Bingo has been around for hundreds of years, making its way from parlours to halls and then finally online. The use of online tech gave this hobby a massive new resurgence in the early 2000s but it’s still proving popular today. In this article, we’ll be examining why that is and what’s next for this industry.
Gambling in general got a bit of a boost when online gaming became legal in the late 1990s. This was a tumultuous time for the industry, as online gaming was new and largely untested. The demographic playing gambling games is hugely diverse and bingo can act as an introduction.
In the public view, bingo is seen as much more acceptable than ‘harder’ forms of gambling like casino games. Bingo is perceived as just good fun for low stakes, so even beginners can feel at home. In popular culture, we see these games appearing more and more – reinforcing this acceptable image.
Even daytime television can play host to bingo adverts, with regular gambling adverts relegated until after the watershed. This could be set to change in the future though, as MPs debate if bingo advertisements should be shown at these times.
Bingo sites like Bingo Hollywood are still at the top of their game, despite the fact that online bingo is no longer novel. They’re working on new ways to reward their players, attract new ones and even retain players. This is essential in an industry that is becoming ever more competitive and saturated.
The story of bingo’s popularity is closely intertwined with the history of the UK. Most notably, the smoking ban that came into force in 2007 absolutely destroyed the bingo hall industry. A whopping 20% of players were lost at this time, as they no longer wished to sit in halls where they could not smoke. Instead, they were tempted towards bingo sites as they could smoke in their own home while playing them.
These sites now also add in extra features to their games that you simply can’t do in bingo halls. Progressive jackpots, variants and much larger choice in slot games are things that these traditional halls can’t keep up with. This entices players to the site rather than the hall and stimulates the industry as a whole.
While we may think of bingo as the hobby of the elderly, the new wave of players might just change your mind. Bingo players are becoming younger and the image of bingo is changing to become more youthful. This is reflected in the advertisements and communications that we see from these sites. They even produce magazines with celebrity gossip, events and promotions all mixed together.
Bingo players are notoriously fickle, so sites must think of new ways to keep them happy in the long term. This could be through the use of new technology, thinking up new promotions or just trying to stand out from the pack. As the market becomes worth more, there will be more sites appearing to get their share of the cash flow.
Bingo is a really integral part of our culture and that doesn’t seem set to change anytime soon. We’ve moved from the halls to online but with the same steady stream of players making their way onto both. This game has constantly attracted players, something which will continue through this year and beyond.