INTRODUCTION

Here are the full Player’s Rules covering The National Bingo Game. These rules are also available to download in a printer-friendly PDF.

Download the Players Rules (PDF)

The National Bingo Game is, like all other bingo games, played under the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005. Players should always gamble responsibly and play the National Bingo Game within their limits. For more information and advice visit www.gambleaware.co.uk

The National Bingo Game is organised for participating licensed bingo clubs by The National Bingo Game Association Limited (“NBGA”) whose address is Lexham House, 75 High Street North, Dunstable, Bedfordshire LU6 1JF.

However, National Bingo Game tickets are sold (or supplied) to players only by participating clubs under the arrangements set out in these Players’ Rules.

During the playing of the National Bingo Game these Players’ Rules supersede the house rules in all participating clubs.However, they do not affect any other terms of the contract between the player and a participating club for the sale (or supply) to the player of National Bingo Game tickets.

Where these Players’ Rules refer to the Club Manager they mean the Manager at the participating club and also any member of the staff at the participating club appointed at that club to perform the function in question.

AGE

1 Only players present at participating clubs who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to take part in the National Bingo Game.

TICKETS

2 The National Bingo Game can be played either in the traditional way using paper National Bingo Game tickets or on an electronic bingo terminal using electronic National Bingo Game tickets or a combination of the two as decided at each participating club. For the purposes of these Players’ Rules,where it is not specifically described as a paper ticket or an electronic ticket, a National Bingo Game ticket means both a paper ticket and an electronic ticket. Also, in these Rules, "EBT" means the electronic bingo terminal on which a player plays the National Bingo Game.

3 The price of each National Bingo Game ticket and the amount of any participation fee(s) which the participating club will charge as part of the price are specified from time to time by NBGA and are displayed at each ticket sale point. Such price will not necessarily always be the same at each participating club and may be nil, and only in agreement and authorised by NBGA.

As the prizes to be won in the National Bingo Game largely depend upon the number of tickets sold (and the price) the details of the likely prizes will be displayed and/or announced (see Rule 6 below). If for a particular playing of the National Bingo Game a prize is to be of at least a guaranteed amount, that guaranteed amount will be advertised in advance of the sale of tickets for that playing.

4 For afternoon National Bingo Games, the tickets will be sold in individual grids, each grid having 15 numbers on it.

For evening games, each National Bingo Game ticket is made up of three Grids. Should the ticket be split, damaged, or separated in any way, it will render all of the Grids on that ticket void and invalid and no claim to be the winner of any National Bingo Game will be valid on any of those Grids unless the NBGA otherwise decides.

5 To assist in the reduction of errors it is essential that each player checks when they buy their National Bingo Game ticket that, if it is a paper ticket, the numbers on all of the grids and the serial number, plate number and bar code on the ticket are clearly legible. If it is an electronic ticket, the player must check that the EBT, on which the grids are to be played, appears to be operating properly.

As soon as the opening and closing National Bingo Game ticket details are shown on the indicator board(s) in the participating club, or are announced, each player should check that their set of Grid(s) is complete and undamaged and that the letters and numbers on each National Bingo Game ticket are within the sequence shown. If this is not so, or if the EBT appears not to be operating properly, then the player should contact the Club Manager or another member of staff immediately and return the National Bingo Game ticket(s) if paper, or the EBT to the point of sale before the National Bingo Game begins to be played.

An announcement will be made at each participating club informing players of the latest time by which any invalid National Bingo Game ticket can be exchanged. National Bingo Game tickets not within the sequence of numbers (indicated on the indicator board) are invalid and no claim to a National Bingo Game Prize will be allowed on any such ticket unless the NBGA decides that in the circumstances of a particular case(s) a ticket(s) remain valid and a National Game Prize should be paid.

A player can cancel their purchase of a National Bingo Game ticket at a participating club at any time until the sale of National Bingo Game tickets for that playing of the National Bingo Game has ended in that participating club.

PRIZES

6 The amount of the National Prize and of each Regional Prize is set by the NBGA before each playing of each National Bingo Game but each playing may be subject to later reduction by the NBGA if one or more participating clubs is unable (for whatever reason) to fully participate in or to complete that playing of the National Bingo Game.

Before the National Bingo Game is played, the amount of the House Prize and of the likely approximate amount of the National Prize and each Regional Prize will be displayed and/or announced at each participating club. Should there be more than one winner of a National or Regional Prize, that Prize will be divided equally between each winning player.

PLAYING THE NATIONAL GAME

7 Each National Prize and each Regional Prize (and each House Prize) in each playing of the National Bingo Game is for a full house only.The numbers called are a random sequence of numbers selected by the NBGA. The same sequence of numbers is transmitted to, and called at, each participating club.

8 (a) Players playing with a paper ticket must mark off the numbers called on each National Bingo Game grid in such a way that the grid can be easily checked so as to avoid the possibility of any dispute. Circles, the use of dabbers or underlining are recommended markings for a paper ticket. Where a National Bingo Game grid is marked in such a way that it cannot be validated or verified, it is a disputed claim and the National Bingo Game will continue under Rule 14(b).

(b) Players playing with electronic National Bingo Game ticket must operate the EBT in the appropriate manner so that it will mark off on its grid display the numbers called.

9 The numbers to be called will be issued by the NBGA by electronic means to each participating club which will prepare a print-out of the numbers.

Each of the numbers will be called by the Bingo Caller three times using the proper name first e.g. sixty-six. Once any syllable (or part of a syllable) of a number has started to be called, the calling of that number will be completed and that number becomes the last number called.The Club Manager will verify the numbers as they are called against a copy of the printout. The Club Manager will sign the copy which they have verified and the signed copy will be displayed in the participating club (in a position where it can be seen by players) for a period of at least seven days after the playing of the National Bingo Game in question.

10 In the event of a discrepancy between a number called and a number on the Club Manager’s copy of the printout the Club Manager will stop the playing of the National Bingo Game and decide either that the whole Game will be re-called or that the number wrongly called will be re-called.

11 If because of a technical problem, or for any other reason beyond the reasonable control of the NBGA or a participating club, it is not possible at that club (a) to call all or any of the numbers transmitted to it by the NBGA or (b) to properly play the National Bingo Game (see also Rule 17 below) then the Club Manager may choose to play a House Game in which case these Players’ Rules will no longer apply and the House Game will be played under the participating club’s house rules.

12 The winner of the National Prize in each playing of the National Bingo Game is the player nationally who validly marks off (or who causes their EBT to mark off) all the numbers on a National Bingo Game grid in the lowest number of calls and who claims in accordance with the following arrangements in this Rule 12. That player will also win the Regional Prize for the Region in which that player is playing and the House Prize at the participating club at which they are playing.The winner of each Regional Prize in each playing of the National Bingo Game will be the player playing in each Region, (these regions from time to time will vary, but are designated by the NBGA) who validly marks off (or who causes their EBT to mark off) all the numbers on a National Bingo Game grid in the lowest number of calls and who claims in accordance with the following arrangements in this Rule 12. That player will also win the House Prize at the participating club at which they are playing.

The first player in each participating club who marks off (or who causes their EBT to mark off) all the numbers so as to complete a full house must call out and stop the National Bingo Game in that club, thereby claiming a win before the calling of the next number begins. A player forfeits any right to win a Prize on The National Bingo Game if they fail to stop the Game before the Bingo Caller has started to call any syllable (or part of a syllable) of the next number. Having stopped the game, the relevant grid must be checked. The responsibility to stop the National Bingo Game remains entirely that of the player.

MAKING A CLAIM TO A PRIZE

13 When a claim is made the Bingo Caller at the participating club must be satisfied by making enquiry of the players that there are no further claims.The claim(s) shall be checked and before the National Bingo Game is closed the Bingo Caller will make one last enquiry for any further claimant(s). Only then shall the Bingo Caller announce the player(s) claiming to be the winner(s) and in how many numbers the claim(s) have been made. No further claims shall then be allowed and the National Bingo Game in the participating club shall be declared closed subject to re-opening under Rule 14 below or continuation under Rule 17 below.

All claims to be a winner of the National Prize are subject to scrutiny and verification by the NBGA under Rule 16 below and any dispute as to the winner of the National Prize or of a Regional Prize is subject to the NBGA’s Complaints Procedure provided for in Rule 16(d) below.

14 (a) In order to make a valid claim to the National Prize or a Regional Prize (and the House Prize), a player must produce to the Club Manager their National Bingo Game ticket (if paper) for checking or must permit the Club Manager access to their EBT for checking.

To claim a National Prize and/or a Regional Prize (and the House Prize) a paper ticket (where appropriate), including the grid in question,must be wholly intact and with the serial number, plate numbers and bar code of the ticket clearly visible.

To claim any Prize a player must be over 18 years of age and must, if requested by the Club Manager, provide evidence to prove their age. Such evidence can be either a passport, a driving licence or a birth certificate.

(b) If the Club Manager considers, for any reason, that a claim may not be valid or if they consider that there is any dispute as to the validity of the claim, they will cause the National Bingo Game in the participating club to be re-opened and the calling of numbers to continue until there is one or more subsequent claim.

15 The Club Manager will give to a player making a valid claim to be the winner of a National Prize, an official NBGA receipt for the relevant National Bingo Game Ticket which includes the grid in question (whether it is a paper ticket or an electronic ticket).The ticket (or a print of that ticket if it is electronic) and a copy of the claim form will be sent by the Club Manager to the NBGA for scrutiny and verification.

The Club Manager will follow the same procedures (as detailed in Para 1 of Rule 15 above) for the winner of a Regional Prize except that the claim form and the ticket will be securely kept by the Club Manager for six months following the date of the National Bingo Game in question.

The National Bingo Game ticket which includes the grid which wins each House Prize (or the print of that ticket if it is electronic),must be handed to the Club Manager for secure keeping for six months from the date of the National Bingo Game in question.

16 Each claim to a National Prize will be scrutinised by the NBGA prior to its verification.The scrutiny and verification will be carried out by the NBGA as follows:

(a) The NBGA will consider the information supplied to it by the Club Manager and will view the grid supplied by the Club Manager.

(b) Before rejecting a claim, the NBGA will write to the player in question telling them of the issues and inviting them to comment on them.

(c) The NBGA will consider the player’s comments before making a decision so long as the comments are received by the NBGA in writing within 7 days of receiving a rejected claim letter.

(d) When rejecting the claim of a player, the NBGA will notify the player of the NBGA’s Complaints Procedure and invite the player to implement that procedure.The Complaints Procedure provides for independent arbitration and if arbitration is started, the NBGA reserves the right not to pay any claim to the Prize(s) in question until the decision of the arbitrator is known.

(e) The NBGA will carry out this process as often as required until at least one player with a valid claim to the National Prize is identified.

(f) The National Prize will be paid only by cheque drawn in favour of the winning player(s). The cheque should (subject to any dispute/arbitration as above) be forwarded by the NBGA to the relevant participating club within ten working days of the National Bingo Game in question so that it can be made available to the winning player.

(g) Unless there is any dispute (which will be dealt with under the NBGA’s Complaints Procedure referred to above) each Regional Prize will be paid to the relevant winner by the participating club, normally within 5 banking days after the National Bingo Game in question.

PROBLEMS

17 If a participating club is not able to properly and fully participate in a playing of the National Bingo Game after selling National Bingo Game tickets then it will play a House Game (in accordance with that club’s house rules) for the stake monies (net of participation fees which will be retained by the club) paid at that club for National Bingo Game tickets.

18 On occasions, because of circumstances beyond its reasonable control and/or that of one or more participating clubs (including act of God,war, terrorism, power failure or other technical failure), the NBGA may cancel or abandon a playing of the National Bingo Game.

REDUCED LIABILITY OF THE NBGA

19 If there is any delay in organising or any failure to organise any particular playing of the National Bingo Game so that it is not played at all participating clubs or it is not played at some participating clubs then (unless Rule 11 and/or Rule 17 applies) the participating club or clubs in question will refund to each player all stakes (and all participation fee(s)) paid for that playing but neither the NBGA nor any participating club shall have any other liability.

20 The NBGA shall have no liability to a player for any loss, charge, costs, expenses or other claims for compensation arising out of the player’s failure to comply with these Players’ Rules.

21 The NBGA shall not be liable to any player for any unforeseeable loss or damage (including loss of profit or consequential loss or damage) arising from the organisation or playing (or the non-organisation or non-playing) of any National Bingo Game.

22 Nothing in these Players’ Rules affects any liability for death or personal injury caused by the NBGA’s negligence or for any fraudulent misrepresentation or the player’s statutory rights as a consumer.

23 No variation of these Players’ Rules is effective unless it is in writing and is displayed at the participating club before the sale of National Bingo Game tickets begins for the playing of the National Bingo Game in question.

MISCELLANEOUS

24 The NBGA will only use any personal information provided by a player for the purpose of organising the National Bingo Game.

25 Nothing in these Players’ Rules gives any right to any third party to enforce any provision under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 or otherwise.

26 These Players’ Rules will be subject to English law and (subject to the complaints procedure referred to in Rule 16) the English Courts will have jurisdiction in respect of any dispute arising under these Players’ Rules or from any playing of the National Bingo Game.

27 In exercising its discretion under each of Rule 4, Rule 5, Rule 13 and Rule 16 above the NBGA will act reasonably and in each case its decision is (subject always to Rule 26 above) subject to the NBGA’s Complaints Procedure.

1 December 2008