More Alabama Workers Left Unemployed After Bingo Gambling Closure

The lure of most gamblers these days is to sit in front of a machine and push buttons while the machine does all the work. That is why many electronic bingo halls have sprouted up across Alabama. paper bingo had become a thing of the past.

That was until Governor Robert Riley created the task Force on Illegal Gambling. The object of the Task Force was to seek out and raid all establishments in Alabama that were offering gambling. Governor Riley has drawn sharp criticism for the Task Force's efforts, but the raids have continued.

Southern Star Entertainment Center thought they had figured out a way to avoid being raided. The facility switched from the electronic bingo games, to paper bingo. It was a blast from the past and one that the establishment's owners felt would keep employees from being laid off.

The plan did not work. Southern Star closed after just one month of offering the paper bingo games. The company claimed that they could not compete with Native American casinos that are authorized to offer the electronic bingo. It is a reality that many bingo halls are currently facing in the state.

The laws may change in the future regarding gambling in Alabama. Ron Sparks is the Democratic candidate to succeed Governor Riley in office, and if he is elected, he wants gambling expanded and regulated. Among the plans that Sparks has outlined, is adding a state lottery. Alabama is one of only a few states without a state lottery.

Thousands of workers have been left without jobs with the biggest gaming halls in the state, Country Crossings and VictoryLand, shut down by their owners out of fear of being raided by the Task Force. Court battles have been ongoing, with the Supreme Court ruling mostly in favor of Riley and the Task Force.

September 25, 2010
Posted By Tom Jones
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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