When we think of bingo, we think of the bingo halls in the 70s and 80s. These were really the heyday for bingo fans, in which it was an opportunity for socialising and winning big. This might be how most players remember it, but it’s not how it all started. Join us as we go down the rabbit hole on the origins of bingo.
Most experts on the subject agree that the roots of the game stem from the French Le Lotto game. This was a rudimentary game with balls spinning in a cage and a number based system, sound familiar? This game can be traced back even further to the Italian Lo Giuoco del Lotto d’Italia from around 1530. There was no Gambling Commission back then to ensure it was fair either!
During the peak of bingo, we saw hundreds of these halls around the UK. The game is most popular in Britain but American players are also big fans too. The American version of the game sprouted up but changed too, as American bingo is played with 75 balls. This is a common theme when you look at casino games that have migrated to America too, as they put their own twist on the games.
Of course, the impact of technology on this industry is huge. Online gaming was once thought of as a young man’s hobby but now it’s accessible to all. The demographic of users that play online bingo games at bingohollywood, for example, is incredibly diverse and varied. Statistics show that slightly more than half of the players of most bingo sites are female, though the age range is hard to pin down exactly.
The boom in online bingo started in the 90s, but the UK didn’t get its first site until the early 00s. There was no need for fancy hardware or peripherals to access it, which helped it gain popularity. Legislation and the monitoring of online gambling in the UK is actually more lenient than the US now, as there’s a blanket ban on online gambling in the majority of states.
This has had the unfortunate effect of reducing the number of bingo halls on the UK. There are now around half of the number of halls operating in the UK now when compared to its peak. This has led to a bit of a backlash against the online bingo industry, as many feel they have taken away a bit of British culture. It is simply in response to demand though, so not much stock can be put in this.
Bingo will continue to evolve in the future too, with smartwatches and VR tipped to be the next big thing in online bingo.
