Clubs and Miners’ Welfare Institutes wishing to provide facilities for bingo may do so under the ‘exempt gaming’ provisions in Part 12 of the Act (section 269).

Clubs need to meet a number of statutory criteria before they can offer gaming – please refer to the separate fact sheet on gaming in clubs.

The following rules apply to bingo played in clubs and institutes:

• no amounts may be deducted from sums staked or won;
• the maximum participation fee is £1 per person, per day (or £3 where a club gaming permit is held);
• there should be no linking of games between premises; and
• in the case of members’ clubs and institutes, people may only participate in the gaming if they have been a member (or applied or were nominated for membership) at least 48 hours before playing, or are genuine guests of such a person.

There are no limits on stakes and prizes for individual games of club bingo.
However, clubs or institutes wishing to offer high turnover bingo (i.e. where stakes or prizes exceed £2000 per week) will require a bingo operating licence from the Gambling Commission.

See the Commission’s website (details above) for further information.