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If you’ve read this site before, surely you’ve heard of GeoComply. We often bring them up because they have interesting data on betting check-ins across the state.
You see, GeoComply is the technology many big sports betting apps rely on to locate users. Of course, these apps are legally required to make sure bettors are where they say they are — even if VPNs try to throw them out of wack. In this regard, GeoComply does a practically perfect job. Try to bet in California using any app, it won’t work, not even if you’re right next to the Nevada border, where sports betting is fully legal.
GeoComply’s position in the market means they have a lot of data, including attempted check-ins in non-legal states like South Carolina. Welp, if the company’s latest report is to be believed, then there’s a bigger appetite for betting inside South Carolina than we originally thought. Keep reading and we’ll tell you all about it.
South Carolina Data Is Off The Charts
To preface, GeoComply’s new report comes from internal data pulled from September 5, 2024, to January 5, 2025. The company counts a “check in” anywhere in a user’s experience — when they sign up, log in, place a bet, or so in. Specifically, they wanted to look at numbers from non-regulated states. Besides South Carolina, there’s 10 others without legal framework (California, Texas, etc.).
Guess what? South Carolina has the second-most attempted logins among non-legal states. There was a whopping 7.7 million tries (from 365,808 accounts) to bet inside South Carolina on betting apps that use GeoComply to pin users’ location. Mississippi led these states at 10 million, but South Carolina was next up.
What’s more, all the states that GeoComply tracked doubled their check-ins from last year. However, South Carolina had a jaw-dropping 436-percent increase in activity. Why such a spike? Because North Carolina legalized in 2024, that’s why.
“The remarkable year-over-year increase in active accounts from South Carolina is directly linked to North Carolina’s launch of statewide mobile sports betting in 2024,” the GeoComply post reads. “This data point alone provides clear evidence of how legalized sports betting in one state can influence consumer behavior in neighboring states.”
Theres truly a spillover effect in the data. But heck, will there be a spillover in actual legislation and policy? That’s a very real possibility as we open a new legislative year in South Carolina (it begun January 14). Here’s what our hunch says.
Success Of North Carolina Betting Puts Pressure On Southern Neighbors
South Carolina has failed to legalize sports betting on several occasions in the past. Knowing that, it’s fair to think, “what’s going to make 2025 any different?” Welp, the difference is the fact that the state can see its potential now that North Carolina launched it.
North Carolina last reported its November 2024 betting figures. It ended up being the second-best month since the industry went live in early 2024. During November, local bettors wagered $657.7 million. Of that money, $78.1 million became revenue that was split among the sportsbooks and state government. Based on the state’s tax rate, they pocketed $14.1 cause of legal betting.
By our rough estimates, from March to November, the state of North Carolina’s total revenue is about $657 million. Going into year two, with betting being live the whole year, we think the state could do $1 billion in revenue. If you think South Carolina officials aren’t aware of that, you’re crazy. The proximity is just too close to ignore.
What Will Happen In 2025?
The pressure is there, the numbers are there, so what happens next in South Carolina? Welp, a bill has to be drafted and more importantly, the right lawmakers have to get behind it. For what it’s worth, a member of the state’s House of Representatives previously said he’ll bring the issue forward. We’re talking about Republican Chris Murphy here. As we mentioned, he sees the dollar signs this industry could afford the state. “It’s one of those bills that is a revenue generator for the state, a very significant source of revenue,” Murphy said.
So, how much could South Carolina make from legal sports betting? We did some napkin math to guesstimate the number and here’s what we landed on.
First of all, we actually ignored North Carolina. That’s because the state populations are just too different — the North has double the people of the South. Instead, a better comparison would be Kentucky, which has four million to South Carolina’s five million. Legal betting there brings in about $36 million a year in tax revenue. With a bigger population and a strong sports culture, South Carolina could easily top $40 million annually, maybe even push $50 million.
If we were Murphy, or any other politician in the state that supports this, we’d drill home that $50 million revenue. Depending on how South Carolina wants to tax it, they’d keep a chunk of that to better their own services (most states funnel betting money to education programs).
We’ll see what happens, but South Carolina has a real shot to be the 40th state to legalize sports betting. We wait and watch for now.
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