BURBANK : Ordinance on Cash Prizes Approved
The Burbank City Council adopted an ordinance Tuesday night allowing nonprofit groups to award cash prizes at carnivals, despite police concerns that the ordinance might encourage gambling at for-profit card clubs.
The city voted in 1991 to allow cash prizes at raffles, carnivals and casino nights held by nonprofit groups, on the condition that the temporary ordinance be reviewed after one year.
Tuesday night, the council approved by a 4-0 vote a permanent version of the same ordinance with only minor revisions.
The Burbank Police Department said it was “concerned that the awarding of cash prizes for carnival games might lead to an influx of high-stakes gambling and private card clubs into the city of Burbank,” according to a report submitted to the council.
But City Atty. Joseph W. Fletcher told the council in a letter that city ordinances already forbid the operation “of games of skill and science” by non-charitable, profit-making groups or individuals.
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