How technology has changed bingo games and what to expect in the future
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With regards to entertainment and popular culture, longevity is often viewed as a key factor in determining whether something is a success or a failure.
However, in an era where short-form mediums such as Snapchat and TikTok are all the rage, longevity has become increasingly difficult to achieve.
On that basis, it may come as something as a surprise to discover that an activity with a near 500-year history has become an online phenomenon.
Bingo’s roots can be traced by to a 16th century Italian lottery, and it has since gone on to make a massive impact on hundreds of countries around the world.
The game’s first real surge in popularity came in the United States before World War I, and word soon spread across the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom.
By the 1950s bingo games were the go-to entertainment activity for millions of people in the UK, with venues springing up across the length and breadth of the country.
The boom continued apace over the next few decades, but significant changes in consumer habits as the new millennium approached hit bingo hard.
Hundreds of land-based venues were forced to closed their doors, leaving many gambling operators struggling to make ends meet.
The creation of the internet proved to be an unlikely saviour for bingo, giving firms in the sector the opportunity to rethink their business models.
Advancements in technology have completely revolutionised the bingo industry, sparking a massive resurgence in the popularity of this iconic game.
A tech-driven renaissance
The gambling industry is rarely slow to spot an opportunity, and modern technology undoubtedly presented them with the tools to work their magic.
The shift towards online bingo changed the public’s perception of bingo from a game largely played by the working classes to one that could be enjoyed by anyone.
The earliest incarnations of bingo sites were fairly basic, with the tech only allowing for variants such as 90-ball and 75-ball to be played.
Fast forward to today and things looks very different, with modern bingo sites now offering players a plethora of immersive games.
The new bingo landscape
‘Variety is the spice of life’ is a phrase that rings true where online bingo is concerned, with operators using tech to offer all manner of innovations.
One of the best developments has been the introduction of game combinations, which merge other games with bingo to create exciting new titles.
For example, Slingo expertly brings together the excitement of slot machines with the thrills of bingo to produce a truly wonderful game.
Some operators have taken popular casino games like poker or roulette and blended them with bingo, attracting a new generation of players to the game.
In fact, playing online bingo games has become very exciting to players and besides it is very comfortable to play it whenever you want and wherever you are.
Incorporating the social element
One of the biggest attractions of bingo during its land-based heyday was the social element, with the game used as a vehicle to facilitate meeting up with friends and family.
Online bingo operators have recognised the importance of this by incorporating chatroom facilities alongside the different games on their sites.
This allows players to interact with each while they are playing, thus making bingo one of the most socially friendly games you can play online.
Chatroom tech also allows operators to run side games alongside the main games, creating a more enjoyable experience for bingo players.
Exploding onto mobile
Mobile tech has driven massive growth in the bingo industry
Improvements in mobile technology have also had a massive impact on bingo, helping to make the game more appealing to a younger demographic.
Studies have shown that people spend around four hours per day on their smartphones, and much of that time is devoted to playing games.
The best bingo operators have leveraged this to their advantage by fully optimising their sites to work on mobile devices.
Many have gone a step further by developing standalone apps that make it even easier to play your favourite bingo games on the move.
Virtual reality bingo
The last couple of decades have transformed the bingo industry and it would be a major surprise if it still looks the same in another 20 years.
One of the most likely innovations to impact the sector could be virtual reality (VR) tech, which has been on the cusp of breaking into the mainstream for some time now.
The tech previously failed to live up to expectations, but the latest raft of headsets appear to be capable of delivering the goods.
This is potentially exciting for online gambling operators, who could soon start offering players the opportunity to play bingo games in virtual settings around the world.
Blockchain bingo
Blockchain is another emerging technology that has skirted on the fringes of online gambling over the past few years.
Some operators have already dabbled with blockchain-based bingo game development solutions and more are expected to follow suit in the future.
This will help to facilitate greater financial security for players and operators alike, while allowing for faster cross-border transactions.
Increased liquidity, P2P transactions, biometric security and greater transparency are amongst the other main benefits of using blockchain for bingo.
Online bingo – The future
As we have already alluded to, virtual reality and blockchain tech are tipped to be the main innovations that will impact online bingo over the coming years.
We also anticipate that many operators will adopt a ‘mobile-first’ approach when it comes to the design on their sites as smartphone usage continues to rise.
Many developers are increasingly tailoring their site designs towards mobile and this trend should continue for the foreseeable future.
With almost 500 years of history behind it, bingo has unquestionably stood the test of time and it is likely to stick around for many years to come.
