New York Changing Bingo Gambling Laws

May 19, 2009 - Written by Jimmy

How would you feel, if you knew you were getting cheated? How much worse would you feel, you were being cheated, because you had a disability, such as blindness? I'm willing to bet, not very good. As awful as that sounds, it has been happening in states such as New York.

Joanna Richardson has recently put the pressure on the New York Racing and Wagering Board, to change the laws, which prevents electronic bingo cards from having audible sounds. You see, no pun intended, Joanna Richardson is blind, and she has been getting cheated at local bingo halls. She is fed up with the lack of care that blind people receive, when it comes to participating in bingo, which is why she has pushed for audible electronic bingo cards.

Good news for Richardson, she fought and won! She successfully lobbied the Racing and Wagering Board to change the regulations which prohibited bingo halls from having audible sounds from their games. Their initial goal was to not have bingo halls, turning into the same atmosphere found in casinos. Not a bad idea, but it just doesn't work when blind people, such as Richardson, get cheated, because of their disability.

Now, bingo halls in New York, will be equipped with the audible electronic bingo cards which will notify players when they hit bingo, or they are one number away from bingo, with a sound. Richardson fought, and made a difference, which makes this a great story. It's proof that the ordinary citizen can get things changed, if they are really determined.