In the fine print of documents people must sign to join the private club is a disclosure that players may request a bingo card for free without buying any food. It helps show the gaming, on at least one card, can be truly free.

Southgate holds 26 total games that Friday night. Most offer jackpots of 100 credits, which can be redeemed for $100. A final "blackout" game offers a jackpot of 500 credits. (Other bingo halls offer some games they say pay more than 2,000 credits.)

The action at Southgate, and several other bingo halls, is not limited to traditional bingo games a few nights a week. Many are open seven days a week — as long as from 11 a.m. to midnight — for electronic video games.

A hostess at Southgate shows how one machine works there. For every 25 cents spent on snacks, a patron receives 25 "credits." The video machines can play up to nine bingo cards at a time, at a cost of 25 credits each (or up to $2.25 worth of credits spent per push). When a button is pushed, 25 numbers appear and are marked automatically on video bingo cards.

Hitting special shapes of bingos can pay up to 599 credits on this machine. The hostess says players may cash out when they please. (Frank Diana, owner of Southgate, did not respond to questions sent to him via e-mail, at his request, about his operation.)

Also, some bingo halls offer peel-paper, instant-winner games. State lotteries sometimes offer similar games. Alex Fernandez, whose wife owns King's Castle bingo hall in Ogden, says they are given with food purchases and are no different from instant-win games "that McDonald's or Burger King give when you buy food there."

Bingo growing

The Deseret Morning News found at least eight commercial bingo businesses operating along the Wasatch Front this year. Last year, it found only three.

The clubs identified are: 49er Social Club, 49 E. 200 South, Clearfield (traditional and video bingo, and instant winner "horoscope" cards); Como, A Senior Organization, 3825 S. Redwood Road, West Valley City (traditional); Fast Action Internet Cafe & Bingo, 3424 S. State, South Salt Lake (video); Jackpot Dinner & Bingo, 3484 S. Main, South Salt Lake (traditional); The King's Castle, 1877 Washington Blvd., Ogden (traditional and instant-win); Riverdale Dinner and Bingo, 4510 S. 900 West, Riverdale (traditional and electronic); Southgate Social Club, 3725 S. 900 East, Millcreek (traditional and video); and Westside Social Club, 4095 W. 5295 South, Kearns (traditional).

West Valley City has revoked the business license of Como, effective July 8 — but its owner may appeal that action.