You have to be at least 18 years old to play bingo in Colorado. The age floor comes from the state’s Bingo and Raffles Law, codified at Title 24, Article 21, Part 6 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, and it applies to everyone in the room who is part of the game, whether you’re buying cards or working the event.
Who Checks Your Age at the Door
Colorado does not send inspectors to every bingo hall to card players. Bingo can only be run by licensed nonprofit organizations, and each event must have a certified games manager present. The practical burden of age verification falls on that organization and its designated personnel rather than on any centralized enforcement mechanism.1Legal Information Institute. 8 CCR 1505-2-2 – Bingo-Raffle Licensees
What that means for you: if you look young, expect to be asked for identification. The organization has a real incentive to check, because the Secretary of State can fine a licensee up to $250 per citation for violating the Bingo and Raffles Law, and serious violations can cost the group its license for up to a year.2Colorado Secretary of State. Bingo-Raffles Law Handbook Losing a bingo license is far more painful for a small nonprofit than any single fine, so front-of-house staff tend to take the age rule seriously.
Bring a government-issued ID if there’s any chance someone will question your age. A driver’s license, state ID card, or passport is the sort of thing a games manager will accept without a fuss.
How Bingo Age Rules Compare to Other Colorado Gambling
The 18-year threshold for bingo is lower than the age required for most other regulated gambling in Colorado. Casino gambling under the state’s Limited Gaming Act generally requires participants to be 21. Bingo and raffles sit in a separate regulatory universe administered by the Colorado Secretary of State, not the Department of Revenue’s Division of Gaming, and the age rule reflects that different track.3Colorado Secretary of State. Licenses – Bingo and Raffles FAQs
If you’re 18, 19, or 20, you can legally play bingo at a licensed nonprofit event in Colorado even though you cannot legally play blackjack in Black Hawk or Cripple Creek. Don’t assume the casino age applies just because both activities involve gambling.
Where Under-18s Fit In
The same age floor applies to anyone working a bingo event, not just to players. If a teenager wants to volunteer at a church or school bingo night by calling numbers, selling cards, or helping run the equipment, they need to be 18 as well. There is no “helper” carve-out for minors.
Colorado does allow electronic devices as aids for playing bingo, but the law is clear that you cannot play bingo solely through an electronic device, and players must be physically present at the location where the game is being conducted.4Justia. Colorado Code 24-21-618 – Conduct of Bingo Games So a parent cannot bring a minor along and have them play remotely on a tablet from home, and an adult cannot play on behalf of someone under 18. If you’re under 18, you’re out until your next birthday.
What Happens if You Win
Once you’re old enough to play, the next practical question is what happens if you actually win something. Colorado caps bingo prizes at $15,000 per occasion, which is the total amount that can be awarded at a single event, including any progressive jackpots that carry over from one occasion to the next.5Colorado Secretary of State. Prizes – Bingo and Raffles FAQs Any player can request verification of all numbers drawn and all balls still remaining after a winner is called, and that verification takes place in front of the member designated to be in charge of the event.4Justia. Colorado Code 24-21-618 – Conduct of Bingo Games
Bingo winnings are taxable income under federal law regardless of the amount. For payments made in calendar year 2026 and later, the reporting threshold for bingo winnings on Form W-2G is $2,000. If you win that much or more from a single bingo game, the organization running the event must report it to the IRS.6IRS. Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (01/2026)
Regular federal income tax withholding does not apply to bingo winnings, unlike some other forms of gambling. But if the winner does not provide a taxpayer identification number, the payer must apply backup withholding at 24% on the amount of the winnings, which may be reduced by the amount wagered at the payer’s option. The $2,000 threshold will be adjusted annually for inflation after 2026.6IRS. Instructions for Forms W-2G and 5754 (01/2026)
Even if your winnings fall below the W-2G threshold, you are still required to report them as income on your tax return. The reporting threshold only determines when the payer must generate paperwork for the IRS, not when the income becomes taxable.
If You Have a Question About a Specific Event
The Colorado Secretary of State’s office is the authority that licenses bingo operators, certifies games managers, and enforces the rules. If you’re unsure whether a game you’ve been invited to is actually licensed, or if you think an operator is bending the age rule or any other requirement, you can contact the Secretary of State’s bingo and raffles division directly at 303-869-4910. A quick call is a lot easier than sorting out a problem after you’ve handed over money for cards.