South Carolina
Following an arranged deal with South Carolina Mount Pleasant officials, Nathan Stalings, 28, pleaded guilty to charges of operating a gambling establishment in his own home last year. The agreement waived jail time for Stalings and instead the state charged him $747 in fines and court costs. The case sparked state-wide interest and although Stalings didn’t make a court appearance, he could have faced over a year in jail. As a result of the court decision, South Carolina Rep. Wallace Scarborough is drafting a legislation that would make it legal to conduct “in-house” poker games, as long as they are conducted under the name of “recreational activity.” The bill is only in initial stages and will more than likely take weeks to finalize. Tentatively the bill by Scarborough outlines card play as legal if it takes place in a residence, but only for certain types of games, including games commonly known as five-card draw and Texas Hold’ Em.. Scarborough faces many challenges in drafting this new law, including how to overcome wording clear of legal loopholes that would make it possible for organized gambling houses to emerge, where the house would receive a cut. Some South Carolina residents feel the gaming laws of the state are outdated and encourage an effort to restructure and update some of the current legislations. Current South Carolina law, if strictly interpreted, outlaws myriad card and dice games—even Monopoly™. The laws date back as far as 1802. Although Scarborough expects much opposition to his proposed bill, he is hopeful that the legislature will actively consider it.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board unanimously approved 11 applications for permanent slot machine gaming operator licenses, including five for the first standalone casinos awarded under the Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004. “Creating a new industry is a complex and arduous journey, but I can now stand with my fellow board members and announce to the citizens of Pennsylvania that they are a step closer to significant property tax relief, additional jobs, and a reinvigorated horse-racing industry,” said Thomas Decker, chair of the Gaming Control Board. Pursuant to Act 71, five Category 2 licenses are authorized for standalone slot facilities which may operate a maximum of 5,000 slot machines. The act further prescribed two licenses in this category must be located within Philadelphia, one in Pittsburgh, and two in tourism-enhanced locations across the state. Awarded licenses were: HSP Gaming, LP; Philadelphia Entertainment & Development Partners, LP; PITG Gaming, LLC; Mount Airy #1, LLC; and Sands Bethworks Gaming, LLC. In addition, the board approved permanent licenses for six Category 1 applicants which may operate a maximum of 5,000 slot machines at existing horseracing facilities. Earlier this year, conditional licenses were granted to these six facilities. All were awarded
permanent status: Chester Downs and Marina, LLC; Downs Racing, LP; Greenwood Gaming and Entertainment Inc.; Mountainview Thoroughbred Racing Association; Presque Isle Downs, Inc.; and Washington Trotting Association, Inc. Decker credited the Gaming Control Board staff for its consistent, high-quality work to investigate and qualify applicants, and its attention to setting up an infrastructure that ensures, through the regulatory process, that these facilities remain safe and viable in the future. Pursuant to the act, the board has jurisdiction over every aspect of the authorization, operation, and regulation of gaming in the commonwealth.
Casino executives from across Pennsylvania will join regulators, analysts, investors, attorneys, and other professionals March 12-13 at the third annual Pennsylvania Gaming Congress & Racing Forum at the Whitaker Center and Harrisburg Hilton. With two casinos having opened in the last two months and the five Category 2 licenses having been recently awarded, more than 400 industry professionals are expected to convene at this important annual conference. Thomas Decker, chair of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, will deliver the Keynote Address on “The State of Gaming in Pennsylvania.” The conference program also features a panel discussion among all six race-track gaming operators, a workshop for vendors seeking to do business with the casinos, a panel of four of Wall Street’s premier analysts, an analysis of slot machine performance, and a special presentation on casinos and land-use fights. Joseph Weinert, vice president of conference producer Spectrum Gaming Group said: “Our conference program for 2007 is our best yet; it is a must-attend for anyone interested in what will fast become one of the country’s major gaming jurisdictions.”