Evening star., 1936-04-16
B|NGO OUTLAWED
AS COMING UNDER
HEAD OF GAMING
Parties Being Cancelled as
Result of District At
torney's Order.
TELEPHONE INQUIRIES
SWAMP AUTHORITIES
Raffles and Wheels of Chance Un-
der Ban-Games Requiring
Skill Not Included.

Debutante and dowager, parson and
parishoner will have to soft-pedal that
joyous and triumphant cry, "Bingo!"
For the district attorneys Office has
cracked down on the popular pastime
of hotel lobby and parish house as a
game of chance" rather than one
of skill.
Bingo, among other amateur games,
raff1es and wheels of chance" was
outlawed under a ruling yesterday
by the prosecutors Office, unless it is
played with darts and is, therefore, a
game of skill.
The game has been popular with
churches arranging benefits for build
ing funds or charity.
Promoters of bingo parties were
either canceling them today, modify
ing the method of play or going ahead
on their own responsibility.
Benefit Plans Abandoned.
A number of churches and frater-
nal groups have abandoned plans for
benefit raf1es, lotteries and games
which seem to verge on gambling, in
the light of the new Interpretation.
The ruling followed written COM
plants against fraternal orders and
churches which had been rafaing val
liable prizes ranging from automobiles
to oilburners or radios.
At the District Attorneys office,
is was said, I'VE cannot put down
professional gambling in Washington
so long as amateur or benefit rafles
and lotteries are widespread. These
have grown in number recently.
"The rafting of automobiles or
other prizes is clearly a game of
chance and a violation of the law.
Door prizes, punch boards and one
! type OF bingo is also a violation,
whether the rewards are in money or
prizes.
"One type of bingo is played with
darts and requires skill. This game
| seems to come within the law, while
the game where the winning numbers
are determined by chance is viola
ton"
Several fraternal lodges we're re-
| turning money spent for rattle tickets,
and at least a few bingo parties had
been Cancelled or revised.
Blow to Churches.
Ministers and laymen alike were
willing to admit the ban would strike
a hard blow at churches which, in the
past, have raised funds for charity by
carnivals featuring raffles, wheels of
chance and bingo games.
Rev. Joseph V. Buckley Of st. Fran
| els Xavier Church said a card and
bingo party previously announced for
| tomorrow night will be turned into
social gathering to come within the
meaning of the new rule. The party
is for the benefit of the building fund
for the new church now under con-
struction at Twenty-eighth street and
Pennsylvania avenue southeast.
''These games have always been con-
sidered legitimate in the past" Father
Buckley said. MANY churches are
| maintaining destitute families through
funds collected in this way. Bingo is
played for prizes rather than money.
1T sometimes is hard to distin-
guish between gambling and legitimate
transactions. Isn't the man who
buys an insurance policy and the
company which sells it gambling on
the length of life of the insured2"
Inquiries Numerous.
Assistant United States Attorney
Roger Robb received almost score of
telephone inquiries this morning ask
ing if certain raff1es and games were
| legal.
In each case Robb explained the
legal diSerence between games of
chance and games of skill. Most of
those who telephoned were advised the
projects were against the law.
But what if we go ahead, any
how?" many asked.
well, that is up to you," Robb re-
piled.
In each case the other assured
Robb the raff1e or game would be
called off.