Countries with the Most Bingo Venues

The UK boasts the most prominent online bingo market and, despite some recent closures due to the financial impact of COVID-19, still has hundreds of bingo halls across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. but did you know that bingo venues can be found in lots of other locations around the globe?

Today, we take a look at some of the countries which have the most bingo venues.

United Kingdom

According to the most recent figures, there are approximately 350 bingo clubs around the UK.

Although this number is constantly changing, it still proves that despite its small size compared to its European neighbours, the UK is very much the ‘number one’ home of land-based bingo.

There are three major bingo chains and many independent clubs that are located as far afield as Helston in Cornwall, Inverness in Scotland, Londonderry in Northern Ireland, and Swansea in Wales.

London

London probably has the largest concentration of bingo halls due to its size. It also has a diverse range of playing styles to suit all tastes, including immersive bingo nights and old school clubs.

Alternative bingo nights have proved particularly popular among the city’s residents. If you’re staying over in London for a night or two, you can try everything from drag bingo and family brunch bingo to doggie bingo and musical bingo!

Italy

Italy is regarded as the place that invented bingo when a national lottery called Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia was first played almost five centuries ago.

The country now has around 300 bingo clubs, and, in comparison to the UK, it enjoys a younger player base.

Reports show that Sicily has more bingo venues than any other region of Italy (28), followed by Campania (27). At the other end of the spectrum, Calabria has just one registered club.

Rome

Rome is home to some of Italy’s biggest and most luxurious bingo venues. For example, Bingo Ritz Roma has a fancy Sicilian restaurant, a slots arcade, and a bingo hall with marble floors. Fancy!

Romania

Romania in south-eastern Europe sits on the western shores of the Black Sea. It has many idyllic countryside settings, but it’s a whole different world full of boutiques, restaurants, chain stores, casinos, and bingo halls in its bustling towns.

Bingo is perfectly legal in Romania, and it’s enjoyed both online and in person.

Bucharest

The city of Bucharest is home to one of the quaintest bingo halls in the whole of Romania. It’s called Bingo Chez Gabi, and it even has its own restaurant and pub. Although it’s only a small venue, the hall attracts visitors from all over the country.

Hungary

Hungary is a historic country located in the heart of Europe, and its rich cultural heritage, busy towns, and quiet countryside mean that it is well-suited to a range of indoor and outdoor pursuits.

Since 2013, more of the population has begun to play online bingo, but bingo halls only tend to appear in the largest towns and cities.

Budapest

In Budapest, you can play bingo in traditional clubs, but if you’re looking for something a bit different, the Bingo Bar Crawl is definitely worth checking out. It’s a party game that involves a series of challenges, and you can win prizes by doing ‘silly and hilarious things’. Participants each receive a bingo card that they have to mark off during the course of the event to create a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line.

The USA

Over the pond, 75-ball bingo has taken the nation by storm, and Americans have been playing it since the 1920s.

There aren’t many commercial bingo halls due to strict US gambling laws, so bingo is commonly played as a fundraising game in churches and charity venues. However, the state of Nevada is more liberal than others. Here, you’ll find countless casinos and plenty of opportunities to play bingo.

Las Vegas

There are more than ten places where bingo fans can enjoy their favourite pastime in Las Vegas. They include Green Valley Ranch Bingo, the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, Red Rock Bingo and Sunset Station Bingo.

However, there’s only one bingo room in Downtown Las Vegas, and it’s a 280-seat capacity room on the third floor of the Plaza Hotel Casino.

Columbia

As in many parts of Latin American, bingo halls can be found all across Columbia. In fact, the country has gained so many bingo fans that its number of bingo halls has tripled since 2002!

Bingo halls are often found in shopping centres, and the major operator is a company called Codere which also offers its customers slot machines.

Bogota

As the capital of Columbia, Bogota is a bustling city that is home to over seven million people. It boasts around 530 gaming establishments, many of which are bingo halls.

Mexico

If you travel to Mexico, you’re likely to encounter a game called Yak, which is the Mexican equivalent of bingo.

The country is home to three major bingo operators, Televisa, CIE, and Caliente, which offer bingo, sports betting, and slots. Together, they own around 70 bingo clubs.

Mexico City

Yak Coapa is the most famous bingo club in Mexico’s capital city, and it’s located within a huge entertainment complex called Galerias Coapa.

Visitors can play at a choice of casino tables and take part in bingo games seven days a week.

Japan

In comparison to the other countries that we’ve mentioned, in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, bingo halls are illegal. However, online bingo is allowed and 75-ball games are particularly popular.

In recent years, there’s been a significant increase in Japanese online bingo sites where players can even enjoy 100-ball bingo variants.

In place of bingo halls, Japan has casinos as well as pachinko parlours. However, any winnings are not allowed to be converted into cash. Instead, they can be exchanged for tokens or prizes.