The state of Texas.
There are plans to allow bingo halls in Texas to speed up the play of their games, in a move that may make it much easier for people to spend more money at halls.
The proposal will see the introduction of card minders, small devices that “mind” electronic versions of paper bingo cards. These allow games to be sold at a faster rate.
Various forms of gambling are outlawed in Texas, and many in the population there view gambling with disdain.
Bingo games in the state must be operated by non-profit organisations, and other community groups. They need to obtain a licence to host bingo games from the Charitable Bingo Operations Division of the Texas Lottery Commission.
Bingo sessions in Texas are limited to three a week and the maximum prize can be of no more value than $750 for a single game.
Advocates of the proposal to speed up bingo, argue that if people spend more, then it will generate more revenue for charities state-wide. They also argue that the change is needed to bring Texas bingo up-to-date. However, the proposal is not without its opponents, who believe that the change will lead to greater loosening of gambling restrictions in the state.
Stephen Fenoglio, an Austin-based attorney for Texas charities, has said: “We believe charities miss out on sales because of the cumbersome process. It digitizes the transaction.”
The proposal means that new software would be added to existing card minders to let Texans buy games electronically when they are playing bingo, rather than going to the cash register each time they want more games.
Critics believe that this proposal could expand gambling in the state. They therefore argue that it should be decided by an authority higher than the Texas Lottery Commission, which oversees charitable bingo.
“You can’t go down this path at all,” said Rob Kohler, a consultant with the Austin-based Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which opposes increased gambling. “There is clear legislative history that shows this is [an issue] for the Texas Legislature, not the Texas Lottery Commission.”
The commission will consider the proposal to speed up bingo at a proposal meeting on August 12.
The proposal was slowed down this year because it was muted while a controversial plan to let bingo halls use electronic devices similar to slot machines was also being speculated. Again, opponents of this feared that it would expand gambling.
The commission delayed commenting on either proposal following last-minute concern which erupted regarding allowing bingo players to use “video confirmation” to show whether paper pull-tab tickets, which are similar to lottery scratch-off tickets, are winners. No plans have yet been made public to revive the video confirmation proposal.
The current card minding proposal will allow charities to create accounts for bingo players which can be used to buy bingo products.
Under the proposals, bingo players will still need to go up to a cashier and pay a particular amount of money, to receive a card minder – the handheld device that is already used in many bingo halls – this will then contain the amount that they paid on it.
The requested change would allow bingo players to buy more cards than they could otherwise, but only up to the amount that they pre-paid on the card minder.
Any winnings from the electronic games would be paid out in cash, just as any other winning game is paid out now.
“This would generate increased revenues,” said Philip Sanderson, a representative of Texas Charities Advocates.
Sanderson believes that sales at bingo halls which make use of card minders could increase from three to ten per cent, if approval is granted to the proposal.
Kimberly L. Kiplin, an Austin attorney speaking on behalf of several charities, said that the rule change in Texas will not expand gambling in the state.
“This rule merely allows [the creation] … of a customer account,” she said.
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