The Coming Storm
Video Poker Leads the Way

Friends for South Carolina is committed to bringing together citizens across South Carolina interested in public issues that negatively affect our state. Friends will take a pro-active role against any public policy or public issue that is potentially harmful to our citizens, their families, and their communities.

Video Poker in South Carolina:

This initial information letter focuses on video poker. We believe video poker is leading the way for other gambling activities in South Carolina. A recent Wall Street Journal article may have said it best, calling video poker in South Carolina “a multibillion dollar industry that now afflicts the state’s soul.” A recent Greenville News Editorial described video poker as “contributing to the economic ruin of more South Carolina families than the Great Depression.” An (Greenwood) Index-Journal article asks the question. “Do we want wholesale gambling in South Carolina?” Friends believes video poker is the forerunner to South Carolina becoming a “gambling Mecca,” including a lottery, permanent and floating casinos, and para mutual betting. Each of you has your perspective on video poker.

Now, for the rest of the story:

* Video poker machines called the “Crack Cocaine of Gambling” (Ill. Gaming Bd., Patron Survey, 2/98)

* 4 year olds can put money into video poker machines in SC (Dr. Frank Quinn, NGISB, 10/9)

* Video poker players lost more than $600 million in 1997 (Video Poker quarterly report ‘97)

* 48% of players make less than $20,000 annually (Quinn-Pike Study ‘97)

* 78% of players receive illegal inducements including alcohol and sexual companionship (Q-P rept ‘97)

* The state spends $142 million annually to deal with video poker related problems (SC Dept of Rev., ‘97)

* S.C. has more than 30,000 video poker machines (Wm. Thompson, PhD, Feb ‘97)

* S.C. has the second highest number of video poker machines in America (SC Senate rept, 2/2/99)

* 33% of video poker players spend the last dollar in their pockets to play the machines (Q-P, study ‘97)

* Gamblers Anonymous chapters increased 300% in four years (GA Directory, ‘97)

* The video poker industry has grown 40% in the past two years (SC Dept of Rev)

What happened? Regarding the whole issue of gambling in South Carolina, let’s just be honest. We failed. Video poker has woven itself into our social, economic, political, and yes, moral fabric. Riverboat Casinos are docked in our ports, and the lottery is on the way. Responsible citizens have been apathetic, passive, and uninterested. We have not looked “squarely into the eye” of gambling in South Carolina. As well, we have failed to tell our elected officials in Columbia, “gambling, in any form, in not welcomed in our state.”

Our challenge: We are at a crossroad. We are South Carolina’s only remaining hope to avoid becoming a “gambling Mecca.” Every responsible citizen in South Carolina must rise up NOW! We have only a short while to stop this tidal wave. The Senate has passed a lottery bill with a referendum on video poker in 2000. The House must deal with the issue soon. Reports suggest the House is inclined to tax and regulate video poker and not let our voice be heard. If that happens, South Carolina will never get rid of video poker. The door will be open to every form of gambling. Hundreds of thousands of lives will be forever crippled and possibly destroyed. We will not escape! We will bear a great burden.

What to do: Tens of thousands of citizens must contact their elected officials NOW. Tell them you want a referendum on video poker in 1999. You can contact your Representative by telephone, letter, fax, or E-mail. Personal visits are even better. This is a nonpartisan issue. This is about the future of South Carolina. We cannot allow South Carolina to be turned over to every sort of gambling interest. Unless every concerned responsible citizen across this state takes up the battle cry NOW, we can say good-bye to the South Carolina we know.