Home » Organisational areas » Gambling Sectors » Bingo 

Bingo

As stated in the NGA, ‘‘bingo’’ means a game, including a game played in whole or in part by electronic means:

(a) that is played for consideration, using cards or other devices:

        i.that are divided into spaces each of which bears a different number, picture or symbol; and

       ii.with numbers, pictures or symbols arranged randomly such that each card or similar device contains a unique set numbers, pictures    or symbols

(b)  in which an operator or announcer calls or displays a series of numbers, pictures or symbols in random order and the players match each such number, picture or symbol on the card or device as it is called or displayed; and

(c)  in which the player who is first to match all the spaces on the card or device, or who matches a specified set of numbers, pictures or symbols on the card or device, wins a prize, or any other substantially similar game declared to be bingo in terms of section 6(4).

Of the nine provinces in South Africa, bingo has been rolled out in six provinces namely Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal in FY2020/21 (as at 31 March 2021). A total number of 65 (out of 69 licensed) bingo halls were operational as at 31 March 2021 of which 11 were operational in Gauteng, 15 in Eastern Cape, 20 in KwaZulu-Natal, 6 in North West, 6 in Mpumalanga and 7 in Limpopo.

The bingo operators which are operational in South Africa are represented by Galaxy Bingo operational in all provinces offering bingo for play i.e. Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and Eastern Cape. Goldrush operated in five out of six provinces namely Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Eastern Cape; Great Bingo operated in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, Vegas Bingo operated in Limpopo and North West, Boss Gaming operated in Limpopo and Eastern Cape, and Viva Bingo operated in Mpumalanga. The table below shows that, there was a total of 8625 operational bingo positions across all the bingo operators, of which more EBTs (8097) than traditional bingo positions or seats (528) were operational as at 31 March 2021.

GGR generated in the bingo sector represents 4.7% of the total amount of GGR generated by all licensed gambling modes during FY20/21, making bingo the lowest contributor of GGR generated in FY20/21. Although extremely high increases in GGR were recorded since FY2012/13 to FY2014/15 (i.e. increases in GGR generated by 67.7% from FY2012/13 to FY2013/14, and by 52.5% from FY2013/14 to FY2014/15), a decrease of 16.2% was noted from FY2014/15 to FY2015/16. A further decline of 2.4% was recorded between FY2016/17 and FY2017/18 mainly as a result of less GGR generated in Gauteng during FY2017/18 compared to FY2016/17. This was followed by rebound in GGR growth of 26.6% between FY2017/18 and FY2018/19 which can be attributed to increases in the number of bingo positions in Limpopo, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal in this period. Bingo GGR growth fell to 14.6% in FY2019/20 and was negative (-39.1%) in FY2020/21 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Taxes/levies collected from bingo have decreased from R172 million in FY2019/20 to R93 million in FY2020/21.