Friendly Poker Games Might Finally Get Legalized in South CarolinaSub-Committee Passes New Proposal by a 4-1 Vote |
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It’s not too often a friendly $20 poker game leads to four years of debates, lawsuits, court cases, and legislative hearings. But that’s what happened after South Carolina authorities raided a poker game in Mount Pleasant in April 2006.
Now, four years to the month of those arrests, the South Carolina government is finally moving on repairing what many consider ineffective and archaic laws governing social gambling.
This week, after a hearing that included testimony from the Poker Players Alliance, a local businessman and poker player, and a number of elected officials, a South Carolina House sub-committee voted 4-1 to change the state’s 1802 law, which currently bans “any game with cards or dice.”
Under the new proposal, socialized gambling would be allowed. That means friendly poker games would no longer be subject to random police raids and prosecution. The new proposal would also allow state-certified non-profit groups to conduct raffles, as long as 90 percent of the money goes to charity.
House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham (R-Cayce) said that this move was not an attempt to expand gambling in the state, but a sensible solution to a growing problem. The arrest of the Mount Pleasant poker players and the publicity their court cases have gotten, along with reports that several charitable groups were no longer able to raise money for their causes because of fear of prosecution, have made the issue a very noticeable one for the state legislature.
“When you can’t play Monopoly and Yahtzee, that’s a problem. We need to move the ball forward,” said Bingham. “We’re trying to make legal what’s common practice. Clearly, it’s not to open the door for gambling.”
That caveat — making it specifically clear that this was not an attempt at expanded gambling — was emphasized because this same proposal stalled last year after being approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Too many legislators were nervous about addressing gambling laws.
The lone opposing vote in the subcommittee came from Rep. Roland Smith (R-Warrenville), who said he was fearful the legislation would once again lead to the legalization of video poker. South Carolina banned video poker in 2000.
“The state of South Carolina really had a real mess on their hands. It brought a terrible blight in our neighborhoods,” said Smith.
The current proposal, however, does specifically ban gaming machines, as well as gambling where the outcome is mostly dependent on chance as opposed to skill.
PPA executive director John Pappas called the 1802 South Carolina law “one of the most, if not the most out of date statues on the books” in his testimony.
“This arcane law is not being uniformly enforced and, when enforced, egregious situations have occurred. In recent years, law enforcement officers have raided numerous friendly poker games throughout the state. Literally, they have broken down doors and raided homes in SWAT-style with guns drawn and full tactical gear,” said Pappas.
Hank Sitton, one man who was at such a raid, also testified before the sub-committee, saying a rifle was pointed at his head by authorities when he was just trying to enjoy himself with some poker.
“I am the face of socialized poker,” said Hitton, a local car dealer. “They’re not a bunch of seedy gamblers. We’re Joe Six-Pack.”
Now that the sub-committee has passed the proposal, it will go on to the full House Ways and Means Committee for a vote.
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