ANAHEIM : Lodge Will Appeal Bingo Revocation

Members of the West Anaheim Moose Lodge No. 522, who pleaded guilty to operating illegal gambling at the lodge earlier this year, will soon negotiate with the city to reinstate the group’s revoked bingo license.

The group is scheduled to appeal the revocation in November, said Mac Slaughter, deputy city attorney. A mediator will hear the appeal and then present the case and a recommendation to the city. The City Council will make the final decision, expected in November or December.

The license was taken away when Anaheim undercover police discovered a small gambling operation, including three slot machines, at the clubhouse. The police also found that pull-tab slips--similar to game pieces offered at some fast food restaurants--were being sold on days when bingo was not being played, a violation of state law. Pull-tabs are cardboard game pieces that, when opened, reveal whether the player has won a prize. They can be played during Bingo games, but not more than one day a week.

“A lot of the time, they were making more money on that than on the bingo,” Police Lt. Vince Howard said.

Club members were not available for comment.

The group’s city-issued bingo license, which allows bingo to be played once a week, was revoked because the group violated state laws prohibiting gambling.

Howard estimated that there had been gambling at the lodge for the past year, and during that time the club earned about $52,000 from the slot machines and about $17,000 from the pull-tabs. He said the money was used to pay off debts the group had accumulated.

Two club members and a bartender were arrested at the end of the four-month undercover operation that ended earlier this year. All pleaded guilty to charges of illegal gambling. They paid fines of $5,000 each and received three years’ probation.