When many people think of bingo, they tend to think of the traditional bingo hall, outdated and populated mainly by pensioners having a fun evening game. But the reality of the game in the UK today is that it is, in fact, more popular than ever, and that popularity is only expected to grow in the coming years.
There are a few factors which have contributed to this growth in popularity, so today we’re going to look at the main ways that bingo is today more popular than ever.
Let’s get started
- Online bingo
Doubtless, the single biggest factor in the growing popularity of bingo is the myriad online versions of the game which have sprung up over the years. Today, there are around 350 different bingo games available online, whether through browsers or apps in the relevant app stores.
Around 3.5 million people regularly play bingo online through the huge amount of sites in the UK, and around 55 million people currently have smart phones. That number is estimated to grow to around 65 million by 2025, meaning that a huge portion of the population will have constant access to online bingo.
While the number of physical bingo halls has fluctuated over the years, down from 710 in 2014 to only around 600 today, online bingo has only continued growing and growing. While the bingo hall is far from gone, it is clear that online bingo is the future of the game.
- Modern bingo halls
That said, there are plenty of innovative developers who have seen an opportunity for a new kind of bingo in the modern world. Various types of bingo have sought to attract a wider demographic—whereas, in the past, bingo halls were typically seen as the haunt of the elderly, modern bingo halls seek a wider audience by changing how the game is played.
With venues like Dabbers Bingo, you can have a drink and some real food while you play with your friends.
This is part of what sets bingo apart from other kinds of betting. It is, for the most part, more about the game than about the winnings. This has meant there is a lot more that you can do to make the game interesting than, say, casino games.
- Profitability
So, the customers aren’t the only ones who dictate the interest in bingo. Operators and bingo halls also drive the popularity of the game by responding to the demand for it, and thus there is a chain reaction. The simple fact is that bingo is more profitable than ever.
In total, bingo generates around £1 billion a year in revenue. So, it’s a huge industry. Operators like bet365 have responded to trends in its growing popularity, and thus more games have become available, the popularity is driven up, the game becomes even more profitable—and so on!
Bingo games are easy to develop, and at the same time, easy to put a unique spin on. Creative operators have brought new life to the game in countless ways, and this has also driven its burgeoning popularity.
So, though bingo is perhaps not played in the same way that it once was, few industries have adapted so well to the changing needs of their customers. With online bingo, the snazzy and hip new bingo halls you can find, and the simple fact that the game is enormously profitable to run, it’s clear that for both customers and operators, bingo is a sure thing. More people have access to it than ever before, whether on their mobile or in a new bingo hall.