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Alabama Takes Baby Steps to Revive Electronic Bingo Business

Posted on March 21st, 2011

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It’s been eight months since state officials seized electronic bingo machines at Green County’s Greenetrack and its comeback has been embraced with bittersweet feelings. The fact that the initial seizing put more than 300 people out of work was a particularly bitter pill to swallow; that it only lasted eight months was a little more than a relief. Still, it marked an important step in Greenetrack’s bid to reopen as a gambling destination in the state of Alabama. While the opening was subdued at best, with only 100 machines back in operation and an even more modest 26 of the laid-off workers being given their job back, the reopening was taken to be an optimistic proof that better times are up ahead.

The events of eight months ago were a harsh exhibit in what it means to run out of lucky favors. The state acted through a flurry of raids and a plethora of legislative actions that put non-Indian facilities out of business. The reopening saw more than a couple hundred people trot back to Greenetrack only to find the long lines more than just a little frustrating. “I’m too old to wait this long,” said Robert Blackman, a patron who stood in line for more than an hour before finally leaving without having played. “I’ll come back when they get some more (machines), but I’m going home to watch TV. That don’t cost me nothing and there ain’t no wait at my house,” he said with a laugh.

Jean Hannah adds, “I had fun. I always do.” Hannah, who lost $20 playing bingo Friday, drove with a friend from her home in Tuscaloosa County’s Brookwoods to be Greenetrack for the opening and her efforts paid off by being able to get hold of a machine while many wait in frustrated silence. The methods have changed at Greenetrack too. Before the closure eight months ago, patrons were greeted by slot-like electronic bingo machines that did not require much fuzz for operation. This time around, first-time users had to line-up to secure a personal identification number which they had to input into the machines to start playing. After the purchase, they were led to the third-floor where a slew of touch-screen computers awaited their arrival.

Hannah clarifies that the games were the same as those in the old machines although the new monitor took a little time to get used to. “They don’t have as many games as the old machines, but the four or five I saw I’ve played before and they play the same way as they did on the old machines,” Hannah said. Greenetrack President Nat Winn expressed optimism that as the start-up progresses as per the new plan, there will be around 800 new machines at Greenetrack and the 300 old workers will eventually find their way back into a job. Adds Winn, in response to concerns that what happened eight months ago would repeat itself in another harsh twist for Greenetrack, the machines are legal according to Alabama law. “Before they were installed, they were inspected by the Greene country sheriff and district attorney.” “Our machines are legal, but if the attorney general wants to come inspect them, he’s welcome,” Winn said.

State Attorney General Luther Strange released a statement Friday regarding the state’s stance on the reopening of the Greenetrack gambling facilities. Part of the statement reads, “We have previously met with attorneys from Greenetrack, and they are aware of the state’s legal position against slot machines and the Supreme Court of Alabama’s definition of the game of bingo. This issue will be handled like any other law enforcement matter, and we do not comment on law enforcement strategy.” Gov. Bob Riley, eight months ago, contended that the machines at Greenetrack along with other similar machines in racetracks and gambling halls across the state of Alabama were illegal because they were slot machines. Under Alabama law, slot machines were illegal outside of state-licensed casinos. The governor’s position shift was as decisive; via the creation of a task force whose sole directive was to render all machines non-operational, the governor tasked Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson to “shutdown all non-Indian electronic bingos in the state” by a combination of raids and court action.

The new administration has brought for a more gambling friendly regime in Alabama. New Governor Robert Bentley ruled to dissolve the task force and asked the new attorney general to enforce the laws.