It has been six months since Arkansas has permitted the return of charitable bingo. In Moose Lodge itself, the club pays out $7,500 per night while players spend about $50 for participating in games on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

 

The players say that playing bingo gives them an addictive excitement in their otherwise monotonous lives. It gets you so excited that your heart pumps in winning games that pay $50, $200 or even $1,000.

 

There are about 250 licensed organizations in Arkansas, with minimal complaints. The state of Arkansas receives a penny for each card played in a game of bingo, thus raking the revenue of the state.

 

This move of paying a cent fee for each card brings in slightly more in income to the government than before. It was expected to collect 6 to 700 thousand dollars, however in the first six months, Arkansas collected about $550,000 as tax and used for enforcing charitable bingo laws and regulations.

 

Not only does the state donate to charity, they also give it back to the community through the Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, etc.

Most of the licensed games of the state are conducted at churches and schools where they feel that the fee is too high and should be cut into half.

 

In reply to this, the Revenue Commissioner Theis says that this matter about the tax and level of tax will be discussed in the general assembly when they come into session in 2009 to find out if an adjustment is required.

These are all minor problems, and to many lucky people in the state, bingo has been more profitable than charitable.

Bingo news from bingo reviewer.