South Carolina Allow Poker at Home
March 14th, 2009 admin Gambling Law 0
Recently five accused individual found out the hard way in South Carolina that the gambling laws are outdated. The accused were found guilty of gambling as they were playing a home poker game. It is noted that the state is out to ensure that no one else is convicted for playing poker at home. According to the 1802 law, not only poker that is outlawed, but also any other game with cards or dice is considered illegal. Actually, the law brings into play games for example Monopoly and Yahtzee, tradition family oriented various board games. But now time is changing. People demand to get right to play those games at home.
Considering the people demand the administration is going to legalized those. Senator Glenn McConnell is leading the way towards fixing the law by proposing a Bill. The Bill would legalize house poker games and “casino nights”, too that are used for fundraisers. However, there are several stipulations in the proposing Bill for the home poker games. Important stipulations are:
- No income from the games can be made by the house.
- Cannot be any betting odds that would be in the house favor.
- The game must consist of every person playing equally against each other, not the house.
The state’s gambling law has been attacked by numerous people since the poker house ruling came down from Judge Larry Duffy. He acknowledged poker as a game one of skill, not chance but he was forced to rule that the accused broke the law. Latest news is that the case is being appealed, and regardless of the ending it has played a vital role in the decision to revisit the obsolete gambling laws. It seems like McConnell’s Bill has a lot of support from fellow lawmakers. As a result, it has a strong possibility to be approved. So, who want to play poker at home, just wait few days till the bill approved.
It is true that when a government or administration makes any change to a gambling law, there are generally waves of change that occur as a result of the decision. That was the case 14, January, 2009 when the Taiwan government approved a special Bill that repeals a law against casino gambling in the country.
Recently, Norway’s parliament passed a new law that bans Norwegians from transaction money to online casinos and poker rooms. The enacted law amends three preexisting laws and particularly defines online-based transactions as subject to earlier defined “mediating service” clause. The Ministry of Church and Cultural affairs proposed the law in September 2008 as anti-gambling sentiment grew over spiraling slot-machine addiction. The opinion of Rolf Sims, legal advisor of the ministry, the bill was “on the drawing board” as early as Oct. 5. Sims said to the press at the time “The anti-gambling lobby has got the wind in its sails.” He added “It would be political suicide for any government minister to suggest legalizing gambling.”
Online gambling is the fastest growing online business today. Some even claims that it is the most important aspect in e-commerce. But the big question rises that, is online gambling or advertising of online gambling illegal?
12 November, Wednesday the US Treasury Department and Federal Reserve Board approved new regulations designed to crack down on illegal Internet gambling. In this so-called ‘final rule,’ the US administration summarized the regulations aimed at implementing a specific act passed by the US Congress in the year of 2006 which makes to ban illegal gambling on the net. It was aimed at especially putting teeth into a de facto prohibit on American residents placing online wagers in locations for example Britain Antigua, Canada, and Gibraltar. But the law has already been the target of severe criticism that it likely just an enforcement nightmare. On the other hand, the ban on online gambling has been challenged as an unfair trade restriction at the World Trade Organization. Besides, President George W. Bush’s administration has been accused of seeking to run this new law through before its term expires in 20, January 2009. Moreover, the European Commission has appointed an investigation team in whether the US gambling prohibit distinguished against EU firms.

