Gaming Can Mean Big Revenue, Little Profit for Jewish Groups

Several Jewish charities have reported losing money on bingo and poker fundraising in recent years despite taking in millions of dollars in revenue on the games, according to The Jewish Daily Forward.

Reviewing financial data on 3,600 organizations, the publication cited groups that ended up tens of thousands of dollars in the red on gambling events in 2011, including Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, which lost $147,000. Two San Antonio charities run by the same director reported a profit of only $8,000 on a combined $2.3-million in gaming revenue.

Some groups that lost money in 2011 said they no longer use gambling to raise money, while others said their take has been better in other years. Charities’ profits from bingo—which offers fixed payouts to winners regardless of how many players are taking part—have dropped precipitously since the 2008 downturn as attendance declined, said Charles Lessin, president of the Jerusalem Connection, a Richmond, Va., charity that runs a bingo hall.