Bingo is a game where players scratch off numbers on a card when the speaker calls them. Generally on bingo balls and accompanied by some clever slang words. It sparked much interest in the UK, and many bingo halls sprang up in the 1990s. The bingo hall’s fame has waned since then, but that is not the whole tale.
It is returning as more young people use smartphones to play bingo online. We can also say that more people are playing bingo than before. They are shattering the myth that our grandmothers only play the game. But will this fame carry over to the next Olympic sport? Let’s See!
Brief History Of Bingo
Believe it or not, players never called bingo that in the first place. It derives from a form of lottery in Italy around the 16th CE. The game later evolved into other forms as it spread around Europe. It was even used in arithmetic instruction in German schools at one time.
New bingo forms continue to emerge. You may find one of the most recent bingo sorts at online casinos. Slot games have been grappling with how to remain relevant. They aim to appeal to generations raised with game consoles and high-spec images. Slots have grown by mixing aspects of bingo. This was the origin of a slot-bingo hybrid game.
One of the most famous variants comes from Slingo. A business that creates various casino game adaptations, including monopoly casino games.
What do the Olympic Rules say?
Whether anything can be an Olympic sport, a game must complete several needs before the IOC. One of the first stages is for an event to create an International Federation. The federation must include anti-doping measures.
The IOC asserts that it “tries to make the Games grow within the borders and rules set.” But what are those limits and rules in place for hundreds of years?
The International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Suppose the condition of needing to be held by other International Federations recognized by the IOC is satisfied. In that case, sports must include the Olympic Games Organizing Committee to submit them for inclusion in future games.
Following this guidance, the IOC’s Executive Board defines the events for the games. Any new event proposal must go through a strict evaluation. The Olympic Programme Commission governs the decision-making process. It involves representatives from participants, International Federations, and Olympic Committees.
10,000 Participants
There were 241 contestants when Greeks started the modern Olympics in Athens in 1896. The Summer Olympics attracts over 10,000 athletes. Since 1980, almost 100 new events have entered the Olympic program. It must prove how things can change. Bowling and chess prove that a sport will become an Olympic sport.
If a sport wishes to become an Olympic sport, its International Federation must apply. At that time, the IOC may include it as a sport, a domain, or an event. Many laws and rules govern whether they will add bingo. It consists of the notion that it “increases the value” of the Olympics. Pure ‘mind sports’ and those relying on mechanical propulsion are banned. Recently, a sport can enter only if another leaves.
Can Bingo Compete in the Olympics?
Yes, bingo may apply to be a sport at the Olympics, but it is not as simple. One factor in Bingo fans’ favor is what may and cannot be a recognized sport.
eSports gaming, for example, has widened the horizons of those who judge what is and is not a sport. Hence, it decides what can and cannot compete in the Olympics. Another factor in bingo’s favor is that the Olympics aims at amateur players and the general public rather than elite athletes. Bingo checks this box because no recognized expert bingo players exist.
Counter-arguments claiming bingo requires no skill come from a lack of familiarity with the game. A tactic called dabbing in bingo uses skill to help players win.
Would Bingo ‘Increase the Value’ of the Olympics?
One of the factors that the IOC considers before adding a sport to the Olympic roster is if it would “improve the value of the Olympics.” As a Mecca representative at the time, the idea that “ordinary people” might participate in the Olympics would make it more enticing. “You don’t have to train for months and months,” they remarked. There is undeniable interest; the next step is to form a bingo federation.”
Will There Be Bingo in Paris 2024?
The Olympic committee added karate, skateboarding, sport climbing, BMX freestyle, and surfing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics 2021. They appear to be far more special and active than biingo, so it’s not surprising that they were deemed more deserving of inclusion on the Olympic squad than a game of pure chance. Many people compared lobbying for bingo to be a part of the Olympics to asking for coin throwing to be added because players have no control over the outcome.
Although we are unlikely to hear spectators shouting “House” in Paris 2024, there is still a case for binggo to emerge at future Olympic Games as long as the current campaign maintains momentum.
