Bingo is enjoying a boom at the moment. During the lockdown, it’s been reported that online bingo sites enjoyed a 30% surge in players, and in an industry that was already growing, it marks a key moment in bingos history.
It’s fair to say that the more traditional format of bingo is a pastime of years gone by. The bingo halls on the high street look as tired on the inside as they do the out, and the British seaside holiday, where once the seafront was lined with small bingo shops is now pretty desolate.
However, that doesn’t mean bingo is dead. In fact, far from it! Over the last few years there’s been a resurgence of the game, which dates back hundreds of years, and it shows little sign of becoming extinct any time soon.
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The Rise Of Online Bingo
The rise of online bingo has played a huge part in bingo adapting to the modern day consumer. Unlike other industries, which have failed to compete with a switch to online, such as retail, bingo has embraced it and in-turn reached out to an entirely new generation of players.
A study recently found that the largest number of bingo players are between 20 and 25, while 90% are under the age of 50. It goes completely against the stereotypical bingo player many of us lazily assume.
What’s more, one in five players are new to the game, with 20% taking it up in the last two years. That means a steady stream of new players are taking up bingo, far outweighing the argument that bingo is dead. Also interesting is that 40% of players have been enjoying bingo for over five years, meaning that those playing in bingo halls are also likely to be doing so offline.
Another study found that 50% of people who do play bingo, do so every day. Where once a trip to the bingo would be a weekly occurrence, the convenience of playing at home is allowing people to enjoy their hobby more frequently, meaning more gameplay than ever before. The biggest factor in online bingo being a major hit and retaining players is the huge variations that have been produced which you can find out more here.
Technology is changing fast, and with it the needs and wants of gamers. Tech is continually influencing gaming, and that means bingo too. We expect games to operate faster than ever before, with the likes of speed bingo ticking that box, and something different to keep our minds stimulated.
The rise of the likes of slingo bingo and roulette bingo, which can’t be played offline, are entertaining users more than ever before. However, it would be unfair to say that innovation in bingo is only happening online.
Online Seeping Into Offline
With online bingo proving to have reached a new generation of player, those players are starting to fill out bingo halls both old and new across the country. When it comes to the new, younger players are enjoying the thrills of the likes of Bongo’s Bingo, which operate more as full evenings out, with live music and prizes that go way beyond cash to deliver the weird and wonderful.
The brand has taken the concept of bingo and adapted it to attract a younger generation and spread the word of bingo. With sell out nights weekly prior to lockdown, and touring around the UK, bingo nights are back. And while online bingo may now be the new normal in terms of how the game is played, it can’t be ignored. Yes, how we perhaps typically see bingo is dead.
But the game dates back as far as the 16th century, and we’re pretty sure that form was nothing like the chicken in a basket evenings of the 1980s. Bingo is alive and kicking, bigger than ever before, more accessible than ever before and absolutely thriving in a world where many offline hobbies struggle to make the transition to online.
How bingo will look in 10, 20 years is yet to be seen. That will largely be dictated by the technology available. What is for certain though, is that this game has a proven track record for adapting and will do so for many, many more years to come.
If you are interested in even more entertainment-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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