Ala. gov sends gambling warning letters

[Mousey]

**yawn**

Ala. gov sends gambling warning letters


MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Gov. Bob Riley sent letters Wednesday to gambling machine manufacturers and suppliers, warning that some machines found in Alabama appear illegal and prosecutions will begin if they are not removed.

Riley said the letters are the result of a preliminary investigation by his new Governor's Task Force on Illegal Gambling. Riley said several suppliers and manufacturers "appear to be engaged in unlawful gambling activity in Alabama."

The Republican governor said he was giving the companies fair warning so they can withdraw their machines, but if they don't, "I fully intend ...

[pokeraddict]

There are tons of video poker machines all of AL of questionable legality. Even the dog tracks have gotten on trouble. This has gone on for 10 years or more.

[catrina m]

I live in Alabama by the way.

They are putting up brand new buildings that say BINGO!!!!

They are in reality slot machine halls that are packed every day.

I have never been to one except Greentrack (it seems to be regulated because its been there several years) because I imagine that the operators can set the payout to anything they want. Not unlike a few online casinos I wont mention.

Gambling and slots are illegal in Alabama unless they are these so called bingo machines. They have a pretty much casino called greentrack which used to be a dog racing track converted to a casino which operates legally because it uses a bingo loophole.

Now buildings are being built at a rapid pace that advertise BINGO but if you want to play bingo you better find another place because these are pure slots.

[Mousey]

They aren't 'pure slots' though. That's the problem. They're VLTs or CDS or whatever they call them when they run off a central electronic 'bingo' game or 'lottery'. Which I've always thought was stupid. If gambling is illegal, take out all the fake slots and padlock all the bingo halls. If gambling is legal, bring in 'real' slots with RNG chips and dump the rigged bingo based slots and VP. I fail to see how unregulated 'rigged' machines are not gambling and better for the citizens than strictly regulated, fair, RNG based slots & VP. LOL

I live in Alabama, too. *grin*

And Atmore has a brand spanking new 'casino' ... windcreekcasino.com... Can anyone tell me if this is owned by the Indians? is this just another super duper bingo hall disguised as a casino?

[catrina m]

I totally agree

Thats why I do not play in them, its like an "unregulated gonna close you down at any minute because you fleece the customers"

Just legalize it

The babtist's can't get money from gambling so they oppose it.

Its all so political and stupid.

Very stupid with all the schools suffering. The people suffering. Wasted taxpayers money enforcing it.

Jeez, why do most people want it their way or its not going to happen!

Country of pure idiots!

[Mousey]

I agree. If everyone would boycott those stupid rigged bingo slots, they'd either have to shut down or make gambling legal. But most people don't know the difference -- or care.

Meanwhile, I take my gambling money to Mississippi. (Just wish we had somewhere closer... 6 + hours to Tunica sucks). LOL

[Mousey]

Battle over Bingo is escalating

By Bob Martin, The Alabama Scene
(Updated: Thursday, February 5, 2009 8:53 AM CST)

In Gadsden, Jasper, Dothan, Whitehall and elsewhere across Alabama bingo is springing up in many different forms...and it’s giving Attorney General Troy King a headache because the laws establishing the games are different in most every location.
....

the bit that gave me a hoot....

....

Riley has been cozy with the Mississippi Choctaw casino operators, getting millions in campaign dollars from them filtered through convicted scammer Jack Abramoff and Michael Scanlon, Riley’s former press spokesman in Congress. Abramoff, now serving time in prison, was quoted in the U. S. Senate’s “Gimme Five” investigation into tribal lobbying matters that the Mississippi Choctaws “had spent $13 million “to get the governor of Alabama elected to keep gaming out of Alabama” so it wouldn’t hurt their market in Mississippi. Actually, only about $2.5 million was funneled to Riley’s campaign via Abramoff and Scanlon....

[Stovetopp]

I agree. If everyone would boycott those stupid rigged bingo slots, they'd either have to shut down or make gambling legal. But most people don't know the difference -- or care.

Meanwhile, I take my gambling money to Mississippi. (Just wish we had somewhere closer... 6 + hours to Tunica sucks). LOL

Mousey, isn't Biloxi closer to you than Tunica? Before the hurrucane I used to drive uo from Miami to bILOXI and am sure was less than 10 hours. We knew we were almost there as soon as we hit the ALABAMA State line Just curious

[GaryWatson]

I spent a few years in north alabama. I think it was a 7 hour drive to the nearest casino at the time.

They always had fruit machines. Its probably changed in the 15 years since i was there but they did have plently of slots in pool rooms locally, etc. They used to pay it out in paper tokens, from there I used to cash them out at the bar.

Funnily, all I can really remember about these places was that they were always filled with chinese. I think they only came out of the house to gamble because I rarely saw a chinaman anywhere else.

[littlebit]

While living in East Texas a few years ago, a video poker place popped up right across the state border in Louisiana. It was a nice place, well stocked with machines, an open bar, etc. One little problem, though. After operating for quite a while, they were raided and the machines were found to be rigged. Surprise, surprise.

The unfortunate part of this story is that a dear friend of mine had started gambling there for the first time in his life. He's an insecure person with a lot of mental health issues so he was thrilled to be treated with the special attention and catered to as he had seen in the movies. The more he gambled, the more he wanted to gamble until it reached the point he would spend his month's salary in one weekend.

The operators of this video poker casino were "helpful" and suggested he take out a personal loan from a certain business. They assured him that as a valued customer, they would put in a "good word for him". Loan sharks. My friend was borrowing more and more, going to the casino and always losing, then back to the loan shark.

He fell behind in his payments because the interest alone was unbelievable. Hiding wasn't going to do him any good. Two men in expensive suits and a high dollar car started showing up at his sister's and brother's homes asking where they could locate my friend. When they wouldn't say, the men would leave a cryptic message that he really needed to get in touch.

Years later, my friend still pays them every penny of his salary and lives with family members who have to buy the gas for him to go to work. These "payments" are never ending but not to pay them would probably result in him being made an example of. Not only are the loan sharks from the "loan business" a constant threat, the owners of the now closed "casino" had advanced him money also and they intend to collect, one way or the other. He knows even if he left the state, the retribution would fall on his family members.

You couldn't pay me to stick one little toe through the doorway if it isn't a licensed casino . No way. I've seen The Sopranos