The Navy abruptly suspended its long-running but controversial bingo games Wednesday, saying it is conducting a "management review" of the games, which can cost players as much as hundreds to play and yield thousands to winners.

Navy Capt. Jeffrey W. James, who took over command of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in June, made the decision, officials said.

"The Joint Base commander has temporarily suspended the Games Night program at both the Hickam enlisted club and the officers club to conduct a review and ensure our program remains consistent with regulation and policy," Navy Region Hawaii said in an emailed statement. "We are committed to respecting Hawaii state law and maintaining the highest ethical standards, including avoidance of even the appearance of impropriety."

There is "no investigation being conducted," the Navy added. "This is just a management review of the program."

The Navy did not specify what led to the review, other than to say, "We have a new base commander."

Bingo was offered Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at Hickam.

The Navy prefers to call the bingo sessions "Games Night," and said in August that a Games Night program has been held at Hickam since the late 1980s.

Eunice Andrade, 83, who played bingo every week at Hickam, was disappointed by the news delivered during Wednesday night’s series of games.

"They just said, ‘Until further notice,’" she said. "It’s too bad. Oh, my goodness. So sad."

A hundred or more players — many nonmilitary — regularly attended base bingo games that were held every night of the week on mostly alternating days by the Army, the Navy and Air Force (on their "joint base") and the Coast Guard.

The Army has bingo on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. Coast Guard bingo is offered on Saturday.

Bingo has been a popular moneymaker for the Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs that run it on base, and players regularly rack up cash prizes in the hundreds and thousands of dollars.

In June a "powerball" win of $14,280 was split by four players, the Navy said.

Last month Joan Miller, a 68-year-old from Ewa, won $317 in one game and $175 in another on the same night at the Hickam Officers Club.

The Army said that so far this fiscal year, its dinner bingo program has been responsible for the majority of $1.5 million in sales.

The offering also has been controversial. State Rep. Angus McKelvey, a Maui Democrat, recently pointed to military base bingo as an example of how legalized gambling can and does work in Hawaii.

Both the Army and Navy recently said what they offer is not gambling.

"Navy (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) does not sponsor gambling, but does operate bingo in the form of social gaming, in full compliance with Hawaii law. Participants do not pay a fee for game play," the Navy said in August.

However, players usually buy a buffet dinner for about $21 to get game sheets and then spend up to hundreds more for additional paper sheets or electronic game cards that are loaded and played on portable machines.

The Navy said the players obtained the extra cards through snack purchases.

Military concern over the legality of bingo led to a meeting in 2000 of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Honolulu Police Department, city Prosecutor’s Office and military judge advocates — and to the continuance of military bingo.

The Navy said, "It’s unknown at this time when the games will return."

Andrade, the 83-year-old bingo player, said she planned to head to Fort Shafter Friday night for games there.

"The (bingo) games — this is the only enjoyment we get, especially for my age," Andrade said.