In the United States, Bingo is mostly a fundraising and social activity for local charities. But in the UK, Bingo survives as commercial gambling in halls and clubs across the country. From a recently published study on the history of Bingo in the UK, we learn that the game has its roots in random number games from the 1700s. And, apparently there’s some controversy over the origin of the name Bingo, which was earlier known as Beano. Some believe the name was coined in the 1920s in the United States, while Dr. Carolyn Downs’ research suggests that by then the name Bingo was already being used in the UK.