Land-based and Online Bingo Etiquette

If you’re considering making your first visit to a land-based bingo hall or joining an online site, it’s not just how you go about playing the game that you might be confused about. Whether you’re planning to use your PC, or turn up in person, both options for playing come with their very own rules and etiquette that players are expected to follow, in order to make the gaming experience truly enjoyable for all involved.

Playing politely at clubs

At bingo halls and clubs, you’re expected to act politely, in the same way you would if visiting a local bar or restaurant. By all means, get excited about the prospect of winning, and take all your lucky charms along with you, but don’t talk (too loudly, at least) during the games, or you’ll more than likely receive evil glares and complaints from other players. Everyone’s concentrating on listening out for their own numbers, so you don’t want to be the one to blame should someone miss out on a full house because you were chatting to your friend, or on your mobile phone.

There’s no smoke without fire…

Don’t go firing up a cigarette either, because smoking in land-based clubs has been banned since 2007. If you want to use an electronic cigarette, it’s best to check with the management first, just to avoid anyone thinking you’re smoking the real thing!

Mind out for nicking someone else’s lucky seat. Bingo players are quite a superstitious bunch, so if you accidentally bags someone’s ‘winning’ seat, they may ask you to move. Of course, you don’t have to, but it’s best to be obliging.

Relax and enjoy the game

Don’t go shouting at the caller if you’re not happy with the way the game’s going. Heckling won’t be tolerated. If you have a genuine reason for needing to attract the caller’s attention (for example, if you can’t hear them, or they’re going too fast,) try to do so with minimal disruption to the other players.

Finally, much as you want to win, don’t be too hasty in calling a full house. Make sure you’ve definitely marked off all your numbers correctly before doing so, as calling a false bingo win is frowned upon.

Play nicely online

Now that we’ve covered playing at land-based clubs, let’s look at bingo etiquette for playing online. Of course, many of the rules are different, as you don’t have other players sitting around you. However, thanks to the chat room facility, there’s still the potential to offend…

When you’re sitting down to a game of bingo at home, of course you’ve got the option to get gaming with a cigarette, large whisky, and crank your stereo up to the max whilst singing along. No-one can ‘hear’ you, unless you’re playing at an online web-cam site such as Bingocams. However, chat rooms have standards and expectations too, that everyone is expected to adhere to, and if you don’t, you may well find your account being terminated.

Considerate conversation

Firstly, when entering a room, it’s nice to say hello to your fellow roomies, and you should always acknowledge a message from another player or chat host that’s directed at you. You wouldn’t ignore them in real life, so there’s no need to be rude online either. Go for a common-sense approach when typing public messages – don’t be lewd, crude, or offensive, and avoid comments that could be construed as sexist, racist, homophobic, or inflammatory. It’s best to leave religion and politics out of it too, as online bingo is enjoyed by people from all walks of life, with differing opinions and beliefs. The same rule of thumb applies when you’re choosing your screen name/chat alias, so try not to pick anything that may upset anyone, even if you think you’re just poking fun at yourself.

Don’t type whole sentences in capital letters, or you’ll look like you’re shouting and/or angry. It’s also confusing as the chat moderator’s name is usually in capitals so that they can be easily spotted by all the roomies.

Respect your fellow players and your CM, and you can’t really go wrong. You might not always win, but complaining or whining about it in public will not go down well. Equally, don’t go overboard and gloat if you scoop a full house or jackpot; you’re bound to receive some congratulatory comments from many of the roomies, and a simple, modest ‘TY’ (thank you) and smiley face will suffice.

Finally, whether you’re taking the land-based or online route, it’s always advisable to check the club or website’s own code of conduct before playing. Some places are more specific, or stricter/more lenient than others, so to avoid being caught out, check the rules first.