Bingo Hall Etiquette
Online bingo is the perfect game to kick back in your chair, listen to music as loud as you want, cheer wildly when you win, and talk to whoever is in the room. Unfortunately, you are not afforded the same luxuries in a bingo hall because you have to share the venue with other players.
This being the case, the hall or casino you play at will likely have certain etiquette that you’re expected to follow. And while that etiquette may change from place to place, here is what you can normally expect when you step into a bingo hall.
Make Sure you’re 18 Years Old
Since bingo halls make money off of the games they hold, all participants are required to be 18 years of age. If alcohol is served on the property, you will need to be 21 to play in the games. In any case, don’t try to sneak into the games if you are under age because it’s likely that the staff will kick you out.
Don’t Smoke
A decade ago, smoking and bingo went hand-in-hand; people didn’t have to step outside in order to have a cigarette. However, times have changed, and so have the views towards smoking in public. Now most bingo halls prohibit people from smoking in their building with few exceptions. If you can’t sit through an entire bingo game without going into withdrawal from lack of smoking, perhaps you should stick to online bingo.
Come to the Bingo Hall to Play
Bingo halls are not intended to be free visual entertainment. This being the case, most bingo establishments don’t want people showing up just to watch their friends and/or family play bingo. If you need to watch a friend in order to learn some tips, that’s totally fine. But don’t take up seats just so you can talk to your buddy while they are playing.
No Wild Celebrations
It’s hard for many players to contain their excitement after a huge bingo win. Unfortunately, excessive celebrations are frowned upon no matter how much cash you win in a bingo game. The key thing to remember here is that every time you win a game, there is a room full of other people who didn’t win. And nobody likes the annoying person who rubs their win in everyone else’s face.
Don’t bring Outside Drinks and Food
A lot of bingo halls make extra money by selling drinks and food to players. So unless you’ve played at a bingo hall before, it’s always a good idea not to bring outside food or drinks into the building. If you want to find out if outside food is permitted at a particular bingo hall, you can always call ahead of time to ask.
Keep Music at a Minimum
Obviously bingo players are smart enough not to bring big stereos to the games and start blasting their music. However, there are still some players who are inconsiderate enough to play their iPod music too loud and distract fellow players. Always keep in mind that your music should be kept at a volume that only you can hear it through the headphones.
Keep Talking at a Minimum
Perhaps the best reason to play bingo at a hall or casino is to socialize and make friends. That being said, you want to keep the socializing and friendliness to a minimum because this can be just as distracting as loud music. A good rule of thumb in regards to talking is to ensure that you aren’t keeping other players from hearing the numbers being called out or breaking their concentration.
