JUDGE RULES AGAINST POKER PLAYERS, BUT SAYS SKILL IS INVOLVED

It won’t offer a whole lot of solace to the five men found guilty of gambling after a poker-related police raid three years ago, but a Mt. Pleasant judge ruled yesterday that Texas Hold ‘Em is, in fact, a game a skill.

Unfortunately for the defendants, though, Municipal Judge Larry Duffy stopped short of overturning their convictions, which will result in fines of a few hundred dollars.

That essentially means that Duffy’s ruling will not set a legal precedent that could make gambling on poker legal. South Carolina law only allows gambling on games that are predominantly determined by skill rather than chance.

The defendants have said they will appeal the case, which could reach the State Supreme Court, although sources tell me the ruling is unlikely to be overturned.

But since the legal fees will continue to add up for these five guys, there’s no way they will be able to afford to continue their crusade. Or is there?