Go Bingo is dedicated to keeping land bingo and online bingo players abreast of what is going on in the world of bingo. Our Bingo News are posted daily and refer to any kind of bingo you can imagine: charity bingo, online bingo, land based bingo, family bingo, mobile phone bingo, etc.
Bingo: Bingo parlors fall victim to money grab
Some people have a stiff drink or two to
relax after work. Sharrel Harpe said she'd rather gamble a few bucks at
the video terminals at Wayson's Bingo in Lothian. (They look like
slots, but don't call them that in earshot of the owners.)
Like a lot of
those who come here, Ms. Harpe, who works in Laurel and lives in
Clinton, is a regular who knows the employees' names. She comes to the bingo hall about
once a week.
The two other parlors in the county, Delta Bingo in Laurel and Bingo World in Brooklyn Park, also have the video machines along with traditional bingo and attract loyal customers.
Under a law passed as the General Assembly session ended, the businesses will have to eliminate video machines by July 1, 2009. Why? Voters will have a chance to legalize slots in November, and someone sitting in Delta Bingo or Wayson's isn't sitting in a state-approved slots parlor.
"The state wants a monopoly," said Cathy Wayson, who runs Wayson's Bingo with her husband, Don.
"The powers that be want to make sure slots pass in November," said Sen. Bryan Simonaire, R-Pasadena, whose district includes Bingo World. "Unfortunately, a lot of innocent people are going to be hurt in the process."
"Doesn't that sound like a socialist country to you, putting one business out to benefit another?" asked Randy Clemens, manager of Bingo World.
Of course, we're told some of the money of the bingo machines will go to education, meaning we'll all benefit from slots in the end. But promises are made to be broken. How long will this one be kept? I'm guessing right up until the next time legislators are looking for a little extra money.
Anne Arundel County has had legalized bingo for decades, which makes it unusual both in Maryland and nationwide. But parlor owners said their bingo business was declining with aging customers before the county legalized video terminals in 2005. They brought in new business and a younger crowd.
"It's a shame when you do it the right way and still lose," said Don Wayson, a grandson of the parlor's founder who's worked there for 30 years.
Bingo World and Wayson's said the machines are a quarter of their business, and Delta General Manager Craig Romak said they're half his business. Bingo World could lose half its 165 workers, Delta will lose at least 15 and Wayson's will lose several employees, managers said. The issue might end up in court, but the parlors would face an uphill fight there.
Wanting to see one of these "threats" to mega-slots parlors for myself, I visited Wayson's last week, parking in the dusty lot and venturing past the barber shop that shares the one-story building with the bingo hall.
Inside, it has the feel of a high school cafeteria, with dozens of banquet tables pushed together on one side and about 10 rows of slots on the other side. The snack bar sells staples like hot dogs ($1.60), coffee (80 cents) and fries ($1.50).
Almost everyone I talked to was a regular. Some said they play the machines to pass time while waiting for bingo; others just come to relax.
Cathy Wayson said the family was worried the parlor would go out of business before the video machines were legalized, and now they're not sure what to expect.
For its 60-year history, Wayson's has been managed by a member of the family, and Mrs. Wayson said one of her kids will take over one day.
Then she corrected herself, adding, "I hope."
www.hometownannapolis.com
The two other parlors in the county, Delta Bingo in Laurel and Bingo World in Brooklyn Park, also have the video machines along with traditional bingo and attract loyal customers.
Under a law passed as the General Assembly session ended, the businesses will have to eliminate video machines by July 1, 2009. Why? Voters will have a chance to legalize slots in November, and someone sitting in Delta Bingo or Wayson's isn't sitting in a state-approved slots parlor.
"The state wants a monopoly," said Cathy Wayson, who runs Wayson's Bingo with her husband, Don.
"The powers that be want to make sure slots pass in November," said Sen. Bryan Simonaire, R-Pasadena, whose district includes Bingo World. "Unfortunately, a lot of innocent people are going to be hurt in the process."
"Doesn't that sound like a socialist country to you, putting one business out to benefit another?" asked Randy Clemens, manager of Bingo World.
Of course, we're told some of the money of the bingo machines will go to education, meaning we'll all benefit from slots in the end. But promises are made to be broken. How long will this one be kept? I'm guessing right up until the next time legislators are looking for a little extra money.
Anne Arundel County has had legalized bingo for decades, which makes it unusual both in Maryland and nationwide. But parlor owners said their bingo business was declining with aging customers before the county legalized video terminals in 2005. They brought in new business and a younger crowd.
"It's a shame when you do it the right way and still lose," said Don Wayson, a grandson of the parlor's founder who's worked there for 30 years.
Bingo World and Wayson's said the machines are a quarter of their business, and Delta General Manager Craig Romak said they're half his business. Bingo World could lose half its 165 workers, Delta will lose at least 15 and Wayson's will lose several employees, managers said. The issue might end up in court, but the parlors would face an uphill fight there.
Wanting to see one of these "threats" to mega-slots parlors for myself, I visited Wayson's last week, parking in the dusty lot and venturing past the barber shop that shares the one-story building with the bingo hall.
Inside, it has the feel of a high school cafeteria, with dozens of banquet tables pushed together on one side and about 10 rows of slots on the other side. The snack bar sells staples like hot dogs ($1.60), coffee (80 cents) and fries ($1.50).
Almost everyone I talked to was a regular. Some said they play the machines to pass time while waiting for bingo; others just come to relax.
Cathy Wayson said the family was worried the parlor would go out of business before the video machines were legalized, and now they're not sure what to expect.
For its 60-year history, Wayson's has been managed by a member of the family, and Mrs. Wayson said one of her kids will take over one day.
Then she corrected herself, adding, "I hope."
www.hometownannapolis.com
