Sen. Bedford’s new ‘bingo’ gambling bill ‘even worse’

Sen. Bedford’s new ‘bingo’ gambling bill ‘even worse’

As predicted, pro-gambling legislators have not given up their fight to legalize and expand the state’s “slot machine gambling” referred to as electronic bingo.

Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, plans to substitute a new eight-page bill for the original 43-page Senate Bill 380, which could not get enough votes to be brought up for debate in the Senate.

Bedford’s new bill redefines bingo to include machines that perform the game without player interaction and allows an unlimited number of gambling operations around the state.

The revised bill requires at least a 25 percent tax on bingo revenue (profits) leaving it to legislators to decide whether to add license fees to bingo operations.

Bedford’s bill also establishes a five-member state gaming commission appointed “with advice and consent” of the Senate. Unlike his initial legislation, this bill does not repeal or affect any of the local constitutional amendments but does not require “bingo” operators to follow the amendments if their businesses are approved by the proposed gaming commission.

Gov. Bob Riley said the new “blank check” bill is much more dangerous than the first draft.

“I said the first gambling bill they proposed was the most corrupt piece of legislation I’d ever seen. I was wrong,” he said.

“They were able to come up with one that’s even worse. This isn’t the so-called ‘simple’ bill its supporters claim. … It allows an unlimited number of casinos and lets legislators decide where they will go. Could they … put a casino across from [a] school? Down the road from your church? If they win this vote, it would be up to them. That’s downright scary.”   (TAB)