Bingo Around The World

For us Brits, there’s no game like bingo. It’s earned a special place in our hearts after becoming a social staple for generations. With such cultural importance, you could be easily excused for thinking it is an exclusively British game or at least one that was invented here.

Yet, the truth is very different. This game is a global phenomenon, and you’ll find various versions of bingo around the world.

Bingo here is not the same as bingo you’ll find in other countries though. While we predominantly play the traditional 90-ball game, our overseas cousins have their own preferences when it comes to bingo.

So let’s take a journey of bingo around the world as see how others play this fabulous game.

Bingo In Europe

Europe is the birthplace of bingo, so it’s only right that our tour of bingo around the world starts its journey from our own continent. So let’s take a look at everything including Stand Up Bingo.

Bingo in Italy

Bingo began life in Italy back in the 16th century. It looked quite different to how we know it today though, it wasn’t exactly the game we know today. Instead, it was more like a lottery. In fact, the ‘Lo Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia’ (Italian National Lottery) can directly trace its roots back to this game, though it’s also evolved over time.

Modern bingo games played in Italy today are dominated by 90-ball variants, with other options also available online.

Spanish Bingo

If you’ve had a cheeky holiday in Benidorm, there’s a good chance you’ve played bingo under the Mediterranean skies. But that game isn’t just for the sun-kissed Brits enjoying their week in the sun, the locals can’t get enough of it either.

In the centuries after the game began in Italy, bingo made its way across the continent and found a home in Spain, where it continues to be a firm favourite today. Again, 90-ball bingo is the most popular option but other variants like 80-ball and 75-ball are also commonly played online.

Bingo In Germany

Bingo made its way north from Italy into Germany, though it began life there as a game for learning. It was used to teach everything from numbers to words, it wasn’t until later on that it became a game for gambling like it is elsewhere.

Today, like elsewhere in Europe, 90-ball bingo is the most common with 80 balland 75-ball also popular amongst online players.

Bingo In Scandinavia

Bingo is popular in Nordic countries too, but especially so in Sweden. There, Swedes have been revelling in a growing trend for drive-in bingo, a sort of bingo version of the drive-in cinema.

Players all drive to a large open space, often a field, with their friends to play bingo and sip coffee. It’s as much about socialising as it is playing, but in cars rather than a physical bingo hall. Plus, there’s a lot of satisfaction from getting to honk your horn when you get a full house!

Drive-in bingo, just like other forms, is typically played as 90-ball in Scandinavia but other variants can be found online.

Bingo In America

An American toy salesman is often credited with creating the name ‘bingo’ but that’s not where bingo began in the New World. It was transported across the Atlantic with European settlers who found comfort and joy in playing their favourite games from home.

Over time, Americans created their own variant of the game using 75 balls instead of 90. However, while they removed some balls, they increased the number of squares on a ticket, actually making it harder to win.

Like in the UK, Americans have piled into bingo halls and other venues to partake in this popular pass-time for centuries. However, the physical versions have waned in more recent years as players have moved online.

Bingo in South America

In much of South America, bingo is known as ‘loteria’, hinting at the game’s Italian roots. The traditional version uses numbered cards, each with beautiful illustrations and words, rather than just the numbers most English-speaking players will be familiar with.

Sometimes, the game is played by the bingo callerreading a riddle or clue for players to solve to get the answer, rather than simply announcing numbers. This adds an additional level of skill and jeopardy to the game.

In addition to these local version of the game, you can also find the typical 75, 80, and 90-ball bingo games online in most countries across the continent.

Bingo in Asia

Bingo has also made its way to Asia, though different countries play the game differently. Bingo, as we know it, is played across Japan, mostly following the American 75-ball variant. However, a bingo-like game called pachinko is also immensely popular.

In the Philippines, bingo is often played at special occasions and events like birthday parties and weddings, though people typically refer to it as ‘house’.

You can also find bingo played in the mega-casinos of Singapore and Macau, using various formats. Where online betting is permitted, you can also find the most common variants available to play via computer, smartphone, and tablet.