In the discussion of expanded gambling so far, I’ve spoken of two potentially competing interests, casinos and racetracks. Turns out there’s a third player in the game, and they’re not about to be left behind: Bingo interests.
Steve Bresnen, who represents bingo halls as a lobbyist for the Bingo Interest Group, said charitable bingo groups would be devastated if the state expands gambling without giving them the electronic-game technology that would allow them to compete in a market that includes casinos or video lottery terminals at racetracks.
The industry previously has sought the ability to offer electronic instant bingo in a gambling expansion, which has failed before in the Legislature.
State law prohibits using bingo proceeds on lobbying the Legislature and prevents bingo charities from working for or against a proposed constitutional amendment on the state ballot, which a gambling extension would require.
Bresnen said a federal court lawsuit is planned to challenge that law.
They plan to use the Citizens United decision to argue their case. Quite the can of worms the Supreme Court opened there.
Bingo charities net about $36 million a year in bingo proceeds, Bresnen said. Bingo interests want to establish a fund of at least $5 million “to mount a major media campaign that will allow bingo charities to defend their interests,” according to a “plan of action for survival of Texas charitable bingo.”
Even if the bingo industry doesn’t prevail in the lawsuit, it will work to affect the debate through such means as a statewide voter registration and mobilization campaign targeting those attending Texas bingo halls.
Well, if they’re looking for someone to design a logo for them, I have a suggestion for them. It’s going to be very interesting trying to keep up with all of the groups that want a piece of whatever gambling pie that may come out of the next legislative session. Seems to me a viable strategy for the anti-gambling folks will be to get these competing interests to work against each other as much as possible. Just keeping track of all the bedfellows is going to be a full-time job.
I should note that there is at least one other interest that will be involved, though I have not heard anything from them yet: Poker interests, who managed to get a bill passed out of committee last session, but it died without coming to a vote in the House. Someone may want to print up a scorecard, we’re going to need all the help we can get.
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