You cannot pay for the bingo with a credit card. Not because Hijingo would rather you did not, but because it is illegal.
“Due to the Gambling Act (2005), the use of credit cards in paying for bingo is strictly prohibited.”
That is on their own FAQ page and it applies to the game only. Food and drink can go on a credit card, whether pre-ordered or paid for in the venue. So if you are the one booking for eight people and you intended to put the whole night on one card and settle up later, the bingo half of it has to come off a debit card.
No other competitive socials venue in London has this constraint, because none of the others are legally bingo.
What it costs, and how long you get
The Hijingo Experience, six rounds of bingo, is £16 to £24 per person.
The Bingo Bottomless Brunch is £35 to £49 per person.
A booking lasts up to 90 minutes. That covers an intro, six rounds with six chances to win, intervals and music.
One detail worth having if you are booking for December: Christmas bookings run at two hours during the week, with seven chances to win rather than six. So the Christmas booking is better value per minute than the standard one, which is the opposite of how London usually prices December.
Strictly 18 and over, and only three forms of ID
This is the one that turns people away at the door, so read the list properly.
Hijingo is over 18 and every guest must bring a valid physical ID. It accepts passports, UK photocard driving licences, and PASS approved proof of age cards with holograms. Nothing else.
Two things follow from that wording. Physical rules out a photo on your phone or a digital licence. And a foreign driving licence is not on the list, so an overseas visitor needs a passport.
Entry is refused without valid ID, and as a bingo venue there is no under-18 option at any time of day.
You may be sharing your table with strangers
Worth knowing before you picture a private booth.
Tables range from 8 to 28 people, and if your group does not fill one you may have other players on it. Seats are allocated at the time of booking and specific table requests cannot be fulfilled.
The fix, if being seated together matters: book every player under the same booking name. Four separate bookings of three is not the same thing as one booking of twelve.
Groups of 15 to 30 can take the Neko Box, the exclusive raised area, through groups@hijingo.com.
Online booking covers up to 29 guests. Above that you get an enquiry form and a callback.
Arrive fifteen minutes early, and the bar opens an hour before
You must arrive no later than 15 minutes before your game time. Not the start time, 15 minutes before it.
The Lucky Cat Bar opens one hour before the first game of the day, and it cannot be reserved. Availability is first come, first served, and walk ins are welcome when there is space.
Guests do not all have to arrive together, but every one of them has to be there 15 minutes before the booking.
No cloakroom, and a genuine health warning
There is no cloakroom. Every table has under-table bags and hooks instead, and anything large has to be discussed with the venue team on the day.
In October and November that matters. Coats go on a hook at your seat, not away somewhere.
The more important line: the show contains flashing lights, video and haze machines throughout, and may not be suitable for guests with epilepsy or severe respiratory problems. That is their own wording and it is not a formality, because the lighting and haze run across the whole 90 minutes rather than in a single sequence.
The venue is wheelchair accessible with specific suitable tables, arranged in advance through bookings@hijingo.com.
No dress code, and fancy dress is fine
There is no dress code, stated plainly, as long as nothing is offensive. Fancy dress is allowed on the same terms, which makes it one of the easier venues in London for a hen or stag group that has committed to a theme.
Decorations are not allowed, on the grounds that they interfere with the show. Birthday cakes are, if you tell the team on the day.
What is actually on
The programme is themed shows rather than one fixed game. Currently running: Hijingo OG, 80s Download, 90s Download, Y2K Download, Girl vs Boy Band, Anthems Brunch, and £5K Fridays at 8pm with a £5,000 jackpot.
The Halloween special is Halloween: The Final Cut. Bingo Brunch runs Saturday and Sunday.
Prizes include cash jackpots and a holiday. The room also takes conferences, with space for up to 200 seated and live-stream capability.
Where it is
90 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BA.
Reachable from Old Street, Shoreditch High Street, Moorgate and Liverpool Street, which is four stations on four different sets of lines and makes it one of the easiest group meeting points in the City fringe.
How to plan it
Bring a debit card for the bingo. Credit cards are barred by the Gambling Act for the game, though fine for food and drink.
Bring a passport, UK photocard licence or PASS card. Physical, 18 plus, no exceptions, and a phone photo will not do.
£16 to £24 a head for six rounds, or £35 to £49 for the bottomless brunch.
Book everyone under one name if you want to sit together, because tables are shared and seats are allocated.
Arrive 15 minutes before the game, and an hour before if you want the Lucky Cat Bar.
Epilepsy or respiratory problems: take the warning seriously. Flashing lights and haze run throughout.
Booking for December: the weekday Christmas slot runs two hours with seven chances to win.
Hijingo
- Address
- 90 Worship Street, London EC2A 2BA
- Nearest
- Old Street, Shoreditch High Street, Moorgate and Liverpool Street
- Hours
- The Lucky Cat Bar opens one hour before the first game of the day. Guests must arrive no later than 15 minutes before their game time
- Booking
- Online for up to 29 guests, with an enquiry form above that. Walk-ins subject to availability. Groups of 15 to 30 can take the Neko Box through groups@hijingo.com
- Price
- Hijingo Experience, six rounds, 16 to 24 pounds per person. Bingo Bottomless Brunch 35 to 49 pounds per person
- Standing
- A 90 minute futuristic bingo show with six rounds, live dancers, cash jackpots and a holiday prize, plus the Lucky Cat Bar
How to get in
The Gambling Act 2005 prohibits paying for the bingo by credit card, though food and drink can go on one. Strictly 18 plus, with only a passport, UK photocard driving licence or PASS card accepted, physical not digital. Tables seat 8 to 28 and groups that do not fill one share with other players, so book everyone under one name. No cloakroom, only under-table hooks. Flashing lights and haze throughout may not suit guests with epilepsy or severe respiratory problems.
Where to go next
TOCA Social and Electric Shuffle are the other competitive socials, and neither has the credit card restriction.
Shoreditch covers the rest of the area, and activities for adults covers the category.
Questions we get asked
Can you pay by credit card at Hijingo?
Not for the bingo. Hijingo states that under the Gambling Act 2005 the use of credit cards to pay for bingo is strictly prohibited. Food and drink can be paid for by credit card, whether pre-ordered or settled in the venue, so bring a debit card for the game itself.
How much does Hijingo cost?
The Hijingo Experience, six rounds of bingo, is £16 to £24 per person. The Bingo Bottomless Brunch is £35 to £49 per person. Additional food and drink packages can be added to a booking.
What ID do you need for Hijingo?
A valid physical ID, and only three types are accepted: a passport, a UK photocard driving licence, or a PASS approved proof of age card with holograms. Entry is refused without one. It is strictly an 18 plus venue, so a foreign driving licence will not do and a photo on your phone will not either.
How long does Hijingo last?
Up to 90 minutes, covering an intro, six rounds of bingo with six chances to win, intervals and music. Christmas bookings run at two hours during the week with seven chances to win. Arrive no later than 15 minutes before your game time.
Do you get your own table at Hijingo?
Only if your group fills one. Tables range from 8 to 28 people and smaller groups may be seated with other players. Seats are allocated at booking and specific table requests cannot be fulfilled, so book every player under the same booking name to be seated together. Groups of 15 to 30 can secure the raised Neko Box.
Is Hijingo suitable for people with epilepsy?
Hijingo warns that the show contains flashing lights, video and haze machines throughout, so it may not be suitable for guests with epilepsy or severe respiratory problems. The effects run across the whole 90 minutes rather than in one sequence.
Is there a dress code at Hijingo?
No. There is no dress code and fancy dress is allowed, provided nothing is offensive. Decorations are not permitted because they interfere with the show, though birthday cakes are fine if you tell the team on the day.
Written by Robert J Wills, no. 318 in the guide.
Last checked 6 October 2026 against the venues' own published information. Nobody pays to appear here and we take no bookings.
