Poker Players Claim a Victory in South Carolina

Published: Friday, October 02, 2009 Online-Casinos.com

In a press release from Washington D.C. the Poker Players Alliance praised the ruling of a South Carolina court that confirmed that poker is a game of skill, and thus should not be considered gambling under the law. With nearly 10,000 members in South Carolina the nation wide grassroots poker advocacy group claimed a significant victory in it's battle to have online poker considered legal.

John Pappas, executive director of the PPA said,"Poker is not a crime in South Carolina or anywhere else, and we are grateful to the court for compiling the overwhelming evidence that proves this case and protects the rights of players" He went on to add, "This ruling is fully consistent with the declarations of other judges and juries across the country that Texas Hold'em is clearly a game of predominant skill and adults who play should not be criminalized."

On a conviction appeal by five individuals the lower court decided poker is a game of skill but left it up to a higher court to reverse the convictions. The higher court also decided that the law was overly broad and vague, and it advocated the use of the predominance test, citing the "overwhelming" evidence that skill dominates chance.

John Ridgeway, South Carolina State Director of the Poker Players Alliance, said this, "All poker players are well aware that the game is based on making the correct, informed decisions, not just mere chance, and games of predominant skill should not be classified in the same league as slot machines or lotteries"

"We're very pleased that the judge considered the overwhelming evidence and came to the same conclusion. This is a well deserved legal victory for the players, the American game of poker, and for common sense under the law."