The first multi-sport event in which bowling was contested as an official sport was the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

As a result the bowling industry lobbied long and hard for bowling to be recognized as a potential Olympic sport and a demonstration sport for future Games, but the outcome was not successful.

A negative factor is that bowling lacks inexpensive or easy access for youth in the underdeveloped world to acquire skill and proficiency.

[2] However, after its first demonstration appearance at the Americas-exclusive 1983 Pan American Games,[3] bowling appeared as an official sport with full medal status at the 1991 Pan American Games on August 2, 1991, in Havana, Cuba.

The 2020 Olympic Committee wanted sports that appealed to youth and that did not require building new facilities to reduce cost.