When the BBC reported on the trendiness of bingo way back in 2016 it was received as positive news for the game. The growing popularity of different variations of bingo captured the attention of the hipster community, who are always on the search for something “retro” to explore.
Most people would think that playing the game of bingo is only for older folk, as bingo halls used to be frequented by the senior crowds and the game is often played in retirement homes. To say that this is hardly an image that would go down well with young potential punters, would be an understatement. But those days are gone and bingo is enjoying a new era with the advent of the internet as well as with the simple nature of this extremely fun game.
In today’s world of online bingo, it’s all about game choice and chat rooms.
There are quite a few new ventures happening in the bingo space worldwide, which have offered hope that the games would become appealing to a younger generation. It seems that this is working because, along with social media, online video gaming and all the other usual forms of entertainment that have been available to us for years, bingo has seen an increase in popularity within the younger markets.
Many of this crowd were born during the digital revolution and technology has always been part of their everyday lives. When combined with accessibility and even a “trend” to be part of something reinventive, the result is that more and more young individuals, especially in the twenties and thirties age group, are taking on the bingo fad with great gusto.
Young people want more than just a game of bingo, they want a space to hang out and socialize with their friends as well as meet new like-minded people. When you’ve grown up with social media and texting and a variety of apps at your fingertips, then naturally online bingo offers that same social interaction. Today there are forums and chat rooms, and social media pages to join, and there are even in-game discussions to be had. Bingo has undergone a complete image revamp and this has helped attract a younger audience to the exciting world of bingo.
Online bingo is the most popular form with young people because it is easy to access and available 24/7. In today’s world of online bingo, it’s all about game choice and chat rooms and the online community keeps the social aspect alive and well via bingo chat rooms which adds to its growing popularity.
Research shows that the game appeals mostly to females, with the latest trends showing that younger women are more interested in bingo than ever before, while males still prefer other gambling pursuits. The average age of a bingo player is also lower than ever with Millennials making up 17% of bingo players in 2015, and upwards to 25% in 2017.
Certainly, one of the biggest reasons as to why bingo is gaining in popularity with the younger age groups is due to the fact that it’s easy and inexpensive to play. Finances might be tight right now, so ordering take outs or splashing out on a night at a restaurant or bar will be much more heavy on the pocket. Bingo offers a whole evening of entertainment for a relatively small amount of money, and when playing online bingo you don’t even have to go to a venue, you can still have your friends play with you, via the internet or at home, in person.
Thanks to apps and online casino websites that offer bingo, young people have a platform to try new things and many online casinos and bingo sites offer a free trial so people can give the game a go before spending their hard earned cash. This is great for those who might never have considered bingo in the past and are now immersed in it, and happy to pay to play once their trial is over.
What’s even more appealing to young individuals is the flexibility of playing bingo. You can easily download an app to your phone or tablet, or you can play online. Also, unlike before you don’t have to sit through an entire game, if you only have a few minutes to spare, you can play bingo on your lunch break or on the bus ride home. You can play it while preparing a meal, in the bathtub, or when you’re eating breakfast.
When bingo halls started to close up, those in charge realised that they needed to attract the younger generation to the game – that way, they could keep playing for longer and revive something that was, if truth be told, starting to decline rapidly in popularity.
To get the new into the old, a few ideas came into play. Online bingo was certainly one, but others include changing up the game to include other versions of bingo as well as offering up glorious prizes, impossible to resist! And it’s boosting numbers, not to mention lowering the average age, and opening up a whole new bingo world to a different generation.
If a new spin on an old game is what it takes to keep it alive, then it’s definitely done that! But for those who love their traditional game of bingo as it always used to be played, there are still venues that offer it, so no need to stress. They might be fewer and further between, but if you look hard enough, you are bound to find one.