Two Men Arrested in Florence for Video Gambling Machines
Florence police have arrested two suspects they say operated 9 video gambling machines, which were discovered in separate businesses around the city on Wednesday, November 20th.
The first bust stemmed from a complaint about video gambling machines being operated in a bill pay business. When officers investigated, they discovered 6 video gambling machines operated inside the establishment.
The second bust started after complaints about video gambling machines in a bar and restaurant; when they investigated the complaint, officers found 3 machines. The restaurant received administrative citations.
Timothy Waters, 47, was arrested and charged with operating a gambling establishment, possession of gambling equipment, and possession of marijuana.
Alva Martin, 49, was arrested for possession of gambling material.
Video Poker and Illegal Gambling Machine Controversy in South Carolina
South Carolina began cracking down on wide-spread video gambling operations in 1999, when lawmakers passed a bill that defined all video poker and some sweepstakes machines as illegal gambling. For a few years, gambling operations disappeared. However, some operators found a loophole in the law, which allowed for a boom in sweepstakes machines.
Sweepstakes machines sell small items, like phone cards, which in itself is not gambling. However, when a customer purchases an item from a sweepstakes machine, they also have a chance to win prizes at the machine.
Legally, sweepstakes machines fell into a grey area – police could raid establishments that operated sweepstakes machines, but a county judge would have to formally decide whether or not the machines fell within video poker laws and were therefore illegal video gambling devices. More often than not, judges would agree with law enforcement, but occasionally there were disputes.
The new law specifically states that sweepstakes machines are illegal video gambling devices.
Opponents of the bill say that sweepstakes machines are not the same as video poker machines, and are actually more like perfectly legal sweepstakes offerings like McDonald’s Monopoly sweepstakes. They also point out that the state of South Carolina currently runs a lottery, which specifically raises money for education. If sweepstakes machines become illegal, then the state will have a monopoly on gambling.
Proponents of the bill say that clearing up the legislation will help save communities that are hurt by illegal gambling. They claim that, before the legislation that outlawed video gambling, owners of the machines paid lobbyists, which corrupted local governments and law enforcement.
The Strom Law Firm Prosecutes Operators of Video Poker Machines
The Strom Law Firm was one of the first law firms to bring suits against the video gambling and poker industry in the late 1990s seeking to recover gambling losses. Since that time, Strom Law Firm has litigated a couple of video poker cases, including a case against a local Columbia restaurant.
With the new influx of video gambling machines, South Carolina citizens face substantial gambling losses, and damage to their families and communities. South Carolina has several laws in place to protect gamblers and their families from the financial ruin that their gambling addiction can cause.
A family or relative may file suit anytime within one year from the time the money is lost gambling. If you or a family member has lost money in video poker within the last year, you may have legal rights, and should contact a lawyer immediately.
The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm have experience with video poker cases, as part of state criminal defense. We offer a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case. To have a lawyer evaluate your case, please call us at 803.252.4800.
