If a 10-year-old hollers "Bingo!" at the Dakota Skies Bingo parlor in Bismarck, it's probably not a joke. Dakota Skies and at least two other bingo parlors across the state have recently changed their policy to allow 10-year-olds to play bingo.

Prairie Public Broadcasting operates Dakota Skies, which is the only bingo parlor in Bismarck.

Don Berg, vice president and chief operating officer of Prairie Public in North Dakota, said since the smoking ban went into effect, the age limit was lowered as a way to make Dakota Skies more of a family atmosphere.

"We're trying to do what we can to increase our head count,"Berg said.

Dakota Skies lost business after the smoking ban, according to Berg, because about 80 percent to 90 percent of their customers smoked.

The previous age requirement at Dakota Skies was 16, which is common at many bingo parlors.

Brian Zelmer, site manager for Dakota Skies Bingo, said the change was made after bingo halls in other cities decided to lower their age requirements. Zelmer said he sees very few young kids playing bingo - maybe one or two a day.

Bingorama in Minot and the Bingo Palace in Grand Forks, both operated by the North Dakota Association for the Disabled, began allowing 10-year-olds to play bingo in October, according to NDADemployee Traci Ladouceur. Ladouceur referred comments about the policy to NDADPresident Ron Gibbens, whom she said was out of the state.

Although the policy is new for some bingo parlors, others have been allowing 10-year-olds to play for years.

Carol Klemm, manager of Dickinson Charities of Dickinson, said the bingo parlor has allowed 10-year-olds to play the game for at least five years without much discourse from the public.

"Ithink everyone here in town is pretty relaxed with the idea,"Klemm said.

Ladouceur said the Bingo Barn in Williston, operated by NDAD, has always allowed 10-year-olds to play, and that NDAD's bingo halls in Minot and Grand Forks allowed 10-year olds to play many years ago before recently allowing it.

Keith Lauer, director of the gaming division of the attorney general's office, said state law allows anyone under 18 to play bingo as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Lauer said children are required to file a federal tax return if the amount they win is $1,200 or more.

Klemm said the laws for bingo are less stringent because the game traditionally has been played in churches.

"My belief is that it's kind of associated with a religious game,"Klemm said.

The new policy at Dakota Skies has prompted a Bismarck man to lodge complaints to Prairie Public Broadcasting, a company well known for catering some of their television programming to children.

Stan Stelter said Prairie Public Broadcasting should not be sending the message that it is OK for children to gamble.

"Idon't think there should be a family atmosphere in a gambling place,"Stelter said.

Stelter said he is normally supportive of Prairie Public Broadcasting, but allowing children to gamble should not be a way to raise money.

Berg said that, although the policy is already in place, Prairie Public is still reviewing it because of the concerns some people have expressed to the company.

Some legislators that heard of the change said it will probably be an issue during the 2007 legislative session.

Sen. Bob Stenehejm, R-Bismarck, said he thinks someone will introduce a bill in the next Legislature to address the issue.

"Ten years old is pretty young to be playing bingo,"Stenehjem said.

Rep. Dwight Wrangham, R-Bismarck, was surprised to hear 10-year-olds are allowed to play bingo.

"It's something that should be looked at,"Wrangham said.