Bingo is an ancient game that likely originated in China. The modern game of bingo was likely created in the early 1800s by an Englishman named Charles Bingham. Bingo was originally known as “benga,” a portmanteau of the British words “bingo” and “pango.” In 1876, Bingham opened the first bingo hall in England.
The popularity of bingo spread to America, and by 1914, there were approximately 1,000 bingo halls in the United States. Today, there are more than 2,000 bingo halls in the United States.
