In a press release today, Del. Al Pollard (D-99th) announced plans to introduce legislation that would ease charitable gaming restraints. Due to abuses, Virginia began significant oversight of these events via the Department of Charitable Gaming. I can attest to the nature of the abuses that was going on prior to 1996, when the Department took over. The amount of money that ended up being available to the charities was miniscule in comparison to the amount that was taken by owners of the bingo halls for rent, supplies and the like. Once the state got involved, though, the amount of paperwork shot through the roof, forcing many small charities to abandon the games altogether.
Pollard proposes reducing the state’s oversight for those charities that hold bingo games at their own facilities. Given the tremendous stress on charities right now, this is probably a good move.
The full press release is below the fold.
For Immediate Release
Scott Thorpe (804) 462-5466
July 10, 2009Delegate Pollard Announces Effort to Ease Restraints on Charitable Gambling in the Northern Neck
Lancaster– Delegate Pollard today announced plans to introduce legislation which will allow veterans and charitable organizations to hold charity bingo events at their own facilities with greatly reduced state oversight.
“These men and women fought for our country or volunteer in our community” said Delegate Pollard. “They shouldn’t have to spend their time trying to maneuver through bureaucrats just to have a charity event in their own building.”
Pollard’s vision is a bill which would create a level of oversight somewhat greater than exempted organizations (with $40,000 per year in gross revenue) but less oversight and spending restrictions than current regulations. The new level of oversight would be defined by both gross receipts and whether the gaming took place in the facility owned by the charity and whose primary purpose is to benefit the charity’s mission.
Charitable gaming was legalized in 1973, but it wasn’t until 1996 that the Commonwealth started implementing strict oversight of these practices. This oversight sprung from the fact that there were a large number of abuses, including ‘shorting’ players on prize money, and shell corporations charging excessive rent to their bingo halls, which minimized profit and thus limited prize money. It is with these big affairs in mind that the Department of Charitable Gaming Commission’s paperwork and regulations were created. However, especially for smaller volunteer organizations, this work is often burdensome and bureaucratic.
At the start of the next legislative session, Delegate Pollard will work with both Democrats and Republicans to ensure that the laws on the books are not only fair and efficient, but also tangibly improve the lives of citizens of Virginia.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 