South Carolina has finally legalized pinball for minors after decades of outdated restrictions.
Originally invented during the Great Depression as a game of chance (without flippers), early pinball machines led many places to ban it for kids due to its gambling-like nature. Flippers in the late 1940s turned it into a game of skill, and by the late 1970s, nearly every state had lifted bans on minors playing—except South Carolina.
A new law signed by the governor last month removes pinball from the list of “status offenses” banned for those under 18. Efforts to change this had been ongoing since 2015 (a full decade). Though the ban was rarely enforced and kids played anyway, it created legal risks for business owners (especially bars worried about liquor licenses).