Bingo: Woman denied bingo win

Woman denied $5G bingo prize because she didn't have proper identification.

A Mississauga woman claims she has been denied a $5,000 jackpot and humiliated by an airport-area bingo hall because of a long-standing grudge with management and other players.

Anna Gasiorowska, 31, wants her five grand from International Centre Bingo despite the fact she violated the house rules by not having any ID on her -- a must at the bingo hall, management said -- when she won.

She was playing the Twoonie Pot Progressive game on Aug. 19.

RULING MADE

Bingo hall boss John Summersides said yesterday that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario ruled in favour of International Centre Bingo this week, and said it was right to deny the woman her prize.

Gasiorowska, on the other hand, said the female bingo manager on duty that night told her she could collect her money if she presented ID before 12:30 a.m.

It was only 10:15 p.m. -- and 10 minutes later, a friend brought Gasiorowska's ID to the hall, she said.

The bingo manager then reversed her stance and said Gasiorowska wouldn't be collecting the money.

"I was publicly humiliated in there," Gasiorowska said.

"I'm running around like a chicken without a head, I'm so happy I won $5,000. Everybody's hugging me, everybody's clapping. My ID is there within 10 minutes. (The manager) says, 'I will not verify, get out.'"

What's more, Gasiorowska said, a few minutes later during a smoke break outside, the bingo manager was heard speaking with other players who were "stirring the pot" and campaigning for her to be denied her winnings.

Vickie Jeoffroy, who's been playing there 30 years, said the bingo manager was whispering with other players, who told her to deny Gasiorowska the prize.

A few minutes later, the bingo manager did just that.

"She was getting fuelled by some of the other patrons who don't like this young girl because she's pretty and she's cute, that kind of thing. I heard two or three people saying, they shouldn't let it happen," Jeoffroy said.

'THAT'S UNFAIR'

"And the rest of us were thinking, that's unfair, everybody knows who this young girl is, she's going to get her ID. We didn't understand why she needed it in the first place because most bingo halls do not require it."

The hall won't be reversing its position, Summersides said.

"Those rules have always been in place and I understand that she's unhappy.

"It's not something that makes me happy either, but the rules are there for reasons -- to make sure everything is done fairly and consistently."

Written by Brett Clarkson
www.torontosun.com