PELHAM, Ala. ( WIAT ) — Some Pelham businesses said they are confused about paper bingo laws in central Alabama.
Lil Bits and Pub 261 had their licenses up for revocation Monday night following a license check that discovered the bingo operation . Paper bingo with a cash prize meets all three elements under Alabama state law to be considered a lottery.
“In Alabama law, a lottery, which is generally illegal, is anything there a prize awarded by chance,” said Pelham City Attorney Josh Arnold, “and your participation is for consideration, meaning you have to exchange something of value to participate in the possibility of winning a prize, not even necessarily a cash prize, any prize, and the prize is by chance.”
With it falling under the law, paper bingo is illegal in Shelby County.
“In Alabama, there are places where you can play bingo,” Arnold said. “All of those places have a statewide constitutional amendment, allowing those localities to host or to allow bingo games.”
Shelby County or the city of Pelham does not have any type of amendment.