Bingo group says changes needed to compete with Ohio's casinos
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
A new group has formed to advocate for nonprofits that use charitable bingo to raise funds.
United Charities of Ohio wants lawmakers to update state laws that affect such games, including allowing electronic instant bingo and letting patrons bring their own alcoholic beverages to parlors.
Backers say such changes are needed to enable charitable fundraising efforts to compete with the state’s casinos, racinos, lottery games and other gaming options.
“In the last few years, more charities than I can count have vanished,” said Jason Bogavitch, who helps to run the Children’s Toy Fund in Stark County, which provides toys and entertainment to children suffering from serious illness and disease. “Their stories, their missions evaporated as the landscape of charitable gaming became more difficult. This process is accelerating to the point I fear within the next decade, there won’t be much left to represent charitable gaming.”
Charitable bingo is regulated by the attorney general’s office. More than 2,100 locations hold licenses to offer the games; those locations generated net profits of more than $92 million from November 2013 to October 2014, according to the attorney general’s office.
But licensees say they are seeing fewer players and funds raised through instant bingo, thanks to other gambling options in the state.
“We scrape for every single penny,” said Jenny Pike, president of the Humane Society of Columbiana County, which relies on instant bingo cards for some of its fundraising activities. “... Many people aren’t educated about the gambling and how it helps the communities. Well, if you want to know, just ask me.”
Among other policy changes, the United Charities of Ohio is proposing allowing charities to pay volunteers who operate bingo games, enabling licensees to offer electronic instant bingo and opening parlors to patrons who want to bring their own wine or beer onto the premises during games.
Those options are not available under current law.
“We believe that bingo [as regulated] in its current form is outdated and unwieldy for many of these organizations,” said Nikki Reiss, a spokeswoman for United Charities of Ohio. “And we look forward to working with the Legislature and our other allied organizations to change the situation and hopefully modernize bingo so that these wonderful organizations can continue the work they do for the betterment of Ohio.”
Bogavitch added, “We are fighting a battle with both of our hands tied behind our back. We can’t pay anybody. We can only operate three days a week maximum. We can only pay out certain amounts of money. What we’re looking for is options.”