Horry County lawmaker hopes to expand lottery participation through debit card use

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — With South Carolina Education Lottery revenues expected to plummet by millions, some lawmakers hope a new way of paying for tickets will increase the player pool.

A bill sponsored by state Sen. Greg Hembree, a North Myrtle Beach Republican, would allow customers to use debit cards as a method for purchasing lottery tickets. Currently, only cash can be used.

“Right now, a lot of people go in with their debit card and throw it into the ATM machine where they pay a lot of fees,” state Sen. Ross Turner, R-Greenville, said during a February Education Committee meeting. “The hope is there would be an increased usage of the lottery and that they would actually be able to make more money over time.”

The committee voted 10-4 to send the bill up for full Senate consideration, where it’s still waiting for a floor vote.

Established in 2002 as a way to support education initiatives, the lottery transfers all its proceeds into a special account that goes toward scholarships, student loan repayments, need-based grants and tuition assistance.

Last year, the lottery pulled in $598.3 million, according to its most recent financial report.

Dolly Garfield, the lottery’s executive director, supports the new ticket payment option as competition mounts from neighboring states like Georgia and North Carolina.

“We cannot continue the stamina of sales with what we have to offer,” she told lawmakers. We’re just struggling to stay relevant here and we think at least this will give an opportunity for a new player to buy tickets.”

Lottery players in South Carolina can choose from either instant scratch-off games or terminal games that let players pick a sequence of numbers to match periodic drawings.

Retailers that sell lottery tickets get a 7% commission from the state — a perk that has some worried about shifting toward non-cash payment methods.

State Sen. Rex Rice, R-Easley, voted against the idea.

“When we enacted the lottery legislation, we did not allow credit cards for a good reason. My wife will not let me have a debit card for a good reason,” he said. “I understand people not carrying cash, but I think it’s a slippery slope.”

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