Georgia worried when South Carolina adopted its own state lottery. Now it’s South Carolina’s turn to be concerned over the potential impact of a North Carolina state lottery. ...

About 12 percent of South Carolina’s lottery sales are to customers from across the state line. If North Carolina adopts its own lottery, that is certain to cut into South Carolina sales. ...

But no matter what the result of new competition, South Carolina needs to resolve not to become too dependent on lottery money. The lottery was meant to provide supplementary money to pay for college scholarships, not to become a consistent source of state revenue, year in and year out. ...

It is doubtful that North Carolina customers will quit playing the South Carolina lottery altogether, even if they have their own lottery. Much will depend on the size of the jackpots, with customers gravitating to whichever is bigger. ...

It is doubtful North Carolina could have sat by for long watching its sister state rake in $2 billion without longing for a lottery of its own.

But the pool of players and the amount of money they are willing to gamble is finite, and someday the easy revenues from the lottery may dry up.

We hope South Carolina will be prepared when and if that day comes.

The (Rock Hill) Herald