Magistrate says seized gaming machines are legal

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — A magistrate has ruled gaming machines seized over the last several months in Beaufort, Georgetown and Jasper counties are not illegal gambling devices.

The Island Packer of Hilton Head reports (http://bit.ly/sVoRDK ) that Georgetown County Chief Magistrate Isaac L. Pyatt Sr. ruled earlier this month in favor of Texas-based HEST Technologies, which says its machines are used for sweepstakes that make money for charities.

Pyatt says the machines don’t accept or dispense currency and tokens and don’t have a random number generator that determines the outcome.

Georgetown County deputies say they are appealing the ruling.

Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner says he remains convinced the machines are illegal and said sometimes lower court judges have differences of opinion.

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Information from: The Island Packet, http://www.islandpacket.com