Whilst Bingo’s roots don’t exactly sprout from Britain, the game is still one of the nation’s absolute favourite pastimes. And, thanks to the introduction of the good-old internet, and thrilling digital casinos, online Bingo in UK is now more popular than ever! But, how has the online world helped the age-old tradition sky-rocket in popularity? Read on to find out.
The fall from grace of Bingo halls
Traditional Bingo halls have been scattered across every town around the United Kingdom since the 18th century, when the game washed up on our shores from mainland European countries – like Italy and France – where it was called Le Lotto.
Bingo also inspired the creation of the lottery – but that’s a completely different story!
Bingo halls gained popularity in Britain after the end of World War II, with millions of punters flocking to their local hall to socialise with friends and neighbours. However, in more recent years, the Bingo hall has fallen from grace. In 2005, there was around 1,000 venues, but, just two years ago, in 2018, it was found that the UK actually only had a mere 649 land-based halls left on its streets.
The introduction of online Bingo
The regular news stories that pop-up about Bingo halls closing in your local area would lead you to believe that the game is no longer popular. However, that’s not the case. Since Bingo lobbies started opening online – with the first digital Bingo site forming in 1996 – people have simply stopped going to the grotty old hang-outs because of this. Punters now just load up an app or website on their laptop, tablet, or smartphone and enjoy a game of Bingo in just a matter of minutes.
Online Bingo participation
Whilst more-and-more people are switching to the online Bingo world, it’s still one of the least-played online games – having to compete with the classic brick-and-mortar style casino games, such as Roulette, Blackjack and Poker. Punters playing Bingo remotely – whether it be whilst their chilling on the sofa in the evening or on their commute to work – makes up just 3.4% of the total gross gambling yield – according to the UK Gambling Commission’s report in 2017.
Online Bingo sites offer more variety
In the UK, Bingo halls tend to only host the traditional 90-ball version. Meanwhile, across the pond, in the United States, the 75-ball variation is more popular. However, with the introduction of online casinos – punters can now play whatever they like, wherever they are! Whilst you can choose to play 90, 80 or 75-ball Bingo on most sites, the wide range of games also massively attracts players.
There are a vast amount of themes – ranging from the ever-popular Channel 4 game show Deal or No Deal to casino classics like Rainbow Riches and Age of the Gods –these games tend to also feature bonus games which can lend you more cash or free tickets. You can buy a ticket to take part in games like these for as little as a penny, with jackpots still reaching jaw-dropping amounts! And if that’s still not enough, games start every couple of minutes, so you can come straight out of one lobby and into the next.
Is land-based Bingo back on the rise?
The younger generation, who have probably never stepped foot in a traditional Bingo hall, are now starting to play the game in places like pubs and clubs. This is because the event organisers are introducing non-conventional ways to play – for example, Bingo whilst dancing or Bingo with cocktails. So, what’s not to love? There’s a Bingo out there for everyone!