COLUMBIA — Slowly, conversations about ending South Carolina’s prohibition on gambling and games of chance have begun taking place in Statehouse hallways and meeting rooms.

Some of the nation's largest sports betting companies, however, seem to be done waiting.

As lawmakers remain reluctant to legalize and regulate betting on horse racing and sporting events, several companies operating online and through phone apps have set up shop in South Carolina to offer a form of wagering on sporting events like football and basketball games. More are coming. And neither state legislators nor regulators can stop them, as things stand now.

Platforms called prediction markets , which are federally regulated, have operated for years. These platforms — dominated in the U.S. by Kalshi and now Poly

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