the Senior Magistrate's ruling that declared bingo illegal in all establishments that did not have a liquor licence.

"We are considering an appeal,'' Mr. Richard Hector, told The Royal Gazette yesterday. "We have ten days in which to appeal.

Mr. Hector represented businessman Neil Inchcup who was charged along with DeFontes Broadcasting Company boss Kenneth DeFontes with conducting an illegal lottery -- in the form of Freeport Home bingo -- over VSB television on October 22, 1994.

Inchcup, 59, of Collector's Hill, Smith's Parish, was later acquitted of this charge.

However, he faced additional charges of conducting a lottery, namely a bingo game, at Dockyard on October 18, 1994; and of allowing a multi-purpose room in the Clocktower building to be used to hold a lottery on that same day.

The legal interpretation of Mr. Francis' ruling was that only bingo in licensed premises was lawful.

And it is this ruling that Mr. Hector may appeal.

"We are more than likely going to file an appeal in the next couple of days.

The decision was on June 14 so we have until June 24.

"But we are also trying to get the Attorney General to agree with us because as the law now stands it seems bingo can be played on licensed premises ...

as long as they are licensed under the Liquor Licence Act.

"We just want to get common ground that this is really the law as accepted by him. If this is acceptable by him we may be pleased to live by that and see how far this can go.'' DeFontes meanwhile, signalled a possible appeal against the Senior Magistrate's judgment that VSB TV bingo was illegal.

And he has fired a potshot at television rivals, ZBM, which has also been broadcasting bingo.

For the time being, VSB TV bingo, broadcast on Saturdays, would be cancelled.

DeFontes said an appeal may be lodged -- although this might not be necessary.

He said it a possible solution may be to broadcast TV bingo from a licensed premises but he was still taking legal advice on this point.