Bingo hall raid refused by Alabama Supreme Court

MONTGOMERY, AL. - State Governor Bob Riley`s anti-gambling task force has been refused the chance to raid Victoryland electronic bingo hall and seize all bingo machines after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling.

The Victoryland bingo hall and dog track was closed on Monday to prevent any raid. Around 600 people are employed at the bingo hall and would lose their jobs if the anti-gambling task force has its way. Victoryland`s owners have said that they will re-open the dog track today but the bingo hall will remain closed.

The Supreme Court turned down a request from John Tyson, the commander of the anti-gambling task force, to warrant an immediate raid of the Victoryland premises. Lawmakers believe that there is no emergency that warrants an immediate raid and seizure of the bingo machines at Victoryland.

Lawyers for the bingo hall say that the next step forward for them to ask the Supreme court to reconsider the ruling that they made recently that states Tyson and his task force do not need permission from the county sheriff or district attorney to raid any bingo halls.