SIMI VALLEY : Shift in Bingo Law Tentatively OKd

The Simi Valley City Council on Monday tentatively approved a change in the city’s bingo ordinance requested by an equestrian therapy group that says it may close if it cannot conduct fund-raising games twice each week.

Under the proposed change, which faces a final vote Dec. 7, charities will be able to apply to hold bingo games on a second night each week, if no other organization is sponsoring games that night.

If more than one group applies for the second night, a permit will be awarded by lot.

The change was requested by the Institute of Equestrian Therapy, which provides riding instruction to handicapped people at a Chatsworth ranch. The program is funded by bingo games the group conducts in Simi Valley.

Equestrian Therapy representatives said the group, which initially ran two nights of bingo each week, has suffered financially since the city cut all groups back to a single night of bingo in 1990.

Currently, charities run bingo games in Simi Valley on all nights except Saturday. If the new city law is adopted, Equestrian Therapy officials, who now offer bingo on Fridays, said they will apply to run a second game on Saturday.

City council members said they have restricted bingo because they are concerned about the percentage of revenue used for charitable purposes and the increasing competition for bingo players.