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Bingo Halls
Bingo hall raid refused by Alabama Supreme Court
Posted by Robert Alexander on 12 August 2010
MONTGOMERY, AL. - State Governor Bob Riley's anti-gambling task force has been refused the chance to raid Victoryland electronic bingo hall and seize all bingo machines after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling.
M.P. hits out at bingo halls “granny tax”
Posted by Robert Alexander on 10 August 2010
NORTHAMPTON, U.K. - The Member of Parliament for Northampton South, Brian Binley has slammed the high tax rate on bingo halls, calling it a "granny tax" and saying it is unfair as bingo is one of the least damaging forms of gambling possible.
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Rank sees profit rise; plans to buy new casinos
Posted by Robert Alexander on 3 August 2010
LONDON, U.K. - Rank Group, one of the largest land based bingo and casino operators in Europe has released financial results for the first half of 2010 and the figures are positive for the company with £25.1million profit before tax. This compares favourably to the £24.7 made during the same period last year.
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Alabama bingo supporters in Montgomery protest
Posted by Robert Alexander on 20 July 2010
MONTGOMERY, Al. - Supporters of electronic bingo in Alabama came out in force at the end of last week to protest against the closure of bingo halls across the state and the severe unemployment it has caused in many areas.
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California bingo hall faces further delay in opening
Posted by Robert Alexander on 8 July 2010
SACRAMENTO, CA. - A California bingo hall’s opening has been delayed again whilst the final decision is referred to the City Council after the decision was appealed by a rival bingo hall.
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16 arrested as police seize bingo machines in Alabama
Posted by Debbie Archer on 2 July 2010
ALABAMA - A state Senator was among 16 people arrested as they protested against police seizing machines from a popular bingo hall.
Angry protestors blocked the entrance to the Greenetrack bingo facility for 12 hours before being arrested. They were trying to prevent state troopers from carrying out the Alabama governor’s orders to seize 800 electronic [...]
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Concord bingo hall appeal still going
Posted by Debbie Archer on 1 July 2010
The planned opening of a Concord bingo hall is being further delayed as the decision on whether it can open has now been referred to the City Council.
Pop’s Bingo World was granted approval to open a bingo hall on Willow Pass Road, Concord, in April 2010 but a rival bingo hall, the Concord Blue Devils [...]
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California poker bill decision is bad for online bingo
Posted by Debbie Archer on 30 June 2010
THE chances of online bingo being legalized in the USA took a backward step last night after a bill to allow online poker in California failed to even go to a vote in the California Senate.
The bill proposed that online poker would be allowed in California with up to 20 per cent of the profits [...]
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More Alabama bingo halls face closure
Posted by Robert Alexander on 7 June 2010
MONTGOMERY, Al. - State Attorney General Troy King, a supporter of electronic bingo halls being legalised in Alabama lost his bid to keep his job in a primary election along with three more county commissioners who supported electronic bingo.
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New bingo hall for Concord, California
Posted by Debbie Archer on 28 May 2010
CONCORD, CA - A new bingo hall has opened in Concord, CA in a former gym. Pop’s Bingo World is located at 1505 Willow Pass Road, near the Willows Shopping Center.
The bingo hall is on the site of the old Velocity gym and will run charitable bingo to raise money for local charities, including the [...]
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California Bingo hall closed over charity doubts
Posted by Debbie Archer on 28 May 2010
RICHMOND, CA – A newly opened bingo hall has been shuttered after its city license was withdrawn and its landlord opened proceedings to evict it.
The Marina Bay Bingo Club in Richmond was opened with a fanfare of publicity on 31 March with local politicians and charities hailing the 32,000 square foot 500 person facility as [...]
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Bingo bill in Missouri finds backing
Posted by Robert Alexander on 14 May 2010
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Lawmakers in the southern U.S state of Missouri have approved a bill that seeks to improve the business fortunes of bingo halls in the state.
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Bingo player must pay Bruno $17,000
Posted by Debbie Archer on 6 May 2010
The Californian women who claimed the comic actor Sacha Baron Cohen had caused her emotional distress during the filming of his 2007 hit Bruno must pay his legal fees after losing her court case.
Richelle Olson sued Cohen in June 2009, claiming Bruno was an “extreme, outrageous, offensive caricature of a gay man dressed in sexually [...]
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Electronic bingo bill dies in Alabama
Posted by Robert Alexander on 23 April 2010
MONTGOMERY, Ala - The dominating issue in Alabama politics over the past few months has been about bingo legislation. A bill to see that bingo halls and all forms of gambling be fully regulated and taxed by the state fell through yesterday after weeks of intense debate on the legality of electronic bingo in Alabama.
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Mecca Bingo halls see improvement after poor winter
Posted by Robert Alexander on 23 April 2010
LONDON, UK - The operators of Mecca Bingo halls and Grosvenor Casinos, Rank Group plc has experienced a good start to the year with increased sales in its casinos and online platforms.
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Beacon Bingo bought by Praesepe
Posted by Robert Alexander on 20 April 2010
LONDON, UK - UK investment business Praesepe has completed its acquisition of the Beacon Bingo group. As well as now owning the popular online bingo site Beacon Bingo, they have also purchased six bingo halls (including Beacon Cricklewood, the world's biggest bingo club) and 26 Showboat amusement arcades. The investors also take on Beacon's £40 million bank debt.
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Uncertainty rests on Alabama bingo vote
Posted by Robert Alexander on 20 April 2010
MONTGOMERY, Al - Time is running out for state representatives to win votes on a bingo bill, which, if passed will see electronic bingo legalized and fully regulated by the state.
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Three men arrested after bingo hall robbed
Posted by Robert Alexander on 15 April 2010
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Three suspects from a bingo hall robbery in Utah have been arrested and are now in custody.
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FBI investigation doesn’t halt Alabama bingo bill
Posted by Robert Alexander on 13 April 2010
MONTGOMERY, Al - Lawmakers in Alabama have vowed to continue moving forward with a proposed "bingo bill" despite being warned by federal investigators that there was evidence of corruption in the bill.
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Bingo bill passed in Alabama senate
Posted by Robert Alexander on 31 March 2010
Voters in Alabama may yet get the chance to voice their opinion on electronic bingo late this year after the Senate garnered just enough votes to pass a constitutional amendment yesterday evening.
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Mecca bingo club conned into jackpot payout
Posted by Robert Alexander on 30 March 2010
A Mecca bingo hall in Southport paid out a £500 jackpot twice after a woman managed to con staff into believing that she was a friend of the winner and was collecting the £500 prize on her behalf.
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How has the budget affected bingo?
Posted by Robert Alexander on 26 March 2010
In Wednesday's budget announcement, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alastair Darling confirmed that bingo duty would be cut from 22% to 20% at the end of this month. This action was outlined in the pre-budget report.
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Grandmother mugged after bingo win
Posted by Robert Alexander on 25 March 2010
A bingo playing pensioner was mugged having just won £80 playing bingo at her local British Legion club.
Phylis May Barry, 78, from Cardiff, was pushed to the ground by two male attackers on her way home from playing bingo.
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£85,000 winner at Beacon Bingo
Posted by Robert Alexander on 22 March 2010
LOUGHBOROUGH, UK- A lucky bingo player has won a massive £85,000 jackpot prize at her local Beacon Bingo hall.
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Alabama’s biggest bingo hall re-opens
Posted by Robert Alexander on 15 March 2010
MONTGOMERY, AL - VictoryLand casino and electronic bingo hall has re-opened, still with upwards of six thousand electronic bingo machines on the premises. Owners of VictoryLand maintain that the machines are legal under criteria set by the Supreme Court last year.
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Gala Bingo slash debts
Posted by Robert Alexander on 15 March 2010
Gala Coral, the operator of one of Britains biggest and most recognisable bingo halls, Gala Bingo has secured its financial future after lenders to the bingo operator agreed to a deal that will reduce Gala Coral's debt from £2.6billion to £1.85billion.
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Alabama Governor critical of bingo ruling
Posted by Robert Alexander on 9 March 2010
MONTGOMERY, AL - Governor Bob Riley has attacked a Jefferson County judge's ruling that the Attorney General has the authority to seize control of his anti-gambling task force.
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Hounslow woman wins £250,000 at Gala Bingo
Posted by Robert Alexander on 9 March 2010
A woman from Hounslow has picked up an incredible £253,000 prize at the Hounslow branch of Gala Bingo. The winner, who preferred to remain anonymous, had an incredible run of luck when playing at the Staines Road branch of Gala Bingo. First she hit her full house for £3,000, and at the same time she hit the "High 5" jackpot, which catapulted her winnings up to £128,000.
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Ex-Mayor won $1.5million in bingo jackpots
Posted by Robert Alexander on 4 March 2010
BIRMINGHAM, AL - The ex-mayor of Birmingham Larry Langford, who was ousted from his position after being convicted of bribery has come under further scrutiny after it was revealed he won 555 electronic bingo jackpots over three years at an electronic bingo casino run by a friend and political supporter.
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Alabama senate blocks bingo bill
Posted by Robert Alexander on 4 March 2010
MONTGOMERY, Al - The bingo battle is over. Those are the words of democratic Senator Roger Bedford after he told reporters that he won't be bringing bingo legislation back up for debate.
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Alabama senate votes in favour of bingo
Posted by Robert Alexander on 3 March 2010
MONTGOMERY, AL - Having finally got to the electronic bingo debate in the state of Alabama, senators voted in favour of a bill to legalize electronic bingo games at ten locations across the state by 19 votes to 16
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Alabama bingo bill “improved”
Posted by Robert Alexander on 2 March 2010
Montgomery, AL - The bingo battle in Alabama rages on as important public figures wade in. In an effort to get more support for an electronic bingo bill that will lead to a statewide public vote on bingo in Alabama, Senator Roger Bedford plans to release a revised and "improved" version of the bill.
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Brasilian bingo halls set to be approved
Posted by Robert Alexander on 1 March 2010
The Brasilian bingo sector is continuing its wait for the legalisation of bingo halls in the country, but the wait is looking like coming to an end in the near future. Salim Curiati, member of parliament for the centre-right PP (Progressive Party) said that he was in favour of legalising bingo.
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Decline in bingo halls confirmed by Government
Posted by Robert Alexander on 26 February 2010
Bingo halls are in decline. This is a fact that has been obvious to observers but it has been confirmed by a set of statistics released recently by the UK Government.
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Bingo Rallies in Alabama!
Posted by Robert Alexander on 25 February 2010
MONTGOMERY AL- Crowds of people on both sides of the electronic bingo debate currently taking over Alabama rallied at the Alabama State House.
Over the past month, Governor Bob Riley’s task force on illegal gambling has threatened to perform raids on bingo halls to confiscate machines that he believes are illegal.
The pro-bingo group, many of whom [...]
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Mecca Bingo revenues rise as profits fall
Posted by Robert Alexander on 25 February 2010
Mecca Bingo halls in 2009 increased takings by over £5million (from £227.6million to £230million) compared to 2008 figures. Growth in Mecca Bingo revenue was mostly a result of increased spend per customer as the halls had actually seen a fall in customer visits in 2009.
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Bingo clampdown continues in Alabama
Posted by Robert Alexander on 23 February 2010
Birmingham, AL - The electronic bingo battle in the state of Alabama shows no signs of dying down with the crackdown continuing at full speed with the order to remove over three hundred new electronic bingo machines found in warehouses in and around Birmingham. The future of the game in Alabama looks to be hanging by a thread as the "gambling task force" continues to raid halls and warehouses and order the machines to be removed.
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Aberdeen Bingo Hall to get £1.6million revamp
Posted by Robert Alexander on 8 February 2010
ABERDEEN - The Mecca Bingo hall in Aberdeen will undergo a £1.6million refurbishment after Rank Group, owners of the Mecca Bingo brand, stumped up the money for the project. The planned upgrade will hopefully see more young customers coming to the hall.
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Alabama bingo halls could be raided at any time
Posted by Robert Alexander on 5 February 2010
MONTGOMERY (AL)- Electronic bingo establishments in Alabama could now be raided at any time after the Supreme Court issued a ruling that clears a way for Governor Bob Riley's Illegal Gambling task force to raid any bingo halls it considers illegal.
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Alabama Bingo Battle Continues
Posted by Robert Alexander on 4 February 2010
MONTGOMERY (AL): The bingo legality debate in Alabama is continuing at a rapid pace as state leaders and a Christian group speak out against the tactics used by Governor Bob Riley’s task force to close down facilities offering electronic bingo in the state.
The Alabama Christian Coalition Chairman, Dr. Randy Brinson said that he and his [...]
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Gambling task force rules Alabama bingo machines illegal
Posted by Robert Alexander on 2 February 2010
An undercover officer for Alabama Governor Bob Riley’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling has explained why the machines in a bingo hall that the task force are hoping to raid are illegal.
The officer said that the electronic bingo machines at the Country Crossing gambling hall in Dothan are not bingo, and thus illegal because they [...]
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Bingo Machines Removed in Sacramento
Posted by Robert Alexander on 1 February 2010
Charities in Sacramento agreed this Sunday to remove hundreds of slot machine style bingo games from the Sacramento Bingo Center.
The 140 machines, which generated revenue for community groups and charitable organisations benefiting the blind and developmentally disabled people in the city.
Charities including United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Sacramento and the Society for the Blind eventually [...]
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Gala Bingo Deal Close
Posted by Robert Alexander on 28 January 2010
The deal for the main lenders at Gala Coral, the casino, bingo hall and betting shop operator, to relinquish control of the company to a group of hedge funds and investors is getting closer. The deal, which is likely to be approved within two weeks would see the hedge fund group take control of 75 per [...]
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FAIM founder to appeal loss of bingo licence
Posted by Robert Alexander on 27 January 2010
The founder of the Fine Arts Institute of Mississippi is appealing the state Gaming Commission’s decision not to renew his charitable bingo licence.
Bill Murphy testified at a hearing that he paid for a software program from his organization’s gaming operations because he thought it was an allowable bingo expense. FAIM, an organization committed to promoting [...]
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No New Bingo Gaming Halls for Aragón – Spain
Posted by Robert Alexander on 27 January 2010
The Government of Aragón in Spain is preparing a bill that will suspend, temporarily at least, any possibility of new bingo halls or casinos being opened in the region.
There are 107 bingo and gaming halls in Aragón and it is argued that the market has been saturated. Any more places for people to play will [...]
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Alabama Bingo Legislation – update
Posted by Robert Alexander on 26 January 2010
Leaders in the House of Representatives have reported that they don’t expect an immediate vote on legislation to prevent Governor Bob Riley’s administration from raiding and closing down bingo operations in Alabama.
It has been speculated that it could be at least a few weeks until the bill would make it to the floor. This news [...]
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Alabama To Decide On Electronic Bingo Hall Bill
Posted by Robert Alexander on 22 January 2010
Bingo operators in the state of Alabama used to believe that the definition of bingo was decided by Attorney General Troy King.
Now the courts are trying to figure out what “bingo” means in Alabama.
House bill 1-54 was brought in to try and sort out how the electronic bingo halls in Alabama would be run. [...]
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Wisconsin bingo hall robbed of $400
Posted by Debbie Archer on 21 December 2009
CALEDONIA, WISCONSIN -Two masked gunmen robbed an Elks Lodge bingo hall of $400 last Saturday night.
The evening bingo session had just begun when the two mean entered the bingo room and threatened players with guns.
Elks Lodge trustee Al Derga told 12 News: “I saw the door open, and I looked over and saw a guy [...]
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Large number of Alabama bingo halls told to shut down
Posted by Debbie Archer on 22 October 2009
ALABAMA -The vast majority of Alabama’s bingo halls are likely to close after the Jefferson County district attorney declared them to be breaking the law.
Brandon Falls, the district attorney for the Birmigham district, said that the halls were for-profit businesses rather than charity ventures and that if they did not close with 10 days they [...]
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Bingo halted at New Mexico’s Apache Homelands Entertainment Center
Posted by Debbie Archer on 7 October 2009
NEW MEXICO, USA – Bingo games will no longer be played at the Apache Homelands Entertainment Centre in southern New Mexico after the trible operating the casino reached a deal with the federal government.
In July the National Indian Gaming Commission ordered the Fort Sill Apache Tribe to stop playing bingo under threat of a daily [...]
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Man arrested after stabbing in North Carolina bingo hall
Posted by Debbie Archer on 28 September 2009
KINSTON, NORTH CAROLINA -A man is in hospital after being viciously stabbed in a bingo hall fight.
The fight took place on Saturday night at Mickey’s Beach Bingo, New Bern Road in Kinston, NC. Police have arrested Eugene Moore over the incident; he is charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury.
The victim, [...]
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South Carolina bingo halls at war over smoking
Posted by Debbie Archer on 28 September 2009
SOUTH CAROLINA – Two bingo halls owners in Richland County, South Carolina are suing each other over claims that each is deliberately flouting a ban on smoking.
The owners of Mr Bingo and Carolina Gold Bingo have hired lawyers and private investigators to investigate each other. At stake is whether each is allowing players to smoke [...]
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Woman stole $100,000 from disabled organization to feed bingo habit
Posted by Debbie Archer on 28 September 2009
WILKES-BARRE, PA – A Pennsylavnia woman stole more than $100,000 from the charity she worked for to pay for her bingo habit, police said.
Anne Patricia Hudanick was charged with theft from Creating Unlimited Possibilities, a state-funded social services organization that largely helps people with cerebal palsy.
Hudanick, 58, had been the book-keeper at Creating Unlimited Possibilities [...]
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Nebraska bingo revenues drop in first six months of 2009
Posted by Debbie Archer on 2 September 2009
Revenues from bingo have dipped in Nebraska during the first half of 2009 with state officials admitting they are down approximately 10 per cent on last year.
Gross proceeds fell from $2,717,750 in the first quarter of 2009 to $631,505 in the second quarter, while state taxes paid fell from $81,533 to $78,945 in the same [...]
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Texas bingo revenues up in second quarter
Posted by Debbie Archer on 2 September 2009
Donations to Texan county and city coffers from charitable bingo operations rose 5.3 per cent from the same period last year, according to figures released this week.
$3.2 million was allocated for the second quarter of 2009, up 0.9 per cent on the first quarter. The Charitable Bingo Operations Division also allocated an additional $3.5 million [...]
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Texas Bingo Advisory Committee looking for new members
Posted by Debbie Archer on 2 September 2009
The Texas Bingo Advisory Committee is looking for nominations for new members. Three positions are available and anyone working in the charity bingo sector in the state is being encouraged to apply.
The Bingo Advisory Committee also said that their next meeting will be at 10am on October 21, 2009 in the first floor auditorium of [...]
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Six Alabama bingo halls allowed to stay open
Posted by Debbie Archer on 2 September 2009
Six bingo halls in Walker County, Alabama are being permitted to stay open after a judge said that a change to their business model may make them legal.
Circuit Judge Robert Vance Jr. had ordered six bingo halls - Carbon Hill Bingo, Walker County Bingo, Dreams Come True Charity Bingo, Blackwater Bingo, Ba Da Bingo and [...]
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Alabama state troopers raid Roebuck bingo hall
Posted by Debbie Archer on 20 August 2009
A police raid on the VFW Bingo Hall in Roebuck, Alabama ended with more than 1,000 bingo machines confiscated by state troopers.
The raid was requested by Jefferson County District Attorney Brandon Falls who warned that he was considering targetting other bingo halls in the county.
The VFW bingo hall was raided at 6am on Monday 17 [...]
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Four arrested for robbing Birmingham bingo hall
Posted by Debbie Archer on 20 August 2009
Four men have been charged with armed robbery of an American Legion bingo hall on Pinson Valley Parkway, Birmingham, Alabama.
Police said a man entered the American Legion bingo hall at 11pm on Tuesday 18 August and pointed a 9mm handgun at the club’s cashier. A second man guarded the door with a shotgun.
They fled the [...]
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Lockport, New York bingo hall has $8,200 stolen
Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 August 2009
A bingo hall in Lockport, New York has had $8,200 stolen from a safe by robbers.
The Elks Lodge bingo hall at 6791 North Canal Road in Niagra County was raided some time on the night of Monday 10 August.
A cleaner arrived at 4am to find a rock had been thrown through a window and phone [...]
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New bingo hall in South Carolina
Posted by Debbie Archer on 3 August 2009
A new bingo hall is planned for York County, South Carolina.
The hall is to be built by the Catawba Indian Nation, according to tribe chief Donal Rodgers. He said he hoped to open it by the end of 2009 but would not identify a location.
The Catawba Indian Nation has tried to run a bingo hall [...]
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Robber shot at It’s Your Lucky Day bingo hall
Posted by Debbie Archer on 3 August 2009
A robber who tried to hold up a bingo hall called “It’s Your Lucky Day” is not alive to see the irony of his killing by a security guard.
William Cantrell Jr, 43, entered the charity bingo hall in Jasper, Alabama on Saturday night at around 11pm and fired a shotgun into the ceiling. He then [...]
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New York firefighter accused of stealing bingo cash
Posted by Debbie Archer on 27 July 2009
A firefighter in Ticonderoga, New York has been accused of stealing funds from their weekly bingo.
The Ticonderoga Fire Department holds a weekly fundraising bingo game and called in the police earlier this year after noticing funds were missing.
After an extensive investigation firefighter William Pullar, 28, has been charged with fourth degree grand larceny. Police said [...]
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San Francisco bingo robber gets 8 years
Posted by Debbie Archer on 27 July 2009
A man who robbed a South San Francisco Boys & Girls Club bingo night has been jailed for eight years.
The robbery took place four years ago but Curtis Commo has only been jailed now after protracted legal arguments about his mental state; in 2006 a judge ruled he was mentally handicapped and should not stand [...]
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New bingo hall for Eutaw, Alabama
Posted by Debbie Archer on 24 July 2009
A new 48,000 square foot building in Eutaw, Alabama will be a huge bingo hall, it has been announced.
The Greene County construction will be next door to the well-known Cotton Patch restaurant.
The building, which is on a 36 acre site, is almost completed although the parking lot has yet to be paved; officials close to [...]
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Helping Hands Charity Bingo closed by judge
Posted by Debbie Archer on 23 July 2009
The Helping Hands Charity Bingo Hall in Walker County, Alabama was closed with immediate effect by a judge who ruled that it was breaking the law.
Judge Robert Vance said that it had not complied with state laws which limited the opening times of bingo halls and the number of sessions that could be played each [...]
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Texas bingo hall security guard shot and killed
Posted by Debbie Archer on 21 July 2009
A security guard who was accompanying a bingo player to her car was shot and killed in San Antonio, Texas.
The security guard was helping the woman leave I-35 Bingo on the Northeast Side at the end of the evening when a robber ran up and shot the guard multiple times.
The man, who was in his [...]
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Huge Cleveland bingo hall available for rent
Posted by Debbie Archer on 20 July 2009
A 12,000 square foot building in Cleveland, Detriot that housed a bingo hall for nearly 20 years is available for rent.
The 78th Street Studios Building is being offered with all existing fittings, which would mean that bingo could be up and running in the premises in under a month.
The owner, Dan Bush, said he was [...]
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Very drunk man drives to bingo
Posted by Debbie Archer on 17 July 2009
A Canadian man who drove to pick up his wife from a bingo hall when three times over the legal limit was fined $2,000 and banned from driving for a year.
Malcolm McKinnon, 65, drove to the bingo hall in Sarnia, Ontario to pick up his wife on May 29, 2009.
Witnesses called police after spotting him [...]
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Michigan woman’s check for $26,000 bingo winnings bounces
Posted by Debbie Archer on 17 July 2009
A woman won a massive $26,000 in a bingo game in Westland, Michigan and then found the check bounced when she tried to deposit it in her bank account.
Misty Laturnus of Inkster, Michigan won the money at the Ford Wayne Civil League bingo hall on July 11.
The pregnant mother of three hit B6 to win [...]
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Missouri bingo expansion vetoed by governor
Posted by Debbie Archer on 15 July 2009
A plan to expand the number of charity bingo halls in Missouri looks set to fail after the Governor vetoed legislation that would improve the taxation of bingo.
Currently there is a 0.2 cent tax on every bingo card sold in Missouri but a bill was passed to abolish this tax and ease restrictions on which [...]
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San Francisco likely to raise bingo winnings limit
Posted by Debbie Archer on 14 July 2009
Bingo players in San Francisco will soon be able to win up to $500 per game, double the current limits, under a proposal that is being considered.
The City Operations and Neighborhood Services Committee agreed to send to the full board a propoal by Supervisor Bevan Dufty to raise prize limits in San Francisco for charity [...]
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Threat to eight Alabama charity bingo halls
Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 July 2009
A state judge has ruled that eight of the roughly 30 bingo halls in Walker County, Alabama should close with immediate effect unless they can show good reason why they should stay open.
Circuit Judge Robert S. Vance supported the view put to the court by Sheriff John Mark Tirey that the bingo halls were legally [...]
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Two women shot at North Carolina bingo hall
Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 July 2009
Two women were shot as they played bingo at a North Carolina bingo hall.
The two women were playing at the Veterans of Foreign War Post bingo hall in Burlington, North Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
Jessica Stephens, 24, was reportedly shot several times, and is in critical condition at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina.
The other [...]
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Woman dies in car crash on way home from bingo
Posted by Debbie Archer on 10 July 2009
A woman died in a car crash on her way home from her regular bingo game in San Jose, California.
The 81 year old woman was names as Gloria Foster by the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office.
She had been playing bingo at the American Legion Hall at 2120 Walsh Avenue in Santa Clara. As she pulled [...]
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Bingo manager who shot raider will not be charged
Posted by Debbie Archer on 9 July 2009
The manager of a bingo hall in Penscola, Florida who shot and killed an armed robber will not face charges, police say.
Chad England, manager of the Beachside Bingo hall, shot and killed an armed raider on Wednesday night.
The 20-year-old raider, who was later identified as Alton Prewitt, 20, raided the bingo hall at 10pm last [...]
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Monroe, Louisiana bingo hall acccused of irregular practices
Posted by Debbie Archer on 6 July 2009
Former employees of a bingo parlor in Monroe, Louisiana have accused managers of irregular practices in the running of their bingo games.
The Louisiana State Department of Gaming is now investigating the complaints relating to the DeSiard Street Bingo Parlor.
Carliss Underwood, manager of the parlor, told the Monroe Free Press that the investigation was sparked by [...]
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Cleveland bingo employee throws computer at player
Posted by Debbie Archer on 6 July 2009
A bingo player in Cleveland claims an employee threw a bingo computer unit at her when it malfunctioned.
The woman said she was playing bingo at Trinity High School in Granger Road, Garfield Heights, Cleveland when her computer unit malfunctioned.
She took it to the help desk and asked an employee to help. She claims that the [...]
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Canadian bingo halls fear loss of US players
Posted by Debbie Archer on 14 May 2009
Canadian bingo halls near the American border are bracing themselves for a sharp downfall in business from June 1.
After that date travellers to Canda from the US will have to have ’secure documentation’, meaning they will need a passport, passport card, NEXUS card or enhanced driver’s licences to get back into the United States.
Up to [...]
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Mort Zuckerman wants bingo to save US newspaper industry
Posted by Debbie Archer on 7 May 2009
Mort Zuckerman has urged US legislators to allow newspapers to run bingo games – including online bingo – in an attempt to save the American newspaper industry. In an interview with New York he said: “Just make bingo legal on our websites…. The newspapers in England are supported almost exclusively by the profitability of running bingo [...]
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Man sought in Livonia, Michigan bingo robbery case
Posted by Debbie Archer on 23 April 2009
Police in Livonia, Michigan have issued a warrant for the arrest of a man who they want in connection with a robbery of the Shamrock Bingo Hall.
David Leonard Stephens, 20, of Inkster, is charged with an armed robbery on April 5, 2009 at the Shamrock Bingo Hall, 33111 Plymouth Road, Livonia.
The robber held up a [...]
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Granite City, Illinois bingo hall robbed
Posted by Debbie Archer on 21 April 2009
A man is being sought by police after he robbed a Granite City bingo hall with a sawed-off shot gun.
The Knights of Columbus bingo hall at 5224 Old Alton Road, Granite City, IL had around 150 players on Sunday night when a tall black man walked in brandishing a gun at 7.11pm. He took an [...]
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Big Bucks Bingo Club, Idaho raided
Posted by Debbie Archer on 9 April 2009
Cash and checks were stolen from a bingo parlor in Boise, police said.
An unknown amount of cash and checks were taken from the Big Bucks Bingo parlor, at 5443 Glenwood Street, Boise, according to officers.
An alarm system appears to have failed and no suspects have been identified.
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Texas bingo going strong
Posted by Debbie Archer on 23 March 2009
Bingo in Texas raised $680 million for state coffers, making it the most successful years ever for bingo in the state.
The Texas Lottery Commission said that bingo, which has been legal since 1981, was an important part of the state’s fundraising.
According to the lottery commission’s website, 17.5 million people played bingo in Texas in 2008 [...]
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Man arrested for stealing Edwardsville, PA bingo cash
Posted by Debbie Archer on 26 February 2009
A 46 year old man has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing cash from a bingo hall register.
David Chewey, 46, is charged with robbing the West Side Bingo Parlor in the West Side Mall in Edwardsville, PA.
Police officers were called to the bingo hall at 1.30pm on Monday and told that the suspect, who [...]
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Internet bingo a hot topic at Bingo World 2009
Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 February 2009
Delegates at Bingo World 2009 will have a whole morning of sessions about Bingo and the Internet as the US bingo industry works out how the online world will impact their business.
There will be three different sessions from 9am to 12.30pm, titled The Hottest Game on the ‘Net, Internet Bingo – A New American Tradition [...]
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28 exhibitors at Bingo World 2009
Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 February 2009
The Bingo World 2009 conference will see 28 exhibitors offering their services at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in March 3 and 4.
In alphabetical order, the exhibitors are:
American Games
Bingo Bugle Newspapers
BNW, Inc (Bingo Novelty World)
Clarence J. Venne, LLC
Cole Industries, Inc.
Elbet
FortuNet, Inc.
Fun Industries, Inc.
Game Tech International
Gaming Laboratories International
Hayes Specialties Corporation
I.C.E., Inc.
Innovative Gaming Systems
Las [...]
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Bingo prize limits unchanged in Kansas
Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 February 2009
A plan to increase the size of bingo prizes in Kansas has been rejected by a Senate committee.
The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee rejected a proposal from Kansas’ 27 bingo parlors that would permit greater frequency of bingo events, raised game prize limits and permit volunteers to be served a meal.
The bill had been [...]
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Big win at Cherry Hill Bingo hall
Posted by Debbie Archer on 6 February 2009
A Michigan bingo player hit a huge $37,531 jackpot on Monday night.
Lisa Buehrle, 39, was playing at the Cherry Hill Bingo Hall in Wayne County, Michigan. She will split the prize with her friend, Amy, who agreed to split any winnings 50-50 at the start of the evening.
Ms Buehrle, who is a mother and grandmother, [...]
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Bingo Barn, Denver goes under
Posted by Debbie Archer on 6 February 2009
The Bingo Barn in Northglenn, Denver, Colorado has gone into liquidation, owning creditors hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Documents filed with Adams County show the company owes North Valley Bank for $673,223.49, with other creditors owed smaller amounts.
Bingo Barn has gone into foreclosure. Documents filed with Adams County a few weeks ago show that the company [...]
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Two bingo halls fined for smoking
Posted by Debbie Archer on 3 February 2009
Two Pennsylvania bingo halls have become one of the first premises in the state to be issued a citation for allowing smoking.
The State Department of Health last week issued citations to King’s Hall Bingo on South 29th Street, Harrisburg for permitting smoking and not displaying no smoking signs. The hall will be fined $500 unless [...]
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Pensacola to get its own bingo hall
Posted by Debbie Archer on 23 January 2009
Pensacola, Florida is set to get its own bingo hall after the City Council voted 9-1 in favor of allowing one.
An empty building on North Ninth Avenue has been designated as a suitable property for the bingo hall and is being rezoned to allow bingo play.
Residents of Pensacola currently currently have to drive out of [...]
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Arkansas legislator aims to repeal bingo tax
Posted by Debbie Archer on 18 January 2009
A Democrat legislator has introduced a bill to reform bingo playing in Arkansas; it would include repealing the one-cent bingo card tax, raise prize funds in bingo game sessions, decrease the cost of a bingo permit and increase the number of sessions bingo operators can play per week from two to three.
Rep. Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort [...]
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Bingo dabber ‘used as a weapon’
Posted by Debbie Archer on 16 January 2009
A couple in Springfield, Illinois found themselves under arrest after an argument in which they threw a bingo dabber at each other.
Police arrested Jerry J. Pitts, 23, and Chyrl S. Miller, 22, both of the 1100 block of South 16th Street, after Ms Miller called the police to complain about a shoulder injury allegedly caused [...]
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Tonkawa, OK bingo hall operator arrested
Posted by Debbie Archer on 16 January 2009
The operator of the Tonkawa Bingo and Casino has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of filing a false income tax return over a three year period.
Edward Eugene Street, 43, was arrested and arraigned in federal court on Wednesday, according to U.S. Attorney John C. Richter.
The indictment states that Street, the owner of [...]
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Police searching for Shelbyville bingo thief
Posted by Debbie Archer on 16 January 2009
Police in Shelbyville, IN are searching for a thief who stole money from the American Legion Bingo Hall.
The man, who is described as “skinny with very little teeth”, fled from the hall with an undisclosed amount of cash.
City police said bingo players had chased the thief down Miller Avenue but had failed to catch him. [...]
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Iowa operators lobby for lower tax on bingo
Posted by Debbie Archer on 14 January 2009
Iowa’s charity bingo operators are asking for state taxes on their bingo halls to be lowered as the current rate makes them unviable.
Iowa law currently imposes a 6 percent sales tax and 1 percent local option sales tax on every ticket sold, making a total of 7 percent on gross revenues.
Operators are lobbying for a [...]
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Kentucky pastor says no to bingo
Posted by Debbie Archer on 14 January 2009
A LaCenter pastor is opposing a school district that plans to use bingo to raise funds.
Richard Hicks of Resurrection Fellowship Church in LaCenter, KY says that bingo will only increase the number of gambling addicts and the Ballard County School District should find other ways to raise funds.
The Ballard County School District wants to use [...]
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Florida bingo players look for refund
Posted by Debbie Archer on 11 January 2009
Bingo players in Fort Myers, Florida are still waiting for a refund from a New Year’s Eve bingo celebration that never took place.
Players paid between $50 and $100 per ticket for the Port Charlotte Bingo event but it was cancelled and players are still waiting for a refund. Bingo hall owner Hernan Vizcaino has promised [...]
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Profits slump for bingo in Powhatan, Virginia
Posted by Debbie Archer on 8 January 2009
Player number and revenues have fallen sharply for charitable bingo operators in Virginia, according to local organisers.
“Our game is declining and meeting our charitable obligation is becoming more difficult,”said Deb Clements, president of the Powhatan High School Band Boosters, in an interview with her local newspapers. Her group holds weekly bingo games at the Powhatan [...]
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