Machine seizure enforced

South Carolina's ban on video gambling leads SLED to seizure of several units, none in Aiken County

Web posted July 2, 2000

 Have a thought? Go to the @ugusta Forums.

By Lisa M. Lohr
Staff Writer

After 14 years and a late night game of political tug of war, Saturday found video poker outlawed in South Carolina and electronic game parlors deserted, except for the occasional police car patrolling empty parking lots.

At the North Augusta Citgo gas station on U.S. Highway 1, a red neon sign that usually read ``video games'' was dark Saturday.

``It's been real slow today,'' store clerk Rhonda Williams said. ``We had 10 machines, and normally they would all be full.''

The store was a different scene at midnight Friday, when operators were to have their machines turned off.

``It was full in here last night until they shut them down,'' she said Saturday. ``People were waiting in line to play.''

Hugh Munn, spokesman for the State Law Enforcement Division, said SLED has seized 18 machines in South Carolina for being plugged in or turned on. No machines were taken from Aiken County.

``We've checked over 4,000 machines in the state,'' Mr. Munn said. ``And we'll be back out there tomorrow and probably tonight.''

As of late Saturday afternoon, six machines had been taken in York County, five in Greenwood County, four in Horry County and three in Jasper County.

In a handwritten ruling issued after an emergency hearing less than two hours before the midnight deadline, the state Supreme Court set aside a Circuit Court judge's order protecting one Lowcountry video gambling operator. Judge Gerald Smoak's order had said banning video gambling would

cause ``irreparable harm'' to businessman Henry Ingram. It allowed Mr. Ingram to keep his machines running despite the statewide ban, Attorney General Charlie Condon said. The Supreme Court ruling overturned the judge's injunction.

During Saturday's seizures, Mr. Condon said, four machines were taken from an operation run by Jimmy McDonald. Mr. Condon speculated those were left running on purpose to set up a test case about operators possibly finding a way to gamble through the Internet.

``This is undoubtedly part of a larger plan for the video poker industry to go to alternate forms of gambling, including Internet gambling,'' Mr. Condon said through a spokesman. ``We will be ready for any new tricks and new ploys from the poker industries.''

Associated Press reports were used in this article.

Reach Lisa M. Lohr at (706) 823-3332 or newsroom@augustachronicle.com.