Fraternal group houses poker machines banned in S.C.

Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2000 | 8:32 a.m.

Fifteen machines have operated in a fraternal lodge in St. Albans since Jan. 1.

Mike Schultz, administrator of Moose Lodge 868, says the meeting place is not a gambling casino. Only three or four members play the machines at any time, he said.

"They're profitable, but not as profitable as people think," he said without elaborating.

The lodge leases the machines from Valley Coin Inc. of Little River, S.C.

The industry was banned in South Carolina July 1 when the state's highest court upheld portions of a law forbidding video gambling.

Last month, Cabell County Sheriff Hercil Gartin raided an outlet with 12 video poker machines.

The crackdown was in response to what he called an invasion of the machines from South Carolina following the demise of more than 22,000 video poker machines in that state.

Video poker machines are legal in West Virginia for entertainment only. Payouts are illegal.

State liquor commissioner Don Stemple said he believes many machines from South Carolina are headed to fraternal clubs with liquor licenses rather than to private clubs.