Bingo was extremely popular in the 1960s and 1970s where it enjoyed its status as a fun, social game. Players would love to meet each other in the bingo halls to play the game of chance.
Today, the game has developed with online bingo providers such as 888 ladies bringing the game right up to date.
The game has its origins in the 16th-century Italian lottery. It crossed over to other European countries and then the US, where it eventually became bingo.
Bingo was then remarketed back to the UK, where millions of players signed up to play in the high street bingo halls.
How did Bingo change?
Traditional bingo halls became threatened from the mid-1990s onwards. People were becoming interested in new hobbies, with TV, video, and DVD all playing their part in the transition of the game.
More bingo halls were closing than opening in the early part of the 2000s. In the UK, the smoking ban introduced by the Government in 2007 also had a profound effect on the numbers of people visiting bingo venues.
The game needed something to make it more inspiring to younger generations. It found it with the new advancement of the internet.
A new form of Bingo online
Online gaming and bingo were a natural fit from the dawn of the internet. The first online bingo games go back to 1996.
As internet availability and bandwidth speeds increased, along with the ownership of personal computers, online gaming began to take a foothold. Bingo and lottery games offered a dynamic and fun way to play online.
Software upgrades such as the use of Flash systems over Shockwave and then finally HTML in the 2000s also worked to the benefit of players.
Online bingo provides many benefits to playing over land-based bingo. Not only can players experience the comfort of playing at home, but they also can play when they want to.
There is also the valuable social aspect. While in the older bingo-halls payers were silent during the game, online players can chat freely while gaming. The huge online community that plays lottery games is available to interact with throughout the contest.
Players can chat and socialize when playing online bingo, unlike traditional bingo halls where players remain silent during the game
How the online world brought bingo back into fashion
The widespread use of the internet from the mid-2000s onwards brought new scope to the game of bingo. Today it is estimated that there are 3.5 million players in the UK, with 700,000 of those between the ages of 18 and 24.
This new tech-savvy younger generation is keen to savor the digital delights of online bingo. The new age of the game is far removed from the old image of traditional bingo halls.
Today players have the freedom to play however they choose. They can benefit from the generous promotional offers regularly provided by top sites. This could include free games to become accustomed to playing if they are new gamers.
The jackpots and overall winnings are also often much higher online as well.
The security of an online account with a trusted gaming provider is another big reason for the appeal of online bingo.
Playing online is generally thought to be more secure than a traditional way of playing. Deposits and winnings can be processed via a variety of different methods, with the player having complete control over their handling of cash values.
This removes the need to travel to or from a venue with cash or cards.
The land-based game of bingo has also changed. Younger players have developed new takes on bingo in clubs and venues to give it a hip, new edge. Online activity is integral in this as well, with social media proving integral to promoting events.
Mobile technology
The advancement of mobile devices has given players another way to play online bingo. AS long as internet access is enabled, anyone can play on a device wherever they are.
This could mean pitching into a game while on a train journey, or while taking a break from work. Operators have optimized their games to look striking and visible on the smaller screens of phones and tablets.
Some have even introduced standalone apps to make the games even faster and smoother.
Mobile gaming has contributed to the growth and success of online bingo
The future of online bingo
It is widely thought that new possibilities in virtual reality VR will herald another significant change in the gaming industry. Already VR has had a big impact in several industries and the gaming world is starting to make plans for it.
Online bingo is also beginning to see the full scope of VR operations. It is thought that VR will turn an online game closer to the world of the bingo hall while still being fully in the online world.
This combination could bring the sensory reminders of the physical venue into play alongside the undoubted benefits of the online site.
Bingo has always been a game of transformation. From its beginnings in the 16th century, through to the high-street bingo halls and then the internet age, bingo changes with the times. Moving forward, the game will continue to grow and develop to incorporate the latest forms of technology.