Minimum Bingo Gambling Age
Bingo and charity bingo is generally speaking one of the gambling types with the lowest legal gambling age. This type of gambling is often seen as less serious than other types of gambling and regarded as more okay for young people and children to take part in. This is likely due to the charity element and the fact that bingo lack the social stigma that many other forms of gambling is associated with. Many people do not associate bingo with gambling addiction and lost homes in the way they do other types of gambling. This does not mean that there aren't any people addicted to bingo and that there aren't any people that lost everything playing bingo - because there are. It is just that in most peoples mind, bingo is not associated with a degenerate gambler but with a sweet old church lady.
This is likely the reason why the gambling age for bingo is lower than most other types of gambling and several U.S. states. New York, New Mexico and Mississippi even lack a gambling age and every one is permitted to take part in bingo games regardless of age. There are however far from all U.S. states that have a more lenient view on bingo, and many have the same age requirment for bingo as for other types of gambling.
Here you will find the gambling age for bingo across the USA. (Keep reading for a brief international overview as well.)
Alabama No age limit
Alaska 19
Arizona 18
Arkansas 18
California 18
Colorado 18
Connecticut 18
Delaware 18
District of Columbia 18
Florida 18
Georgia 18
Hawaii N/a
Idaho 18
Illinois 18
Indiana 18
Iowa 21
Kansas 18
Kentucky 18
Louisiana 18
Maine 16
Maryland 18
Massachusetts 18
Michigan 18
Minnesota 18
Mississippi No age limit
Missouri 16
Montana 18
Nebraska 18
Nevada 21
New Hampshire 18
New Jersey 18
New Mexico no age limit
New York no age limit
North Carolina no age limit
North Dakota no age limit
Ohio 18
Oklahoma 16 (tribal) – 18 (non-tribal)
Oregon 18
Pennsylvania 18
Puerto Rico 18
Rhode Island 18
South Carolina ?
South Dakota 18
Tennessee ?
Texas 18, no age limit with parent present
Utah n/a
Vermont 18
Virgin Islands ?
Virginia 18
Washington 18
West Virginia 18
Wisconsin 18
Wyoming 18
Information may be wrong and should not be considered legal advice. Check with a lawyer to make sure.
Internationally, the gambling age varies just like it does in the USA. The gambling age can vary between neighboring countries as well as within a specific country. Some countries will allow anyone to play bingo, others have a gambling age of 18 or more for bingo, and yet other countries have outlawed all types of gambling – including bingo.
In some cases the stakes and prizes will affect the gambling age. It is therefore recommended that you ask about the gambling age in any country you want to play in before you play, or research that country specifically before you go there.
