[3] The organisation was founded in 2001 in an attempt to unite some of the multiple bowls bodies running the sport.

[4] The founding was a merger of previous organisations; the World Bowls Board and the International Women's Bowling Board.

The new event would be called the World Bowls Indoor Championships.

[6][7] In 2021, Australian Darryl Clout was elected World Bowls President following the resignation of John Bell.

[8] In 2022, the headquarters for World Bowls moved from Edinburgh in Scotland to Melbourne in Australia.