If you still correlate the word bingo with community halls visited from senior citizens, you are 10-20 years late in terms of the technology. Online and mobile bingo are experiencing tremendous growth and progress over the last ten years, thanks to the internet advancements and interest from the younger audience. The need for access and mobility created by smartphones and tablets changed the way these games are optimised for different devices. According to the latest bingo statistics, these days more than half of the online bingo players are aged 35 or less. In this article, we will look at the key innovations that made the game of bingo popular again.
The revival
Online bingo became a popular activity in the early 2000s and brought millions of active players. The comeback did not happen overnight though, but it did come as a surprise to many representatives within the gaming industry. As years passed by, entrepreneurs and game developers were busy investing in online gaming. The early focus was to replicate the land-based experience and deliver games to a broader audience. To say that this strategy has turned out to be a spot on would be a massive understatement.
Online games have become popular thanks to the success of online slots and online poker rooms. This prompted further investment in the sector, quickly leading to a competitive growing industry. One of the areas that had been unfairly left behind by businessmen was bingo. However, this did not escape the attention of the small and savvy community of entrepreneurs. At around the mid-2000s, many startups invested in online bingo platforms. Within a few years, these new bingo sites have reached an impressive level of success, leading to a wave of investments in the platform and gameplay. Now, almost every major gambling company either runs its own bingo site or owns a subsidiary platform.
Innovations in mobile technology
Advances in the online gaming technology in the 2000s enabled the explosion of different types of online games, including the bingo. Similarly, innovations in mobile gaming technology brought larger mobile screens and faster computing networks that have further enabled the development of better mobile bingo experience. Representatives from the game development sector noted that the roll-out of 5G will enable players to enjoy desktop quality games on the go. They also pointed out that technological advances would further encourage “hybridisation” between live and online bingo.
New means for social interaction
The bingo hall has been known as a place for social interaction and mobile bingo operators have tried to transfer the social aspect to their own platforms. The earliest online bingo sites included forums where players had the opportunity to discuss strategies and good practices. More recently, most operators have introduced live chat rooms and options to their platforms.
Now, mobile bingo apps are going a step further by integrating rich text messaging into their platforms. This represents the latest improvement in text messaging technology. It comes with cool features like group chat, image sharing, making GIF animations and video calls.
Types of bingo games
The last innovation we like to discuss does not refer as a technological breakthrough, but as an advance in imagination and creativity. Land-based bingo venues usually offer standard forms of bingo such as 90-ball and 75-ball bingo. Online and mobile bingo operators are less constrained by space and budget and offer a broader selection of games such as 30-ball bingo and themed bingo games.
While technological advancements have a lot to do with the growth of online bingo, we should not underestimate the impact of online bingo’s variety of themes. The new generations are known for being more flexible and able to adapt to changes and innovations, unlike people who grew up in the 60s and 70s. What people today want more than anything from technology is getting proper value for money and the ability to choose. Provide them with the feeling of choice and control over the game and they will definitely feel more comfortable playing along these preferences.
