Issue Date: Vol. 53, No. 2, February 2013, Posted On: 1/15/2013
South Carolina Bill Would Ban Sweepstakes Videogames
by Staff Reporter
TAGS: video game, video poker, video sweepstakes, S.C. Senate Judiciary Committee, South Carolina sweepstakes ban, State Law Enforcement Division, SLED, sweepstakes videogames, Alan Wilson
COLUMBIA, SC -- The state Senate's Judiciary Committee has favorably reported out a law that would expand South Carolina's longtime ban on video poker games to include sweepstakes games. The measure now goes to the full Senate for consideration. | SEE STORY ON WIS-TV
Over the past year, the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has been seizing an average 100 sweepstakes videogames a month. State Attorney General Alan Wilson has testified that he believes sweepstakes games are illegal video pokers.
However, several local judges have ruled in favor of the games. One operator here sued Wilson and SLED last fall, asserting that the enforcement campaign against sweeps games violates the constitution's free speech protections. | SEE STORY
Another constitutional suit over sweepstakes videogames was filed last summer by an operator in Sumter. | SEE STORY
At midnight on July 1, 2000, a law took effect that outlawed the operation, ownership and possession of video poker machines in the state. Video poker operations used to generate $2 billion a year.
