This is for those who remember the good times when United and Bally Bingo Pinballs could be played everywhere. The glory days of these magnificent machines may be long gone, but now you can revive playing them again. With next-best-than-the-real-thing Bingo Pinball simulations you’ll hardly notice the difference...
As of September 6, 2023 the new Bingo Pinball Gameroom is launched at Steam, world’s largest games platform. Bally Show Time is included, free to play!
For existing users of the ‘old’ Gameroom nothing changes. There are no plans to discontinue. Your current license does not apply to the new Steam edition.
If you decide to continue using the ‘old’ Gameroom, it is however not a bad idea to read the following chapter as it may contain important considerations.
Existing users of ‘old’ Bingo Gameroom: read this
You can continue to use the 'old' Bingo Gameroom as normal. However, the installer can no longer be downloaded from this website. As a result, it can happen that you want to reinstall Bingo Gameroom due to a crash or switching to another computer. But... you’re no longer able to download the installer!
So, keep your copy of BGR(un)installer.app (OSX) or the BGR(un)installer folder (Windows) in a safe place. Please note the latest version: 4.0.b32.
Without the installer, Bingo Gameroom can still be transferred to another system, as long as the Gameroom files are accessible on some computer. Read the next chapter for more details.
Migrating/installing ‘old’ Bingo Gameroom
• Fresh installation, using the BGR(un)installer Disadvantage: after installattion the programs directory will most likely be empty. You’ll have to download all Tables. Or copy them to the programs directory if you have stored them somewhere. Read here for installing Bingo Gameroom, using BGR(un)installer 4.0.b32.
• Installation on another computer in the same LAN, using existing and accessible Gameroom files and folders a. Essential is Bingo Gameroom programs directory. Without access to an existing copy of this folder no migration can take place. b. Not essential, but useful to continue playing with exactly the same settings, are the Preferences files. You will definitely want to transfer them if you have all the tables set up correctly in a dual-screen setup, such as in a Virtual Cabinet. c. If you also want to keep your accrued credits for all tables, the Bingo! folder is required in which the data of all tables is stored that must survive updates and reinstallations.
Full paths to a, b and c:
Windows: a. When Bingo Gameroom is installed with default install options: C:\Program Files (x86)\MyBingoPrograms\
If the folder is not there, you must have used another install location and have to find it yourself. b. Preferences files are stored in C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\ AppData folder may be hidden. Unhide it to make it accessible.
Gather all files which name begins with either Bally, JRs or United, and end with .exe.pref c. Folder Bingo! is located at the same folder as the Preferences files: C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\
Mac OSX: a. When Bingo Gameroom is installed with default install options: /Applications/MyBingoPrograms
If the folder is not there, you must have used another install location and have to find it yourself. b. Preferences files are stored in /Users/<user>/Library/Preferences/
Gather all files which name begins with either Bally, JRs or United, and end with .pref c. Folder Bingo! is located at the same folder as the Preferences files: /Users/<user>/Library/Preferences/
Transfer the folders and files
When you have located the files and folders you want to migrate, before you do anything else, start Bingo Gameroom on your old computer once and close it again. This ensures you can use your existing license on the target computer. If it’s in the same LAN that is.
Now, transfer the files and folders to corresponding locations on the target computer, using a USB stick or your network. Especially for b. and c. it is important that they are placed in exactly the same locations.
Once all is in place on the target computer, locate BingoGameroom.exe or .app (see a.) and launch it. Ready!
Book published! ‘The Complete Bingo Pinball Simulations Book’. Everything you want to know about Bingo Pinballs and Simulations.
Bingo simulations creator Joop Riem has published a book* covering about everything there is to know about Bingos and Bingo simulations. It contains 438 pages with lots and lots of images. It describes the rise and fall of Bingos, origin of the simulations Collection, extensive info about each of the 80 simulations, how to play particular tables, score information cards, keyboard shortcuts, links to www.bingo.cdyn.com and Internet Pinball Database, etc.
*Note: not a printed book, PDF only.
After ordering you will receive a link to download the PDF.
Some people want to go a step further to the-real-thing experience by using an adapted real Cabinet connected to a computer running the Bingo games and an LCD-screen as backglass. Bingo Gameroom and almost all Bingo tables are ready to be controlled by such a Cabinet. Not an easy job though; a controller like an Arduino or Raspberry with a SerialUSB interface is required to connect Cabinet and computer. Here you can read a helpfile describing the process of establising communication.
If your plans become more definite you can download 'Bingo Cabinet Simulator' here, a helper for testing communication between a real Cabinet and suitable Bingo games.
James Mclaren and Ian Brown have it all working! They took a real Bingo Cabinet and an Arduino controller which they connected to the Bingo Simulations. James published a set of very helpful documentation, including sourcecode, free to download.
Bingo related links
Phil Hooperbingo.cdyn.com
Everything there is to know about all Bingos ever produced. Starting point for me before programming a new simulation.
Bally Bingo's in Britain
Newsgroup about Bingos. If you own a Bingo machine, here are some people who can help if you have any issues. Sadly enough the last few years not much action takes place.
Frans PilgerBally Bingos in HollandAs of July 2024 the link seems to be broken
Stories and lots of photos about restoring old Bingo machines to a brandnew state. Big help for me. The man really knows a lot about Bingos, reads schematics like a first grade schoolbook. When I'm not sure about someting, he's the one with the answer. I always ask for his opinion before publishing a new simulation.
Coos HakvoortBally Bingo Specials from Holland
Coos is an expert in making parts for Bingo restoration projects like buttons, platens, but most of all Backglasses. He has invested a lot of time to reproduce the perfect Backglass, including the sparkling mirror lines. And with success! Togeher with Frans he's a big help for me. Before publishing a new simulation, I always ask for his judgement.
Chris DadeBally Bingos in Britain
For making a simulation, graphics from the machine are essential. Chris used to produce Backglasses (now he has handed that over to Chris Hakvoort) and has highres graphics from a lot of Bingos. I was very pleased that he kindly provided me all the artwork I asked him.
Pinball Australia
Lot of information about Bingo machines and how they work in ‘human readable’ form.
Nick BaldridgeFor Amusement Only EM and Bingo Pinball Podcast
Listen to podcasts about Electro Mechanical Pinballs and Bingos. Nick also provided me photos and videos from his Turf King (one of my favorites), Bally Double Up and United’s Caravan.
Privacy policy
We do not collect, save, use or have access to any of your personal data – as location data, user's calendar data, contact information, reminders or photos – in any of our Bingo Pinball simulations for Mac or iOS.
What we do collect is technical data, including, but not limited to, initialization time and graphics performance related to your device model and Operating System, Table's game data as number of credits on the replay register, number of games played, credits played and won. The data is collected automatically during gameplay. It is completely anonymous without any link to personal data. They are used for analytics and app functionality only.
If a user sends a Bug Report or Feedback and includes his email address, we assume we can use this address for answering. We will never use such an address for advertising purposes or share it with any third party.
Donate to Bingo! Games
Thanks to all those f*cking spammers, you can only contact us by using menu item Report bug/Feedback, available in all the games. In Bingo Gameroom it's under menu Help.
