Calera, a city in Shelby County, Alabama, is on the road to legalizing bingo. The City council voted that if Representative Mike Hill drafts a bill to hold a referendum on bingo in Shelby County, they would support the referendum. Mayor George W. Roy, however, was clear in saying that the vote does not mean that city council would push for the referendum. He said that if the Representative wished to have the referendum, the council would support it.

In order for Shelby county to have legalized bingo, the county must pass a constitutional amendment. Thirteen other Alabama counties have adopted such amendments, and in those counties, bingo is operated exclusively by charities. In addition, county sheriffs or police chiefs supervise bingo operations, to guarantee that only the charitable institutions derive benefit from bingo proceeds.

The Calera mayor and city council are looking to legal bingo as a way to aid the Calera Elks Lodge, a charitable organization that helps many members of the community.