Sentencing of Greenville Man Highlights South Carolina Zero Tolerance of Bookies, Gambling
The conviction and subsequent sentencing of a Greenville, South Carolina man this week charged with illegal gambling highlights that state’s policy towards eradicating the activity whether it be in the form of bookmaking, poker or video gaming machines.
Izzat Khalil, a native of Jordan, admitted to running a gambling business in Greenville County starting in 1990. He was arrested last November and charged with unlawful gambling and betting; keeping and operating video gaming machines; and betting, pool selling and bookmaking. Khalil will serve up to one year behind bars.
His is the most recent in a series of high profile gambling arrests in the Palmetto State.
One of the state’s best known bookies was charged in the murder of his wife, a case prominently featured on CBS’ “48 Hours Mysteries”.
Irmo, South Carolina bookie, Brett Parker, was sentenced to life last year in the 2012 shooting death of his wife Tammy Jo and one of his associates. He and his dad, Jack, were later tried and convicted for illegal bookmaking. (Brett Parker and his wife are pictured above)
Only lotteries and bingo are considered legal forms of gambling in South Carolina. The state does not have any casinos. Despite the crackdowns, South Carolina only makes aggravated gambling such as bookmaking a misdemeanor. Jack Parker only served a five month sentence (many would consider this a slap on the wrist) and had to pay a $70,000 fine. Still, that's enough to drive many of the state’s corner bookies to the dozens of Pay Per Head businesses that currently flourish offshore in an effort to eradicate any paper trails.
South Carolina has also become the testing ground for the legality of home poker games and whether such activity should even be classified as gambling in the first place.
In 2006, authorities raided a home poker game in Charleston only to have a South Carolina judge rule that poker did not qualify as gambling but rather a game of skill. The state supreme court would later reverse that decision.
The South Carolina supreme court in 2012 ruled home poker games to be unlawful regardless of whether the game is one of skill.
Meanwhile, South Carolina bookies are anticipating a banner year ahead of them with the NFL’s Panthers (a team that plays in Charlotte, North Carolina but shares a common fan base) enjoying a turnaround season in 2013 and the Gamecocks having the 9th shortest odds of winning the 2015 College Football Championship.
- Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
