North Carolina Legislative Candidate Faces Questions Over Ownership of Property Hosting Illegal Slot Machines
Charles Taylor, a North Carolina House candidate and Sanford City Council member, owns a Sanford property with 22 illegal slot machines. The site features strict security rules and was excluded from his 2025 disclosure due to a year-end closing. Enforcement deprioritizes non-alcohol venues while statutes permit nuisance actions against owners based on knowledge.
SCCG Take — The matter highlights enforcement gaps tied to alcohol licensing priorities and the fact-specific nature of owner liability under Chapter 19. Candidates and landlords must treat tenant monitoring and disclosures as immediate compliance priorities.
A Republican candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives owns a commercial property in Sanford now operating as an illegal gambling parlor with at least 22 slot machines.
Charles Taylor, a Republican serving on the Sanford City Council, is running for a seat in District 51 to succeed retiring state Rep. John Sauls. Taylor spent $60,000 to purchase the small commercial building at 2101 Tramway Road in December 2025. The former site of Carolina Girl Boutique now functions as a game room in a state where North Carolina generally prohibits commercial slot machine operations outside its three tribal casinos.
The property displays a warning sign reading “THERE IS NOTHING HERE WORTH DYING FOR” next to a handgun image. Rules at the locked entrance require visitors to be at least 21 and ban cellphones, cameras, alcohol and illegal substances. Taylor rents out the property and has made other real estate investments over the years.
Questions Over Property Disclosures
Taylor addressed the omission of the building from his 2025 economic interest statement. “I have invested locally in real estate for many years and continue to do so. I bought some new properties last December and didn’t include them on my economic interest statement for 2025 since the closing happened on the final day of the year,” Taylor told The Assembly, according to reporting by GamblingNews.
State officials noted that enforcement operations against gambling establishments occur regularly but usually prioritize businesses holding alcohol licenses. This location prohibits alcohol and therefore may not fall into that priority category. Taylor received substantial financial support from pro-gambling interests through the American Conservative Fund during his primary campaign.
Potential Liability for Property Owners
Chapter 19 of North Carolina’s General Statutes allows prosecutors to bring civil nuisance actions involving illegal gambling. Such proceedings can result in court orders shutting down a business, requiring tenants to leave and imposing financial penalties on property owners.
Ownership of a property does not automatically make a landlord legally responsible for a tenant’s conduct. Potential liability depends on the circumstances, including the owner’s knowledge of the activity and response to it. This case illustrates the specific limits and triggers within the existing statutory framework.
Reporting: GamblingNews
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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