Is Playing Bingo Gambling?

Last Updated on March 3, 2023, written by Amelia Cassiday

In short, playing bingo is considered to be gambling. There are hundreds of bingo sites in the UK market, each differing from the other.

While some people might not think of it as gambling in the traditional sense, the fact that a nominal amount of money changes hands for a chance to win a larger amount of money makes it gambling.

When bingo was first invented, many people regarded it more as a social pastime due to the fact that it was held in great halls where you could chat, have refreshments and play this new game that soon swept across England.

This was the general consensus for a number of decades, and you would get people playing bingo who would not even think about entering traditional bookmakers; however, it is still regarded as gambling.

The Birth Of Online Bingo

When it became even more evident that bingo was gambling is after the millennium during the internet boom when traditional bingo companies like Mecca and Gala created websites, and then many more new bingo sites followed.

Essentially, this became an arms race between companies to attract as many customers as they could, and they were not subtle about how they did this.

New customers would be incentivised with (and still are) enormous bonuses for joining a bingo site, and they could use this bonus to play the bingo games. This would then hook people and make sure that they stayed loyal.

Today, there are more bingo sites than ever. However, they have improved as technology has improved over the last couple of decades, while new customers now find that they usually have to deposit to get a bonus.

 

How Does Bingo Differ From Other Forms Of Gambling?

Compared to other gambling products such as slots, casino games and sports betting, bingo is regarded as more low-key and social because players can chat to one another in chat rooms and often, the stakes are not as high.

In addition, because of this, most bingo players are generally more sensible than slot and casino players and invariably do not spend as much time playing the game.

The general demographic of online bingo players are usually females between 30 and 50, who play a game on an evening rather than going out to a bingo hall, which was classed as a social occasion.

However, you do still get players of both sexes and of all ages playing the game – some prefer bingo compared to slots and casino games because it is more fun and has less of a stigma attached to it.

 

What Can You Do If You Feel You Are Playing Online Bingo Too Much?

If you feel like you are starting to become addicted to playing bingo online, there are several things that you can do to help yourself.

All bingo sites licenced by the UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) must adhere to responsible gambling legislation and have steps in place to help players who feel that they are starting to form an addiction.

There are charities that you can contact who can provide advice and assistance – these are available on the bingo sites.

However, simple steps that you can take are limiting the amount of time that you spend playing bingo each week and also set a budget so that you don’t spend more than you can afford to lose.

Meanwhile, some sites also allow you to set a maximum deposit limit that aids you in this, while there are also self-exclusion schemes such as Gamstop. This will prevent you from accessing a bingo site for a set period of time, such as six months if you feel that this is necessary.

One of the best things that you can do if you feel that you are starting to develop a bingo gambling problem is to confide in a friend who can help you to stop and be there for you.

Having an addiction to gambling is nothing to be ashamed about, though the most important thing is to get help once you identify the problem; otherwise, this can lead to further problems down the line.

Never try to chase any of your losses – just accept that you won’t be getting back what you have gambled, and then delete all of your bingo accounts.

Playing bingo is a form of gambling, and you must realize this before you start playing. Do not play to try and win money, do it for fun because it is something you enjoy. If you win, this is a bonus!