Physical Vs Digital: How Virtual Bingo affected the Physical stage of the game

Bingo. One of the games that have managed to stand the test of time and adapt to multiple changes throughout the years. 

Short History of Bingo

One of the world’s oldest games still holds on to much of its popularity now. It is thought that the game has been around for almost 500 years. 

Like everything, bingo has been modified and condensed into the game that millions play online today. 

Several things gave us modern-day bingo:

Bingo was once a lottery and known as Il Gioco del Lotto d’Talia in 1530 in Italy In France, it was known as Le Lotto. 1778 is very popular 1929 was were bingo started as ‘Beano’, as beans were used to mark the numbers 1963 saw a peak of 14 million bingo club memberships in the UK

You might wonder how we got from Beano to Bingo. Well, a person was so excited that they had won, in their haste to call, they yelled Bingo, not Beano. 

Thus the name Bingo was cemented in history and travelled across the globe via US Troops and shared with the Royal Navy, British Army, and more. 

Bingo facts:

From April 2019 to March 2020, the UK generated approx 910 million GBP in revenue. 

Remote betting, including bingo and casino gambling, the gross gambling yield was 5.7 billion pounds.  

The first bingo website was launched in 1996; however, it wasn’t until 2003 that bingo sites took off.

Mobile bingo is dominating the current landscape,  account for 67% of players.

While 33% is played on sites like https://www.888ladies.com/ and the 33% is shared between laptops and desktops.

What is gross gambling yield?  Gross gambling yield or GGY is the money kept by the gambling establishment after paying winnings. It doesn’t factor in bar stocks, marketing and advertisements, staff wages, and so on. 

The Rise of Online Bingo

Bingo has thrived online

Online bingo took bingo out of the halls into the living rooms of millions. Developers made it easy to play. If you were used to playing in the bingo halls, online bingo felt very similar. 

In the early days of online bingo, simple things like the callers ‘legs, eleven number 11’ or ‘all the eights 88’ were initially missing. 

However, modern-day online games have everything you need. The social aspect is there in the form of real-time chat, callers, and different coloured dabbers. 

But what made online bingo even more enjoyable? 

Online bingo can offer better bonuses

With lower overheads, faster signups, and a global audience, it is easier for online bingo to give bigger and better bonuses. 

In 2017, there was a rise in the number of female gamers, reaching 52% of the UK online gamer player base. 

Many of the most popular online gaming sites were aimed at a female audience—free games and reduced prices during school hours, purple and pink colours on the websites.

This undoubtedly helped the growth of the market. 

Online bingo growth facts: 

Online bingo players are 78% female 27% of online bingo players deposit over £50 per month into their accounts 70% of players set their deposit limits Statistics published by The Gambling Commission in March 2020 showed a growth of 8.1% growth between April 2018 and March 2020.

What makes online bingo so popular?

Now we know where bingo came from and more about its online growth; it’s worth looking at why that has happened.

It is also essential to cover some of the aspects of online bingo that not everyone likes. 

Bingo is a very social game; many groups will meet up, share tables, and talk while playing bingo at a land-based place. 

There isn’t a complete replacement for shouting bingo in the middle of a bingo hall, or the atmosphere. But online bingo does its best to replace those aspects and make online bingo even more fun. 

Bonuses and Free Bingo

Big games and bonuses make online bingo more attractive:

VIP bingo games can be cheaper or free Free slots and spins during lobby waits Cashback options Birthday gifts Promotions and exclusive bonus codes Accru points per game, and use the points for free games.

Free and cheaper bingo has been one of the biggest attractions to online bingo; after all, who doesn’t want more for less? 

If you want to maximise your bingo cash, then online bingo is the right place to play. The odds can often be better too. 

Variety

75-ball, 90-ball, speed bingo, specials, and non-traditionally shaped bingo cards. The types of online bingo far out-weighs all of the options in a land-based bingo hall. 

Some of the options that make online bingo more fun:

National and global games Themes Private VIP games High-roller bingo games 1p-2p lines

It’s hard to get bored when you have so many options.

Mobile Compatability

Mobile gaming has increased in the last 20 years, and bingo is a space where that has utilised that. 

It is easy to tap an app icon, be quickly signed into your account, and be playing a game in mere minutes. 

Mobile compatibility has made it easy and convenient for people to play their favourite bingo games. 

The future of online bingo

Online bingo has revolutionised the bingo industry and is hailed as a growth market.  Developers learn more about how players enjoy the game, using analytics to improve game play.

Using innovative technology to improve the gameplay and entice a wider audience. The key to growing the player base is likely to rely on the ability to attract more males to the game. 

One thing is for sure, it is unlikely that bingo will lose its almost 500-year reign of popularity any time soon - but we are likely to see even more of an online increase in players.