Time has been ticking by and it’s already 2022. One of the things that has continued growing and evolving at a rapid pace is technology. In fact, technology has developed more in the last 50 years than it has in the rest of human history. An industry that has adapted superbly well to the fast-changing world is iGaming. We’ve moved quickly from casinos and arcades that took up space in real buildings to casino sites and online arcades. These easily accessible sites boast every game you can think of, including live online bingo.
The amazing thing is that the online gaming industry has not only made classic games that we love accessible to be played online, but they have also improved and refurbished our favorite pastimes. They have used technology to keep games like bingo exciting by making different versions and upgrading to ultra-high resolutions. These changes have helped keep classic games alive and they have also ensured that the popularity of the games has grown. Online bingo now has an estimated 3 million players. If that’s not a comeback, we don’t know what is.
How bingo started and how it’s grown
Bingo originated in Italy in the 16th century, more specifically around 1530. This is a major time in history and was particularly tumultuous for the Church, which at that time had a mighty hand in what was happening in Europe. It isn’t surprising that the Italians, who have an air of luxury about them, would invent a fun, social, and money-based casino game. Bingo has always brought communities of like-minded, fun-loving people together in stressful times of struggle. The lure of prizes at the end is difficult to resist.
Soon the game expanded to France and Germany and remained in Europe for quite some time. It was only in the mid to late 20th Century, around the 1960s, that the UK and the US caught on to this fast-growing game.
Mobile phones rose in popularity in the 1990s and 2000s. They had built-in games like Snake, Space Invaders, and Bounce which sucked consumers in, and classic casino and arcade games were all but forgotten about. When the internet became accessible to the masses, the downloading obsession swooped in. People started downloading their old favorites and bingo made a comeback. All of a sudden, bingo had moved from halls to mobile phones.
What caused online bingo to boom?
The first contributing factor is the rise of the internet. As soon as the internet was invented, casinos saw the opportunity and jumped at it. They employed programmers that ensured casino and bingo sites were popping up everywhere you looked. Once the classic versions of the games had spawned into online existence, the programmers began to play with the designs. They started to create new varieties and place the games in new and interesting settings. One example of how bingo has expanded and adapted is that there is now 50 and 60 ball bingo as well as 80 to 90 ball bingo. What a treat, the game is now new and exciting again – even for the most experienced bingo players.
The second factor that influenced the rise of online is the change to mobile. Once the game had graced the internet with its presence, it wasn’t long before the programmers were tasked with creating mobile-friendly versions of the websites and then apps that could be downloaded from app stores and even played offline. Many people only had access to mobile phones and it opened up a world of offline gaming for those with mobiles but little to no internet access at home. The bingo community grew as underdeveloped countries or areas with no bingo halls began to jump on the online gaming bandwagon.
The introduction of notifications has made the games even more accessible and less time and attention-consuming. A player can now log in when their prizes are ready for collection or whenever they fancy playing the game. No more leaving your home to visit the bingo halls and spending your entire evening out. The evolution of bingo has ensured the highest level of convenience without lacking in the gameplay experience – this is exactly what casino companies have always aimed for.
Where will bingo go from here?
The future of bingo is a bright one and many believe that the game will keep growing and expanding with technology as long as technology keeps growing and expanding. One important thing to remember is that nostalgia is real and it’s what makes these classic games attractive. People like to stick with what they know, as long as it is convenient for them to do so.
One way that bingo is moving with the times currently is that VR (or virtual reality) bingo is being developed. This is a big move in allowing players to access the “original” experience of sitting around a table with family and friends playing their favorite game. Players will get the authentic bingo experience from the comfort of their own homes.