The Future of Bingo in the 21st Century

The iconic game dates all the way back to Italy in the 1530s and it remains one of the most popular social pastimes today.

Bingo proved to be particularly popular in Europe and the United States during the 20th century, before suffering a slight decline as the new millennium approached.

However, the introduction of online sites such as Wink Bingo sparked a massive resurgence in the game's fortunes and it is now more popular than it has ever been.

As with any industry time does not stand still and advancements in technology will be amongst the major drivers for further innovations in the industry moving forward.

Some experts have already predicted that the bingo sector will be worth around $2 billion by the end of 2022, while others believe that figure is on the conservative side.

With that in mind, we take a closer look at some of the main factors that will help to shape the future of bingo over the coming years.

Online & Land-Based: Perfect Partners

Many bingo venues suffered a downturn in fortunes towards the end of the last century as consumers started to gravitate towards other entertainment activities.

However, the creation of the internet proved to be a Godsend for bingo and has provided the platform for the game to flourish once again.

Online sites have attracted a much wider demographic to the game and that has helped to power a resurgence in the popularity of land-based bingo.

This mutually beneficial link-up works perfectly and should serve to help bingo maintain its place as a mainstream entertainment activity for many years to come.

The 5G Effect

Advancements in mobile tech have sparked a huge shift in the way that people access the internet, and that trend is expected to continue over the coming years.

5G connectivity is one of the most exciting developments to hit the tech scene and should have a positive impact on bingo.

Faster speeds will allow developers to ramp up the design of bingo games, bringing them closer to the visual quality you would find in a console game.

More reliable wireless connections should help to attract even more players to a sector that is already benefiting from rising revenues.

Ramping up the Social Side

One of the biggest contributors to the historical success of bingo has been its ability to mix playing a game with socialising.

That element has been leveraged to great effect by online operators, with the majority of bingo sites incorporating chatrooms alongside the different games.

These allow players to interact with each other and the chatroom host, thus mirroring the social experience found in land-based venues.

Video communications technology such as Zoom could be the next future innovation in the sector, allowing players to enjoy face-to-face bingo online.

Go Big or Go Home

The most recent edition of the ICE London exhibition highlighted that size really will matter in the iGaming industry over the next few years.

One section of the event was set up as a gaming venue, with rows of huge television screens situated in front of comfortable cinema-style seats.

Players could sit in the seating with everything they needed to play different casino and bingo games installed right beside them.

This type of innovation has the potential to revolutionise how these types of games are played in real-life settings in the future.

Women to Play Larger Corporate Role

Much like many other industries, the gambling sector is often viewed as being a male-dominated arena – both from a playing perspective and corporately.

However, millions of women gamble online on a regular basis and many leading firms in the sector now reflect that within their management structures.

For instance, Therese Hillman has been a big success since being appointed as NetEnt's Chief Executive Officer back in 2018, with the company reporting huge rises in revenues.

Many other women hold influential positions in the industry and more are expected to climb the ladder in the near future as the gambling industry embraces diversity.

Celebrities Endorse Bingo

Bingo's resurgence during the 21st century can also partly be attributed to the game receiving endorsement from celebrities.

People are often influenced by celebrities, particularly when it comes to entertainment activities, and bingo has benefited from this.

Actor Matthew McConaughey gave his support to bingo earlier this year, hosting a game via Zoom for residents in an assisted living community in Round Rock, Texas.

McConaughey is not the only star who has backed bingo and this type of recommendation will keep heightening bingo's popularity in the future.

More Youngsters Joining the Bingo Bandwagon

It was not too long ago that bingo was pigeon-holed as a game played purely by older people in working class locations around the world.

That description no longer has any credibility, with online sites helping to attract a much younger audience to the game.

This has had a knock-on effect elsewhere, with operators cashing in on the craze by hosting exciting party-style bingo events in massive land-based venues.

More innovations of this nature are expected in the future as firms strive to come up with even more unique twists on bingo.

Virtual Reality Set for Breakthrough

Many entertainment sectors have dabbled with virtual reality (VR) technology over the past years, but it is yet to truly cross into the mainstream.

That looks set to change sooner rather than later, with the tech finally beginning to deliver the experiences that people imagined were possible when it first arrived on the scene.

This is particularly exciting for bingo, with VR having the potential to transport people into 'real-life' venues in order to play their favourite VR games.

For people who love the social element of bingo VR could be a game-changer and that can only serve to strengthen the game's position in the future.