Skyview,
I did not see my post as baptopres so I started a new ID: bluejaypres.
? what do you use for your bingo program? DVD? rental? borrow? We are having our first Bingo night in March and thought you'd have the answers
For Bingo we borrow the cards and the Bingo balls from the Catholic church by us. They are the cards with the windows that cover the numbers.
This year we barely had enough cards. I have gone out and looked at websites where they sell bingo supplies, and have toyed with the idea of buying the paper bingo cards that get thrown out after each use. They seem like they would work also.
Sorry about the lateness in a reply, that "Holiday Season" stuff gets in the way.
I did not take your question about the gambling aspect of giving cash as prizes in "Deal or No Deal" as anything more than a legitimate question. I realize that I sounded like I was ranting about the gambling laws and PTO functions, but that was not directed at you or meant to be a angry tirade. Gambling laws come up all the time on these posts and even though I understand why the laws exist, I just see it as a unneccesary burden that PTO's should not have to worry about. A major fundraiser using Bingo, yes, a simple family fun night of Bingo I feel a gambling permit is overkill.
Just for discussion sake, I have a hard time understanding why gift cards are somehow different than using money. This concept comes up quite often, and I am wondering if playing Bingo for $5 Gift Cards is perfectly legal, while playing for $5 in cash is strictly illegal. I also feel that giving a student money for a prize ia a little uncomfortable, but does the law really care if you give cash or gift cards? I am curious if the law differentiates or is it just us feeling gift cards or somehow OK, while cash is evil?
Skyview- I was in no way knocking you for the game. I was just questioning if you had to follow certain rules. Our principal is pretty hard core when it comes to these things. We do have a gaming licence to play bingo and run raffles and the such. When I approached her on the subject, she thought it was a fantastic ides- but she will not let us give out money. Our way around this- gift cards. It gets us by the whole legal/gambling thing and we get to achieve what we wanted in the first place- a family fun event that all can enjoy. Keep up the great work and keep those great ideas coming! You guys rock!
Skyview- What an awesome idea. I have been trying to psych myself up for bingo either this spring or next year but just could not get into it. (The planning seems enormous to me) But with something like where you had such a good turnout and outcome this might just be the thing to do.
