Pensioners in Palma who were running weekly bingo sessions for charity at a parish hall are claimed to have shared the donations between themselves. Bingo players believed for each card sold a charity was to benefit. Local Police investigators were informed by Mallorca’s Interior department that unauthorised bingo sessions were being held. Following investigations they uncovered that around €4000 was being pocketed by the organisers each month.

During a discreet visit to the premises Police Officers explained why they were there and asked the organisers to identify the people present. The bingo-goers had an alternative version of events: “It was just like a coup d’etat. They came in shouting, ‘Stop! Police!’ and we were really upset,” claimed one of the players.

Police reported later that they had been quiet and tactful in light of the elderly participants and dismissed the “coup d’etat” claims or criticism from the bingo participants. Some of the bingo players claimed the operation was over the top and there had only been around €5 in takings in the kitty at the time of the raid.

The Police have suggested that the sessions of bingo were not as much of a problem as the fact that the organisers had not donated a few cents from each card to a pensioners’ association as they promised. The four organisers had benefitted themselves from between €3,000 and €4,000 each month. The four were questioned by the Police but no arrests have been made, however, the bingo players themselves may feel that they have been conned by those hosting the events. In any form of gambling trust is the number one key to organising successful sessions and without it participant numbers are likely to decline.