Thursday, September 14, 2006

Lexington Herald-Leader | 09/12/2006 | Bingo tax-evasion trial opens

Lexington Herald-Leader 09/12/2006 Bingo tax-evasion trial opens: "Taylor said that crooked bingo dealers buy bootleg pull-tab games, which are similar to lottery tickets, that are not registered and therefore cannot be tracked. Charities can then sell the bootleg games and pocket the proceeds.
Another way to pocket money without being detected is to pick a 'house winner' to win. The winner then pays the operator a kickback. Operators can also sell more packets of bingo sheets but under-report the amount to charitable gaming regulators and pocket the proceeds.
But Michael Dean, the attorney for Tipton and Williams, said that representatives from the charities will testify that they are legitimate non-profit organizations and not a front for Tipton or her sisters.
Dean said much of the federal prosecutor's case was built on a tip from Roger Alexander, the former chief of the Waco Volunteer Fire Department, a convicted felon.
Alexander went to the state Office of Charitable Gaming with complaints that he was not able to run the Waco department's bingo games and that Tipton still largely controlled the bingo proceeds.
Alexander eventually started his own bingo hall in Berea. In February, Alexander was convicted of diverting charity bingo proceeds of more than $100,000 over three years.
Office of Charitable Gaming inspectors began an investigation of Jackpot Bingo in 2000. Beverly Rogers, a former inspector and branch manager for the agency, testified yesterday that she went undercover in March 2000, visiting Jackpot Bingo as a paying patron four times.
On at least three nights, she found that the charities operating the bingo were selling bootleg pull tabs. Two of Tipton's sisters allegedly were selling bingo sheets on two different nights -- even though different charities were supp"

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Letters

Letters: "Letters
Too bad for baseball
Last update: September 12, 2006

North Andover wants its prized open space to stay that way
What comes after the funeral?
College debuts Internet so fast, it almost gives you whiplash
New field says what you think matters
Roseville schools move up the vote for levy referendumToo bad for baseball
Regarding the Aug. 30 Star Tribune North article 'Hockey wins, baseball loses on charity pulltabs,' I am a member of both associations and feel bad for baseball. That being said, I don't remember seeing baseball giving the hockey association any donations.
Baseball hit a gold mine and sat back and did nothing to add to their gambling sites. No one was calling for baseball to share the money with the other associations. But now hockey should?
The mayor should stay out of it!
The hockey association didn't back door baseball, but they would have been foolish to pass up the opportunity. "

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Pollard Banknote Awarded Breakopen Ticket Contract by Manitoba Lotteries Corporation

Pollard Banknote Awarded Breakopen Ticket Contract by Manitoba Lotteries Corporation: "Pollard Banknote Awarded Breakopen Ticket Contract by Manitoba Lotteries Corporation
10 September 2006
Pollard Banknote Limited Partnership ('Pollard Banknote') is pleased to announce that the company has been awarded a contract to design and manufacture breakopen (also known as pull tab) tickets for Manitoba Lotteries Corporation ('MLC').


The new contract, worth about $4.2 million (CDN) in total, has an initial term of three years plus two optional one-year renewals. Pollard Banknote expects to produce and deliver up to 75 million breakopen tickets each year.


'We are thrilled to enter into another contract with MLC, who also selected Pollard Banknote as its bingo paper supplier this April,' said Jennifer Westbury, Vice President, Sales & Marketing. 'It's really exciting to see this partnership expand. We look forward to working with MLC to create successful games that help maximize sales.'


The breakopen tickets will be sold at MLC Casinos (Club Regent and McPhillips Street Station) as well as Lottery Ticket Centres, bingo halls, hotels, and legions across Manitoba. Unlike instant scratch products, breakopen tickets have one or more perforated window tabs that can be opened to reveal whether the player has the winning numbers or symbols."

St. Paul Pioneer Press | 09/07/2006 | Strip club's demise costly

St. Paul Pioneer Press 09/07/2006 Strip club's demise costly: "Can nude dancing help build your neighborhood?
Organizers of a popular festival on St. Paul's East Side concede it can happen � albeit indirectly � and point to next week's abbreviated celebration as evidence.
Traditionally a four-day party, the Payne-Arcade Harvest Festival has been pared to just a parade.
Longtime residents are now finding themselves in the bizarre dilemma of giving thanks for the 1999 closure of the notorious Payne Reliever strip club but missing the steady revenue it produced for the neighborhood.
Pull-tabs purchased at the bar generated sizable charitable gambling proceeds that were directed to the Payne Avenue Business Association, which produces the festival and promotes the avenue's merchants, said Kristin 'Murph' Dawkins, president of the nonprofit association."

Saturday, September 02, 2006

BillingsGazette.com :: Heights casino robbed

BillingsGazette.com :: Heights casino robbed: "Casino Manager: maybe the state and the voters should have just stopped with the lottery and thats it, as far as gambling there in MT. Sorry something like this had to happen but if there wasnt gambling, pull tabs and the like maybe the crime rate would be a little lower. It would help if there were much stiffer penalties for such crimes also. Seems like everyone is out for the allmighty dollar and they dont care about the honest citizens that have to be victims or worse. I hope the man that was held at gunpoint is ok and that he can continue to go to his job despite this ordeal. As far as the man who committed this crime he should be in jail for a very long time, meaning life!!!!! "

St. Paul Pioneer Press | 08/30/2006 | Smoking ban clears air in bars, study says

St. Paul Pioneer Press 08/30/2006

Smoking ban clears air in bars, study says
: "Several bar owners, however, have said the ban is damaging their businesses. And charitable gaming revenue, much of which comes from pull-tabs and is linked to bar business, took a hit after the ban, according to the Minnesota Gambling Control Board.
The survey studied fine particles smaller than 2.5 microns, which are considered more dangerous to human health since they penetrate deeper into the lungs. Secondhand smoke � which contains such toxic chemicals as formaldehyde, cyanide, ammonia and nicotine � is linked to 38,000 deaths annually."

Hockey wins, baseball loses on charity pulltabs

Hockey wins, baseball loses on charity pulltabs: "Charitable gambling is huge in Minnesota, which leads the country in participation and profits.
The state had gross receipts totaling $1.4 billion in fiscal 2005, said Tom Barrett, executive director of the state's Gambling Control Board.
Proceeds from charitable gambling, which includes pulltabs, raffles and bingo, can bring nonprofits hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to support their programs and give to charity."