S.C. deal details
Thursday, July 1, 1999 | 11:31 a.m.
Handing first-year Gov. Jim Hodges a victory, South Carolina lawmakers approved a deal early today that will let voters decide in November whether to ban video poker games.
South Carolina has about 34,000 video poker machines compared to Nevada's 203,065 video poker machines and slot machines. Nevada has 18,350 video poker and slot machines outside of casinos in places like bars and stores.
The Nov. 2 referendum fulfills a campaign pledge by Democrat Hodges to let the public decide whether the $2.5 billion-a-year industry should continue.
Hodges was elected over Republican Gov. David Beasley, a gambling opponent, with the help of money and people from the gambling industry.
archive