Robbed By Bingo Hall

halfman

Advice needed please.

My son went to the local Bingo with his partner,while playing the " Link game " he came up a winner and shouted for the win, this was taken up by several other players to inform the caller, but as the caller was in another hall it appears there was some delay in being heard and the caller started to call the next number, now the Bingo Hall has refused to pay out the winnings(£160) saying he called too late, but everyone else in the local hall says he did not, he has complained to the manager, but the manager will not refer the matter to an independent third party for review, what can be done now.

brendon

You can go to the small claims court. What evidence does he have?

halfman

Does several dozen witnesses count, and I should imagine there must be some form of recording in place.

phill99

brendon wrote: »

You can go to the small claims court. What evidence does he have?

No you can't. This is a gambling debt and as such it's not classed as a contract and therefore can't be enforced.

dacouch

phill99 wrote: »

No you can't. This is a gambling debt and as such it's not classed as a contract and therefore can't be enforced.

Gambling debts are enforcable and are contracts

browneyedbazzi

There is a formal process for raising a dispute in relation to a gambling transaction

http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gh-contact_us/complaints/complain_gambling_transaction.aspx

agrinnall

What is the hall's normal procedure for wins claimed outside the main hall? Never having been to one I can't really visualise the set up you describe, but if calls in the secondary hall can't be heard in the main one you would presume the organisers would have somebody in the secondary hall to relay any claims made there - did they?

MothballsWallet

agrinnall wrote: »

What is the hall's normal procedure for wins claimed outside the main hall? Never having been to one I can't really visualise the set up you describe, but if calls in the secondary hall can't be heard in the main one you would presume the organisers would have somebody in the secondary hall to relay any claims made there - did they?

That sounds logical to me (the extra person to relay calls/claims), but that does require the organisers to have considered that in the first place...

browneyedbazzi

MothballsWallet wrote: »

That sounds logical to me (the extra person to relay calls/claims), but that does require the organisers to have considered that in the first place...

They generally do. These games are often played across multiple locations - not just different rooms in the same building, but video links or similar between multiple halls in the same chain. Usually each hall will have spotters placed at various points to pick up any call which is they relayed back to the hall where the draw is being made. Players are also usually given quite clear instruction that a call must be made promptly (before the next number is drawn), loudly and clearly.

(I'm not a bingo player, but I used to work in licensing so I've seen the set-up)

MothballsWallet

browneyedbazzi wrote: »

They generally do. These games are often played across multiple locations - not just different rooms in the same building, but video links or similar between multiple halls in the same chain. Usually each hall will have spotters placed at various points to pick up any call which is they relayed back to the hall where the draw is being made. Players are also usually given quite clear instruction that a call must be made promptly (before the next number is drawn), loudly and clearly.

(I'm not a bingo player, but I used to work in licensing so I've seen the set-up)

I suppose what could have happened is that there was supposed to be extra people for the second room, but due to sickness there weren't enough people to cover it properly.

Would that be a breach of the licence conditions for the hall (not having cover in place for extra rooms not having people off on sick leave I mean)?

browneyedbazzi

MothballsWallet wrote: »

I suppose what could have happened is that there was supposed to be extra people for the second room, but due to sickness there weren't enough people to cover it properly.

Would that be a breach of the licence conditions for the hall (not having cover in place for extra rooms not having people off on sick leave I mean)?

It's pretty unlikely that there will a licence condition about the number of staff required to monitor the room for these games so no it won't be a breach in that manner.

Premises do have to operate in a way that upholds the licensing objectives which include 'ensuring gambling is conducted in a fair and open way'. If they are not adequately monitoring rooms during link games it could be said that they are not operating in a fair way because players in that room will be unfairly disadvantaged. If it's a one-off that they correct after it's been brought to their attention then it'll go no further. If they habitually operate in a way that does not uphold the objectives then the licence could be suspended/revoked or strict conditions added to the licence.