Greene County Sheriff Jonathan “Joe” Benison announced today the conditional reopening of Palace Bingo Live, after closing it for two weeks because of violations of the operating rules, under Alabama Constitutional Amendment 743.
Alabama Constitutional Amendment 743 requires the Sheriff of Greene County to license and regulate the bingo industry in Greene County. In his closing order, Sheriff Benison said the Palace Bingo was allowing prizes of more than $10,000 per bingo session. A bingo session is not clearly defined in C.A.743 and bingo operators have found ways to get around this limitation.
Sheriff Benison said, “It was with a heavy heart that I was forced to order that T.S. Police Support League d/b/a The Palace Live, close its doors due to apparent operational deficiencies.
“Since the order of closure was initially issued last week Sheriff Benison has been clear that his office would be available to meet with The Palace Bingo and its charity, T. S. Support League as soon as they were ready and able to discuss compliance. “On Monday, November 27, 2023, representatives of the Palace Bingo notified representatives of the Sheriff’s office, that they were ready to have such a discussion. This discussion was beneficial and has led to the conditional reopening of The Palace Bingo”, said representatives of the Sheriff’s office.
With respect to the reopening Sheriff Benison stated the following: “After identifying operational deficiencies at Palace Bingo Live, I ordered their closure. After productive meetings with them, I have authorized a fourteen-day conditional reopening. During that time, I expect all deficiencies will be resolved to avoid further closure. It will be good to see their compliance and remedial action in this fourteen-day period, and it will be good to see their employees back at work. All Licensees across the County have been informed that I expect that they will likewise comply with the same rules and requirements as applied to The Palace Bingo Live.”
Efforts to contact the Sheriff to get more specific details of the deficiencies that were addressed and contacts with the TS Police Support League to get their comments were unsuccessful.
Tag: Alabama Constitutional Amendment 743
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Sheriff Benison agrees to reopen Palace Bingo
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Greene County bingo again at center of state gambling debate
With seven days left in the current Alabama 2022 regular legislative session, gambling legislation has come back up before the legislature. The future of electronic bingo in Greene and Lowndes counties is again at the center of the discussion.
In the Alabama Senate, bills sponsored by Senator Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, have passed out of committee and await floor action. Albritton’s bills would create a state lottery and allow casino gambling in Alabama.
The bills create casinos at VictoryLand in Macon County; Greenetrack in Greene County; The Birmingham Race Course. The Mobile Greyhound Park and a location in DeKalb or Jackson counties in northeast Alabama, which the Porch Creek Indians would operate. The bills would also allow two “satellite casinos” in Houston and Lowndes counties. The Porch Creek Indians currently operate electronic bingo type operations at Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery.
Under Alabama Constitutional Amendment 743, there are five operating electronic bingo parlors in Greene County, including Greenetrack, and two additional licenses which have been issued by Sheriff Jonathan Benison. The existing bingo parlors in Greene County are opposed to the legislation because it will result in the closure of their operations, and only Greenetrack will remain as a full-fledged casino, with other games like blackjack, roulette and poker, when the legislation goes into effect.
Most of the Greene County opposition is based on the future of the existing bingo operations – their employees and the charities and governmental agencies that they currently support with bingo proceeds.
In another of Albritton’s bills, there are provisions for a statewide gambling commission that will have two years to investigate gambling operations in Greene and Lowndes counties, outside the state authorized gambling operations. It is unclear how this investigative process will evolve and how many bingo parlors will survive.
In the Alabama House, two similar bills for a lottery passed through committees in the House and await floor action.
Any gambling legislation for a lottery and/or casinos, will be subject to a statewide referendum, as constitutional amendments to permit gambling, which is currently banned by Alabama law, at the November or a special election.
Some knowledgeable observers of the Alabama Legislature do not feel there is enough time left inn this legislative session for the lottery and casino bills to be reconciled and passed by both houses of the legislature. Others say there is still time to pass this legislation or for the Governor to call a special session to pass it.
People statewide, especially electronic bingo parlor operators in Greene and Lowndes counties will be watching the legislative process closely.