Electronic bingo out, but Legion will see more money

By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
Electronic machines are the loser and the American Legion the winner in Hartselle's bingo battle.
A newly passed ordinance outlaws the operation of electronic bingo machines in the city. It also allows for civic organizations that host traditional paper bingo games to keep more of the profits.
The ban follows several inquiries from people hoping to start operation of the electronic casino-style bingo games in the city. The new ordinance requires that all bingo operations include manually marked cards and the person playing the game has to be physically present at the location. The ordinance does not prohibit using an electronic board to show the selected numbers.
The American Legion, the only non-profit group with a bingo license in the city, will benefit from the ordinance. Previously, the Legion was previously allowed to use only 25 percent of profits to cover its expenses. The ordinance changes that amount to 49 percent. The money has to be used to cover bingo-related costs.
The change was made due to increased expenses associated with conducting the bingo operations and more generous ordinances in other cities.