PHILIPSBURG--Tropicana, Coliseum, Rouge et Noir and Hollywood Casinos were all found using "funny balls," or balls that do not comply with regulations regarding weight, for their bingo games on Thursday.

The "funny balls" were confiscated immediately.

Two of the casinos, Tropicana and Coliseum, later produced balls that met the requirements. The other two were ordered by inspectors of the Economic Affairs Department to suspend their bingo games until they acquired proper balls.

Inspectors said none of the confiscated balls had any sort of indications on them, "no codes, nothing that they can show to the public that they are in compliance with international measuring requirement."

To meet requirements, the ping pong-size balls have to weigh no less than 2.3 and no more than three grams. The casinos all were found with balls weighing less than 2.3 grams. According to the inspectors, the lightest was approximately 1.8 grams, which is "very, very low," the inspectors said.

In the Tropicana and Coliseum cases, management quickly produced new balls they had in storage when it became obvious that the bingo games would be shut down. Why the casinos were not using the newer balls is unknown and management could not be reached by press time. The bingo games were allowed to continue.

Rouge et Noir and Hollywood Casinos reportedly told the inspectors new balls had been ordered from the US and should be arriving on-island on Friday, a claim the inspectors said they had verified by establishing direct contact with the supplier. The bingo games in these two casinos were shut down pending the arrival of the new balls.

Inspectors said no fines or written warnings had been given, but the casino managements were told not to use the balls "forever." They should "change them at least four times a year."

The Economic Affairs Department executes random checks of the casinos several times during the course of a year.