State cracks down on electronic bingo machines in Sacramento County

The future of electronic bingo games and the local charities supported by them in Sacramento County is being thrown into question as a number of the bingo operators have been ordered by the state attorney general's office to stop using slot-machine look-alikes.

This is the first time the state has taken direct action to halt the use of electronic bingo machines in the county.

Three local bingo parlors have confirmed receiving letters informing them they have 30 days to remove the "unlawful electronic bingo devices" to avoid further legal action. Those close to the situation expect the area's other operations using electronic bingo machines will soon receive similar notices.

Electronic bingo, or e-bingo as its sometimes called, has been on thin legal ice for years. Just months after Sacramento County passed an ordinance spelling out which types of electronic bingo games were acceptable, the attorney general's office raised doubts. An order in August 2007 reiterated a long-standing state Justice Department position that bingo involves paper games, ink daubers and live callers.

But until Wednesday, the state had not taken any action.

Reached late Thursday, the attorney general's press office was unable to clarify the scope of the legal action and unable to say whether any type of electronic bingo games are acceptable.

In recent years, electronic bingo machines have helped prop up sagging charity bingo receipts. The machines resemble slot machines, but according to their makers they play a networked bingo game.

Since charitable bingo fundraising was authorized by Sacramento County in 1977, it has funded high school extracurricular programs – sports, band and other organizations – and helped feed seniors and support the disabled. But in recent years, revenue has declined.

Doug Pringle, executive director of Disabled Sports USA, which operates a Sacramento County bingo parlor, painted a bleak picture after receiving the notice Thursday.

"We just got ours a couple minutes ago," Pringle said. "My understanding is that they are going to hit all of them."

"It's devastating. It's devastating to my charity and a lot of them around town," said Pringle, who estimated that about half of his group's revenue comes from e-bingo.

Unlike called games, rented e-bingo machines don't require much volunteer support and don't need a crowded hall to make money.

Pringle said he hopes the attorney general or other officials can sit down with operators so they can find out how they can comply with the law.

"We basically want to comply with the law, but we don't want to give away a valuable source of income."

Two other parlors that received the notices are Capitol Freelancers, 7257 E. Southgate Blvd., and Sacramento Bingo Center, 2833 Marconi Ave., according to county officials and documents obtained by The Bee.

Freelancers, which uses the proceeds to benefit its music program, received the notice Wednesday.

The parlors have 30 days to comply with the order. About 400 electronic bingo machines operate in unincorporated Sacramento County.

Tribal gambling operators – which have been pressuring the governor to stop e-bingo – cheered the action.

In March, Indian gambling interests, arguing that the machines infringe on their exclusive rights to operate slot machines, threatened to withhold millions of dollars owed the state.

"Clearly it is a violation of the law and certainly the spirit of the compacts that tribes have with the state of California," said Doug Elmets, a spokesman for the California Tribal Business Alliance. "We're pleased that the attorney general elected to enforce the law."

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