Alabama City Council Approves Electronic Bingo

As the country continues to languish in a recession, bingo revenues continue to suffer. Many areas that depend on bingo will look to approve newer, revenue-generating bingo machines that stretch the legal definition of bingo and blur the lines between slot machines.

From the AP via CBS42.com, July 10, 2009:

Another Alabama city is trying to cash in on casino-style bingo machines.

The Fairfield City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Thursday night to allow electronic bingo operations.

The bingo halls will be allowed to open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The city will receive $100 a month per machine for three years, with the fee jumping to $150 a machine in the fourth year.

The Birmingham suburb joins a growing list of cities with laws to govern electronic bingo operations, even though the legality of the machines is still being debated.

For the article, see Fairfield approves electronic bingo machines

Ohio Casino Opponents Voice Their Concern

A plan to put casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo is a losing bet, state Rep. Dennis E. Murray Jr. said.

However, an alternative proposal that would allow casinos in Lorain, Sandusky and elsewhere could be better for Ohio, he said.

This week, Murray blasted "The Ohio Jobs & Growth Plan" casino proposal and confirmed he has drafted an alternative that would allow casino gambling in any of Ohio's 88 counties. The Sandusky Democrat's district includes Erie County, and he discussed the issue Monday as part of a business and government summit hosted by Erie and Huron county chambers of commerce.

Time will tell whether Ohio legislators and voters see either issue on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Supporters of The Ohio Jobs & Growth Plan, which would put casinos in Ohio's four largest cities, must gather 400,000 signatures by next month to get the issue on the ballot. Backers include casino operator Penn National and Dan Gilbert, the founder of Quicken Loans.

Murray said he would wait to see if the issue makes the ballot before asking Ohio's lawmakers to put a second gambling issue up for a vote.

The Ohio Jobs & Growth Plan promotes $1 billion minimum in private investment, $200 million in licensing fees, $651 million a year for schools, counties, cities and Ohio, with 20,000 new jobs, according to its Web site, www.ohiojobsandgrowth.org.

Even so, it is not a winner, Murray said.

For the complete story, please see Richard Payerchin, State Rep. Murray says casino plan a losing bet, The Morning Journal, June 24, 2009.

Casino Backers Reprimanded

A Mahoning County judge issued a temporary restraining order against backers of a proposed four-casino plan after two of its petition circulators were seen in a secretly taped video giving voters incorrect information about the measure.

Judge James Evans granted the restraining order to Mahoning County Democratic Party Chair David Betras and Mahoning County Commissioner John McNally who used the video to sue the Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee. The order requires circulators to obey the law but still allows backers of the proposal to collect signatures needed to get the measure on the ballot this fall.

In a two-page order, Evans blocked the committee "from misrepresenting the contents, purpose or effect of the initiative proposing an amendment to the Ohio Constitution to authorize a single casino within each of the cities of Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo."

For the complete story, please see Reginald Fields, Judge to casino circulators: be truthful; backers say no problem, The Plain Dealer, June 5, 2009.

Smoking Ban Passes Michigan House

The Michigan House of Representatives has again passed a smoking ban. This version will exempt casinos and tobacco shops.

However, there is no word yet on whether or not charity bingos may join that list. Last year's smoking ban legislation (which eventually expired before a compromise could be reached) did include nonprofit bingos amongst their exemptions.

From The Detroit News:

The debate about a possible workplace smoking ban in Michigan continues.

A state House committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would ban smoking at most workplaces including bars and restaurants. But casinos and tobacco shops would be exempt from the ban, similar to plans approved by the Democrat-led House in 2007 and 2008.

The Republican-led Senate has not taken up a smoking ban bill this year. The Senate approved a ban with no exceptions last year. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop of Rochester said no deal has been reached on a compromise.

The Senate and House would have to agree on a version of the ban for it to become law.

Electronic Bingo Hall Moves Ahead Despite Death of Bingo Bill

Enterprise developer Ronnie Gilley said last week the bingo bill may be dead for now, but the Country Crossing mega-entertainment park isn’t.

“We’re marching on,” said Gilley last week after Alabama legislators allowed the Sweet Home Alabama bill to die in the Senate Rules Committee.

The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Quinton Ross of Montgomery and Rep. Marcel Black of Tuscumbia, would have regulated and taxed electronic bingo in Alabama and allowed a statewide referendum. Its death, however, does not stop Gilley’s plans for an electronic bingo hall at Country Crossing, where the primary focus will be on high-quality entertainment, celebrity-themed restaurants and luxury hotels.

“We’re moving full steam ahead,” Gilley said. “Construction activity will pick up dramatically in the next two to three weeks.”

For the complete story, please see Kay Kirkland, Bingo bill dies, development moves ahead, The Southeast Sun, May 13, 2009.

Smoking Ban Update

Smoking Ban discussions continue to swirl around the Michigan legislature.

On tuesday, the House Regulatory Reform Committee adjourned without taking any action on HB-4377, the newest anti-smoking bill. Both proponents and opponents testified both for and against the concept however nothing new was uncovered. HB-4377 will be the bill that will see action and that bill will be taken up on April 22nd. So far, there is no information on whether casino, bingo, smoke shop, or other exemptions will be attached.

The Legislature now goes on break until April 20th.

Governor Pushes for Change in Bingo Decision

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - In a move that is anything but surprising Governor Bob Riley asked the Alabama Supreme Court on Monday to throw out a ruling in the White Hall Gaming Center case.

The Governor's office contends that the judge, former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Mark Kennedy, should have recused himself of the case immediately for his work for an Indian casino. Governor Riley and the Governor's Task Force on Illegal Gambling also asked the Supreme Court for an immediate stay of Judge Kennedy's order until the Supreme Court has a chance to consider the appeal.

Kennedy's Saturday afternoon ruling ordered the state to return cash and gaming machines seized during the March 19 raid within five days. It also ordered the state not to interfere with the White Hall Gaming Center's operations until a final ruling in the case.

For the complete story, please see Governor wants bingo ruling tossed, WSFA 12 News, March 29, 2009.

Smoking Ban Update (Friday)

The Latest:

Our sources are at the Capitol are telling us to expect nothing new to happen this week (only today left anyway)and they are doubtful that anything will happen next week as well. Of course, this is politics and things often surprise us.

The House wants their smoking ban exemptions for casinos, bingo halls, and private clubs to remain in place, while the Senate wants no exemptions. At the moment, both sides seem firm in their positions.

Smoking Ban Update

Will Michigan bingos, private clubs, and non-native american casinos be exempt from a smoking ban? Stay tuned as we are hearing new information (and usually conflicting information) all of the time.

The latest from the Detroit News:

LANSING -- House Democrats are scrambling to decide how they will handle surprise Senate-passed legislation that broadens their own ban on smoking in restaurants, bars and other workplaces.

The Senate version, passed last week, prohibits smoking indoors, including cigar bars, bingo parlors and Detroit's three casinos -- three places exempted from a no-smoking bill the House approved in 2007. Some members of the Detroit delegation in the House and the bill's sponsor, Rep. Brenda Clack, D-Flint, still prefer the exemptions, especially those for the casinos.

For the full story, please see Gary Heinlein Smoking ban vote delayed, Detroit News, May 15, 2008.