Yes, if you are playing bingo for money, it is considered gambling. This applies to both bingo halls and online games.
Despite it often being called “old people’s game”, bingo is popular in many countries, the UK included. In fact, a statistical survey conducted in 2024 showed that 5% of the adult population of the country engaged in bingo.
The reason for its popularity lies on the surface. Bingo is very simple to play. All you have to do is pay attention to the numbers called out in a random order and see if any of them appear on your card. If you manage to cover an entire line vertically, horizontally, or diagonally before other players, you qualify for the win. And as bingo is a multi-player game, it creates a sense of community among its fans.
But is bingo considered gambling or not? And if it is, what age limitations apply to players? In this article we will take a look at the bingo age regulations and answer the question “How old do you have to be to play bingo?”
Unlike many other games played for money, bingo is often not regarded as gambling. In many ways, this is due to its social image. Bingo is commonly seen as the game for the elderly, it is often played in a family environment and even at charity events.
But the reality is that if you play bingo for money — whether it happens in a special bingo hall, in a pub, or online — it becomes gambling, and as such must be regulated by various rules. So if you are asking yourself “How old do you have to be to play bingo”, the UK legislation gives a very clear cut answer. You have to be 18 years or older to be legally allowed to play bingo.
The main purpose of this regulation is to protect underage children. Gambling is associated with financial risks that minors are not deemed capable of assessing reasonably. To protect them from being harmed and exploited by gambling and especially unfair gambling practices, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) developed and adopted the Gambling Act 2005, which clearly defines the minimum legal age for engaging in any type of gambling activity as 18 years old.
Despite the law being very strict on the matter of age when it comes to gambling in general, and bingo in particular, there are still some cases when minors are allowed to play bingo.
Of course, if you are visiting your Nana, you are absolutely within the law, no matter how old, to play bingo with her in the afternoon. But there are other instances too when underage children can participate in the game.
The Gambling Act of 2005 divides bingo into several different categories, depending on whether the game can be regarded as commercial or not. Each category comes with its own legal regulations.
This is the most obvious example of commercial bingo. Cash bingo is organised on a regular basis by a commercial organisation that profits from the proceedings. They must be licensed by the UKGC. The prize pool will often depend on the number of people playing. Underage children are not allowed to partake in such events.
This type of event can be organised by any company or organisation whose main field of activity is not gambling. This can be done for promotional purposes or just for fun. You can also find prize bingo games in amusement parks, entertainment centres, and other similar places. Here the prize must be advertised in advance, its value doesn’t depend on the number of people participating, the ticket price can’t be over 50p, and the entire enterprise including the prize shouldn’t exceed £500. Minors are allowed to participate in prize bingo.
While this category has its own rules regarding the amounts allowed for spending and winning, it is still considered commercial bingo, hence, underage children can’t play bingo in pubs or clubs. If the establishment organising the event allows minors on its premises, the bingo game must be set up in a separate room with a mechanism in place that makes sure minors can’t get access to it.
Any game of bingo organised with charity in mind falls under this category. The organisers can’t have any commercial gain from the game, however there can be a prize for the participants with an upper limit of £600. Admission tickets can’t be more expensive than £8. And of course, all the raised money must go to the charity or cause it was intended for. Minors under 18 are allowed to participate in such events.
So far we mostly reviewed legal provision for playing bingo in an in-house establishment. But how old do you have to be to play bingo online?
Online bingo may be faster in terms of game duration, but it isn’t any different when it comes to the legal side. Playing online, you still use real money to place bets, that’s why it is considered gambling and is governed by the same laws. Underage children aren’t allowed to play online bingo until they become 18 years old.
Every respectable online bingo provider will have special mechanisms in place to verify the legal age of their visitors. When you sign up on such websites, you are asked to send an ID verification document, usually a passport, a driver’s license, or similar. Through a government issued document they can make sure that you are indeed of legal age and can play bingo without any repercussions.
All gambling related websites, casinos, or providers must obtain a license from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, otherwise they can’t operate their business. If they fail to verify their clients’ age and a case of an underage person gambling on their website surfaces, they will face some serious consequences, including revoking of their business operating license.
So if you created a new account on a gambling website and weren’t asked for any age verification document, the best course of action for you would be to immediately close your account and leave. There is a high chance that they aren’t licensed by the UKGC and you might be walking into a scam.
Gambling Act 2005 includes a section on protection of children and young persons. According to this section, if any of the provisions under this section are broken, this action is punishable by an imprisonment term of up to 51 weeks (in England and Wales) or 6 months (in Scotland), or a fine up to level 5 on a standard scale. In certain cases both punishments can be applicable.
It must be mentioned that underage children playing bingo illegally are also subject to punishment, however, they are never to be subjected to imprisonment. If a fine is imposed on them, it shouldn’t exceed level 3 on a standard scale.
The maximum amount for level 3 is defined at £1,000, while for level 5 it used to be £5,000 until 13 March 2015. Currently, this level doesn’t have an upper threshold.
A bingo club may offer a number of jobs that can be performed by teenagers, but are they allowed to perform them? Well, it depends.
According to the UK legislation, underage children and teenagers (and that’s anyone below 18) working in a bingo club can’t be engaged in any work activities that are related to gambling. For example, they can’t sell bingo cards to patrons, call numbers, handle the gambling related cash, or service the gaming machines (not even clean them).
However, working at a bingo club is not a complete no for minors. They can do things that are not related to gambling. That would include preparing and serving refreshments, waiting tables, cleaning the facility, working in the kitchen, washing the dishes, and quite a number of other things.
That said, it is not very common to see a younger person working at a bingo hall. Many owners find it easier not to hire them at all to avoid any legal misunderstandings. But if as a minor you do end up working at a bingo hall, your employer is legally obliged not only to ensure that you are in no way related to gambling activities, but also that you and other staff members are educated on the topic of legal restrictions for minors when it comes to gambling.
Like any other game that uses real money for playing and betting, bingo is considered gambling. Due to the financial and other risks associated with gambling, underage children are not allowed to partake in any activities that can be classified as gambling. This means that if you want to play bingo online or in a bingo club, you will have to be 18 years or older.
As a guardian to a minor, you should educate them on this issue as well as possibilities of scams. If your underage child would still love to play bingo outside of their family environment, you can sign them up for a bingo competition or a charity game that are legally open to minors.
As an owner of an establishment that organises cash or pub/club bingo games, you have to have mechanisms specified by legislation that ensure no minors can participate in the game. Additionally, you must instruct your staff on the related laws.
If you are an adult who enjoys playing cash bingo in a club or online, you should practice responsible gambling. Playing bingo might not require a large bankroll, but it is a game of chance, so you can’t predict any result. That’s why you should only play with a limited bankroll that you are comfortable with losing. Also make sure you are spending a limited amount of time playing bingo during the day. Remember that it is a form of entertainment, not a way for a quick financial gain, and treat it as such.
Yes, if you are playing bingo for money, it is considered gambling. This applies to both bingo halls and online games.
Children can play bingo if it is organised as a competition or an entertainment event and has an advertised prize for the winner. At that, the organiser can’t have any financial gain from the proceedings. Underage children can also participate in a game of bingo if it is organised for a charity or a good cause. Of course, everyone is allowed to play in their family environment.
Under no circumstances are children allowed to play bingo if it is organised with gambling in mind. So even if parents manage to buy a ticket, children will not be allowed to play in a bingo hall, even under parental supervision. However, parents can buy bingo tickets for their underage children if it is a competition, a fun activity with a prize, or a charity event.
Yes, they can, if accompanied by adults. Minors can enjoy a refreshment or partake in any non-gambling entertainment (for example, a playground, a play room, etc.) if such are provided by the bingo hall. They are, however, strictly prohibited from playing bingo or other gambling games.
Legal age for gambling varies per country, however in many countries it is either 18 or 21 years old. In the UK, the legal age for gambling activities, including bingo, is 18 years old. The only exception is football pools which are accessible for people 16 years and older.
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