Poker now illegal in your own home in SC

[deadguy]

Just came across this today. All you poker playin' criminals need to read this.....

http://www.judicial.state.sc.us/opin...s/SC/27197.pdf

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ghost tracker]

With all the "interesting" issues the S.C. Legislature might address, I'm sure relieved they choose to take a stand on something so, um...vital. Sounds like someone's been handin' out plain-brown envelopes around the State House lobbying for casino-only gambling. IMHO, it's a gamble just being a Steve Spurrier fan.

[CanuckQue]

What're we supposed to do this weekend now!?! The whole family is visiting and we need entertainment. I've got a full house!

I guess we'll flush our plans and hit the clubs (the straight clubs)

[mcp1810]

That sucks. For some reason "strip bingo" just doesn't seem as appealing

[high pockets]

It looks like someone needs to suggest a poker game to the AG at some gathering!

What determines a place to be a "house of gaming?"

[deadguy]

It looks like someone needs to suggest a poker game to the AG at some gathering!

What determines a place to be a "house of gaming?"

Apparently any house where there's a game.

I read this legislature has been on the books for over 200 years, but a circuit court ruled it unconstitional. Then, the SC Supreme Court upheld the original law.

[high pockets]

Apparently any house where there's a game....

I understand your post, but having observed this kind of legislation in the past, it seems to me that it was determined that certain actions must occur in order to declare a location a "house of gaming." As I recall, one of the requirements is that monies must be paid to the operator/house, either as an admission fee, or a "cut of the take," in order to be declared a "house of gaming."

I may be wrong, and I am not a lawyer, but as an old fart, I remember this kind of thing has come up in tha past when I lived in either Missouri, or Alabama.

[deadguy]

I understand your post, but having observed this kind of legislation in the past, it seems to me that it was determined that certain actions must occur in order to declare a location a "house of gaming." As I recall, one of the requirements is that monies must be paid to the operator/house, either as an admission fee, or a "cut of the take," in order to be declared a "house of gaming."

I may be wrong, and I am not a lawyer, but as an old fart, I remember this kind of thing has come up in tha past when I lived in either Missouri, or Alabama.

not arguing you my friend. that was actuyally a sarcastic remark.

Below is how it reads in part of the ruling. I read in another area of the ruling where collection of monies for any food, drinks or other items, whether it be from the players' own money or from the pot may be what makes it a "house of gaming". Will have to read more into it.

The statute, with its modern punctuation, provides:
(1) Any person who plays or shall bet on the sides or hands of such as do game at any
 tavern  inn  store for the retailing of spirituous liquors  house used as a place of gaming  barn  kitchen  stable  other outhouse  street  highway  open wood  race field  open place
4 1909 S.C. Acts No. 43, § 1 p. 66.
(2) at
a) any game with cards or dice b) 1. any gaming table, commonly called A, B, C, or E, O
2. any other gaming table known or distinguished
by any other letters or by any figures c) any roley-poley table d) rouge et noir e) any faro bank f) any other table or bank of the same or like kind under
any denomination whatsoever or g) any licensed gambling machine or device
except at
 billiards
 bowls
 backgammon
 chess
 draughts or
 whist
when there is no betting on any such game of billiards through whist
(3)
shall be guilty
and
(4)
every person so keeping such
 tavern
 inn
 retail store
 public place or
 house used as a place for gaming or
 such other house
(5 ) shall be guilty.

[ccw9mm]

Well, the State isn't getting theirs, if it's done in the shadows. Can't skim from unlicensed betting parlors.

[high pockets]

No problem, deadguy. Just reminiscing.

[deadguy]

No problem, deadguy. Just reminiscing.

LOL. I hear ya.

[Pistology]

Georgia has had a similar law as long as I remember with the owner of the property liable for a felony though current research finds it's just a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. It's not about casino-only there, as there are no casinos. Just nanny-state no-no's. Poker is one reason I enjoy California.

[blitzburgh]

Well, the State isn't getting theirs, if it's done in the shadows. Can't skim from unlicensed betting parlors.

Exactly. There's a lot of high stakew poker houses here in the Myrtle Beach area. Most of them are homes in affluent neighborhoods where nobody actually lives in the house and it serves one purpose only.

-- I don't always post from my mobile but when I do, I prefer Tapatalk.

[Hopyard]

Laws like this one have been on and off the books of many states "forever."
When I was a kid my mom and her numerous cousins would have bi-monthly family
gatherings. The husbands of course had to come along and do something to keep busy.
They played poker quietly in a bedroom while the ladies did whatever .... girls stayed with the ladies
and we boys played on the floor near the men. It was nickle and dime poker, always friendly, no argument
or fight or ever a harsh word in about a 15 year period of time that I knew these games took place.

And it was all 100% illegal with pots that never ran more than a buck or two in total.

[Eagleks]

It's to prevent "gambling houses", which we used to have a lot of around here. Houses .... that were purely used for gambling, and included any type of gambling. They still exist, just much more underground and restricted now.
As soon as the "house" is taking a "cut" , then the issue arises as to whether it is or isn't a gamblin house, and technically it is.

I think it's a good idea personally. The old gambling houses that were going here, frequently ended up with dead bodies being found in some field the next day..... due to accusations of cheating, a gambling debt, bad words spoken to someone else, etc.