British Bingo History Part I
Our modern bingo is a form of lottery that originated in Italy in the 1500s. Although it was used mainly for gambling since the very start, some versions were also made into educational tools. In the 1800’s in Germany the lotto was used to teach children their multiplication tables, how to spell, even a little history.
The situation was rather different in the UK where the game did not become popular until 1960. The Parliament passed a Gaming Act that year allowing the game to be played at “members-only” establishments. Unlike its USA cousin, Bingo saw the day as a commercial project in the UK.
The rise of Television a few years before had rendered obsolete very large buildings: theatres, cinemas and dancehalls. With a few modifications here and there, they were turned into Bingo Halls. Depending on the night of the week, some of those building even had a dual role as cinemas or bingo halls.