Bingo Game Banned from the Pub
10th January, 2008
Monday afternoon was the day when Hartford Tavern pub, the Cool Moose’s owner decided to give all guests a chance to play some bingo. Little did he know that hosting a bingo game is not permitted in the for-profit businesses.
When state officials informed the owner he was breaking the law, a moment of pure surprise, shock and confusion was experience by the owner of the pub.
These representatives of the state Division of Special Revenue found out about the bingo night about to happen through the local newspaper, The Courant. On Tuesday, a day after the event, division spokesman, Paul Bernste , said that on Monday afternoon they made a visit to “the Half Door” straight after they saw an article, which talked about popular bingo nights at a Sisson Avenue pub, aka the Cool Moose.
Shawn Skehan, half-door owner, stated that had no idea about the existence of such law and stopped the bingo game as soon as the officials informed him about it.
This is what the law sais about this offence, word by word: "No bingo game or series of bingo games shall be promoted, operated or played unless the same is sponsored and conducted exclusively by a charitable, civic, educational, fraternal, veterans' or religious organization, volunteer fire department or grange."
The Cool Moose had been hosting bingo nights for years before they found out it is actually illegal.
Skehan was very frustrated about the fact that it seemed newspaper, was to blame for the game becoming banned from the Moose. "I asked the [state] guy, 'We've been doing it for 15 years, and all of a sudden it goes in the paper, and it's not allowed,” he wondered. The special revenue agent replied clear and concise: “You just got away with it. We're not trying to be difficult here — the big bad bureaucrats — but we have a responsibility to uphold state law," Bernstein added.
Skehan wants to find another game or activity to entertain the customers.
"We were trying to get everyone involved in something that everyone knew," he explained. "We had fun. The ladies loved it."
The huge bingo fan, Joy Piazza said they are going to try and organize a petition against such ridiculous and unreasonable legislation.
"I don't understand why a state agency has to barge into a private establishment where no monetary transaction is taking place," she said. "I think it's awful."
Bernsteis said there will be no fine issued and he felt personally sorry for having to do such a thing in a very embarrassing way, i.e. terminating the game in the middle and making everyone aware of the situation; spoiling people’s night more or less.
"It was all innocent on their part, a promotional activity for their business," he said. "We're sorry if we caused any embarrassment."
