Maryland’s Bingo Halls: Uncertain Future - BALITMORE, MD - With Maryland’s new state lottery and the potential for slot machines legalization at horse tracks, the future of Anne Arundel county’s four commercial bingo halls is uncertain.

Bingo revenues in the state dropped from $8.2 million in 1998 to $6.6 million in 2001. Edward O. Wayson (a lobbyist for the Arundel’s four licensed bingo halls, including one owned by his family) says competition from the lottery and out-of-state horse tracks has lured locals away from the bingo halls: "We’ve slowly seen deterioration of our audience to the slots in Delaware and West Virginia. It’s a concern." Wayson has pushed local legislation to allow Arundel’s bingo halls to increase payouts in an effort to compete with the higher prizes offered by the lottery and slots.

Last month, the County Council passed a law to allow the halls to offer two $50,000 games each year and to increase regular-game top prizes from $10,000 to $15,000. Maryland’s two major candidates for governor, Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Robert Ehrlich, are divided on the question of slot machines at racetracks. Townsend, unlike her Republican opponent, is against the slots, even though revenues are earmarked for education.

At next year’s General Assembly session, several lawmakers are expected to push for slot machines at racetracks. If the legislation is introduced as a constitutional amendment, it would be immune to a governor’s veto.