You may not know that if you hold a raffle for your school, church or civic group, you're breaking the law. Charitable raffles have been illegal in Couth Carolina since the 1800's.
There's a move to update gaming laws that could eventually ask you to decide if charitable raffles should be legalized in our state, and Tuesday night, legislators are hosting a public hearing on it.
At one time or another, we've all been asked to buy a raffle ticket for a school, church, businesses or non-profit group fundraiser. April Cooper of Florence has. "It never crossed my mind that it would be illegal."
Daniel Blackmon of Darlington thought raffles were legal, just like the state lottery. "I thought it was like the lottery. They legalized that for a good cause."
But the lottery is the only legal raffle in South Carolina, and that upsets some people in favor of raffles, like Chris Owens. "If the church wants to be able to have a raffle for the kids they ought to be able to have it."
But not all churches support charitable raffles. Reverend Merritt Graves is with Mount Zion AME Church. "We frown upon games of chance, and I just believe that the tithes and offering if it is done properly will sustain the church. We won't have any financial problems. we will have more than we need."
In the last legislative session, lawmakers killed three efforts to allow charities to hold raffles.
Legislators say making raffles legal requires changing the constitution and that requires a vote of the people of South Carolina.
