The overwhelming response to the initial call for emergency fire crews is believed to have made a huge difference in the amount of damage the fire caused to the bingo hall as well as to surrounding retail establishments. According to John Bacon, spokesman for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, the fire did not spread to nearby buildings and did not grow out of control. “ It had the potential to be a big fire, literally it didn’t get to develop,” he told reporters. “That’s largely down to the actions of the initial crews in attendance, who made a heightened and sustained attack on the fire and prevented it from traveling too far into the fabric of the building,” he added.

Sources have not yet released the cause of the bingo hall blaze, but a spokesman for PSNI said that it is not believed to be suspicious.

Carnival Bingo Hall is one of several gaming clubs and bingo halls operated by the Bingo Magic Group of Northern Ireland. The club was opened in 2005 and is home to numerous gaming machines as well as a very popular mainstage bingo, which hosts live games several times each week. Carnival Bingo has not yet released information concerning how the fire will affect its regularly scheduled daytime and evening sessions, but concerned players are welcome to contact the club’s management directly on 028 2826 9688. It is also possible to contact the Bingo Magic Group at 028 9266 6103.

No one knows for certain why 18 year old Austin Whaley decided to visit a crowded bingo hall in Covington, Kentucky. Nor does anyone know for sure why the young man decided it would be a good idea to disrupt the game by calling “bingo” when he was really nowhere close to winning.

What is known though, is that the game was disrupted, players were disturbed, and police were called. Upon arrival, officers cited the young man with disorderly conduct, ordered him to leave the bingo hall, and ordered him to appear before a judge for sentencing.

Things may have gone better for Whaley had he simply apologized for his actions. The bingo hall in question serves patrons who are mainly elderly women; because they all thought they lost the game, they were upset when they discovered his “bingo” was merely a hoax. When the bingo hall asked him to make an apology, he refused, prompting police to take further action.

While not as heinous a crime as stealing from a bingo fundraiser as we reported earlier this year, the crime of calling “bingo” in an attempt to intentionally disrupt the game has proven to be one with an interesting outcome. The judge in young Mr. Whaley’s case was thoroughly disgusted with the youth’s actions and after some deliberation, came up with a fitting sentence: Austin Whaley may not utter the word “bingo” for six months.

Lest this deter you from playing live bingo out of fear of making a mistake, we feel it’s fair to mention again that Whaley’s actions were intentional. Accidentally calling “bingo” when you think you’ve won but have not is not a crime anywhere.

Let’s face it: Bingo is a game commonly associated with older generations. But bit by bit, the game is becoming more fashionable, more youthful, and dare we say – more fun! Sadie Frost proved it by appearing at a Bingo fundraiser for The Hepatitis C Trust by wearing a curve-skimming black satin dress trimmed in daring black lace. Design collaborator Jemima French (also of FrostFrench) was also on hand for the occasion.

Sadie, along with other big names such as Robbie Williams and Boy George, is one of the trust’s best-known patrons. She was in high spirits as she participated in the games and took part in a charity auction; numbers were called by fabled DJ Jodie Harsh, who was resplendent in sequins.

The Hepatitis C Trust is a patient-run and patient-led charity based in the UK, and is dedicated to providing information, support, and representation for those who are affected by the Hepatitis C virus. The Bingo gala and charity auction, which featured celebrity artwork and more, raised well over £17,000 for the charity. Supporters are thrilled at the outcome, and winners of course, are beyond thrilled with the fantastic prizes they won over the course of the evening.

With stars lining up to help raise money for charity, fun community bingo nights, and many more opportunities to win locally as well as abroad, bingo is still going strong. While it is a game all ages can enjoy, it certainly isn’t ready to be retired anytime soon.

Congham’s charity bingo evenings are nothing new. A few years ago, Caroline Petchey got the idea of holding bingo evenings to raise funds for favorite charities. At the time, her sister was running the London Marathon to support various charities, and Caroline’s special bingo evenings were held as fundraisers to support the charities her sister’s races were benefiting.

Caroline stopped holding bingo evenings for several years, but reinstated the practice when Kath Long of the Anvil Inn in Congham approached her for assistance in running some special bingo evenings. Ever since, the charity events have taken off, becoming more popular than ever.

During the first year, the fundraisers were held to benefit cancer research. This year, fundraiser bingo nights in Congham will focus on benefiting the Norfolk and Norwich Radiotherapy Appeal as well as the West Norfolk Disability Information Service. Both beneficiaries are near and dear to Caroline’s heart and also are being held in memory of a bingo attendee and personal friend of Caroline’s – Roy Curtis, who passed away in 2013.

Caroline, who hails from Warham, says “It’s just my way of helping local people. I do it for local charities so I can see the benefit it has for the community.” She went on to say that “There just seems to be so much doom and gloom around so I just want to help as much as I can. It gives me a purpose. Our sessions have a regular following of about 30 people with more coming for the Easter and Christmas events. The Anvil is only a small venue so at Christmas, we had so many people we had to squash everyone together like sardines!”

Caroline went on to thank the numerous local businesses that donated prizes to be given away at the popular holiday bingo sessions. The next bingo at Congham will be held at 7:30 pm, on Thursday April 17^th.

Viejas Casino and Resort in Alpine, California, used to have a small bingo hall; as it’s now well known as one of Southern California’s best places to play bingo, management made the decision to open a brand new bingo hall in the nearby outlet mall, which is also owned by the Viejas band of Kumeyaay Indians.

Bingo was the first game Viejas offered; since then, the resort has added a full-fledged casino complete with popular games such as keno and slot machines. As the resort and casino has grown in popularity, the old venue was outgrown.

A ribbon cutting for the new 11,300 square foot bingo hall was held on Friday, April 4^th, making way for players to come in and enjoy their favorite game in luxurious surroundings. The experience begins with valet parking and continues with beautifully upholstered chairs, a fantastic snack bar, a designated indoor smoking area for those who enjoy tobacco, and a dedicated slot machine area where bingo players or companions can try their luck before and between bingo games.

Viejas general manager Peter Cortese told reporters that he belives this is California’s first shopping center bingo hall, and as such is certain to increase overall public appeal. Viejas is a popular destination for its shopping, its bowling and ice skating venues, its live shows, and its outdoor movies. Enhancing the resort’s bingo hall is a positive step. “We’ve been entertainment focused from the start,” Cortese said of the venue, which was opened sixteen years ago.

The newly opened bingo hall is a high-tech venue, offering both pad and paper bingo as well as video bingo, with three sessions per day. Viejas bingo hall has the capacity to host as many as 400 bingo players and is always offering fun promotions as well as rich payouts. If you’re visiting southern California or happen to be lucky enough to live in the area, be sure to visit Viejas to try your luck at the newly revamped bingo hall.

It happened at the Globe Bingo Hall in Donnington, on recent evening when Emmerdale soap star Matthew Wolfenden arrived, thrilling the hundreds of players in attendance and handing huge bouquets of flowers to the two winners. Wolfenden added even more excitement to the evening by calling a game of bingo and kissing a special birthday girl, Alison Richardson, who at 41 said this was one of her best birthdays ever.

The winner admitted that she doesn’t watch Emmerdale, in which Matthew Wolfenden plays David Metcalf, who is at the center of a love triangle. Her friend, however, is a huge Emmerdale fan and an even bigger fan of Matthew Wolfenden. In addition to the flowers the star gave the two girls, he handed over a giant check for the prize, which they won back on March 9^th. Both winners told reporters that they planned to use their share of the prize money for home improvements, and both hope to enjoy a holiday as well.

The two friends play bingo together regularly; as the winner said, “We had decided to come on the off chance to take part in the new, national bingo game. We come along perhaps every couple of months. We have always said that we will share our winnings and that is what we are doing – we are good friends.”

Matthew enjoyed the experience, telling reporters “It was the first time I had called a bingo game. It was great fun. It’s also really great to be able to present such a large check to two lovely ladies.”

Club general manager, Adrian Gittins, was elated; he told reporters that besides hitting the jackpot, the two had won a luxury cruise for two as a bonus prize. “We are thrilled to see two of our members receive such a huge prize. It’s a great start to the new year. The government has given us a bonus with the tax benefit and we are seeing a large investment in this building, which has been such a large part of the community for many years.”

The new National Bingo game was launched in February, and offers a £25,000 national prize as well as a £250,000 jackpot.

Tracey Harland, age 41, was manager at Orion Bingo Hall in Westerhope, Newcastle beginning in 2006. After gaining the owner’s trust, the married mother of two began to filch funds from the bingo hall on a weekly basis, to the tune of about £500 per week.

In December of 2013, Harland was sentenced to four years prison time after admitting guilt. The Appeal Court judges have now made the decision to reduce her sentence to three years because at the time the thefts occurred, she was caring for a young daughter who suffered from cancer.

In a separate hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, a proceeds of crime hearing aimed at making Harland return at least a portion of the ill-gotten gains. Because the has no assets, she must pay back just £1 – despite having stolen a grand total of £104,516.44p.

Orion Bingo’s director, Michael Corn, was blindsided and “completely shell shocked” by Harland’s deceit. In a statement to the court, he explained that he had trusted Harland implicitly; he went on to say that her actions had a ‘devastating effect’ not just on him, but on Orion Bingo.

Harland managed to steal the money by falsifying accounts while handing out bingo winnings. During an audit in 2013, the bingo hall’s owner noticed that profits seemed unusually low; he then discovered that false accounting had been taking place, after which he confronted Harland, who confessed immediately. She said that she had spent the stolen money on taxis, trips to the hospital where her daughter was hospitalized, and food.

Following her appeal, Judge Lakin, who reduced her sentence, said that the original judge “gave insufficient weight to the context in which the offending began and continued.”

Orion bingo is still in business and it is hoped that profits will improve now that the embezzlement has come to an end. Monday and Saturday afternoon sessions are available, as well as evening sessions that take place every day of the week. Support this venue if you can – they’ve had a rough go of things lately.

The three individuals are a husband and wife named Kendall and William Clemons, and a third party named Cheryl Patrick. The Clemons couple were indicted first, and court proceedings were continued to include Ms. Patrick, who was the Mansfield Tyger All Sports Booster Club president. The booster club collects money from the community, stating that it is to be used to help fund school endeavors, aid in scholarship funding, and help students in other ways. Instead of turning the right amount of money over to the school though, the three club members put it back into the boosters’ bingo operation.

“These defendants are accused of taking more than $200,000 that should have been sent back to help send local athletes to college and give them bright futures,” Attorney General Mike DeWine told reporters. “My office will fight to get that money back so it can go toward its intended purpose.”

He added that “because the scholarship trust was a separate entity from the club, that money could not be used for any other purpose but scholarships without approval from the courts.”

Kendall Clemons has also been accused of unlawfully receiving over $40,000 USD in Social Security benefits between 2007 and 2012. She faces a total of thirteen charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, which is a first-degree felony. If she is convicted on all counts, she could be sentenced to as much as 33 years in prison.

William Clemons was a Mansfield police officer for over 24 years, but retired when charges were brought forth. He has a total of seven charges, including the same felony as his wife; he could receive up to 18 ½ years in prison.

Cheryl Patrick is facing six charges and if convicted could receive up to twenty years incarceration.

It is sad to see bingo run afoul of the law, particularly in cases where the game is intended to help the community’s young people. Though instances like this are rare, they shed light on the importance of playing bingo with gaming halls and other venues that offer transparency and do their best to remain on the right side of the law.

Britain’s Bingo halls are being hit hard – and not just by the current recession. A ban on smoking caused some patrons to stop visiting their local bingo halls, and a 5% tax increase on bingo hall profits has caused a decrease in profits to the point where many bingo halls simply could not afford to stay in business any longer and were forced to close. The closures continue today, leaving many who enjoyed socializing while playing bingo with no similar options.

Though many people continue to visit existing bingo halls, the numbers are lower than they have been in previous years. This loss of revenue has combined with the tax increase to make it much more difficult for bingo halls to offer attractive cash prizes, bonuses, and other incentives that compel punters to visit on a regular basis. The lack of funding only makes the downward spiral worse, leading to the demise of a greater number of bingo halls.

The Back Bingo Campaign is a concerted effort to keep the 400 or so bingo halls in Britain open. The industry employs about 12,500 Commonwealth citizens, and when bingo halls thrive, they bring in important tax revenue.  Numerous MPs have joined the Back Bingo Campaign in hopes that reducing taxes on bingo hall profits will allow clubs to make investments in their futures and continue serving locals who rely on bingo halls as safe places to socialize. It is hoped that Back Bingo will compel the Government to bring taxes on bingo hall profits down from the current 20% rate to 15% – enabling bingo halls to invest more in their employees, their communities, and their ability to offer attractive prizes.

Some mistakenly believe that online bingo venues are responsible for the decline in live bingo hall attendance. This simply is not true – in fact, many who patronize online bingo venues enjoy regular meetups at live bingo halls, where they tend to play multiple cards at once and bring a renewed sense of excitement to the game.

Needless to say, even if bingo halls do disappear, bingo is here to stay. It is incredibly popular online, and online bingo jackpots tend to be quite large. Though the fact that bingo itself isn’t going anywhere will of course soothe some, it’s sad to think that someday bingo halls may no longer be available. So patronize a local bingo hall if you can, and be sure to take a moment to let government representatives know how you feel about the current crises bingo halls are facing. Together, we can help protect this important endangered species – and ensure that bingo halls continue to offer fun and excitement, jobs, and a sense of community to the cities and towns we live in.

Pat Alcock, a 74 year old great grandmother from Timperley, has been playing bingo for nearly fifty years without winning big. She kept playing though, because she loves the game so much. A short time ago, she decided to go to Mecca Bingo in Sale, which was taking part in the National Bingo Game. In case you’re not aware, the National Bingo Game involves players from all over the country.

About 47 years ago, Pat and her sister Florence began playing bingo with their mother. Florence had a gold bracelet covered in shamrocks which she used as a lucky bingo charm; after she passed away, Pat started wearing the bracelet in her memory.

Pat plays bingo about three times each week with a group of four friends. Despite playing regularly for years, this is her first win. She pocketed a massive prize of £115,000, and didn’t tell her husband Harry until they got home, out of fear that the 72-year old would crash the car. “It still hasn’t sunk in. Ive been lost for words since. I didn’t even tell Harry I’d won or how much until we got home in case he lost his concentration driving!”

She went on to say:  “I love going to the club, it gets me out and about to chat with friends and have a good time and everyone knows me. It’s always great fun. I have no idea at all what I’m going to spend the money on. I still can’t believe it.”

The crew at Mecca Bingo in Sale are planning a party for Pat and the rest of the club’s regulars. As for Pat, she has no plans to stop playing bingo, especially now that she’s won. She will keep attending bingo three nights each week.

Mecca’s manager Emma Foster said: “we were all very excited by the new National Bingo Game jackpot and were wondering which lucky player and club would be first to take the prize; never in a million years did we think it would be us in Sale! Pat is a regular here and well known to all the staff and players at the club. We’re going to give her the star treatment.”