Joe Espy, lawyer for VictoryLand Casino in Macon County, Alabama, has filed a request in circuit court asking the state to return 1,615 gambling machines and about 3,000 in cash seized in a 2013 raid.
The request follows Montgomery County Circuit Judge William Shashy’s June 25 ruling that the state was “cherry-picking” by raiding VictoryLand while tribal and other casinos used the same machines. “We felt like under the judge’s ruling, with the forfeiture dismissal, that it was clear that they should return our money and our property. If we can get these machines and they work, that could expedite the process of reopening,” Espy said.
Espy also asked Shashy to amend his ruling to state that VictoryLand was operating legally, and that the constitutional amendment allowing bingo in Macon County authorized all forms of bingo.
The attorney general’s office immediately appealed Shashy’s ruling to the Alabama Supreme Court. The state claims it should keep the machines and money while the appeal is pending. Previously the high court ruled electronic bingo is illegal and not what was intended by state laws allowing charities to operate bingo games, which require players to keep up with numbers drawn at random, mark cards accordingly and recognize when a winning pattern is completed.
Espy said most of the machines seized in the raid probably have been damaged and are not usable. He noted without assurances that the casino won’t be raided again, VictoryLand will have problems getting new machines since vendors will not want to take the risk. Meanwhile, owner Milton McGregor said the casino is taking applications for employees. He said reopening most likely would take four to six months.
