The origins of bingo are largely unknown, but it is generally believed that it was invented in China around the 12th century. Bingo quickly spread to Europe and North America, where it became very popular. In 1876, Charles Darrow, an American businessman, founded a bingo club in Illinois. Bingo was first legalized in the United States in 1934.
The first national bingo association, the American Bingo Association, was formed in 1938. The inventor of bingo is generally believed to be Charles Darrow, but there is some disagreement about who actually created the game.
