Dewine shuts down Spfld bingo game

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN) - Ohio Attorney General  Mike Dewine suspended the bingo operation at the Union Club in Springfield.

State law says if you run a charitable bingo game, you cannot pay salaries.  Workers must be volunteers.

Investigators say the club on West High Street paid its bingo workers and had cash dispensing gaming machines.

Dewine says he does not believe the Union Club intended to break the law, but he says ignorance of the law is no excuse.

"We want to give them the benefit of the doubt.  Our whole idea is not to come down hard on a group like the Union Club that's been there for a long time and they've been helping the community," said Atty. General Mike Dewine.

The club will suspend bingo activity between February 15 and 24.