Florida

What is a bingo hall?

A bingo hall is just simply anywhere that you can play bingo! Because this is quite general, it's quite common that your bingo hall may function as something else most of the time, like a school, a church, or a veterans' club! This is especially common in states like Florida where bingo is only played for charity, and commercial bingo halls are not allowed. Charitable organizations may choose to host a bingo game as a fundraiser, therefore temporarily becoming a bingo hall! This can produce some real variety between bingo halls, as other venues suddenly adopt the bingo hall mantle. Despite their differences, most bingo halls will be set up the same way when it comes to the game night, so wherever you play, you're likely to feel somewhat at home when you step into the room! There will be chairs and tables to accommodate the players during the game, as well as a place for the bingo caller. This will usually be at the front of the room, so they can be clearly heard by all the players.

How does a bingo game work?

Bingo is quite a simple game to pick up, but if you've never played it before, you might be unsure where to start! Joining a new bingo hall for the first time can be daunting, but if you know what usually happens at a game of bingo before you go, you might feel a little more confident arriving for your first game. Bingo is played on cards. These cards have grids filled with numbers, and the aim of the game is to match a winning pattern. This could be simple like a line, corners, or a full house, or it could be something funkier, like a fish or a doll shape. Whatever you're playing to match, the game will run the same. The bingo caller will draw numbers randomly and shout them out, and players mark them off on their cards if they have the number. The first person to match all the numbers to make the winning pattern must shout BINGO! The caller will then stop the game, check the card, and award the prize to the winner. Then there is usually a short recess for players to stretch their legs, and the game can begin again for a new prize!

How do I pick a bingo hall in Florida?

Whether you're in a big city like Miami or Jacksonville, or a smaller town like Ocala, there is always bingo somewhere around. But how do you go about choosing a bingo hall? Good news- BingoPort is here to help you find exactly where to play bingo. We list bingo halls all over Florida so that you can find a great bingo venue close to you. To choose a hall, you firstly need to see which halls are closest to you. There's no point driving for ages to get to a hall if there's a great one on your doorstep! Select your nearest town from the list, and you'll find the nearest halls to that location. You can then explore each hall's page to see what it offers. Find out if a hall has disability access, a smoking shelter, snacks, and more in the BingoPort pages, as well as helpful info like the venue's address and contact details. This should help give you an idea of what each hall is like and what they offer, allowing you to choose a bingo hall or two to visit. All that's left to do then is try some out and see which ones you love!

What makes a great bingo hall?

Everyone wants to find the perfect bingo hall, but how can you find out which bingo halls are "wow", and which are "whatever"? Well, the key to finding a fantastic bingo hall is to figure out exactly what takes a bingo experience from drab to fab for you personally. See, everyone will have different ideas about what makes a bingo hall great! If you love big jackpots, big venues, and a serious atmosphere, your perfect bingo hall will look very different to someone's who loves a small, intimate atmosphere and a close social circle who play together! The trick to finding the perfect hall is to find the perfect hall for YOU. And the way to do that is to figure out what it is you love from a bingo hall, and then find a venue that does that and does it well.

Florida's Gambling Laws

Florida does allow some forms of gambling, but only in very specific circumstances. Casinos are permitted, but only on tribal land. There are lots of popular casinos in Florida, and these can offer slot games, table games, and poker. Betting on horse racing is legal, but betting on greyhound racing is not. This is because in 2018, votes were cast to outlaw greyhound racing in Florida by 2021. There are tons of different lottery tickets available to buy legally, including a state lottery and several multi-state lotteries. Bingo is legal in Florida if played for charity, non-profit, or veterans' organizations. This exciting news means that it is perfectly legal to play our favourite game and support a great charity whilst doing so! Fun and feel-good, all rolled into one. Now who can't get on board with that?

Interesting Facts

• Florida's long, thin shape means that wherever you are in the state, you're guaranteed to be no more than 60 miles from a body of salt water.
• Florida is known as the Sunshine State, and has 825 MILES of beaches to visit and enjoy.
• Golf, anyone? Florida has the most golf courses of any US state- over 1200 of them.
• Everyone equates Florida with Disney, but there are a tonne of theme parks to visit, including Disney World, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Universal Studios, and Legoland.
• Florida supplies 40% of the world's orange juice- now that's sweet!

Towns in Florida