gaming – shilling for a state-run gambling monopoly?
Easy… a clique of connected evangelical leaders are pulling its strings.
And why are they doing that? That’s also easy… because the lottery is funneling tens of millions of dollars annually into Christian colleges and universities (and those reaping this massive windfall don’t want to do anything that might interfere with those profits).
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RELATED | MIRAGE OF TRUTH
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“This isn’t a moral objection – it’s racket protection,” I noted earlier this year.
On the debate stage, as candidates like Ralph Norman raged against the evils of gaming, Mace took a different approach.
“People are already online betting,” Mace noted. “You can go on to Polymarket or Kalshi – you can bet on anything. You can bet on who won the debate tonight.”
Mace is correct. Prediction markets – which have been embraced by president Donald Trump, a former casino magnate – are taking off. Not only that, state efforts to restrict their operation are running into significant regulatory and legal headwinds.
The day after last week’s GOP debate, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) filed multiple lawsuits against states which were attempting to crack down on these markets.
“The CFTC will continue to safeguard its exclusive regulatory authority over these markets and defend market participants against overzealous state regulators,” the agency’s chairman, Michael Selig, noted in a statement.
Judges are continuing to have their backs, too…
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Earlier this week, prediction market Kalshi scored a huge initial victory when the U.S. court of appeals for the third circuit upheld a preliminary injunction affirming CFTC’s jurisdiction over prediction markets – and expressly blocking New Jersey gambling regulators from shutting down the platform’s sports wagering contracts.
According to third circuit court judge David Porter‘s ruling (.pdf), only the CFTC has the “discretionary power to review and prohibit those contracts.”
“Kalshi has shown likelihood of success on its argument that the CFTC’s exclusive jurisdiction… preempts New Jersey gambling laws and the state constitution,” Porter added.
As for the issue of brick-and-mortar gaming – including casinos – Mace said South Carolina should host a public referendum on the issue so that “everyone (can) have a say.”
That’s consistent with how the lottery was approved in 2000, meaning there is precedent in the Palmetto State for letting the people decide these issues directly at the ballot box. Speaking of letting the people decide, Mace’s push for a referendum comes as state lawmakers – who will ultimately decide whether to place the gaming issue on the ballot – consider legislation (H. 4001) which would allow counties and municipalities to decide by local referendums whether they want to allow the sale of liquor on Sundays.
Currently, Sunday liquor sales are banned statewide.
What’s good for the goose, right?
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As South Carolina looks to identify a path forward on gaming, Pamela Evette – one of the frontrunners in the 2026 gubernatorial race – signaled a willingness to host a conversation on effective regulation as opposed to the state’s current posture of impractical prohibition.
“We’ve had the lottery for decades here in South Carolina,” Evette told FITSNews. “With poly market sites like Kalshi that already operate in our state, what we really need to focus on now is how we are going to regulate it. As governor, I’d work closely with the legislature, seeking input from the public, on exactly how to do that.”
Meanwhile, the campaign of attorney general Alan Wilson – another of the 2026 frontrunners – indicated an openness to hosting a similar conversation in the event he is elected governor.
“As a dad to two teenagers, chief prosecutor, and having been endorsed by 80% of the Republican sheriffs, one of attorney general Wilson’s main priorities is keeping families safe,” his deputy campaign manager Claire Brady said. “As governor, he’ll always have a ‘doors open’ policy and seek input from the people who live here and stakeholders on all issues. Complex issues regarding public safety should go through the legislative process, but if the General Assembly secures the two-thirds vote for a public referendum on any topic, the governor wouldn’t be able to stop it.”
Once again, count on FITSNews to keep our audience apprised of the latest developments on the gaming front in the Palmetto State…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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