AUTHOR: Jerry "Jet" Whittaker TITLE: Questions linger over legality of poker tournament DATE: 2:56 AM ----- BODY: Tickets for a local radio station's charity poker tournament go on sale
today, while questions linger over whether the event endorsed by the city of
North Charleston is legal. WTMA-AM is holding its second annual "Holy City
Charity Poker Challenge" on May 5 at the Charleston Area Convention Center.
The event is an open Texas Hold'em poker tournament with proceeds going to
charity. The "donation" cost is $20 for advance reservations, the station's
Web site said. Brady Hair, attorney for the city of North Charleston, said
that like last year, he believes the tournament is legal because all the
money is going to charity, with nobody taking a prize home, including the
eventual winner. "If you don't have money at risk in a game of chance, then
it's not gambling," he said. A spokesman for Attorney General Henry McMaster
said he was not familiar with the North Charleston event. But he said that
in general terms, the AG's office has issued legal opinions contending that
such organized card games are illegal, no matter what the cause. "Gambling
is illegal on its face in South Carolina," spokesman Mark Plowden said. "The
charity aspect does not play into it." WTMA morning radio host Richard Todd
said he expects about 800 people to take part, up from 500 in last year's
kickoff event. The station is "just duplicating what we did last year,
making it bigger and better," he said. --------