items of interest

with contributions from Bruce Sullivan, Michael Novak, Kevin Sharpe

At One Point a few years ago, South Carolina had more gambling machines than any other state—including Nevada—in the United States. This summer, however, those thirty-four thousand machines went dark as the state rejected convenience gambling at neighborhood outlets.

A study done for the South Carolina Policy Council Educational Foundation estimated that "each problem gambler costs other South Carolinians $6,299 per year in debts, court costs, criminal actions, lost work hours and unemployment compensation." With these kinds of costs, plus the feeling that the machines were having a corrosive effect on citizens, lawmakers' decision to drop video poker had strong bipartisan support. Yet to be decided, however, is whether the state will adopt a lottery in November.

"video Poker Folds in South Carolina"

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