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Tribal casino operators in California are frustrated with the presence of electronic bingo machines.  They argue that the machines, which resemble slot machines in more ways than one, violate their exclusive right to offer casino style gambling in the state of California.  Tribes are concerned that the machines are cutting into profits that could be made by their slot machines.

There is however another side to the argument.  Bingo halls and charitable organizations argue that the new law banning electronic bingo games violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.  There are many players with disabilities that are simply unable or find it highly difficult to play the paper version of bingo. 

“Our principle is to continue to have a source of revenues for the charities,” claims Doug Bergman, president of United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Sacramento. Disregarding the argument that the terminals too closely resemble slot machines, Bergman explains that revenue from electronic bingo games is used to raise money for programs geared toward promoting productivity and independence for people with developmental disabilities.

“You remove the e-bingo machines from our hall, and the paper bingo games just don't generate enough money to keep the doors open today,” continued Bergman.

Although Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger passed a ban on electronic bingo games a federal court in Sacrament put an injunction in place preventing law enforcement from physically shutting down the electronic bingo terminals. 

The goal of United Cerebral Palsy is to have the new law stricken from the books and perhaps reach “a compromise with the Indian tribes where we can continue to use the bingo machines that satisfy our needs.”

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