Pence: No ‘shutdown’ of senior euchre games

MUNCIE – The executive director of the Indiana Gaming Commission said Monday the state “did not, and never had, any plans to take enforcement action” against a Muncie senior citizens group playing euchre in violation of state gaming laws.

And Gov. Mike Pence said through a spokesman Monday he not only had no plans to “shut down” the senior card games but would ask the gaming commission to “ensure common sense prevails” in its actions.

Nevertheless, last week’s contact from the state prompted euchre clubs at the Delaware County Senior Citizens Center to end the long-standing practice of pay-for-play and prizes at the three-times-weekly euchre games.

And the director of another Indiana senior center told The Star Press on Monday that prizes in her center’s euchre games were discontinued after similar concerns from the state.

“Something has to be done so a large part of the population can legally play cards,” Ruth Bosch of the Jennings County senior center said Monday. “The law has to be amended. If you are a fraternal or veterans group you can play, but at a senior center, where they contribute 50 cents toward a prize of a can of peaches, they can’t do it.

“They’re getting toilet paper and peaches and the state somehow sees this as a huge issue,” Bosch said. “It’s not a good law.”

A Star Press article posted online Sunday and in Monday’s print edition reported that the euchre groups at the senior center on West Eighth Street had, after last week’s contact from the state, discontinued the practice of members paying $2.50 to play euchre in a series of games that ended in winners getting cookies, cans of peaches, toilet paper or cleaning products as prizes.

Players and their relatives complained to The Star Press about the end of euchre prizes, saying it was taking the fun out of the games.

Local law enforcement officials like Delaware County Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold and Sheriff Ray Dudley said Monday they were unaware of the contact from the state. Arnold indicated Friday and again Monday that the crackdown, while following the law, seemed out of proportion to the situation.

“Let’s look for a resolution,” Arnold said. “These are not criminals you’re talking about, for heaven’s sake.”

Pence communications director Kara Brooks issued a statement Monday afternoon.

“When Governor Pence became aware of the situation in Muncie this morning, he directed the Indiana Gaming Commission to make sure it does not have any plans to shut down euchre card games at the Delaware County Senior Citizens Center or to take enforcement action against them. He has asked the Commission to review its procedures to ensure common sense prevails when reviewing complaints and concerns.”

‘I’ve fought this for a year’

The state’s modern-day gaming laws were enacted in the 1990s after an explosion of bingo operations in Muncie and other cities. In Muncie, many of the bingo games were run in the name of local organizations, but out-of-state operators pocketed most of the profits, including substantial amounts of money wagered in electronic poker machines.

Along with the expansion of state-sanctioned gaming like the lottery and casinos, the state subsequently approved different kinds of gaming for different groups, including veterans and fraternal organizations. Permits allow varying types of games with varying frequency, from almost daily to once a year.

At the Muncie senior center, the small-time nature of the euchre stakes led officials to believe that it was allowable for the euchre clubs to collect fees and distribute prizes like food and cleaning projects, director Judy Elton said.

Officers of the senior center broke the news to the euchre groups after getting a call from a state gaming investigator last week. Other groups with activities at the center, from bridge games to bingo to line dancing, were not affected because they do not collect money to play and give prizes. But Elton expressed concern about the loss of revenue for the center: About a dollar of the $2.50 euchre players paid went to the center, amounting to about $30 per session for the center’s coffers.

“The seniors are outraged,” Elton said Monday. Euchre continues, she said, without prizes. “I’ve encouraged them to write their state representatives.”

In Jennings County, Bosch — who said the gaming commission has been helpful to her — contacted her representative and tried to work out a solution that would let her center’s seniors play euchre as usual. She found no solution short of new legislation.

“I’ve fought this for a year,” Bosch said. “The problem with the way the law is written, you can only play cards if you are a fraternal or veterans organization. That is so debilitating to groups like the senior center in Muncie and to us.”

State gaming commission director Sara Tait — who had initially declined to comment last week, then commented briefly — issued a two-paragraph statement on Monday.

“Card games like these are very similar to developing a Final Four bracket or $5 poker night with friends,” Tait said. “The Indiana Gaming Commission uses a common sense litmus test and did not, and never had, any plans to take enforcement action against this euchre club.

“We responded to a complaint from a member of two euchre card clubs regarding mishandling of funds at one of the clubs utilizing a senior center for gaming. Consistent with our goal of educating organizations about charity gaming compliance, the organizations were sent a form email with information about the kinds of licenses available. We distribute regularly such email information following the receipt of a complaint. As is consistent with our practice in such matters, once the Indiana Gaming Commission sent the email, there was no intention to address this further and no additional communication, as expending resources on such minor issues is not consistent with Commission priorities.”

Tait added that “our needs to prioritize issues that come before us” did not allow her office to investigate the complaint of mishandled funds, but said that she had “reached out” to the Muncie groups and “clarified to them that the gaming commission’s position is we’re not pursuing any action against them, nor did we intend to do that.”

The state also contacted officials at the Ross Community Center about games being played there, Tait said.

The president of the euchre club that plays on Tuesdays and Saturdays at Elton’s center did not return a call from The Star Press on Monday.

Arnold said it was unlikely the prosecutor’s office would pursue anything connected to the state’s action.

“I don’t expect any criminal actions to come (out of our office) as a result of this,” Arnold said.

Dudley said the sheriff’s office wanted a resolution. “Hopefully they’ll come up with a permit they can have to allow (euchre) to happen.”

More activities for seniors

The gaming commission’s most recent annual report said that 3,466 organizations are qualified to conduct charity gaming in Indiana.

Elton said she didn’t believe there was a permit that would allow her center to have three-times-weekly euchre games with prizes.

“Not-for-profits like us can get (permits for) four times a year,” Elton said. “Veterans’ and fraternal organizations have ongoing games as often as possible. But we’re not the Eagles or Moose or VFW.”

Bosch said she believes the state should change the law because of the growing number of senior citizens looking for activities.

In the meantime, Elton said, the center would be receptive to donations to help underwrite activities for seniors. Kyle Ems, founder of SeniorCareBox.com — a company that offers subscriptions and ships monthly boxes of treats and goods to seniors — told Elton and The Star Press that he would donate some of his goods to the senior center. Elton noted that they would not be given away as prizes.

Elton said she hoped local residents who aren’t familiar with the center but would like to use it or donate would contact her at 766-289-0844 or 2517 W. Eighth St., Muncie, 47302.

Contact Keith Roysdon at 765-213-5828 and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Prizes formerly given at euchre games

Items offered for prizes during euchre games at the Delaware County Senior Citizens Center, a practice that has been discontinued:

Windex glass cleaner

cookies

canned peaches

spaghetti sauce

toilet paper

paper towels

pump bottles of hand soap

Source: Delaware County Senior Citizens Center

Readers react

The Star Press’s initial story about the issue of seniors’ pay-for-play euchre games prompted reactions from readers, overwhelming criticizing the state’s warning against the games. Here’s a small sample of the comments from Facebook:

“This is crazy, go after the meth labs, leave these poor guys alone.” — Angela Delk Hanrahan

“About time! One day it's toilet papers and cookies then the next thing you know the drugs and the gangs are moving in.” — Chuck Bolinger

“Good grief!! These people have probably worked hard all their lives. Giving back to the community, paying taxes, etc and u want to take this away from them!!! U should be ashamed of yourselves!!!” — Karolynn Hicks

“When euchre is outlawed, only outlaws will have euchre!” — Nick Werner

“They put a stop to bingo game fundraisers and raffling off items at the schools. As a PTO, we had to fill out a temporary gaming license with the gaming commission. It's all so ridiculous.” — Amber Wright Smith

“You tell the group to start asking for donations instead of a fee? that would get around the gambling issue. Then they are just getting game prizes at a social event. Or they buy ‘raffle’ tickets.” — Nancy Ciolekcan

“So does all the carnival games st the Delaware County Fair that starts (Monday) get shut down? It cost money to throw them darts, roll that bowling ball etc just to win a prize. It's a gamble.” — Robert J. Weaver

“So how is the lottery legal but a can of peaches is not?” — Christine Rhine