December 2007 Archives

A 21-year-old man faces robbery charges after the Holiday Inn and the Kawartha Club Bingo were robbed Dec. 30.

According to City police, the stealing spree began at 4:15 a.m. when police got a call about a robbery at the Holiday Inn on George Street. The accused went to the front counter holding a knife in his hand and demanded money from the woman at the desk, police said. At the time officers checked the area but couldn't find the suspect.

However, the robber continued to press his luck, police said, and made his way to Kawartha Club Bingo on Clonsilla Avenue around 7 p.m. the same day. Police received alarm and 911 calls from the place regarding a robbery in progress. According to police, the man went into the hall with his face covered in a disguise. He went to the counter and pointed a sharp object at the clerk, demanding money.
 
The clerk left the area and the accused removed cash from the tills, police said.
Then the accused left the area and was tackled by a patron of the bingo hall where the patron was able to get some of the cash back.  The accused then ran from the area but was found by police a short time later in the area of Eagle Crescent and Glenforest Boulevard.

Jarrod George Shook, of no fixed address, is charged with robbery. The majority of the cash from the bingo hall was recovered. No one was hurt in either robbery.

Written by Lindsey Cole
www.mykawartha.com
 

A rather emotive headline recently made this statement - "Britain's bingo industry could be dead in 12 months - killed off by the Smoking Ban!"  The accompanying article went on to list all the dreadful things the Government had brought on the bingo industry by introducing the Smoking Ban.

Claiming that over 20,000 jobs were at risk unless the Government stepped in to take action, and almost, but not in some many words, asking that the Smoking Ban be rescinded, as it was dealing a death blow to the bingo industry.

The claims became even more emotional with statements such as allegations that at least a third of the country's 560 bingo halls would be shut within a year!  And that the game had lost more than 630,000 players since the actual introduction of the smoking ban in the UK - and the worst one of all - that the UK bingo industry could be totally wiped out in 2008!

Now it's true that before the Smoking Ban, 3½ million people were playing bingo, on average, per week - more people than attend footy matches.

Now, many of us are either solid bingo players, or sometimes bingo players.  Personally, I love the game BUT good lord let's take a serious look at our priorities here, and instead of having a go at our Government, get down on our knees and thank them for the Smoking Ban.  After all, they are only bringing us closer to what other countries have long since done - banned smoking within public places.

Okay, the thought of 20,000 lost jobs is upsetting.  BUT, shouldn't we all be more upset by the 38,300 new cases of lung cancer cropping up in the UK each year?  And folks, 90% of that 38,300 cases of lung cancer is caused by either smoking or passive smoking - that's 34,200 new cases of lung cancer (in the UK alone) due to smoking - EACH YEAR.

And that's not all we can thank smoking (direct and passive) for!  Smoking is the cause of 120,000 preventable deaths in the UK each year. Refining the time down to stress the importance, a smoker dies every 5 minutes from smoking related diseases in the UK.

So what other diseases does smoking attribute to?  Responsible for 26,000 deaths from heart diseases, with at least 80% of heart attacks in men under 45% linked to cigarette smoking.  Just one last fact, to finish this dismal news section - respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema kill nearly 30,000 people in the UK each year - with 80% caused be smoking.

So compare, why don't you, the facts.  The possible loss of 20,000 jobs and the reduction of all those thousands and thousands of deaths each year, after year, after year.

Admittedly, its really disappointing that Mecca Bingo (the bingo giant amongst giants) has temporarily frozen its expansion plans and its share price is halved compared to last year's BUT Mecca will undoubtedly recover as it has before.

I agree with an official of the UK Bingo Association, when he said that it was frightening to consider that a pastime that has given pleasure to millions could disappear!  BUT WHAT'S MORE FRIGHTENING is that thousands and thousands of people will go on dying each year when it could be prevented - or at least reduced.

Written by Denise

www.unluckyforsome.co.uk

When Brudley and Nancy Kibodeaux were killed in a drunk-driving crash a little over four months ago, much of the work they did to help less fortunate children could have died with them.

But, their family members and members of the New Iberia Jaycees are trying to make sure their work remains alive and well.

That is why they have organized the Brudley and Nancy Kibodeaux Memorial Fund New Year's Eve Gala to help raise money for kids in the Teche Area."This is actually something he (Brudley) started prior to his death so we just continued to finalize the preparations," said Lisa Duhon, one of Brudley's sisters.

Duhon and her sister Colleen Moreaux and Colleen's daughter, Misti Moreaux, were delivering decorations and party favors to the Village Bingo Hall in New Iberia Saturday afternoon to get ready for the big event Monday night.

Brudley and Nancy Kibodeaux were killed Aug. 9 in a head-on crash on Louisiana 182. The driver of the other vehicle, Cody Lafleur, 25, of New Iberia admitted to using alcohol and drugs before the crash, according to court documents.

Duhon said one children's program Brudley would organize at Christmas time called Shop and Assistance for Needy Children, was already impacted because of Brudley's death.

"In the past, we took 157 (children) shopping," she said. "This year, we were freaking out because we didn't have Brudley and Nancy to help raise the money."

Duhon said by Christmas time, she and others were only able to raise enough money for 60 kids, but they hope to change all that with money raised during the New Year's Eve gala.

Because Brudley and Nancy were killed in a drunk-driving crash, Moreaux said they wanted to make sure people, who have had too much to drink, would have a ride home from the gala.

Mark Dressel of Mark's Towing in New Iberia has rented a van to drive people home and has offered to tow their cars home as well, free of charge.

The gala kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Village Bingo, 2511 W. Old Spanish Trail. Entertainment will feature "Acadiana's Funkiest Band, Fifth Avenue and comedian "Poo Poo" Broussard.

Tickets are $50 per person, which includes party favors and a food tray on your table. You must bring your own alcohol to drink.

Tickets can be purchased at Little Susan's or Bangles Baskets & Scents on Admiral Doyle in New Iberia or by calling Colleen Moreaux at 519-3674 or Village Bingo at 365-1369.

Written by Kenneth Hickson, The Daily Iberian
www.iberianet.com

A SPECIAL SERIES

The state may be taking a gamble by not exempting casinos and bingo parlors from the upcoming statewide smoking ban.

Tom Swoik, executive director of the Illinois Casino and Gaming Association, predicts that casinos will lose as much as 20 percent of their revenues, and the state will lose $144 million in taxes.

He and many legislators pushed for casinos to be exempt from the Smoke Free Illinois Act, but gamblers will have to put out their cigarettes beginning Tuesday because the effort was unsuccessful.

"It's a tough situation to fight," Swoik said. "There is obviously a correlation between smoking and gambling."

As many as 70 percent of Illinois casino-goers smoke, Swoik estimated.

But Rob Stillwell, spokesman for Boyd Gaming, which owns the Par-A-Dice Riverboat Casino, said smokers will have "convenient options" at the Par-A-Dice. The casino has several heated and lighted smoking shelters that follow smoking ban requirements.

"We're excited about smoking options at our

facility," Stillwell said. "We believe they will minimize the inconvenience."

The Par-A-Dice will be smoke free at 11 p.m. Monday, an hour before the statewide ban goes into effect, because Stillwell said they want to ease smokers into the new law.

But the Par-A-Dice isn't the only place in central Illinois where gamblers will have to put out their cigarettes. Peoria's Off-Track Betting, located in Landmark Recreation Center, also draws many smokers, said manager Doug Holmes.

"I don't think there is any doubt we will have a loss of business," he said. "But we may gain some gamblers who want a smoke-free environment. It's a double-bladed sword."

Landmark is building a smoking patio 15-feet from the building to keep patrons who smoke. Holmes said the patio got a late start because the state just recently told him OTB wouldn't be exempt.

"They told us to hold out," he said. "And now we're scrambling at the last minute to show our patrons we're thinking about them."

Max Riddle, manager of Tazewell Bingo Center, said he is also thinking about his estimated 80 percent of customers who smoke.

"My patrons keep asking me what we are going to do," he said. "What can you do? You can vote against the people who voted for the law, but you still have to follow it."

Riddle said bingo will start 15 minutes earlier every night, allowing for an extra smoke break. He said the bingo center picked up business from Bloomington when it went smoke free a year ago, but Riddle said he will likely lose those customers. He is now hoping to gain non-smoking patrons who didn't come before the ban.

"I'm not sure what's going to happen," Riddle said. "It should be interesting, because now it's an even playing field."

Shirley Fryxell, of Peoria said she goes to Tazewell Bingo Center about once a week and always smokes when she plays. Though she likes to have a cigarette during bingo, she said the smoking ban won't keep her from playing - she just won't be as lucky.

"I'm not real superstitious," she said. "But it seems like if I don't smoke, I can't win."

Written by Erin Wood of the Journal Star

www.pjstar.com

Bingo and cigarettes will no longer go hand in hand at the Shippensburg Firefighters Activities Center starting Jan. 1.

The board -- after years of discussion -- voted in September to go smoke-free starting in 2008. The change has been advertised to patrons, and so far has been well received, SFAC chairman Carolyn Kerns said.

"We've talked about it for a couple years now, and finally decided that we needed to make a decision," Kerns said. "It's a decision that is best for both our patrons and our volunteers."

SFAC will now join the ranks of a handful of Franklin County fire departments -- including Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Hose Company of Greencastle -- that have already made the switch.

Kerns said they've "heard a few grumblings," but said overall comments have been positive. She added that the town's fire departments have supported the decision.

"We've explained our reasons to (our patrons who smoke), and most of them seem to be OK with it," she said.

SFAC is used regularly by Shippensburg's three departments -- Cumberland Valley Hose Co., Vigilant Hose Co. and West End Fire and Rescue -- and is rented out for use by local organizations, and for banquets and receptions.

The ban will impact anyone who uses the center, but the pinch will be biggest at bingo.

Kerns said an estimated 85 percent of the bingo patrons are smokers. They'll have to kick the habit while indoors, but said they're allowed to smoke outside of the building.

"We're expecting that we might see a small drop in attendance early on," Kerns said. "But what we've been told is that attendance overall goes back up."

That's what happened at Rescue Hose Company of Greencastle, firefighter Brian Luger said.

Greencastle made the switch more than four years ago, while Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Department banned smoking in June.

President Mark Bumbaugh said an average of 60 patrons a night attended Fayetteville's weekly bingo games when smoking was permitted. He said that number increased to 85 to 90 a night once the new policy was enforced.

Volunteer manpower also increased as the smoke cloud cleared, he said.

"I think it's the best thing we ever did," Bumbaugh said. "It makes for a better environment for everyone involved."

Kerns said she's expecting bingo "addicts" to weather the change, and said she also hopes a new crop of patrons will join SFAC. She also thinks the smoke-free conditions will help the firefighter volunteers.

No smoke will save maintenance expenditures, she added.

She said SFAC owners in recent years installed a smoke-eater system, which cleared some of the smoke but raised the maintenance costs.

She said the system "cost a couple grand," and requires annual filter replacements that come with a price tag of about $1,000.

Kerns added the smoke has yellowed the walls, which now need to be repainted at least once every other year.

"Smoking is a dirty habit. I know because I was a smoker at one time," she said. "It wasn't necessarily an easy decision, but it was the right decision."

Written by Tracy Panzer

www.publicopiniononline.com

The Firstenburg Community Center's latest fitness program puts a new spin on bingo.

Instead of anxiously awaiting B-7 or N-33 to pop out of a hopper, players punch their own cards by exercising, eating right and educating themselves about healthy lifestyles.

The Fitness Bingo Challenge, which debuts next month, helps players make good on New Year's resolutions through games and competition.

A $25 fee includes a set of 12 modified bingo cards - one per week.

Each card follows the traditional bingo format: five rows, five columns and a free square in the middle. But instead of waiting for numbers to be called, players mark off boxes by doing the listed activities.

The activities range from the strenuous (run or walk 2 miles) to the sedentary (read a health article). Other boxes are filled with food-related goals, such as eating two fruits and three vegetables.

Players fill in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal row, or they try to black out the entire card. Prize drawings will be held for those fill in one row, two rows or the whole card.

Terry Harper, fitness coordinator at the center, isn't sure what prizes will be offered. She envisions a gift certificate to a movie theater, a yoga mat or a fitness ball. The more squares filled in, the better the prizes.

Harper started a similar game for her co-workers when she was fitness director at Hewlett-Packard Co. from 2002 to 2004.

It's no coincidence that the program kicks off while New Year's resolutions are fresh.

"There are a lot of people out there who don't know how to get started, so hopefully this will be a tool," Harper said.

Registration ends Jan. 15, and the 12-week contest begins the following week. Players don't need to be Firstenburg members to participate, but a gym membership is helpful, Harper said.

For more information about the challenge, call 360-487-7018. To register, call 360-487-7001.

Harper hopes players stay motivated long after drinking eight glasses of water per day doesn't mean a "bingo."

"Everyone knows you're supposed to work out," she said. "But these programs hopefully help motivate people."

Written by Matt Wastradowski Columbian Staff Writer

www.columbian.com

Since Dakota Dunes Casino opened earlier this year, fewer people are frequenting city bingo halls for their chance at a jackpot.

This leaves local organizations that rely on bingos for fundraising efforts with less winnings.

The $61-million Dakota Dunes Casino opened its 84,000-square-foot facility in mid-August and has eclipsed the gaming experience at the city's four modest bingo halls.

"It's pretty hard to compete against cars and motorcycles and whatever they're giving away," said Barb Diekema, manager of Lucky Bucks Bingo, where the top prize is $1,000.

Since the new casino opened, Lucky Bucks has experienced a 10 per cent drop in revenue, she said.

Dakota Dunes offers gamblers 625 slot machines and 16 table games, but no bingo. That doesn't matter, said Joanne Senebald, manager of ClubWest Bingo, "it's still gambling."

Thursdays used to be busy at her hall, but no longer are.

Once players realize their money lasts longer at the bingo hall, she said she's confident they'll return.

"You can lose too fast there," she said. "In an hour, let's face it, you could probably lose a lot of money, where as at least here you have a chance and it's slower."

But the casino is just another bad hand dealt to the bingo industry, said Doug Paulsen, general manager of City Centre Bingo.

"It's just another hit," he said, adding that VLTs and the smoking bylaw has caused people to look for entertainment alternatives.

His hall's capacity is 1,000 people but it only averages about 175 to 180 players per night, he said.

That's about 20 to 30 people less than before, translating into a 10 per cent drop in revenue.

"If you're at 25 per cent capacity you're doing all right."

Paulsen is working on a few special promotions to get more bingo dabbers though his doors.

"It affects the charities because everybody's on profit sharing and the less people who come through the doors the less money the charities make at the end of the month," he said. It will affect 60 different organizations that rely on his bingo hall for funding, he said. Members of the various organizations work at bingo halls and a portion of the revenue goes to that group. Money from Lucky Bucks goes to 52 organizations, while ClubWest has 28 groups with which they work.

Without money raised from working at bingo halls, it would be tough for Clint Diekema to operate Diekema Taekwondo club.

Money raised helps lower the rent of his training space, buys new equipment and provides families with three or four kids enrolled the opportunity for a reduced membership fee.

"It's a really good, easy way to do fundraising," he said. But with less of it, they may lose members and have to find another fundraising option.

Dakota Dunes Casino is operated by Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority. Casino profits are split this way: 25 per cent to the provincial government, 50 per cent to the First Nations Trust Fund and 25 per cent to the local community development corporation.

No one from the casino was available for comment.

Written by Matthew Kruchak, The StarPhoenix

www.canada.com

Rumors have been swirling for years around San Jose's senior-center bingo circuit: Volunteers who collect cash, pass out cookies and verify score cards seem to win more often than players who don't help out. Or so some say.

"Baloney," said Bill Ashlock, 84, a staunch supporter of San Jose's Southside Senior Center bingo volunteers. There's no way to rig a machine that randomly sucks winning balls through a plastic tube, the volunteers insist.

"Is this just coming from a couple of paranoid people who love to gripe and have an ax to grind?" Ashlock said.

Suddenly, though, the grinding has reached City Hall. Starting Jan. 30, bingo lovers no longer will be allowed to volunteer and play on the same day. The city attorney's office and police department recommended the idea.

"This is about public perception where people are playing and working at the same time," said Diane Lindberg, acting recreation superintendent.

Nobody's getting rich on San Jose's senior bingo, where a big payday is maybe $75.

Still, eight of the city's nine senior centers have agreed to rotate volunteers so they can work one week and play bingo the next. But Southside's Bingo Committee is so incensed by the new rule that its 13 members are threatening to shut down the center's 28-year bingo tradition.

The Southside seniors planned to quit just before Christmas but were able to stall the new guideline until the end of January. They hope to meet with the parks and recreation department before that to try to work out a compromise.

The city's proposal "is not an unreasonable request," said Judy Nadler, a self-described bingo lover and senior fellow of government ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. "I know they're thinking, 'Maybe others are dishonest, but I'm not,'" but that's not the point. The point is that you want to prove to the public that there is absolutely no way the volunteers could have had a hand in any of the games."

No one wants bingo at Southside to fold. The games raise $15,000 a year for the center and give seniors something to look forward to every Tuesday.

"We're here to play," said Pat Bias, 62, president of Southside's bingo committee, whose 13 volunteers pick up doughnuts, sell bingo packs, count customers, call the games, hand out door prizes, clean up, count money and keep the books. "And if we can't play, then we'll just find somewhere else to go, like church or the Lion's Club."

On their last game before the new year, nearly 100 seniors sat at long folding tables, marking score cards with bingo markers of teal, purple and red. The mood was festive. Many players kept stashes of jelly beans, candy corn and other sweets by their side for sustenance during the game.

When the bingo caller barked out the first number, a hush fell over the room.

Many of the die-hard bingo players at Southside don't think there's any need to fix what they feel isn't broken. Without Tuesday's game, the week just wouldn't be the same for Jane Savage, 78.

"Tuesday is my day," she said. "No one bugs me on Tuesday. That's the day I have lunch with my friends. What am I supposed to do without bingo? Sit around with the old man watching TV?"

Written by Lisa Fernandez

www.contracostatimes.com

ATE Online is reporting that Mecca Bingo is hiring voice messaging company Qire to helm its new telemarketing campaign.

The popular online bingo and land-based bingo operator has authorized Qire to begin a dialogue with Mecca's customers in order to gain an insight to its customers' needs.

Mecca Bingo's database manager Tim Dalton said: "Quire has provided excellent support throughout the process.

"The deciding factor for us was that Quire offers an extremely cost effective solution; it only charges for the numbers it returns, compared with many alternative companies who charge based on the volume of records processed, regardless of how many numbers are generated."

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

Bingo Cafe have a fantastic weekly cash draw at their online bingo site every single week and £1,000 must be won! This brilliant cash draw is free to enter and someone will win it and it could be you!

You can earn those all important cash draw tickets from 6pm Saturday to 6pm Saturday the following week and the more tickets you earn then the more chances you will have of walking away with a cool £1,000, but as they say only one ticket can win it!

You are also able to check how many tickets you have for the prize draw each week at the Bingo Cafe website at any time during the week.

If you think that is good then check this out as that is not all at the Bingo Cafe, as they also have a great "Second Chance Cash Draw" played every week at their bingo site, where every single week three Lucky players will win £100.00 each! To gain prize draw tickets all you need to do is purchase cards for the £200.00 Coffee Cup game, which is played on a Saturday night and for every card you purchase you will receive one entry into this fab cash draw, simple!

Play at Bingo Cafe here

Written by Hollie
www.unluckyforsome.co.uk

TOWN OF TONAWANDA -- When people think of Christmas traditions, many things come to mind: twinkling lights, holiday feasts, roaring fires and, of course, presents piled high under the tree.

But at Temple Beth El, the town's Jewish residents added a new activity into the mix this year. The temple hosted a bingo game Christmas night after a several year hiatus, said Administrative Coordinator Michele Lynch.

"We haven't done it in a couple of years, but we're reactivating it," Lynch said. "The Jewish people and plenty of others like to come out, especially since everything else is usually done in the morning time."

Temple president Ed Drozen called the game Christmas night and said in the past Christmas night games typically draw more than the 150 players a regular weekly bingo game pulls in.

"Bingo appeals to a lot of seniors," Drozen said. "We get everybody in, especially on Christmas. We see Jews and Christians, white, black and Asian."

Armand Morrison belongs to the temple and brought his young family out to play after hearing about the event. Finding an activity to occupy their time on Christmas was no easy task, he said.

"We went to a movie earlier," Morrison said. "But when we were looking for a place to eat, we couldn't find one and ended up eating at home."

John Snyder said he only comes out for bingo occasionally, when he's in the mood. Tuesday night was the first time he and his wife, Debra, have ever played on Christmas.

"I was in the mood tonight and I wanted to spend the time with my wife," Snyder said. "If I didn't come, she probably would have come by herself."

Debra said she plays at least once a week around town at different places, including St. Andrews.

Drozen calls bingo games about once a month and sees many of the regular players around the community and in his neighborhood. He even met his wife at a bingo game.

"I won the grand prize at bingo that time," Drozen said with a laugh.

That story emphasizes the way people can make lasting friendships when involved in the community nature of bingo, which is about more than the gambling aspect, Drozen said. For many, bingo is a primarily social event where they can spend a small amount of money and have a good time with the added possibility of walking away with a big prize.

"Lots of our regulars sit at the same table with the same people, come at the same time, even park in the same place," Drozen said.

Tuesday's game drew fewer than 100 people, far less than had been anticipated. But the organizers decided to give everyone a present and play the game anyway, at a loss, to give out the regular cash prizes. As a result, the game ran for just over two hours, with several people walking away slightly richer. And while it might not be the most traditional Christmas activity, bingo certainly brings people together, Drozen said.

"There are a fair number of people who don't have a lot of people to interact with at the holidays," Drozen said. "If their activities with friends and family are over, we invite them to come out and play bingo with us."

Written by Daniel Pye
www.tonawanda-news.com

The word palace conjures up visions of beauty and luxury, something that would be fitting for a queen, but in the small town of Atmore, Alabama, they are about to receive a different kind of palace.

Wind Creek Casino Hotel and Resort has begun to be built. The casino will be a sixteen story bingo palace. The resort is expected to cost in the range of $250 million. It is set to be open in 2009.

The bingo palace is not completely planned as of yet, but one thing is certain, many bingo machines will be present.

The community is need of the economic impact that the palace will bring. 700 new jobs are expected to be created from the project. The actual building of the resort will also provide jobs in construction and bring money into the area from supply needs.

"This would bring in much needed jobs, good paying jobs with benefits. There are so many of our residents who are having to go out of town for work," said Pickern Grocery owner Danny Pickern.

The city itself has purchased 650 acres of land across from the casino site. The hope is to build up the area commercially in hopes it will be supported by the casino and its patrons.

www.casinogamblingweb.com

Harrah's Entertainment, the American gaming giant, has appointed advisers to explore strategic options in the European gambling market, including a potential bid for UK casino and bingo group Rank.

	Harrah's has already made one abortive approach to Rank

The Las Vegas-based owner of London Clubs International, the UK casino operator, has appointed Morgan Stanley and Rank's former broker, Deutsche Bank, to review its European options.

Harrah's, which also owns 40 mega casinos in three countries under the Harrah's, Caesars and Horseshoe brands, is itself the subject of a $17.1bn (£8.6bn) takeover by private equity groups Apollo and TPG, and is not expected to make any immediate move. The Harrah's takeover is expected to complete shortly.

Harrah's has, however, already made one abortive approach to Rank, which is currently on a valuation of just over £350m after its Mecca bingo business was clobbered by the smoking ban and a sharp cut in the permitted number of £500 jackpot machines. Rank has recently rebuffed an approach from Duke Street Capital for its bingo business.

Last month, Harrah's proposed injecting the majority of London Clubs' casinos into Rank in return for a stake of around 28pc in the combined group.

Since then, Malaysian casino operator Genting, which owns Stanley casinos in the UK, has taken a stake of over 9pc in Rank, while the family-controlled UK property developer Richardson Capital has acquired a similar-sized holding.

One source close to the situation said: "I think this is a slow-burn situation for Harrah's. There's not a huge amount going on at the moment but they can move pretty quickly if they need to."

Harrah's and Genting tussled over London Clubs, which the US operator acquired in August 2006 for £279m. At the time Genting held a 28pc stake in London Clubs, but decided to sell to Harrah's rather than launch a counter bid.

One analyst said: "Whatever happens, this is the beginning of the end for Rank."

Morgan Stanley and Deutsche's remit extends to examining opportunities if the Government reintroduces legislation for an additional 16 casinos in Britain. The two banks are also reviewing opportunities for Harrah's in mainland Europe. None of the parties involved would comment.

Written by Alistair Osborne and Ben Harrington

www.telegraph.co.uk

Reedsport - Every Sunday afternoon this winter, a group of citizens in Reedsport come together to try their luck at bingo, but this past Sunday, it wasn't typical game day.

For them, they had a new mission, not just to win, but to help out a local cause.

About two dozen bingo fans, who play over at the Lower Umpqua Community Center, collected foods, including canned goods, flour and water for the first time to give to the Reedsport food pantry.

Patricia Coleman, who's from the center's board, says they saw the need and decided to act on it. Although they are a small group, she feels every bit helps during the holidays.

"It's down to such a strain on the food banks that every item, dollar is important," says Coleman. "It doesn't look like it's going to get better in the near future to help feed people."

She adds that they plan to do this project more often in the coming months.

Written by Azenith Smith
www.kcby.com

Grandma? Cheating at bingo? No way.

But rumors have been swirling for years around San Jose's senior-center bingo circuit: Volunteers who collect cash, pass out cookies and verify score cards seem to win more often than players who don't help out. Or so some say.

"Baloney," retorts 84-year-old Bill Ashlock, a staunch supporter of San Jose's Southside Senior Center bingo volunteers. There's no way to rig a machine that randomly sucks winning balls through a plastic tube, the volunteers insist.

"Is this just coming from a couple of paranoid people who love to gripe and have an ax to grind?" Ashlock asked.

If so, the grinding has reached City Hall. Starting Jan. 30, bingo lovers will no longer be allowed to volunteer and play on the same day in city-owned senior centers. The city attorney's office and police department recommended the idea.

"This is about public perception where people are playing and working at the same time," said Diane Lindberg, acting recreation superintendent.

Nobody's getting rich on San Jose's senior bingo, where a big payday is maybe $75.

Still, eight of the city's nine senior centers have agreed to rotate volunteers so they can work one week and play bingo the next. But Southside's bingo committee is so incensed by the new rule that its 13 members are threatening to shut down the center's 28-year bingo tradition.

The Southside seniors planned to quit just before Christmas but were able to stall the new guideline until the end of January. They hope to meet with the parks and recreation department before then to try to work out a compromise.

The city's proposal "is not an unreasonable request," said Judy Nadler, a self-described bingo lover and senior fellow of government ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. "I know they're thinking, 'Maybe others are dishonest, but I'm not,' but that's not the point. The point is that you want to prove to the public that there is absolutely no way the volunteers could have had a hand in any of the games."

No one wants bingo at Southside to fold. The games raise $15,000 a year for the center and give seniors something to look forward to every Tuesday.

"We're here to play," said Pat Bias, 62, president of Southside's bingo committee, whose 13 volunteers pick up doughnuts, sell bingo packs, count customers, call the games, hand out door prizes, clean up, count money and keep the books. "And if we can't play, then we'll just find somewhere else to go, like church or the Lions Club."

On their last game before the new year, nearly 100 seniors sat at long folding tables, marking bingo cards with markers of teal, purple and red. The mood was festive. Many players kept stashes of jelly beans, candy corn and other sweets by their side for sustenance during the game.

When the bingo caller barked out the first number, a hush fell over the room.

Many of the die-hard bingo players at Southside don't think there's any need to fix what they feel isn't broken. Without Tuesday's game, the week just wouldn't be the same for 78-year-old Jane Savage.

"Tuesday is my day," she said. "No one bugs me on Tuesday. That's the day I have lunch with my friends. What am I supposed to do without bingo? Sit around with the ol' man watching TV?"

Written by Lisa Fernández

www.mercurynews.com

THE private-equity firm Duke Street Capital has made an offer to buy Mecca, the beleaguered bingo operator, from Rank Group.

The buyout firm has written to Ian Burke, Rank's chief executive, with its proposal.

The offer is one of several that Rank, which also owns the Gros-venor casino chain, has received in the past few months. It reportedly rebuffed a proposal from Harrah's, the American casino company, to buy a stake in the business in exchange for its British casinos.

It is understood the Rank board is not keen to pursue a deal with Duke Street and the two sides are thought not to be holding talks. Both parties declined to comment.

Rank has been the subject of intense speculation in recent weeks following a downturn in trading at its bingo arm in the wake of the UK smoking ban.

Malaysian gaming group Genting picked up a 10% stake, fuelling gossip it could be interested in bidding, while property developer Richard-sons Capital has also built an interest. The shares closed at 90½p on Friday, valuing the business at £353m.

Other parties that could be interested in bidding for Rank include Aspers, a joint venture between Dam-ian Aspinall and the Australian tycoon James Packer, and Ladbrokes, the bookmaker.

One worry for potential bidders is that trading in the bingo business could weaken further. Duke Street has some experience of the gaming sector. Ten years ago, it backed a buyout of Ritz bingo, at a time when many people felt that the lottery would kill off the game. Ritz was later sold to Mecca's great rival Gala.

Earlier this month, Rank admitted that trade was so dire it had decided to scrap its full-year dividend and make cuts to ensure it stays within its banking covenants. The company paid a 4p-a-share final dividend last year, and passing on it for 2007 will save it £16m. It also plans to cut its capital spending plans for 2008 from £50m to £20m.

Burke said the group was not planning to close any of its 100 bingo clubs, even though a "handful" of them were losing money even before rent and rates.

Written by Matthew Goodman

www.business.timesonline.co.uk

Milton McGregor, who a year ago was forced to remove casino-like gambling machines from his Birmingham dog track, is pushing forward with plans to bring electronic bingo machines to the facility.

Efforts to reach McGregor for comment were not successful, but Birmingham Racing Commission documents indicate McGregor has agreed to a joint venture with Greenetrack, a Eutaw dog track that has hundreds of the Las Vegas-style bingo machines.

Greenetrack had presented a political roadblock to legislative approval for the machines in Birmingham, because managers of that track feared bingo machines in Birmingham would hurt their business, said W. Kip Keefer, executive director of the Birmingham Racing Commission.

Under current law, the machines are allowed only at Greenetrack and at the VictoryLand track in Shorter, Keefer said.

The Birmingham track owned by McGregor, Birmingham Race Course, was forced by the state Supreme Court a year ago to remove sweepstakes card readers the court judged to violate the prohibition on gambling machines.

The plan to add bingo machines, which, like the sweepstakes machines, are designed to look like casino-style slot machines, would require the passage of a constitutional amendment in a statewide vote.

Details of McGregor's agreement with Greenetrack have not been disclosed, but McGregor told the racing commission at a recent meeting that the two dog tracks agreed "after extensive discussions and negotiations" to create a new joint company. The majority of the new company would be owned by Jefferson County Racing Association, the parent company of the Birmingham track.

Greenetrack officials did not return telephone calls seeking comment, but the track's Web site indicates it has 1,500 "Las Vegas gaming machines" in addition to live dog racing and simulcast racing.

Langford likes the deal:

Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, who then was mayor-elect and as mayor now holds a seat on the racing commission, attended the Oct. 24 commission meeting and endorsed the deal, minutes of that meeting indicate.

Langford also recently said he favors a location adjacent to the dog track for a 60,000-seat sports dome that business leaders want to be built downtown at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.

McGregor was a contributor to Langford's campaign. Efforts to reach Langford for comment were not successful.

McGregor also has said that if he is allowed to place gaming machines at the track, he likely will bring back horse racing.

Keefer, who was manager of the Birmingham track when it last ran horses in 1995, said the track could support horse racing if it had another revenue stream. Horse racing costs about 10 times as much to manage as dog racing, he said. Revenue from simulcast betting and the dogs just isn't enough to finance the return of horse racing, he said. "It's a lot more of a commitment financially."

The deal between Greenetrack and the Birmingham Race Course or the addition of bingo machines doesn't need the approval of the commission, Keefer said, but it's his understanding that the goal is to have the issue on the ballot in November 2008.

Written by Stan Diel

www.al.com

The Times Online is reporting that European online gaming companies are responding to the disappointment of a lackluster compensation deal at the World Trade Organization (WTO) by filing a discrimination complaint against the US over its Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

European gaming companies involved in the filing, some with online bingo operations and online bingo games products, claim the US Department of Justice is in violation of international trade law.  The US recently decided to withdraw from its WTO treaty obligations in order to maintain its UIGEA legislation which disrupts financial transactions between US customers and non-US online gaming companies.

The end result of current US policy is that domestic US online gaming companies enjoy an unfair advantage over their European counterparts.  Online bingo halls in the EU and other international bingo online operators have suffered badly in the wake of the implementation of UIGEA.

At the centre of the filing is the Remote Gaming Association (RGA) whose CEO Clive Hawkswood said: "We have been left with no choice but to pursue all legal avenues available to challenge the US Department of Justice for its discriminatory enforcement activities against European online gaming operators.

"How would US investors and businessmen feel if they invested in a business in the UK based on international law commitments, and then suddenly the UK not only passed new laws forcing them to shut down their business but tried to throw them in jail for past activities, while still allowing their domestic competitors to continue doing the same thing?" Hawkswood added.

A trade compensation deal was arrived at last Monday between the EU and the US allowing European-based gaming companies to access to the US postal and warehouse sectors as compensation for the lack of access to gaming.

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

Poppa would have been proud.

When Lou Constant first started raising a little cash for the Christmas Cheer Board through his annual bingos back in early 1990s, the total was $350. Although the Constant family lost Lou, its husband/father/father-in-law the past year, it never forgot the Cheer Board. And this past Wednesday, Ed Constant presented a cheque worth a grand total of $10,634 to Kai Madsen, the Board's executive director, at the Southdale Community Centre.

"It's been a rough year but we got through," Ed said during a break in the bingo action. "We made it here every week to spend time with what we call family."

That family, namely the bingo daubers, then gave Ed, his brother, Paul and his wife, Jen, and mom/widow, Angela -- all of whom help out -- a standing ovation.

"This started out as the Little Bingo That Could to raise money for the Cheer Board because Dad always thought that Christmas should happen to everyone," said Ed as he turned the cheque over to Kai.

The amount is not only about $3,000 more than was given to the Cheer Board last Christmas, it also represents the largest amount the Constant Family Bingo has ever raised. And we're guessing that the patrons were extra generous the past year out of respect to the much-loved Lou.

"I'm just overwhelmed," Madsen said. "It's far more than what we expected. But obviously, they thought a lot of their dad, who started this process, and the family tradition carries on."

The family has now donated more than $120,000 to the cause over the years. This year, special thanks goes to a list of volunteers that includes, Val, Shirlee, Diane, Pat, Dannie, June, Connie, Sandra, Anita, Joyce, Janice, John, Isabel, Rosemary, Bev, Lorica, callers Ted and Lawson and the family members -- with apologies to anyone overlooked or whose names may have been misspelled.

And a special thank you to Lou, who is obviously missed. This generosity to the Cheer Board's kids means you will all have a great Christmas.

KIRKFIELD CASH: Every Christmas, the Kirkfield Motor Hotel quietly kicks into the Cheer Board without fail. This year, the hotel and Club 3D raised $440 at its annual Christmas party. The company matched each dollar the employees donated.

Thanks and have a wonderful Christmas.

CFB CHALLENGE: Hey, someone finally managed to face the CFB challenge issued by its former manager. My old CFB teammate, Duane Budnick, sent a cheque for $200, collected from ex-CFBers now playing at the St. Vital Curling Club -- namely Ken Armstrong, Paul Armstrong, Duane and Daryl Budnick, Ed DePape, Ron Dobson, Brent Griffin, Merv Satterthwaite, Heinz Warkentin and Mike Zwarycz.

"This donation is from the St. Vital 'CFB East' curling crew in response to the Ross Forbes challenge," Budnick wrote. "We also challenge other St. Vital curlers, especially the Thursday group, to put in $20 to match the contributions."

CD WINNERS: Our latest CD winners are Lorne Huff and Christopher Parker. Come down to pick a pair of CDs (your choice) at the Sun's reception desk between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (but closed Dec. 25 and 26). Congrats.

MAILING: Please send whatever you can spare to The Sun's Empty Stocking Fund, 1700 Church Ave., Wpg., Man. R2X 3A2. Receipts will be issued for donations of $10 or more.

Today's Good People:

Lou Constant Family Bingo ... $10,634

Kirkfield Motor Hotel Management and Staff ... 440

St. Vital's 'CFB East' ... 200

"In Memory of Kristen Holland" ... 50

Antlers Curling Club ... 50

Today's Total ... $11,374

Total to Date ... $35,707

Written by Jim Bender
www.winnipegsun.com

CALGARY & ALBERTA - Local bingo proprietors are smouldering at the prospect of a smokers' migration to a new Native casino on the city's outskirts.

The Tsuu T'ina Nation, which unveiled the Grey Eagle Casino Wednesday at Glenmore Tr. and 37 St. S.W., has applied for a federal bylaw to trump provincial anti-smoking legislation coming into effect Jan. 1 -- and that's bad news for competing bingo halls mandated to clear the air once 2008 kicks off.

With Grey Eagle opening its own bingo room in early January, puffing there gives the new facility an unfair advantage, said Glenda Johnston, manager of Player's Choice Bingo at 3900 12 St. N.E.

"It's totally an unlevel playing field -- in a small hall like ours it's going to have a massive impact," she said, adding she estimates 60 to 70% of her clientele are smokers.

The potential for a puffer exodus was seconded by Donna Miller, manager of the Bingo Barn at 1107 33 St. N.E.

"People go where they're comfortable," she said.

"Hopefully the Natives will come to terms with the fact their health is as important as everyone else's."

Golden Wings Bingo, formerly located at 5115 Crowchild Tr. S.W., is shifting its operations to Grey Eagle and will debut there sometime in the first week or so of the new year.

If approved, the Tsuu T'ina's Nov. 13 smoking bylaw application would come into effect Dec. 23 in accordance with the standard 40-day review period, said Indian Affairs spokesman Glenn Luff.

"Generally, when a provincial law comes into effect ... it applies everywhere, including First Nations, unless there's a bylaw that's been approved by the minister," said Luff, who noted no applications in the past 25 years have failed to generate ministerial approval from Indian Affairs.

"The bylaw that they submitted for the most part bans smoking on the reserve and in public places but does allow, under the discretion of the chief and council, designated smoking areas," he said.

The province presently has no plans to discuss the issue with Tsuu T'ina leaders, Health and Wellness spokesman Howard May said today.

Written by Doug McIntyre, Sun Media

www.calsun.canoe.ca

With 2007 drawing to a close, Gala Bingo has announced the prize money given out so far as part of its High Five promotion.

UK bingo players taking part in the competition have scooped £2.5 million in total in the past three months, the company says.

And the firm adds that one lucky punter had even more reason to celebrate in the summer as the real-life and online bingo worlds joined forces on their biggest contest yet.

"Gala Bingo created the first ever bingo millionaire in July of this year through an integrated competition involving TV, online and clubs called Kerchingo," the company states.

On November 7th, Margaret Ann Venables claimed half of the High Five UK bingo jackpot, securing £437,104, while an equivalent sum was shared between all of the other members of the Gala Bingo club where she was playing.

 

Written by Bob Bardsley.

www.onlinebingo.co.uk

A Bulgarian government proposal aimed at changing the tax on that country's gaming industry has caused much controversy and ended in a deadlock as politicians argue its merits and problems.

The Bulgarian government cabinet's proposal to change the tax on betting firms to a flat 10% on profit from the current 10% on turnover has received stiff criticism from opposition lawmakers who charge the changes are unfairly suiting private interests.

The government's proposal was based on the rational that such a change would ensure a larger share of the tax revenues with the country's State Lottery and State Raffle.  Bulgarian athletes benefit from the subsidies generated through this means.

However, the tax change hit opposition based on the assertion that the law would also cover two private Bulgarian firms owned by Vassil Bozhkov, leading to accusations the tax changes benefited private interests.  The Socialist president of Bulgaria, Georgi Parvanov, also came out against the proposal saying he would veto it.

Should the tax amendment be made law, the online bingo industry and European online bingo games operators could possible be given an inroad into opening operations in Bulgaria.  Bulgarians do not play online bingo in large numbers and the market is limited owing to language and cultural differences, but Bulgaria's recent ascension to European Union status means the market is potentially open for enterprising online bingo halls looking to expand into Eastern Europe.

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

The trend towards making online gambling available to airline passengers has caught on across the Atlantic with US domestic airline JetBlue saying it will be providing WiFi access to internet online gambling services.

This means US passengers who want to play online bingo games could theoretically access a range of online bingo halls and online bingo operations during internal US flights.  The Jet Blue service will primarily allow passengers the chance to place bets on televised sports including channels such as ESPN, NFL networks, Fox and CBS.

A number of European-based airlines have recently announced their intentions to provide Internet access to gaming sites during flights.

Speculation on how games such as bingo online are covered by the gambling legislation of the various European countries during international flights remains mixed.  In the US, passengers will be restricted under the notorious UIGEA legislation from engaging in financial transactions with foreign online gaming operators.

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

While few players would turn their noses up at a £45,000 UK bingo jackpot, one 73-year-old Motherwell bingoer was overcome with shock after a recent victory.

"I was in an awful stew when I was told how much I had won," she explains to the game's operating body.

"I was excited but shocked and I just wanted to get home," she reveals to National Bingo.

Her numbers came up in 43 calls, the fewest taken to achieve a full house by anyone in the country.

And the Gala Bingo Motherwell member expects to be having a great Christmas with the five-figure sum in her bank account.

She might not be the only one with reason to celebrate over the festive season, as a civil servant from Kirkcaldy also recently scooped the UK bingo jackpot.

The 62-year-old claimed £80,000 at Carlton Bingo in Dunfermline recently - and said she intends to bank the money before deciding how to spend it.

 

Written by Bob Bardsley.

www.onlinebingo.co.uk

Six weeks after the owners of a video bingo hall in St. Charles Parish said they would work with the Parish Council to pass a tax on the enterprise, they reversed course Monday and persuaded the council to back away from the proposed 20 percent tax on net proceeds.

Attorney Louis Authement, who represents Luling Leasing LLC, owner of the Luling Bingo Palace, told the council that such a tax might be illegal if it exceeded the cost of regulating the enterprise. He cited an attorney general's opinion supporting the decision. The opinion was written in 1991 and applied to traditional bingo, rather than its electronic counterpart, which is governed by a different state law.

Authement said the opinion, written under the tenure of Attorney General William Guste, indicated that the proposed St. Charles law dedicating 20 percent of the business's net win to recreation would be illegal.

"Just table this and take a look at what other cities are doing," Authement said.

Other cities are levying a 20 percent tax on net revenue. Westwego approved such a measure in March. Hammond, which also levies a 20 percent tax, dedicates 25 percent of the budgeted $760,000 in revenue from its two video bingo establishments to a children's museum.

The town of Richwood, near Monroe, gets 25 percent of the profits of two video bingo halls there.

"I'm not aware of any statute that forbids a tax on video bingo," said Michael Legendre, director of the state's Office of Charitable Gaming.

The council tabled the ordinance levying the tax, with council members Barry Minnich, Lance Marino, April Black, Richard Duhe and Desmond Hilaire voting in favor. Ganesier "Ram" Ramchandran and Clayton "Snookie" Faucheux voted against.

Video bingo has been legal in the state since the early 1990s, but has become more popular in recent years because new technology makes the machines resemble slot machines.

Because the outcome of each play is controlled by electronic bingo balls, the machines are not considered slot machines, which are monitored by State Police and linked to a central computer.

Written by Matt Scallan

www.nola.com

Shares in European online gaming companies took a hit on the news that European Union (EU) negotiators have accepted a much weaker than expected settlement with the US regards compensation for online gaming companies impacted by the US' Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA).

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has ruled UIGEA illegal under current WTO terms prompting the US to withdraw from its treaty obligations.  Compensation was subsequently sought by the European online gaming industry for the millions of dollars in losses they suffered.  Many online bingo games operators and online bingo halls were amongst the many online gaming companies adversely affected by the implementation of UIGEA.

The UK's Guardian newspaper probably summed up sentiment best in describing the situation as "....a savage blow to the EU online gambling industry."

In the markets, shares in online gaming operators such as PartyGaming and Bwin took a dive on the EU unwillingness to challenge the US  position further.

An EU spokesmen said in a released statement: "A bilateral agreement was signed in Geneva, which provides EU service suppliers with new trade opportunities in the US postal and courier, research and development, storage and warehouse sectors. The US also made concessions in the testing and analysis services sector."

For the European online bingo industry this does little to compensate for the loss of US customers who play online bingo.  The current UIGEA law makes it illegal for banks and credit card companies to make payments to online gambling sites.

A Bwin spokesman said the company had not expected much from EU-US talks at this stage but that it remained confident the EU Commission would maintain its stance in pushing for a regulated US Internet gambling market open to EU online gaming companies.

"We continue to believe that it is better to regulate than to prohibit, because the reality shows that the prohibition only drives out the transparent, listed operators," he said. "We trust the Commission will continue to push further for this. It certainly is going to be a long way still."

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

Fundraiser no longer as lucrative for some school districts in area.

Lagging attendance at Berkshire Schools athletic boosters' weekly bingo nights has caused the club to close up shop until mid-January.
Bingo is the main fundraiser for the boosters and some other area school clubs, and most have reported a dip in attendance - and therefore revenues - in the last several months.
"Nationwide, bingo is down 40 percent," said Rick Burzanko, Berkshire Athletic Booster Club president-elect. "Hopefully, it's not dying, just declining, and we can rebound."
Berkshire's bingo requires at least 70 players to make a profit. The last time it was held, Dec. 8, only 55 people participated.
Statewide, such fundraisers still yield a few million dollars in annual contributions to at least half of Ohio's 729 school districts, according to March statistics.
In Lake and Geauga counties, groups ranging from the humane society to nursing homes and churches count on bingo.
In its heyday, the North High Athletic Boosters bingo, in the Willoughby-Eastlake Schools, averaged 160 to 180 people and raised $180,000 to $200,000 a year.
Now it's down to 110 to 115 people, booster club President Don Morlock said.
"We're holding our own pretty good," he said. "Who's to say what tomorrow will bring?"
School officials attribute the decline to a lot of things, including smoking bans and competition from new casinos in Erie, Pa., and Detroit.
"We're trying to devise new games and get more clientele," Willoughby-Eastlake Superintendent Keith Miller said.
"The other thing is, the people that were playing bingo in 1999 are still playing bingo. There are a lot of senior citizens. There are not a lot of young people replacing them."
In the West Geauga Schools, athletic booster club members are attempting to attract a younger crowd, and so far, have had some success.
"We're starting to get a lot of the parents because they're starting to realize: 'This money goes for my kids, so I should go,' " said Lisa Drenski, who is in charge of bingo for the district.
West Geauga also has benefited from the closure of nearby bingo programs in Lyndhurst and Solon, she said.
The district reintroduced its program a few months ago, on Tuesdays at the middle school. Its bingo was canceled several years ago after a smoking ban affecting schools was implemented statewide.
A more extensive statewide smoking ban took effect in April.
"We had a rough start," Drenski acknowledged. "We felt we needed four to five months to recoup our money and start making money. We're just growing by the week, because a lot of places are shutting down.
"What I've been told is we have kind of a different program. We're trying to run it more like a business and keeping everybody happy. We try to know everybody by their first name."
For Berkshire, the result of dropping bingo revenues means some belt tightening, Burzanko said. Other groups within the schools previously were allowed to benefit from bingo may be afforded fewer opportunities.
For example, the sixth-grade camp fund was allowed five bingo nights a year. In the future, it might be given only two nights, Burzanko said.
Another side effect is less money for special athletic projects. The booster club primarily provides money for new uniforms and other things coaches need.
"We try to stay on a four-year replacement schedule with uniforms, and now we may have to stretch that out a little bit," Burzanko said.
Berkshire's booster nights are to resume Jan. 13 in the high school cafeteria.

Written by Betsy Scott

BScott@News-Herald.com

www.zwire.com

Bingo! A New Animal Charity Funding Initiative The new Gambling Act, which came into force in September, and the smoking ban, (which has emptied bingo halls across the country), have led to a growth of interest in online bingo. Advertising for commercial bingo sites has also witnessed huge growth. Now the online and mobile gaming firm Gaming Ventures plc, owner of the charity bingo site BigHeartBingo, has announced that its players have voted Animal Charities as the most popular sector to receive 50% of the revenue generated by their bingo-playing.

Each new player arriving at the BigHeartBingo site selects the charity sector he or she wishes to support. The top three charity sectors currently selected to receive donations from the site are:

Online bingo operators and bingo online industry observers may be interested in casting their eyes eastwards as reports from China show that online gaming in the Middle Kingdom is booming.

According to a story run by the Associated Press, "about 43 million to 45 million people currently play multiplayer online games in China", said Pali Capital analyst Tian X. Hou.

While online bingo games are yet to attract a large audience in Asia, maily due to cultural unfamiliarity, the revenue being generated by online gaming in the region should entice a few online bingo halls to try their luck in the Chinese market.

Revenue from the popular online multiplayer-type games has seen growth of over 25% over the last few years, according to Hou, with online games set to bring in as much as $1 billion this year. Analysts cited in the report believe China's total online gaming market may accelerate to about $2 billion by 2010.

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

A delay in the decision by the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the amount of compensation Antigua can claim against the US in the trade dispute stemming from the US' implementation of its anti-online gambling Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) may impact similar WTO decisions involving the European Union (EU).

Claims by the EU on behalf of its online gambling industry against the US are also awaiting a decision by the WTO on how much the EU can claim in compensation for the US' decision to withdraw from its treaty obligations to ensure open and free markets.

EU online bingo games operators and online bingo halls have been keenly anticipating a WTO decision along with other EU online gaming companies that could see the US having to pay billions in compensation for its decision to shut out non-US online gaming companies from its market.   The implementation of UIGEA last year by the US caused substantial losses to online bingo companies due to UIGEA restrictions on financial transactions between US customers who play online bingo and non-US bingo online operators.

"We understand the report [regards Antigua] has been delayed," said Gretchen Hamel, a spokeswoman for the US Trade Representative's office, according to Reuters.  She gave no further details.

A delay in the EU's compensation claims now almost certainly seems to have been put in limbo, a development which could see the EU take the matter to a WTO arbitration panel as its next step.

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

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News from www.prweb.com

In a recent statement to the markets, online gaming group and online bingo operator PartyGaming recently said "it remains confident about prospects for the full year and beyond."

The markets are likely to take a keen interest in PartyGaming's progress as an indication of the current demand for online gaming in light of the recent economic uncertainty stalking the financial world.

PartyGaming offers an online bingo games product under the brand of PartyBingo.  Like many involved in bingo online, PartyBingo suffered in the wake of the implementation of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) which sought to disrupt financial transactions between US online bingo players and non-US online bingo halls.

Written by John Witherspoon
www.bingostreet.com

While many people could welcome an extra few pounds in their pockets when Christmas shopping, one winner is taking a different approach.

For the 67-year-old Stevenage player intends to leave her £22,500 UK bingo jackpot winnings untouched until 2008.

She tells National Bingo: "I might buy myself a laptop in the January sales."

But even this is not to be the start of a spending spree, the sensible victor continues.

"The rest will then be saved for holidays and things I may need in my home," she explains.

Her win came at the Mecca Bingo club in Danestrete, where she also scooped the house prize of £100.

The lucky recipient has been a member of the club for the past ten years - but adds that the win still came as a shock.

Previously, the Mecca Bingo venue took the UK bingo jackpot in January - and there could still be time left to claim it again before the year is out.

 

Written by Bob Bardsley.

www.onlinebingo.co.uk

It had been feared that bingo would suffer badly from April's new laws, which banned smoking in all enclosed work and public places across Northern Ireland, because around 75% of players smoke, three times the national average.

But almost eight months later, Strand Bingo in Londonderry has found that the majority of its customers feel the smoke-free premises has enhanced their bingo playing environment.

Strand Bingo carried out a customer survey and found 87% of patrons said the change had been positive.

The business took an unusual approach to the ban by offering patrons who wanted to stop smoking help from the Western Health and Social Services Board (WHSSB).

As well as offering guidance, and information, she advised people on how to get patches and gum to aid their bid to kick the habit.

Customers also raised £1,000 for the Foyle Hospice in the run-up to the smoking ban.

Proprietor Thomas Doherty said he was "pleasantly surprised" with the result of the survey.

"It is great that our members feel the smoking ban has had a positive effect on their bingo experience.

"We have worked really hard this year to make the transition as easy as possible for our patrons and we will continue to deliver a fantastic bingo experience."

Mark McBride, coordinator for tobacco control, WHSSB, said: "The survey shows that the majority of people prefer to be in non-smoky environments."

Written by Claire Regan

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

SARASOTA - They want to see what all the hype is about, but the 150 people who reserved a seat at tonight's Drag Queen Bingo might not get to see the drag queens call the first bingo number.

Thursday, city officials sent Canvas Cafe owner Louis Schultz a letter warning that the upcoming bingo night cannot go on because Schultz does not have a bingo license.

The letter orders Schultz to obtain a license, a process that can take up to a month, before he holds another bingo night.

"I don't think we should be allowing it to continue if they don't have the required license," City Attorney Robert Fournier said. "There are solutions that can be worked out there. They just have to adhere to the code requirements."

What started as one resident's complaint against loud noise and profane language at the bingo night has turned into a whirlwind in a quiet, laid-back neighborhood two blocks south of Main Street.

Neighbors who were on the sidelines now are speaking out against the noise and language, saying they don't want their children hearing it.

As neighbors protest the bingo night, a wave of Sarasotans is voicing support for the risque game.

Schultz also said the show will go on. He said he was out of town for the weekend and had not received the letter.

An Eclectic Neighborhood

Schultz plans to tell city commissioners his side of the story at a meeting this afternoon, a few hours before the game is scheduled to begin.

Like other area residents, Bobby and Stacy Fletcher chose to live near Towles Court because they like the artsy, creative vibe. On the streets bordering the small artists' oasis, residents know just about everything that is going on in the neighborhood.

Some say they don't mind a little live jazz or sounds drifting north from downtown on the weekend, but do not think drag queens strutting around a cafe patio and yelling off-color jokes belongs in the neighborhood.

The Fletchers, who live several houses south of Canvas Cafe, are just getting involved in the dispute. Last week, Bobby Fletcher called Schultz and said the loud noise was keeping his three children awake.

The couple's request is a simple one. They want the owner to turn down the volume and the drag queens to stop using the profanity.

"We expect some character here," Stacy Fletcher said about living downtown, "but not something our children will take to school and get in trouble by the principal."

The feud began when Skip Dyrda, who lives in a house 20 feet away from the cafe with his wife and 7-year-old daughter, called police three times and began writing e-mails to commissioners about the loud noise and cursing.

Dyrda still doesn't think Schultz will listen. Two city commissioners say the city should get involved.

Owner Says He's Acted

Schultz said he isn't breaking any laws and plans to take a stand.

He defends the bingo night event as a way to get people to Towles Court.

Schultz also said he told the drag queens to stop using megaphones, which amplified their off-color jokes to families more than a block away.

XuXu (pronounced shoo-shoo) Fontana, the drag-queen host at the Canvas Cafe event, said he gets people to laugh by "saying things people think but won't say."

His goal is to entertain - not offend. Fontana said he hasn't seen anyone ever walk away from the cafe because of one of his jokes.

Fontana expected negative attention, but he never guessed bingo night would make an appearance on CNN.

"To me, it's mind boggling," Fontana said. "There are mudslides, a war and a presidential campaign going on, and drag queen bingo is a problem."

Betty Madden is one of many whose curiosity was sparked by recent media reports. She stopped in Canvas Cafe on Thursday afternoon to reserve a table for bingo.

"We want to get a group of girls together and rent a limo," said Madden, 76.

Madden and Pat Aylmer, also 76, will have to postpone their girls night out until next month because the cafe already is booked full for tonight.

Schultz said he decided last spring to bring drag queen bingo, which got its start in the early 1990s in Seattle as a fundraising idea, to Canvas Cafe on South Links Avenue. The event benefits the Community AIDS Network.

For $10, patrons get four bingo cards and a night of colorful jokes and ribbing from three drag queens as they call the numbers.

"The people come to see them be outrageous," Schultz said. "They're not here to see Mary Poppins, although it would be funny if there was a guy being Mary Poppins in drag."

Matt Orr, one of the founders of the Young Professionals Group, is a regular at bingo night. He reserved a table for 20 at the last event.

"We have worked really hard for years to create a downtown that everyone wants to be a part of," Orr said. "Now that we have achieved that, we can't handpick which kind of noise we hear."

Written by By ROGER DROUIN, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

www2.tbo.com

Ramesh Besai, a self-employed auto technician of Cumuto emerged the winner of the Super Grand Prize, a Peugeot 307 Sky Wagon courtesy City Motors...the Peugeot People. Besai mentioned that he did not see the draw on television and could not believe his good fortune when told by friends that he had won the car in the Newsday Bingo. Besai also said he was a regular player and wished to thank God for answering his prayers and his family for helping him to go through the numbers with his many bingo cards every week.

Judith Simpson winner of four airline tickets to a US destination sponsored by the national carrier, Caribbean Airlines is a chef with an establishment in St James. Simpson was speechless when told that she was a grand prize winner in the popular Newsday Bingo. She said that a few years ago she was the recipient of a weekly prize courtesy X-Tra Foods. Simpson said that she had only sent in three correct bingo entries, and believed that the prize was for her.

And last but not least is Arthur Glasgow, a retired Petrotrin transport supervisor who won the $15,000 shopping voucher courtesy Parts World. Glasgow indicated that he always plays the Newsday Bingo but it was the first time that he has ever won a prize. Glasgow was very pleased as this prize provided him with the opportunity to change some of his kitchen appliances in time for Christmas.

The Newsday Bingo grand prize draw was viewed on NCC Channel 4 last Friday, December 7 at 8.30 pm when Errol Fabien along with Ian Pinard of City Motors and Ria Mansoor of Caribbean Airlines who had the job of spinning the barrel and extracting the winning entry for the Super Grand Prize of a Peugeot 307 Sky Wagon courtesy City Motors, four airline tickets to a US destination sponsored by Caribbean Airlines, and a $15,000 Shopping voucher courtesy Parts World.

The very popular Newsday Bingo attracted thousands of entries on a weekly basis over the 12-week period, where four weekly winners were selected randomly each week in the presence of a representative of auditors, Pannell Kerr Forster to win prizes courtesy Pennywise Cos-metics, Laptop City, Ebony Radio 104 FM, and Trinidad Import and Export Co Ltd.

Newsday would like to thank all of our winners for their continued support of The People's Newspaper, and in particular a special thank you to our Newsday Bingo players. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a safe and productive 2008.

Written by www.newsday.co.tt

Much as I sometimes feel that Sarasota could use a bit more spice, it never occurred to me that what it might be lacking was Drag Queen Bingo.

Still, maybe that's just the thing.

Ordinary bingo seems so dull. I don't know how so many people, some churchy and some anything but, are devoted to it. If I'm ever forced to play, staying awake might require something like raunchy talking drag queen presenters, just like those in the controversy in the Towles Court area on the south edge of downtown.

It's just too bad that they started doing that adult-oriented act, a spirited fundraiser for a good cause, in the open-air Canvas Cafe. And used a bullhorn.

That made their act well heard in the largely residential neighborhood. And so, children and unhappy parents living very nearby became part of the audience for dirty one-liners and other adult fare.

What was the management thinking?

It is an artsy, mixed-use area where creative people live and work, and where some of them raise their kids. That block is anything but edgy. It is friendly and walkable and dotted with open-porch cafes and little galleries, and is generally quiet and low key. There is nothing like a nightclub.

But Stacy Fletcher, a mother of young children who lives half a block from the Canvas Cafe, is one of the neighbors who says bingo nights at that normally nice spot change everything.

And now, a recording made by a neighbor backs her and others up when they say the drag queens' potty-mouth bingo banter has been loud and clear in the neighborhood.

A key word on that recording is one I can't print, but it's the same one that got a baseball catcher played by Kevin Costner thrown out of the game in the movie "Bull Durham." That happens if a player uses it on an umpire, and a cafe owner should eject any entertainer who exposes neighborhood children to it.

"Take it to Main Street or move it indoors," Fletcher says.

Should the city crack down? I hope there's no need. Reasonable consideration for neighbors should do.

Cafe owner Louis Schultz says the controversy has increased interest in the bingo events. He expects more players now, and more bingo. But he and manager Tom Jaeger also say they ordered that the raunchy bits stop. They promise there will be no more bullhorns.

If that works, I wish Drag Queen Bingo lots of success. If not, I hope they'll take it someplace where bawdy bingo banter won't be teaching kids colorful new words.

Written by Tom Lyons
www.heraldtribune.com

Tom Lyons can be contacted at tom.lyons@heraldtribune.com or (941) 361-4964.