Bingo playing in the UK: The influence of demographic factors on play

Abstract

Despite the popularity of bingo, it is a little studied gambling behaviour. This study was conducted in order to obtain general information regarding the gambling behaviour of current UK bingo players. A total of 412 bingo players completed questionnaires about their gambling behaviour. The majority of participants (57%) played once or twice a week with a small percentage (3%) playing five or more times a week. A large percentage of participants also played the National Lottery (82%) and bought National Lottery scratchcards (40%), but very few ever gambled in a casino (6%). An analysis by age revealed that older bingo players were significantly more likely to play more often. However, younger players are more likely to spend more per bingo session. This paper adds significantly to a sparse literature. The data collected add to our understanding of the bingo phenomenon in the UK.