Marcus RichardsBingo has made a major comeback in recent years, drawing in new crowds with technological advancements and new, appealing variations on the timeless game. The advent of online gambling has shown how bingo can benefit from cutting-edge tech — the game has been enhanced into a more accessible activity for players around the world.
Online bingo
The explosion of online casinos over the last decade results from new demographics being drawn into the world of card games, roulette, and slot machines. The same is true of bingo. With online bingo available from a wide variety of operators, new players are getting involved in the game, without having to visit an actual bingo hall.
Another reason online bingo has widened the game’s appeal is mobile gaming’s potential for variations. Of course, traditional 75-ball and 90-ball bingo are still available to play, but new variations such as speed bingo and others with enhanced gameplay and features are cropping up. Some choose to play Rainbow Riches Slingo as it is a heady combination of bingo and slot machine action.
Virtual Reality and Live Streaming
Online gambling sites often talk about ‘immersive’ gameplay, and perhaps the most immersive way to enjoy bingo is by using the virtual reality (VR) options offered by some operators. VR provides a lifelike environment where players can interact with virtual bingo halls and experience the game in a whole new way. Bingo has always had a social aspect to it — many people play together, and the game is often a backdrop to catch up with friends over a pot of tea — and VR enables players to meet and interact with others. This goes some way to replicating the communal atmosphere of a traditional bingo hall.
Live streaming is another popular option for online gamblers as similar to live-dealer poker, blackjack, or roulette offered by many casinos, bingo players can enjoy the experience of live calling, watching the draw in real-time to see how they’ve fared. This adds a level of drama to proceedings, and it’s a testament to the advanced technology we carry in our pockets that we’re able to experience bingo this way.
Beyond Bingo
Bingo is not the only old-school pursuit that’s been given a shot in the arm by ever-advancing tech. It’s a trend sweeping across the entire entertainment industry and is drawing more diverse demographics into games and activities with a traditionally narrower appeal. The most striking examples are online casinos and online sports betting, and the majority of new players and bettors haven’t set foot in a bricks-and-mortar casino or bookmakers.
Beyond that, streaming services have forever changed the way we consume movies and TV shows — ever improving data anaylsis makes for increased personalisation, and major services are even beginning to incorporate VR technology.
New technology and the demographics it pulls in have popularised bingo once more, and new variations make it a go-to option for many online gamblers. And, it seems that far from rendering traditional bingo obsolete, the physical game is receiving a boost from its hi-tech sibling, and bingo halls are filling up nationwide.
