Can you be arrested in SC for playing poker in your home? Here’s what state law says
Needless to say, but a conservative state like South Carolina doesn’t tend to take illegal gambling lightly.
Earlier this week, Irmo Police arrested former Richland County coroner Gary Watts, among others, for allegedly running unlawful gaming tables. Police allegedly seized $15,000 in cash from the scene, an office suite in Irmo next to a children’s day care.
Watts later told The State by phone that, “I was playing cards with friends of mine.”
What if you decided to invite three or four buddies over to your South Carolina home to play a card game like poker? Would you be committing a crime?
Here’s what state law says on the matter.
Is poker illegal in SC?
Basically, if you’re playing poker or any game for money, even in a private home, that is illegal in South Carolina and you could be arrested, according to McCoy Law Group in Charleston.
“While some forms of gambling, such as the state lottery and certain charitable events, are legal in South Carolina, many others are strictly prohibited,” McCoy Law Group states. “It is illegal to operate any type of commercial gambling operation, such as a casino and it is also illegal to participate in illegal gambling activities, such as playing cards for money in a private home.”
SC gambling laws
Section 16-19-40 of the South Carolina Code of Laws goes into detail about the types of gambling prohibited in the state. Section 16-19-50 goes further, defining unlawful gaming tables.
South Carolina even has a separate law under Section 16-19-70 that prohibits gaming tables or playing games on the Sabbath.
Penalties
The penalties for violating South Carolina’s gambling laws can be severe and include fines, imprisonment and the forfeiture of property used in the commission of the crime.
Online gambling
What about online gambling, including online poker? Likely, you’ve seen ads for online poker and online sports gambling.
Well, despite what advertisements you may have seen or how easy it is to access online gambling sites, the practice is still illegal in South Carolina.
“Online gambling is illegal in South Carolina, regardless of the law in North Carolina or any other state,” Robert Kittle, spokesman for the S.C. Attorney General’s Office, told The Herald in March.
