According to a recent report, Coast Casinos, a Las Vegas based Casino facility fined for missing a predetermined reporting deadline, filed an appeal to the Lancaster County District Court. The report in question is regarding the casino's $970,000 contribution to the Keep the Money in Nebraska Committee.

The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission levied the fine, maintaining that the casino missed the Nov. 10, 2004 deadline, until which it was expected to submit the required documents. The Commission reportedly rejected the casino's claims that it misinterpreted the state law explaining how to calculate the fine. Also, the Commission argued that the law complies with the Legislature's intent, and that the casino is obligated to pay the $97,000 fine.

It was then that Coast Casinos went to court. Company attorney Michael J. Leahy was reported as saying that while the casino admits to missing the deadline, it disagrees with the amount decided upon. According to the company, the fine should equal $100 for each day the casino passed the deadline, and not 10% of the entire amount stated in the papers, as the committee decided.

Casino nights have become a popular way to raise money for various charities. Many San Jose, California, groups have realized how much money these events raise, and have planned casino events to raise money for different causes. However, the Almaden Business Association was stunned when the Attorney General's office put a stop to such an event event, stating that it was illegal.

Organizers of the event were upset upon receiving a letter stating that they had to cancel their Texas Hold 'Em tournament, as a great deal of planning went into the casino night. The letter was sent only three days before the event was meant to take place.

According to California law, it is a crime to offer casino games anywhere other than a card room or a tribal casino. Casino fundraisers are thus considered a crime, even if they raise money for a good cause.

State officials in Kentucky have secured a grant for $36,300 from the Office of Homeland Security, meant to assist in keeping terrorism out of bingo halls. The state Office of Charitable Gaming says it will use the grant to guarantee that money from bingo and pull-tab games will not be channeled to fund terrorism.

Not everyone agrees, however, that bingo halls in less populous states like Kentucky are terrorists' prime targets. For instance, in larger metropolitan areas, like New York and Los Angeles, experts say that some major facilities remain prone to attack due to lack of funding.

Legislators and politicians from rural districts understand the benefits of receiving homeland security grants. It is for these benefits that officials cite terrorism whenever they apply for grants, even if they intend to use the funding for other purposes.

While authorities at the Office of Charitable Gaming insist that they intend to use the grant to block the flow of Kentucky bingo money to terrorists before it can start, others feel that extra funding and more official attention should be paid to local "bingo pirates,” who infiltrate charitable gaming operations and end up taking cash meant for worthy causes.