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Although there was no fee, therefore no win, state called out no to Wal-Mart bingo
Senior citizens of Cortlandt can't come to terms with the fact that the state has put an end to the game, although nobody had to pay a fee and therefore couldn't win anything.
As many as 100 local seniors have a hole in their social calendars after a free, but possibly illegal, weekly bingo game at the Cortlandt Wal-Mart came to an abrupt end.
Helen Vasil of Jefferson Valley showed up to play last week and was told the state had put an end to the games because bingo was gambling. Vasil told one manager that it just didn't sound right, because the games were free as were the coffee and doughnuts and no cash prizes were ever paid.
"I told him gambling is what I did when I went to Foxwoods", she said, referring to the Connecticut casino. "But this is bingo".
Vasil and her neighbor Rachael Gulick played bingo and shopped at the Cortlandt Town Center Wal-Mart for two years. The usual prize was a $5 store gift card.
"There was no money exchanged, no money at all, so I have no idea why they did it", Gulick said. "And I think it was a shame because a lot of seniors looked forward to going there".
It's unclear whether the game was a way to lure steady customers or a gesture of community goodwill on the part of Wal-Mart, which has suffered from a spate of negative publicity lately.
Store management at first did not return calls seeking comment, then referred questions to company headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. In a statement, the company said states' gambling laws could be strict and compliance difficult because of the mega-retailer's size.
The games likely stopped because in New York, only charities can conduct public bingo games, according to the state Racing and Wagering Board. Wal-Mart, with more than $285 billion in annual sales worldwide last year, doesn't qualify. That there was no fee or cash payout makes no difference, spokeswoman Stacey Clifford said.
"People were still gaming, basically gambling, for a chance to win something of value", Clifford said.
She said bingo games that operated at some of the retailer's upstate locations had prompted complaints, and the Cortlandt store likely stopped the practice voluntarily after learning it was illegal.
Neither the Westchester District Attorney's Office nor the state police in Cortlandt reported any complaints about the game.
One person who did hear complaints about the game being shut down was Assemblywoman Sandra R. Galef, D-Ossining. As a result, she is investigating whether exceptions could be made in such cases for her constituents.
Wal-Marts in several states hosts free bingo, typically for adults, at least 55. The prizes often include free merchandise, according to online bulletin boards from around the country. Pennsylvania lawmakers considered a measure in 2002 to allow Wal-Mart stores to sponsor free bingo for senior citizens. It didn't pass after opponents said it might promote a gambling culture. Ohio cracked down on illegal bingo in 2003, requiring charities running games to register.
Edith Bates of Mahopac hopes an exception can be made here. She made friends through bingo and thought it was a nice thing the store did for local seniors.
George Ondeck of Peekskill said the store should still invite seniors for coffee because so many treasured the weekly gatherings. "I don't see where gambling is involved here", he said. "And if they make an exception for charities, they should make it in this case".
Source: BonusGambler.com Editors' Choice
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