Welcome to The Bingo Project

This three year initiative - funded by the Economic and Social Research Council - involved research into how bingo is regulated in different places (England and Wales, Canada, Brazil, and online in the European Union). Compared with other types of gambling bingo is a markedly under-researched site, attracting a fraction of the attention given to casinos. However it is a globally significant and profitable gambling form, played in many countries and increasingly popular online. The project sought to inform people about the importance of bingo to gambling debates, and to learn more about how it is played and regulated across the world.

More precisely, we wanted to know more about the key legal and policy challenges involved in regulating bingo in different places, as they are experienced by people who are involved in the bingo sector. These included people who make laws and policies; people who enforce those laws and policies; people who manage commercial bingo games, whether online or in halls; hall workers and callers; charities and religious organisations that use bingo to fundraise; volunteers who work for those charities; people who run bingo in alternative forms (like drag bingo) and, of course, bingo players themselves.

To achieve this we spent three years doing research into the sector, including interviewing key stakeholders involved in bingo regulation. We also hosted various events to discuss our findings, and get feedback.

In this website we will have news about our research, links to our case studies, and resources for people who are interested in bingo. Please visit our contact page and get in touch to let us know what you think and to request hard copies of our policy briefs and final report.

You can download an electronic copy of the final report here.