All bets off on fundraiser theme
Casino idea abandoned after police suggest school might get into trouble over gambling
A school fundraiser dropped its casino theme after police officers warned organizers they might get in trouble.
It's another chapter in the ongoing debate over South Carolina's gaming laws.
Addlestone Hebrew Academy planned to have roulette and blackjack tables using fake money at the Jewish Community Center Saturday evening. The idea was to illustrate the slogan of the auction: "Don't gamble with your child's future. Bet on AHA." Players could spin the wheel or bet on the cards using fake money, like Monopoly. The only real money exchanged was a $25 admission fee, to cover food and drinks, and the bids on the donated merchandise up for auction, according to the school's headmaster, Rabbi Achiya Delouya.
Monte Carlo Productions, the company that would have set up the gaming tables, assured them they had done this before in South Carolina and that there would be no problem, school board vice chairwoman Lara LeRoy said Sunday. But to make sure, she and Director of Development Sarah Evans called the solicitor, the attorney general, the State Law Enforcement Division and the police department for advice, she said.
The answers they got were less than helpful.
"Nobody could give us a clear answer," Evans said.
They figured they were OK, though, and put up posters.
About noon Saturday, a Charleston police officer stopped by on a courtesy call to tell them somebody had complained and warned them they could get in trouble if they proceeded, LeRoy said. They pulled the gaming tables and dropped the casino theme. Two officers stopped by later to check again and found no problem.
The problem is that a Charleston city ordinance outlaws gaming devices, according to Charleston Police Cpl. Tonatte Mitchell, head of the vice unit. Since the ordinance is aimed specifically at the devices, it doesn't matter if money is involved or not, she said.
School Board Chairman Slade Gleaton said they never would have picked the casino theme if they suspected it would cause any problems.
Reach Dave Munday at 937-5553 or dmunday@postandcourier.com.
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Comments
moonpie (anonymous) says...
Its been done before in SC and I have attended! A local paint mfg had this set up and you win fake money, basically points, to purchase from several items at the end. It was fun.
March 2, 2009 at 6:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
theronce (anonymous) says...
What a waste of time and effort.
March 2, 2009 at 7:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
badplf (anonymous) says...
Thank you SC religious zealots for using the police power of government to control everybody's behavior. And thank you Republican Party for being complete hypocrits (republican rep. Harrison). You can say you believe in liberty and freedom but obvously your actions speak for themselves.
March 2, 2009 at 8:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
badplf, Thank you for shedding some light on the underhanded tactics of these "SC religious zealots". Now maybe you could shed some light ont where you got that irrefutable information.
And there's no doubt that the republican mayor, Joe Riley, had a hand in this.
March 2, 2009 at 9:10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suec (anonymous) says...
When did Joe Riley switch parties?
Yird, where did you get your information?
March 2, 2009 at 10 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
badplf (anonymous) says...
yird, this is not a city issue, it is a state issue. riley had nothing to do with busting the mt pleasant or hanahan poker games. hell, if riley could tax it and get the money, he'd let it happen.
it's the republican controlled legislature that has done nothing about changing a 200-year old law that was put on the books to ensure the population was living a good christian lifestyle.
republican rep. harrison, who chairs the judicial committee, has refused to let an amendment to the law be discussed because of pressure from the baptist convention. repuublicans like j.g. altman cited moral and religious reasons for outlawing video poker.
If republicans truly care about liberty and freedom, why have they done nothing to promote it? Becuase they care more about craming their religion down our throats with "i believe" license tags and ten commandments in public buildings.
March 2, 2009 at 10:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hotchick (anonymous) says...
I've said it before, if all types of gambling are illegal in SC (except the lottery, of course), then those Baptist conventioners may want to rethink the next raffle and the Catholics may need to stop their Bingo games. Schools, shriners, and many charities hold "gambling" events all the time. Have you ever attended a cake walk? How about bought a ticket for a cake raffle? How about entered a cow plop contest? Go to any HS basketball, baseball, or football game and see if you don't get hit up for something. That is gambling if you are purchasing a chance on something and you might not win. They are opening a can of worms. The state had BETTER do something or all our little old church ladies and educators are going to go to the big house.
March 2, 2009 at 10:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hotchick (anonymous) says...
Oh, I forgot about the town festivals. During the Flowertown festival, walk down the closed off section of Main Street in front of the Square. Every booth has some group (Shriners, Jaycees, etc.) selling raffles for some charity. What brazen gambling!! Will Summerville stop this obvious turn of the moral compass?? It ranks right up there with Amsterdam allowing free drug use!
And let's not forget the Super Bowl football pools! How about the fantasy baseball leagues? Would going to college qualify? In these economic times, people are paying tuition and betting on the chance that maybe a degree may get them a better job. Is that gambling?
Someone had better come up with some good definitions. This is out of hand.
March 2, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
youngatheart (anonymous) says...
The school or charity is the one that will lose money. The money would be tax deductable, but that doesn't matter anyway. I heard that President Obama is going to end charitable deductions from the tax code.
March 2, 2009 at 11:01 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammanofdi (anonymous) says...
Now even fake gambling is illegal? Since when was it illegal to pretend to gamble on something? Next, there gonna raid Shoe Carnival and confiscate the wheel that you can spin in there. Hey, at the Oyster Festival in MP a couple of weeks ago, the SC Education Lottery Commission had a wheel that you could spin and win all kinds of things. My buddy won a "prize pack valued at over $500". Wouldn't this be considered gambling then as well?
March 2, 2009 at 11:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jammanofdi (anonymous) says...
What about the stock market? Isn't that basically a high-stakes gamble as well? Hey, I've got another one - what about those crane / claw machines full of stuffed animals? Isn't this considered gambling as to whether you're going to win a stuffed animal or not?
"The problem is that a Charleston city ordinance outlaws gaming devices"
Aren't video games "gaming devices" as well? I guess technically your gambling on whether or not you're going to win the game that you're playing when you insert a quarter - ban them also. Might as well ban newspaper machines, drink machines and snack machines also, as it's a "gamble" as to whether or not the machine is going to work and that you get what you paid for.
March 2, 2009 at 11:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wjhamilton3 (anonymous) says...
It might help to understand that at the time most of these laws were passed, there was a huge amount of government sanctioned underground gambling and alcohol in South Carolina. The real purpose of these laws was to provide a way for an alliance of underground figures and corrupt local officials to protect the franchise of these illegal, government sanctioned businesses. In Charleston the person who ran all of this was apparently called "The Night Mayor." He controlled the gambling, prostitution and illegal alcohol in Charleston. The police ignored the sanctioned whorehouses, gambling houses, pool halls and blind tigers. If you set up shop without the "Night Mayor's" approval the police shut you down. Of course everyone got graft to keep the system working.
As horrible as all this sounds, the system worked for decades. Most people didn't have a problem with it. Charleston was a port city and the docks were right downtown Having women, alcohol and gambling available was necessary for the sailors. As poor as everyone was, anything which brought in money was bound to be tolerated. Most of downtown Charleston was a slum at the time.
I gather this system ended some time before the 1970s, but exactly when, I don't know.
March 2, 2009 at 4:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Larz13 (anonymous) says...
Sometimes eating at restaurants on Dorchester Rd. is gambling, but of a different sort.
March 2, 2009 at 5:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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