Flying largely below radar, the number of video bingo machines in Louisiana has grown by hundreds over the past five years – mostly in parishes that banned video poker more than a decade ago.

In Lafayette Parish, which is one of those parishes, there are 75 machines in three places.

While the business takes in only a fraction of what the better-known video poker machines win from players, the devices’ growth in non-gambling parishes has led critics to call electronic bingo an end-around by gambling interests.

“There are some people who voted out gambling and they’re going to wake up and find it’s there,” said state Sen. Joe McPherson, D-Woodworth.

McPherson and state Sen. Gerald Long, R-Winnfield, are pushing legislation that would ban video bingo in the 33 parishes that tossed out video poker machines during 1996 referendums. A similar move failed last year.

For the complete story, please see AP, Video bingo grows where poker banned, TheAdvertiser.com, May 10, 2009.