As a nation, we’ve loved bingo for decades, and this century has seen a significant change that’s set to ensure its popularity for future generations. Discover how moving bingo from community halls to the internet is helping to keep Brits engaged in bingo and give the traditional game format a new lease of life.
Accessibility
Joining the in-person sessions at a local community hall involves travel time and organising transport if it’s not within walking distance. You also have to adhere to the preset times of the games which might not always work with your schedule.
Bringing bingo online has made the game accessible to all. As long as you have an internet connection, you can play games of bingo at any time of day without having to leave the house.
Types of games
In the UK, traditional bingo is the 90-ball format. Each player is given a 9×3 grid with 15 numbers from 1-90 and the other spaces left blank. A caller reads out numbers at random which are marked off by the players. The first to a line or a full house wins – by shouting ‘Bingo!’. The US has a similar version with 75 balls and a 5×5 grid which allows diagonal and vertical lines too.
Online bingo has many other variants including quick-fire 30-ball rounds and versions based on contemporary culture and fun themes, such as Deal or No Deal and Viva Las Vegas bingo. Whichever game you choose to play, ensure you’re using a licenced provider that’s operating in line with the rules and regulations of the UK Gambling Commission.
Social aspect
From World War II onwards, bingo halls have been a popular place for friends in the same community to meet and catch up. They were a weekly staple for many in the 60s and 70s.
Many expect that playing bingo online removes the social aspect, but the games are still geared up for interaction. Live chatrooms mean you can discuss the game with fellow players as the numbers appear on the screen, celebrating each other’s successes.
Technology
Bingo moves fast, especially when the callers are shouting out numbers in characteristic Cockney rhyming slang. Especially if you’re new to the game, this means that even a momentary lapse in concentration can cause you to lose track – and perhaps miss the winning number!
Online bingo takes advantage of technology to make it easier for you to follow the progress of your game. You can set up an auto-marking function so you don’t have to worry about missing a thing, and watching the numbers flashing up on the screen is much clearer than listening to the shouts of a caller.
