How to Run a Bingo Night Fundraiser (Including the Licensing Part Nobody Tells You About)

A church auxiliary in Michigan ran their first bingo night last fall. Sold $900 in cards, paid out $400 in prizes, kept $500 for the food pantry they were supporting. Everyone went home happy. Three weeks later, someone at a meeting mentioned that Michigan requires a charitable gaming license for bingo events — and they hadn't applied for one.

The $500 was already spent on canned goods and shelf-stable milk. Now they were deciding whether to self-report, quietly move on, or call the attorney general's office to find out if a $500 bingo night was actually a thing anyone would pursue. Nobody had a good answer.

That scenario plays out constantly with small orgs running their first bingo night. This guide covers everything — equipment, staffing, running the games, handling the cash — but it starts with the legal piece because that's the one nobody tells you about until it's too late.

The Legal Piece — Do This First

Bingo is regulated as charitable gaming in most states. It sits in a different legal category than a bake sale or a car wash, and the rules are stricter than most people expect.

Here is what varies by state:

License requirement. Most states require a charitable gaming license to run bingo for a nonprofit. Some issue annual licenses; others require a per-event application.
Frequency limits. Some states cap how often you can run bingo — once per week is a common maximum. Stacking three bingo nights per week will put you outside the rules even with a valid license.
Who can operate the equipment. Several states require the caller and game operators to be club members or officers — not outside hired help. Check this before you book a professional caller.
Cash prize limits. Most states set a maximum prize per game and a maximum total payout for the event. These limits are lower than you might expect.
Reporting requirements. Many licenses require you to file a post-event report with proceeds, prizes paid, and net revenue. Miss this and you can lose the license.

Where to check: Search "[your state] charitable bingo license nonprofit" and look for results from your state's gaming control board, charitable gaming bureau, or attorney general's office. Those are the right sources — not a general article, and not what the neighboring club swears they were told.

Michigan specifically: The Michigan Gaming Control Board licenses charitable gaming including bingo. A license is required. The application and current fee schedule are on their website. Do not skip this step and assume the event is small enough to fly under the radar — that is exactly what the church auxiliary in the opening story assumed.

Timeline: Apply at least 4 to 6 weeks before your event. Processing times vary by state and can back up around the holidays and summer. Getting the license takes longer than you think the first time you do it.

What You Need to Run Bingo

Equipment

Bingo cage or electronic random number generator (RNG). A rotating wire cage is the traditional option. Electronic RNG units are faster, display the called number on a screen, and reduce caller errors. Either works.
Bingo balls (if using a cage) or a digital number display connected to the RNG
Bingo cards. Paper disposable cards work well for most events. Reusable hard cards are a larger upfront cost but cheaper over many events.
Daubers or markers if using paper cards. Have extras — people forget theirs or lose the cap.
PA system or a very loud caller. A room of 60 people talking is louder than you think. Numbers that can't be heard kill the night. If your venue doesn't have a sound system, rent or borrow one.
Cash box for card sales
Prize fund or prize table. Decide up front whether you're paying cash prizes, gift cards, or donated items.

Staff

You need four roles covered for even a modest event:

Caller — draws and announces numbers, keeps the pace
Floor workers (1-2) — verify winning cards in the room, hand out prizes
Cashiers (1-2) — sell cards at the door and between games
Prize table person — tracks what's been paid out and to whom

Smaller events can double up some roles. Do not run cashier and floor worker as the same person — one of those jobs will suffer.

Setting Up the Night

Before the Event

Decide how many games you'll run. Ten to fifteen games over two to three hours is a standard structure. Fewer than ten and people feel shortchanged. More than fifteen and the room starts to drag.
Set your card prices. Common structures: $2 per card, 3 cards for $5, or a flat package price for the full night. Package pricing simplifies cashier math and speeds up the door.
Decide on prizes. Cash payouts, gift cards, donated items, or a mix. Most orgs pay out 50 to 60 percent of card sales as prizes. Anything less than 50 percent and players notice.
Order enough cards. Plan for 1.5 times your expected attendance. Running out of cards mid-event is a bad look and you'll lose revenue.

Night-Of Setup

Arrive 60 to 90 minutes early. Setup always takes longer than expected.
Test the PA system before anyone sits down. Walk to the back corner of the room and confirm numbers are audible from there.
Set up the caller's table where everyone in the room can see it. Not just the front half.
Mark the prize table clearly. Players should know exactly where to go when they win.
Have change ready in the cash box. $200 minimum in small bills — ones, fives, and tens. Someone will pay for a $5 card package with a $100 bill. This is guaranteed.

Running the Games

Start on time. Late starts lose energy and signal to regulars that your event is disorganized.
Explain the rules before the first game, especially if you have first-timers. Cover: how to mark cards, how to call bingo, how verification works, and what the prize is.
Call numbers clearly and repeat each one. "B-7. B as in boy. Seven." Skipping the phonetic identifier is the number one complaint callers get from players who mishear.
Post called numbers on a display board if you have one. Players lose track after 20 numbers and appreciate the visual reference.
Require a verbal "BINGO" before the caller stops the game. A hand wave across the room is not sufficient and creates disputes.
Verify the winning card before paying out. Have the winner read their numbers back. The caller or a floor worker checks those numbers against the called list. Skipping verification invites honest mistakes and occasional cheating.
Keep a record of each game winner and prize paid. You need this for post-event reporting if your license requires it, and for your treasurer's records regardless.

Between Games

Running the games is only part of the revenue opportunity. Between-game time is when the rest of it happens.

Run a 50/50 raffle between games. Ticket sellers walking the room between rounds is the easiest add-on revenue at any bingo night. Check your state's raffle rules separately — the 50/50 may require its own license.
Give people 5 to 10 minutes to get up, get refreshments, and buy more cards. Rushed transitions cut sales.
Sell card packages for the second half at a slight discount. A "second-half bundle" at the intermission gives people a reason to stay and buy rather than pocket their remaining cards.
Announce the running total raised if you're tracking publicly. People respond to visible momentum.

Handling the Money

This section is not optional and the rules are not flexible.

Two people count ticket revenue at the end — never one person alone. This protects your volunteers as much as it protects the organization.
Count before you leave the building. Counting at the venue while other people are still present creates an implicit witness. Counting later in someone's car does not.
Record totals in writing: cards sold, total collected, total prizes paid out. Net proceeds equals total collected minus prizes paid.
Keep these records. Your state license may require a post-event financial report. Even if it doesn't, your treasurer needs documentation, and your bylaws likely require it.
Secure the cash box the moment the event closes. Two signatories on any account mean two signatories walk to the deposit drop together if you're going that night.

If your org collects any digital payments at bingo night — presale card packages, online registration, or a digital 50/50 — Potluck keeps those records automatically. The cash side you still count by hand.

After the Event

The work isn't done when the last player leaves.

File any required post-event reports with the state licensing agency. The deadline varies by state. It is often 10 to 30 days after the event. Missing it can cost you next year's license.
Deposit the proceeds promptly. Same day or the next business day. Cash sitting in someone's car or kitchen counter is a risk.
Document everything for the treasurer. Cards sold, prizes paid, net proceeds, date, venue, and who was present for the count.
Thank your volunteers publicly. Bingo nights run on the same five to eight people every time. They show up because they feel appreciated. Make sure they are.

Quick-Reference Checklist

4-6 Weeks Out

Apply for charitable gaming license
Confirm venue and date in writing
Decide on game structure and pricing
Order or confirm bingo equipment

1-2 Weeks Out

Confirm all volunteer roles are filled
Purchase or print bingo cards
Confirm PA system available
Prepare prize fund or prize table inventory
Get cash box change ready

Night Of

Arrive 60-90 minutes early
Test PA system
Two people set up cash box
Brief all volunteers on their roles
Post rules before first game
Keep written winner and payout log

After the Event

Count proceeds with two people present, at the venue
Deposit promptly
File state post-event report if required
Document for treasurer records

Potluck handles the digital payment side of your fundraising events so you're not reconciling three different apps the next morning. Free to start.

Looking for more ideas? See the full list: Fundraising Ideas for Small Nonprofits and Community Clubs.