Well the State of South Carolina certainly cares and this was recently proved in Charleston where a group of poker players busted out when authorities raided the home of Martin Orlando Reyes. According to police, 65 people had participated in these money-based poker games held at Reyes’ residence at one time or another. 19 of them have pleaded guilty already. On top of all this, some $90,000 was seized during the arrests too.

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What’s amazing about this search and seizure instance is that much of the $90,000 wasn’t even money that was being bet. It came from personal property, cash that players had on them from work paychecks, and money from Reyes’ personal safe. All of this definitely has to serve as a scare to other people who hold poker games in their homes where wagers are being thrown out.

And I realize that most of these games aren’t going to come anywhere near eclipsing the 65 person operation that Reyes had going but in some places it doesn’t matter. In fact, there are quite a few states that take their anti-home poker and gambling laws way more seriously than South Carolina.

That’s why it is important to know one’s own state laws when it comes to gambling before deciding to host any sort of money-based poker game. Here are a few examples of some different states and how their laws vary drastically from one another:

Oklahoma: This is one state that doesn’t screw around when it comes to punishing those caught hosting a gambling activity on home premises. Any unfortunate soul who gets busted for this is looking at a felony, $500-$2000 fine, and to top it all off, 1 to 10 years in a federal prison. Those that are involved in the game get off a little easier with a misdemeanor and a $25-$100 fine. They could also spend 1-30 days in jail.

Florida: On the opposite end of the spectrum from Oklahoma is Florida. A person can hold gambling in their home as long as it is under the “penny ante” clause. This basically states that, in the case of poker, if the pots aren’t exceeding 10 bucks then there is no problem. However, if the game exceeds this amount then the holder of the game is subject to a misdemeanor charge.

Texas: The place where the game of Hold’em itself spawned doesn’t seem to bear any qualms about its namesake. People are allowed to play Texas Hold’em in a private residence so long as everyone involved has fair odds at winning and the person holding the game isn’t profiting on the action aside from any winnings.

South Carolina: The state where the recent big bust happened isn’t one to let home gamblers slide. Since 1802, South Carolina has been enforcing anti-home gambling laws and many have paid the consequences in imprisonment and fines up to $2,000. But there is definitely a movement in the state to try and get the centuries-old law changed.

Pennsylvania: What’s interesting about the Pennsylvania home poker law is that it centers on the person who holds the game. Those caught hosting a poker game for money will be guilty of a first-degree misdemeanor whether they participate or not. The good thing for the players not living at the house or establishment is that they are in the clear as there is no mention of them in the laws.

California: For those residing in California, the laws on playing poker at one’s home are sketchy at best. The long-winded chapter in the California law books is more a lecture on the wrongs of gambling. But it never really gets too much of a point besides mentioning that some jail time and fines up to $5,000 could be a consequence of having a poker game in your house.

It’s easy to get confused with all of the differing laws amongst each state in the US. In a state like Texas, you’re free to play at home so long as you aren’t trying to create an enterprise out of it. And in another state like Oklahoma, you’re looking at hard time just for letting a cash-based poker game go on within your home.

That’s why it’s best to always do your own research on a subject like this so you don’t wind up sitting in a prison cell for some petty crime. If you live in one of the many states not listed above then it would be smart to take a look at what your area deems acceptable and unacceptable with regards to hosting a poker game. Because taking a little time to check this out is a lot better than doing time.