A glimpse at the ongoing popularity of online bingo
Today, creating an online game of bingo is so complicated that it has completely strayed away from its traditional mechanics of merely number calling and card daubing. Thanks to the advancements of technology, computer programs such as Flash and JavaScript make it possible to create an entirely different experience for bingo aficionados of today. The popularity of online bingo peaked at the same time when the online poker boom happened between the years 2003 – 2006. During that time, bingo was treated as some sort of poker’s distant cousin, where it also enjoyed a number of successful endeavors. Since then, bingo continued to develop and evolve in accordance with the ever-growing demands of the modern player.
Fame of online bingo today
Although bingo halls are still quite popular, 85% of the games being conducted in the world on a daily basis are played online. In addition, according to Tablet-Bingo’s demographics, there has been a 16% increase of bingo players this year in the UK alone. These facts are quite consistent with the report given by The Independent. According to the news site, around 9 million online players are currently active in the UK alone. If the aforementioned facts don’t speak well about online gaming’s booming popularity, we don’t know what will.
The evolution of the traditional game
But what makes the 500-year-old game still a hit in today’s modern world where graphics and interactivity rule? It is perhaps bingo’s ability to adapt with the changing times. Apart from its basic technicalities of simply playing a game of 75-ball or 90-ball bingo, the game continuously introduces mechanics that tap the addicting world of video games. Today, playing a game of bingo is similar to what one would experience when playing a video game. There are game levels, bonus stages, characters to unlock, and high scores (huge pot prizes) at the end. This way, not only do veteran players of traditional bingo get to enjoy it in a different light but also allows gamers of another genre to get introduced to the game as well. This, in particular, is probably one of the biggest reasons why bingo continues to be one of the most popular games on the planet despite its humble beginnings several hundreds of years ago.
The other reason why bingo is popular
Apart from targeting online players of different genres, online bingo can be accessed through various means. This presents the ease of usage for people wherever they are and whenever they want to play the game. Most online bingo games today can be played on smartphones, tablets, and even next-gen portable consoles. In addition, playing bingo on portable gadgets may even yield exclusive bonuses apart from its PC counterpart. According to gaming news provider Loquax, bingo provider Betfair has offered special bonus prizes to people who are willing to try its mobile version of the game. This makes it not only easily accessible but also enticing for old and new players alike. By not being confined in the shackles of exclusivity, anyone owning a modern gadget can play it. That technically means having a target market of more than 1.08 billion users, since the numbers alone correspond to the demographics of smartphone users in the world, according to figures reported by Onbile.
Ultimately, bingo lovers will continue to see their favorite pastime develop over time. With the large pool of bingo players and counting, gaming experts foresee that bingo will always adapt to the current technology available.