Is Bingo Back? The Old Game Is The New Craze
You'd perhaps be forgiven for thinking bingo is a game for the older generation. You'd also be forgiven for thinking that setting up a new business based on the game is a little crazy.
However, bingo continues to be touted as the next big thing, and it's no real surprise.
Both online and offline the game, in which many associate with holidaying and local village halls, is thriving, with online bingo sites transforming how Millennials view the game and encouraging many to play.
In the UK, bingo is thought to be generating over £1billion per year, bringing more to the UK economy than the likes of Netflix and Spotify combined.
That's an incredible figure with mobile and online bingo becoming a key figure in the industry, particularly in appealing to a younger crowd.
That means the game can essentially be played any time, any where, with all the same social elements as being at a bingo hall.
You can chat with players all across the world as well as enjoy more bonuses and bigger prizes, which is what's continuing to bring players back for more.
As well as offline, more and more bingo businesses and operations are appearing offline, both in traditional and quirkier formats.
The likes of Bongo's Bingo has become huge across the country and at party resorts in the likes of Ibiza. Aimed at a younger audience, it offers a completely new take on the game of bingo, and sells out huge venues normally dedicated to musical acts. Is proving big business and more have followed, creating a mini bingo revolution.
That pairing of a thriving scene both online and off is working in harmony to create a craze nobody probably believed they would see.
As British holiday resorts and the high street continuing to decline, and esports and more digital action gaming becoming more popular, it's perhaps surprising to see bingo thrive. But what the industry has managed to do is reinvent the game as one that is also action packed with bonus features that are mightily appealing. Offline, the likes of Bongo's Bingo are reaching out to a whole different audience, one that wouldn't necessarily be interested in visiting the local Mecca.
Over the next few years we'll likely see it continue to thrive thanks to its fun, social element both online and off. There are a number of ways the game could continue to advance. Virtual reality will undoubtedly start to creep into the game, offering players to enjoy bingo hall-like gaming from their living rooms.
It will be interesting to see how bingo continues to develop. One thing is for sure though, it's certainly shaken off its reputation of being a dying game for the older generation. It's alive and kicking and showing no sign of dying anytime soon!