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Legal and regulatory

Online bingo laws in Ireland to be cleared up

Posted by Debbie Archer on 5 July 2010

DUBLIN – The rules surrounding online bingo in Ireland look likely to be cleared up following an announcement that Irish gaming laws are to be reformed. Currently online bingo sites in Ireland such as Bingo.ie, Paddy Power Bingo and Bingo Ireland operate in a grey area because legislation on gambling in Ireland was written well before [...]

Bingo.ie, Irish Bingo, Legal and regulatory, Paddy Power Bingo

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 [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Hall News

Online bingo in Australia not legal soon

Posted by Debbie Archer on 24 June 2010

Australian legislators have chosen not to legalise online bingo in Australia, despite recommendations from a policy advisory panel. The panel had recommended that online bingo, poker and casino games should be legal for Australians but the communications minister said he believed that the likely rise in problem gambling outweighed any potential benefits of allowing online gambling. Australia [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

Tombola Bingo ad banned for racial stereotyping

Posted by Robert Alexander on 30 March 2010

Online bingo site Tombola.co.uk has had a recent television advert banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). It was banned because two people complained that it "presented a negative racial stereotype".

Bingo News, Bingo Sites, Featured, Legal and regulatory, Tombola Bingo

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

Online bingo finally reaches Finland

Posted by Robert Alexander on 2 March 2010

Finland is the latest European country to have taken initial steps towards offering online bingo. The Finnish Slot Machine Association (RAY) has recieved permission to start offering poker and casino games online, and Veikkaus (The state run lottery corporation) has been approved to offer online bingo to people in Finland.

Bingo News, Bingo in Europe, Finnish Bingo, Legal and regulatory

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.

Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory

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 [...]

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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.

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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 [...]

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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 [...]

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo in USA, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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 [...]

Bingo Halls, Bingo News, California Bingo Halls, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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 [...]

Bingo Halls, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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 [...]

Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Bingo in Europe, Legal and regulatory, Spanish Bingo

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 [...]

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo News, Bingo in USA, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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. [...]

Alabama Bingo Halls, Bingo Halls, Bingo in USA, Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Halls

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 [...]

Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Hall News

Mecca Bingo submits views on slots tax

Posted by Debbie Archer on 22 October 2009

Mecca Bingo’s parent group, Rank Bingo, has submitted their views to the UK Treasury on proposed changes to the tax regime on slot machines. The submission says that in order for Rank Group to not suffer from the switch to a gross profit tax (GPT) on slot machines that the rate would have to be set [...]

Legal and regulatory, Mecca Bingo

Bingo.com appears to target children

Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 August 2009

Bingo.com may be risking its Maltese licence by putting content on its site promoting bingo to children. In an article posted on the Bingo.com website, titled “Bingo at school!”, the website says: “Bingo strengthens their memory, helps them [children] focus, and allows them to learn how to work and cooperate together. If they create their own bingo [...]

Bingo.com, Legal and regulatory

Analysis: William Hill move offshore is bad for bingo

Posted by Debbie Archer on 4 August 2009

Bingo News regularly provides analysis of breaking news in the online bingo market, looking at the likely impacts of company decisions. William Hill’s announcement that they are moving their sportsbook and fixed odds betting operation offshore to Gibraltar is a surprise to no-one. The news has been widely flagged in the press in recent days and [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory, William Hill Bingo

Bingo debated in House of Commons

Posted by Debbie Archer on 15 July 2009

The taxation regime on bingo was raised during Treasury questions in the House of Commons yesterday. Sarah McCarthy-Fry, the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, took four questions from MPs who questioned why the government was doing so little for the UK bingo industry. Unfortunately there was little to cheer the bingo industry as the minister played a [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory, UK Bingo Hall News

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 [...]

Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Hall News

Labour MPs reject tax cut for bingo clubs

Posted by Debbie Archer on 9 July 2009

A proposal to change the taxation on bingo clubs has failed after Labour MPs failed to back the plans. SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie had proposed an amendment to the Finance Bill which would have cut the tax charged on bingo halls from 22% down to 15%. But in yesterday’s House of Commons debate the proposal was [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory

HMRC appeals Mecca Bingo VAT ruling

Posted by Debbie Archer on 8 July 2009

Mecca Bingo has been advised that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has lodged an appeal against last month’s High Court ruling that the bingo company was entitled to a £59.1 million VAT refund. In May and August 2008, the VAT & Duties Tribunal upheld Rank’s respective claims that the inconsistent application of VAT to games [...]

Legal and regulatory, Mecca Bingo

Bingo protestors target House of Commons

Posted by Debbie Archer on 1 July 2009

Around 200 bingo players gathered at the House of Commons at lunchtime today to protest the government’s tax changes that were passed in the last Budget. They were joined by MPs who back their campaign; more than 100 MPs have signed an early day motion asking for the tax regime to be changed, including more than [...]

Legal and regulatory

European lawyers say online bingo legislation is slow to arrive

Posted by Debbie Archer on 17 June 2009

Online bingo operators will soon be able to work legally in the Italian market but the French, Spanish and German markets will take much longer to open up, top gaming lawyers told the Online Bingo Summit 2009. A panel of four lawyers said that legislation would eventually arrive but that it would take time before all [...]

Legal and regulatory

Deloitte hails Mecca Bingo VAT decision

Posted by Debbie Archer on 9 June 2009

Tax accountants Deloitte have hailed the decision of the High Court that Mecca Bingo’s parent company, Rank Group, should receive a massive £59.1 million VAT refund. Tony McClenaghan, senior indirect tax partner at Deloitte, who advised Rank, said: “This is a landmark decision endorsing one of the most important principles of Community law, fiscal neutrality. [...]

Legal and regulatory, Mecca Bingo

Mecca Bingo wins £59 million VAT case

Posted by Debbie Archer on 8 June 2009

The High Court today upheld a ruling that Mecca Bingo’s parent company, Rank Group, is entitled to a £59.1 million VAT refund. The High Court ruled that Mecca Bingo overpaid VAT on interval bingo and gaming machines and that last year’s rulings by the VAT & Duties Tribunal were correct. The Tribunal had said that an [...]

Legal and regulatory, Mecca Bingo

Bingo.com still losing money

Posted by Debbie Archer on 18 May 2009

Bingo.com continues to lose money but are very pleased with their progress, according to their first quarter results. Bingo.com lost $243,974 in the first quarter of 2009, 37 per cent less than the $390,282 they lost in the fourth quarter of 2008. Chief executive Tarrnie Williams described it as a “very pleasing first quarter”. First quarter gaming revenue [...]

Bingo.com, Featured, Financial results, Legal and regulatory

Gala Bingo player to call in Gambling Commission

Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 May 2009

A bingo player was escorted from a bingo hall after staging a two hour sit down protest over a £1,000 prize. Elaine Prendergast, 63, claims that she hit a full house during a session at the Gala Bingo hall in Wythenshawe, Manchester but that the caller missed her cry of ‘house’, costing her a £1,000 prize. She [...]

Gala Bingo, Legal and regulatory

French government to launch online bingo website

Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 May 2009

France’s state gambling operator, Francaise des Jeux, is set to launch an online bingo site by the end of the month. The site will offer free bingo initially but will switch to real money play in January 2010 when the French gambling market is liberalised. The bingo software is supplied by NYX Interactive, who also supply bingo [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory, NYX Interactive

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 [...]

Legal and regulatory, Sun Bingo, US Bingo Hall News

Legislation to legalize online bingo in United States introduced

Posted by Debbie Archer on 6 May 2009

Online bingo would be legalized in the United States under legislation published by Barney Frank, chairman of the US Financial Services Committee, today. His Internet Gambling Regulation Consumer Protection & Enforcement Act regulation seeks to overturn the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), which effectively outlawed online gambling in the United States when it passed in [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory

Budget blow for bingo clubs – Gala and Mecca hit hard

Posted by Debbie Archer on 23 April 2009

The bingo industry’s campaign to abolish VAT on bingo ticket sales was succesful yesterday – only for Chancellor Alistair Darling to increase taxes on bingo and gaming machines. VAT on bingo will be abolished but Gross Profits Tax (GPT) will increase from 15% to 22% and machine duty will rise 9% from £2,030 to £2,215 per [...]

Featured, Financial results, Gala Bingo, Legal and regulatory, Mecca Bingo

David Miliband a better bingo caller than politician

Posted by Debbie Archer on 21 April 2009

The Foreign Secretary has been hailed as a “fantastic bingo caller” following his debut a a South Shields bingo hall. The praise will be a welcome change for him at a time when his party fights for its political future. David Miliband visited the Mecca Bingo Club in South Shields with Ian Burke, the chief executive of [...]

Legal and regulatory, Mecca Bingo

PRWeb bans online bingo releases after Washington State letter

Posted by Debbie Archer on 21 April 2009

One of the most popular online press release companies has banned bingo companies from using their services. PRWeb have told all online gambling companies that they cannot distribute any press releases on their behalf because they have received a Cease and Desist Order from the State of Washington. PRWeb is also based in the north west [...]

Bingo News, Legal and regulatory

Party Bingo parent company settles with DoJ

Posted by Debbie Archer on 9 April 2009

Party Gaming, the parent company of Party Bingo, has reached a settlement with the American authorities over their ‘illegal’ gambling in the United States. Party Gaming agreed to pay $105 million in penalties over three years as part of a non-prosecution agreement. Lev L. Dassin, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said the [...]

Featured, Financial results, Legal and regulatory, Party Bingo

Codere to keep operating in La Plata

Posted by Debbie Archer on 6 April 2009

Spanish gaming giant Codere has been told they can keep operating Bingo Platense in La Plata, Argentina until a legal ruling over their license is resolved. A judge ruled in January 2009 that Codere should close the Bingo Platense bingo hall in La Plata. The bingo hall in La Plata has sales of 20 million euros a [...]

Legal and regulatory

Royal Mail worker stole to pay for online bingo

Posted by Debbie Archer on 3 March 2009

A Royal Mail worker was jailed for 12 months for stealing more than £75,000 to pay for her addiction to slot machines and online bingo. Patricia Barnes, 39, from Norwich handled special delivery post in the Norwich sorting office for 14 years before being caught in a surveillance operation. She admitted to taking cash to pay [...]

Legal and regulatory

Bingo halls adding B3 machines in a hurry

Posted by Debbie Archer on 13 February 2009

The law allowing bingo halls to increase the number of B3 jackpot gaming machines from four to eight was only changed on 4 February but already bingo halls are seeing the positive effects of the change. Mecca Bingo and Gala Bingo management have ordered bingo halls to increase the number of B3 machines as rapidly as [...]

Gala Bingo, Legal and regulatory, Mecca Bingo, UK Bingo Hall News

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 [...]

Legal and regulatory, US Bingo Hall News

National gambling study shows online bingo play steady

Posted by Debbie Archer on 4 February 2009

The UK Gambling Commission’s quarterly survey of online gambling habits show that online bingo sites have maintained their market share. 1.1% of those surveyed by ICM Omnibus, a market research firm, had played online bingo in the past month. It was the sixth most popular online betting activity, after tickets for the National Lottery draw (7.1%), [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory

Kentucky governor to appeal bingo domains case

Posted by Debbie Archer on 23 January 2009

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear will appeal a court ruling that prevents the state from seizing domain names used by online gambling sites. A Kentucky Court of Appeal ruling had said that domain names did not constitute ‘gambling devices’ and therefore were not liable to seizure. The 2-to-1 court ruling had been greeted by online gambling advocates [...]

Featured, Legal and regulatory

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