Gamblers Want Their Money Back

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (CN) - On the heels of corruption indictments against state senators and lobbyists involving electronic bingo, hundreds of bingo players sued the Macon County Greyhound Park aka Victoryland, claiming its bingo machines are illegal and were rigged to pay off politicians, including former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, who has been convicted of felony charges.

Names of the plaintiffs fill 5 full pages of the complaint in Macon County Court. The bingo players claim that any "game of chance" or lottery is illegal in Alabama, but nonprofit organizations may hold a bingo license so long as they "benefit substantially" from the operations.

The bingo players claim Victoryland "paid crumbs to the nonprofit organizations who actually owned licenses" while making "hundreds of millions of dollars."

They claim the bingo machines - which actually are electronic slot machines - were "rigged" to pay off Mayor Langford, who was a "longtime friend and political ally" of Milton McGregor, owner of Victoryland.

For 3 years, the plaintiffs say, Langford was "escorted by employees of MCGP to specific electronic bingo devices where Langford, upon playing said devices, won the aforementioned substantial sums as jackpots."

The plaintiffs say Langford won more than 500 jackpots, raking in more than $1.6 million. But they point out that, unlike so many other lucky winners, Langford's image was never used as a "substantial winner" in advertisements, "so as to prevent discovery and disclosure of the substantial payoffs made to Langford."

Because the games were rigged, the plaintiffs say they should have the "millions of dollars" they spent in the casino refunded.

The plaintiffs are represented by Ted Mann of Birmingham.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit