Parishes in the Diocese of Little Rock may be calling bingo games next year, but the exact date churches can pull out their bingo cards still has to be determined by the state legislature.
With the Nov. 7 passage of a constitutional amendment allowing charitable bingo and raffles, parishes and missions will once again be allowed to hold these games of chance, Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert, diocesan administrator, said. While the amendment will be effective Jan. 1, legislators still have to meet to determine the regulations, licensing and taxes for the organizations that decide to host the games or raffles. The General Assembly will convene in January.
In July 2004, Bishop J. Peter Sartain reminded parishes of the prohibition against hosting bingo games and raffles because they were illegal according to the state constitution.
The Arkansas Constitution bans lotteries, which have been interpreted to include bingo and games where “risk and money” are involved.
Msgr. Hebert emphasized Catholic churches and organizations must wait for regulations to be in place before adding these games back to their fundraising events.
Rep. Shirley Borhauer, a member of St. Bernard Church in Bella Vista, was the lead sponsor of the amendment in the state legislature in February 2005 to get it on the ballot statewide. The amendment is worded narrowly to only allow non-profit organizations that have been in business continuously for at least five years to host the games, and they must designate their profits for “charitable, religious or philanthropic purposes.”
With little public opposition, the amendment was overwhelmingly supported by 69 percent of voters.
Bingo games became a more public issue in the summer of 2004 when attention was focused on Randolph County where the local sheriff instructed bingo operators to cease operation or risk being arrested.
While charitable bingo games and raffles will soon be legal, gambling is still only allowed at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs and Southland Greyhound Park in West Memphis.
“It is not changing the prohibition against other games of chance,” Dennis Lee, chancellor for administrative affairs, said of the new amendment. He said the approved state constitutional admendment only permits conventional bingo games and raffles.
Dusting off the bingo cage? Read this first
