LAST MINUTE CALIFORNIA BILL COULD BAN BINGO MACHINES - Posted by Rochelle: Admin 

A California bill, SB 1369, was pushed through the Legislature to the state’s governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Backed by Jim Battin, a Republican senator, and Gil Cedilo, a Democratic senator, the bill allows state charities to conduct Remote Caller Bingo, or bingo games conducted online, while banning smaller charities from raising funds through electronic bingo machines. Claiming smaller, community-based charities could suffer if the bill is passed, California Charity Bingo Association released a statement condemning it. ”We are now urging the Governor to take a closer look at SB 1369 and realize that in their haste, legislative sponsors left loopholes that could have disastrous and far-reaching consequences not just for small charities, but for all Californians for a long time,” said Ravi Mehta, member of the California Charity Bingo Association, in the statement. Source: gamingindustrymedia.com