Now, casino operators are fighting further restriction. In gambling strongholds, such as Myrtle Beach, some leaders say they're angry that casinos have invaded their communities. We don't have the high-priced lawyers. Sidestepping the law For now, the industry circumvents even South Carolina's minimal laws. This year, operators worked to relax that limit.
Critics say the new law effectively kills all limits, because no one records how much players bet.
Casino operators also have sidestepped the law limiting each location to five machines. They divided buildings into separate rooms, each with an attendant and a business license. The poker industry association opposes casinos. But J.M. Brown of Gaffney, the state's sixth-largest operator, said many of his peers are just afraid of the competition. Brown said of casinos.