iGaming Editor
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Today, I’m going to be talking about how – and why – free bingo apps are often the best way to enjoy legal bingo games in the US.
For those of you who didn’t already know, sweepstakes gaming sites that offer online token-powered casino games are increasingly branching out into bingo – and launching downloadable iOS and Android bingo apps in multiple US states. Here I’ll explore why these apps are growing so popular, how to download them, and which ones currently offer the best bingo games.
In a word, yes – but they might not exactly be what you were expecting. You see, in the US, app-based free bingo that pays out real money isn’t really a thing, as only a handful of US states regulate online, USD-powered bingo games.
What you will find out there, though, is plenty of sweepstakes and social bingo sites that offer free-to-play bingo games powered by online tokens. Generally, these sites and apps are legal everywhere bar WA, ID and NV, depending on the individual T&Cs of the sweeps brand you’re looking at.
Now, said online tokens are usually known as “Gold Coins (GC)” and “Sweepstakes Coins (SC)” – and the latter have a prize-redeemable value, which essentially means that if you collect enough SC by playing at your favorite free bingo app for iPad or iPhone, you’ll be able to redeem those coins for real-world prizes, which might sometimes include:
Of course, terms and conditions will apply here – something I’ll get onto in a bit. First, let’s look at the benefits of using sweepstakes apps instead of old-hat bingo websites.
Well… there are a lot of reasons. For starters, the best free bingo app for Android or iOS is likely to offer a far smoother user experience if you’re planning on playing bingo from a smaller, handheld device, where the quality and responsiveness of touch-sensitive buttons can be make or break.
But that’s not the only benefit, of course. Free bingo apps also offer you:
Now you know how free bingo games at sweepstakes casinos work, and why the app-based experience is well worth trying-out, allow me to talk a bit about how to safely download a market-leading sweepstakes app.
The process is pretty darn simple, really – though it’s important you ensure any apps in your sightlines are definitely 100% legal to download and play at in your state, as there’s always a chance not all bingo free apps will be available where you live. As a general rule of thumb, mind, the geo-targeted banners on my site will only ever display apps that are.
Anyhow, for the best app-based sweeps bingo experience, follow these steps:
To be honest… that’s about it. Once you’re in, you’ll gain immediate access to all different kinds of free-to-play bingo games, as well as slots, roulette tables and whatever other kinds of sweepstakes games your preferred app has to offer.
Full disclosure. There aren’t really all that many free bingo apps available right now, for the simple reason that most sweepstakes casinos launched in recent years have gone down the route of launching their games on “mobile-friendly” websites as opposed to iOS and Android apps. This isn’t a bad thing, mind – it means their games are immediately accessible with no download requirement, and compatible with all kinds of devices.
But guess what? There are one or two sweepstakes bingo apps out there that buck the trend – most notably Pulz Bingo and Bingo Blitz. Below, I’ve provided a table comparing these two apps to three top-ranking sweeps websites – the remainder of which can all be enjoyed via Chrome, Brave, or your device’s browser.
Operator | iOS? | Android? | Web Version Available? | How Many Bingo Rooms? |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pulsz Bingo | ✅ | ✅ | Yes | 6 |
Bingo Blitz | ✅ | ✅ | Yes | 267 |
DingDingDing | ❌ | ❌ | Yes – mobile-friendly | 1-3 |
BingoPort | ❌ | ❌ | Yes | 40+ |
Golden Hearts Games | ❌ | ❌ | Yes – mobile-friendly | 3 |
Of the five sweepstakes brands listed above, two offer bingo apps that are free to download (Pulsz Bingo and Bingo Blitz), while the remaining three are mobile-friendly websites that still offer all the must-have features you might’ve come to expect from a decent sweeps bingo platform. Here’s a bit more info about each…
For me, Pulsz Bingo is probably the granddaddy of all bingo apps. Right now, you can download their painlessly easy-to-use app in minutes, which’ll grant you access to six different virtual bingo halls, as well as tons of other Vegas-inspired games, including popular slots like Wolf Gold and Money Train 2.
The brand currently boasts a 4.4-star average on Apple’s App Store and 4.2 stars on Google Play, with gamers praising Pulsz Bingo’s excellent game selection and high-quality software – both of which, to be fair, are amazing.
Register from any Pulsz Bingo-friendly state (all bar ID, MI, WA and NV), and you can currently claim a 5,000 GC and 2.3 SC bonus for free, too. Brilliant stuff.
I’ll level with you guys. To be honest, I’m not a massive fan of Bingo Blitz. For me, their platform’s packed-full of one-too-many battery-sapping animations, and their T&Cs are worryingly vague when it comes to things like state-level restrictions – which is a real red flag to be honest.
That said, I’ve included them on this list because they offer downloadable apps on both the App Store and Google Play, as well as via Microsoft and Amazon, too. They also offer both classic and 75-ball bingo game options – though you will need to play your way through a fair few slow-loading cartoon mini games to get to them.
It’s an option that’s good to have on your radar, but personally I’d steer clear when more robust alternatives like Pulsz Bingo and DingDingDing are up-for-grabs…
DingDingDing might not actually be offering a downloadable app just yet, but I still think they’re a fair contender for best free bingo app for Android or iPhone, simply because their mobile-friendly website is just so beautifully put-together. Plus, I’ve seen a Reddit rumor or two indicating that an app could very well be on the horizon. So, watch this space…
As far as multi-device-compatible platforms go, DingDingDing’s website is certainly one of the best I’ve seen. Whether you’re using a nine-year-old iPad or the latest Samsung Galaxy Tab, I found that you can fire-up many of the brand’s in-house developed bingo games in either portrait or landscape mode. You’ll get good performance across the board, too – particularly if you stick to big-name browsers like Chrome or Brave, though I did find Safari to be a little less user-friendly.
BingoPort doesn’t offer an app or a new customer welcome bonus. But what you will find here is a solid selection of more than 40 different bingo games.
In my experience, these games don’t load-up quite so well on smartphones and tablets as they might do on your desktop, as BingoPort’s site has clearly been set-up predominantly with laptop and PC users in mind.
I haven’t seen any rumors suggesting a free bingo app will be unveiled any time soon, either, but here’s to hoping an app is something the brand’s considering – as some usability improvements are long overdue here. I found myself stuck in a weird loop back-and-forth between the FAQs and Contact Us pages when trying to figure out the site’s state-level restrictions… which is never a good sign. If it were me, I’d probably opt for Pulsz Bingo or DingDingDing instead…
If, like me, your top priority in pinning down a free bingo app is gaining access to high-quality bingo games, then Golden Hearts Games is pretty hard to beat. They don’t have an app, but their traditional website is equally easy-to-use as DingDingDing’s so long as you stick to a solid browser, and as for their games… just wow.
You can pick from Old School Video Bingo, Anytime Bingo or Juicy Jackpot Bingo – all of which are completely unique to this platform and offer innovative, immersive graphics of the kind seldom seen among online bingo games. The brand’s games are accessible instantly, too, as you won’t have to wait around downloading anything to actually play them. You’ll also get a generous 250,000 GC and 500 SC bonus when registering from a permitted US state (any bar WA, ID and MI).
Of the apps and sites reviewed above, I’m much more of a fan of Pulsz Bingo, DingDingDing and Golden Hearts games than the other two, but each to their own, eh?
Whichever free bingo app or mobile-friendly sweeps platform you choose to roll with, there are a few important things you’ll always have to think about. So, here are a few tips from me on how to stay safe, and get the absolute most out of everything your preferred app (or site) has to offer:
Unless you’re firing up free bingo games with no download requirement via a web-based platform like Golden Hearts Games, you’ll need to think very carefully about where you’re downloading your preferred sweepstakes brand’s app from. I’d always suggest:
Searching for the app on Google Play/App Store, or;
Downloading it directly from the operator’s main website.
In a nutshell: steer-clear of suspicious-looking websites, emails or SMS messages, and always check the brand’s state-by-state availability rules before downloading. Better safe than sorry, eh?
All sweepstakes bingo brands offer bonuses, but the very best free bingo app for iPhone or Android may very well have an exclusive offer available that’s reserved just for app users.
If you’re interested in a brand, always check out their “Promotions” page and latest social media posts for details of their latest and greatest special offers, and how to take full advantage of them, before registering.
You won’t get at all far looking for the best free bingo app to win real money on, because (spoiler alert) no sweepstakes sites offer real money gameplay or prizes. That said, understanding the differences between GC and SC can help you a lot if your ultimate end-game is to get your hands on cash prizes – because you’ll only ever be able to do so by accumulating enough SC to request a prize exchange, and following your sweeps brand’s prize redemption rules.
Usually, any bonus SC you receive will need to be played through at least once, and you’ll need a minimum of 50, 100 or perhaps even 200 SC in your account balance before you can redeem your SC for a real-world prize. Rules differ from app-to-app – so always double-check.
Free bingo apps are fewer and farther between than you might think – but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as mobile-friendly websites like Golden Hearts Games and DingDingDing oftentimes offer all the benefits of bingo apps, but with more flexibility, as well as the opportunity to access games instantly with no download requirement.
For me, Pulsz Bingo is a great shout if you’re hellbent on a downloadable app with excellent player ratings. But Golden Hearts Games and DingDingDing are equally good fun if you don’t mind having to play from your smartphone or tablet’s browser. Just remember to stick to Chrome or Brave, yeah?
No, you can’t – but sweepstakes bingo apps allow you to play using SC, a type of prize-redeemable virtual currency that can be exchanged for cash prizes, once you’ve accumulated enough eligible SC to request a prize redemption.
It’s all a matter of personal preference, really, but I’m seriously into Pulsz Bingo right now, which boasts fantastic ratings on both Google Play and the App Store.
Offering 250,000 GC and 500 SC on sign-up, you’ll struggle to match Golden Hearts Games’ latest I reckon.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.