PELHAM, Ala. —
Two popular Pelham businesses who had their business licenses up for revocation over paper bingo game nights were allowed to stay in operation after a unanimous vote by the Pelham City Council.
More than three dozen people showed up to show their support for Lil Bits Tavern and Pub 261, saying both establishments stopped allowing paper bingo game nights after learning it was in violation of the law.
The support, according to Pelham city council president Maurice Mercer, made a difference and was partly why the council voted unanimously to allow both establishments to keep their business licenses and continue to operate.
"Taking into all the consideration of the support that they had here this evening and the fact that they were no longer going to participate in bingo and just want to operate their businesses how they did previously excluding bingo, i think the council saw fit to continue to allow that," Mercer said.
Before Monday's meeting, the news came as a surprise to the business owners.
Attorney Michael Wallace said his client, the owner of Pub 261, received a letter saying the bingo is not allowed in the county, so they stopped. But now, it could have cost them their business license and they were fighting to stop that.
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Wallace said paper bingo is common in Pelham and throughout Shelby County. There’s even advertising for it throughout town.
Ainsley Allison, with the City of Pelham, defined paper bingo in an email to WVTM.
"Paper bingo, where money is paid by each player for an opportunity to play and win a cash jackpot is a form of illegal gambling well settled under state law," Allison stated.
That’s why he was surprised to learn a letter was sent to Pub 261 two weeks ago. The letter said those game nights are a violation of Pelham city ordinances.
That means restaurants and bars like Pub 261 and Lil Bits Tavern require bingo permits, but they can’t be issued one.
Allison said it's because paper bingo is a violation of state law and that "there is not a bingo permit available because bingo is illegal."
"Pelham’s City Ordinances state that businesses will operate in a manner consistent with state law. Unless state law were to change, the City of Pelham cannot even consider a licensing or permitting framework on what to allow or not to allow and how," Allison stated.
Wallace said he did some research and found out only 18 counties in Alabama allow paper bingo, and Shelby County is not one of them. But he says it’s still being done in other cities within Shelby County, like Calera, Helena and Alabaster.
“It’s going to hurt us,” Wallace said. “It’s going to hurt a lot, and in these economic times, you have to stay on top of things because they can just go up the street a few miles and go to Jefferson County and play bingo all they want. Our customers are upset. We’re getting a lot of people calling us. A lot of people thought that we had already been shut down.”
In response, Allison stated that "the City of Pelham will operate in accordance with state law."
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Wallace said he was told the entire county would have to vote to allow paper bingo, and until then, the city cannot give them a permit to host game nights legally.
Wallace said he’s already working to get the issue on the ballot in the next election to make paper bingo legal in the county.