Imagine a law enforcement agency with four arrests since 2003. That’s one arrest every 3 1/2 years.
Not a lot of bang for the bucks.
But that’s the present state of affairs at the Mississippi Gaming Commission’s Charitable Gaming Division, which regulates the multi-million-dollar bingo industry. With four bingo arrests in 11 years for the eight sworn law enforcement agents dedicated solely to bingo enforcement—down from a high of 20 officers—the department isn’t exactly flexing its sworn peace officer muscles.
It hasn’t always been the case. Rick Ward, former director of charitable bingo, made 48 arrests during his two-year tenure at the commission. Ward said he resigned after he was told to “lighten up” on enforcement.
“There’s some reason behind that. They’re protecting that industry,” Ward said. “All the governor would have to do is pick up the phone and tell the director that they need to start enforcing the laws. But that hasn’t happened.”
The charitable gaming department isn’t busy when it comes to citations, either. The agency issued 279 citations and collected fines of $176,672 since 2003, according to Rodney Smith, division director II with the Charitable Gaming Division.
That adds up to about 25 citations and about $16,000 in fines per year.
Allen Godfrey, the executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, said his agents are exercising their discretion. Godfrey has been executive director of the agency for the past three years and an employee since 2003.
“It’s just like with a speeding ticket,” Godfrey said. “The officer can write you a ticket or let you go with a warning and you considering yourself fortunate. If not, you go and pay the price and that’s a good analogy.
The Mississippi Gaming Commission–the regulatory body for casino and charitable gaming in Mississippi—has a yearly budget of more than $9.5 million. In 2013, charitable gaming netted$14,665,705 out of $93,378,538 gross receipts. The rest was paid out in winnings ($66,300,907) and administrative expenses.
Yet, of the four arrests claimed by the Gaming Commission since 2003, all came on the heels of investigations done by other agencies, even though the commission is,by law, supposed to be the lead agency on all gambling-related crimes.
