The bingo industry was undergoing a slump of sorts in the 80s and 90s and interest in the game greatly reduced as the new generation started to focus on other forms of entertainment in the gambling industry. According to the gambling commission, there were only 675 bingo halls left in the UK by 2009. By that time, it was looking like the game of bingo would ultimately disappear as most young people took a preference to online casino games.
However, just as technology seemed to have dealt the game a death-blow, the same technology could now come to the game’s rescue. In fact, over the past five years, there have been some changes taking place behind the scenes. Online bingo sites have been attracting players by the millions and live bingo is also doing quite well once again. Innovation has helped many young people to rediscover the game and the game is once again picking up.
The Gambling Commission released figures which state that bingo is currently part of the online casino business which accounts for 29% of betting activity. The report doesn’t specify what percentage bingo contributed to the £3.9 billion revenue that was collected between Oct 2014 and Sep 2015. On these online platforms, the players are able to play more than one game on the same platform. This means they can play different variations of bingo along with slot and table games among others.
Operators of online betting platforms have, over the years, diversified their offerings in an attempt to give their clients more gaming options. Because of this, the game of bingo is now in a place where young people can easily access it and this has changed the game’s image.
Bingo is no longer viewed as the less attractive option in a world with cooler games like roulette. Even here in Brighton, there have been a few visible changes. Since 2014, the Rebel Bingo party night has been keeping the people in Brighton entertained. This night started in a London church but has grown to be a national event. In Brighton, the Concord 2 nightclub is one of the popular venues associated with the event. Rebel Bingo is a cross between bingo and clubbing featuring live stage performances with bingo calls like you’ve never heard them before and many similar events take place all over the country such as the Bingo Lingo in Bristol.