California tribes and charities fight over bingo

Friday, August 15, 2008  

Some California tribes are warning of casinos on every corner if charities are allowed to operate electronic bingo machines.

The California Tribal Business Alliance says some charity bingo halls are offering games that don't comply with state law. The devices look more like slot machines, the small tribal group says.

"If you say this is okay, you'll have these in all the card clubs," Alison Harvey, the executive director of CTBA, told The Capitol Weekly. "You'll have casinos on every corner."

Similar arguments were made against tribal casinos when the issue was put to voters, the California Charity Bingo Association points out. "It's absolutely hypocritical," Ravi Mehta, the group's lobbyist, said.

The state says some of the machines at the bingo halls are illegal. But a federal judge issued an injunction to protect the machines while a lawsuit is being resolved.

Get the Story:
Tribes, bingo operators at war (The Capitol Weekly 8/14)