Austin receives $87K from bingo halls

Austin received more than $87,000 from the Texas Lottery Commission as part of its required first-quarter allocations.

The capital was one of 141 Texas cities and counties that split the total $3.2 million distribution. The commission is required to pay-out a portion of player proceeds in places that permit the charitable bingo gaming.

The Charitable Bingo Operations Division also gave $3.5 million to the state’s general revenue fund. Gaming in the first quarter increased about 7.9 percent from the fourth quarter last year and 2.1 percent from the same three months a year ago.

Allocations are accumulated from prize fees on bingo winners in January, February and March.

Bexar County players were the biggest winners among counties, contributing $245,606 to the county. Harris County ($162,402), Dallas County ($155,952), Tarrant County ($142,172.97) and Bell County ($129,682) also topped the list. San Antonio received the highest city allocation, taking in $239,289.

Texas has 1,108 non-profit bingo halls.