Senate takes on gambling

March 24, 2009 by senatormcconnell

Bill seeks to legalize outlawed card, dice games

Played any whist lately? Or draughts? If so, you were well within your rights under S.C. law – as long as you didn’t bet on those games.

But if you made a charity poker run or any other kind of bet, you risked a $2,000 fine and 12 months in jail.

The leader of the state Senate is trying – again – to fix a law that some believe is antiquated, especially after a high-profile raid on a home poker game near Charleston three years ago that resulted in a royal flush of arrests.

A magistrate recently ruled that the Texas Hold ‘em game the perpetrators were playing is a game of skill, not chance, and dismissed the charges against some of the players. The case will probably go to the state Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, is sponsoring a bill that makes ordinary card games and those including dice, such as Monopoly, legal. The bill would also allow casino nights for charitable purposes.

Punishment for violations would be the same as for other misdemeanors: a $100 fine and 30 days in jail.

A second bill he backs would allow charity raffles, which now sometimes occur but are illegal. The voters will have to approve a constitutional amendment to allow charitable raffles.

McConnell hopes to draw support for the bills and educate the public through open hearings Monday in North Charleston and March 30 in Greenville.

The bills do not allow slots, electronic video gaming or betting on live sports events, McConnell said in a news release last week.

The social gambling bill allows games of cards and dice as long as there is no house play, house book, house odds or house income from them, he said.

Sen. Ray Cleary, R-Murrells Inlet, is a member of the Judiciary Committee that will decide whether to send the proposals to the floor. He said he thinks the activities should be legal, especially for charities.

“Even our sheriff of Horry County is basically violating the law because he does a poker run each spring,” Cleary said. Many people don’t understand such activities are illegal, and the law is seldom called down upon them, although it could be at any time.

He believes the two bills will be approved by the committee, but isn’t sure they will pass the Senate. Last year, similar bills were blocked by anti-gambling senators who thought they were too risky and could allow commercial gambling such as video poker to sneak back into the state.

“Some of them are just adamant against this,” Cleary said. “They’re just afraid that they’ll open up a Pandora’s box.”

Horry County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland is among those who think legalizing some forms of gambling could invite other forms.

“I have a feeling that this may be the slippery slope,” she said. That slope could lead to too much pressure to allow wide-open gambling in the tourist destination, she said.

Any senator can block a bill, but it can be forced to debate and a vote by a two-thirds majority. Then the opponents could filibuster and try to prevent its passage.

Cleary said he isn’t sure how hard the opponents will fight the measures.

Sales tax bill

The second of two readings on a bill that would allow Horry County and its cities to impose by simple majority vote a special 1 percent sales tax for tourism promotion is also possibly coming up this week.

Cleary said he favors the bill because it is a tool for the local governments to use, but is not a requirement.

“We’re very behind our competitors in getting our message out,” he said. He said one study showed Horry County could keep 6,000 jobs if it can increase its tourism market share by 2 percent.

The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Sales and Income taxes will hold a hearing on the companion bill to the Senate’s on Tuesday, 90 minutes after adjournment of the noon session in Room 524 of the Blatt House Office Building.

By Zane Wilson – For The Sun News

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