South Carolina to change laws on gambling at home

COLUMBIA, South Carolina - Laws about gambling at home in South Carolina look almost certain to pass, ending a more than 200 year prohibition on games involving dice and cards.

A 1802 law makes it illegal to play any game - including bridge, poker or even Monopoly - with dice or cards in a South Carolina home.

The South Carolina state Senate Judiciary Committee has approved a change in the law that will make it legal for games to be played at home as long as no one takes a cut from the action; high stakes poker games at home will be legal - assume it passes the state legislature - as long as the game is not raked in any way.

The law is being changed after a private poker game was raided last year and there were widespread complaints that police time was being wasted on an antiquated law.

The proposed law change will not allow slots or video poker in people's homes.

It states: "Nothing ... may be construed to allow electronic gambling machines or devices, slot machines, or video poker play or to change or alter in any manner the prohibitions regarding video poker."