THERE are not many forms of gaming entertainment that can be traced back 500 years, and that speaks volumes about bingo’s resilience against a progressive tide.
The history of bingo is not as straightforward as many may think, and it has had to change in many ways in order to sustain its popularity. Fast forward 500 years and the game is still going strong, and in actual fact, it is stronger than ever.
These days there are hundreds of bingo operators, such as heart bingo which offer a range of bingo titles, and even throw in some bonus money to get you started.
We are going to look into bingo, starting with its past and moving forward to what the future might look like for one of the UK’s most popular games.
The Early UK Years
Bingo (or Lotto as it is often known on the continent) has been popular in Europe for many years before it found the shores of the UK. It was the early years of the 20th century when bingo finally introduced itself to the country, and from that point on, it never looked back.
Governments through the early 1900’s were not supportive of gambling, as it was seen as an industry run by criminals, however, bingo survived and was embraced by local communities from all across the country.
Soon enough, bingo was becoming a regular fixture in bars and clubs all-over, with ex-servicemen taking a shine to this new found form of entertainment, and so, the Royal British Legion would begin to make regular bingo nights.
After the war, the government needed a boom, and so had to re-think its stance on gambling.
Making it Official
The Betting and Gaming Act 1960 was a real game-changer, as it brought the opportunity for bingo halls to open up safe in the knowledge that they were not breaking any laws. Many entertainment businesses which were only operating at half or less capacity were quickly transformed into bingo halls to capitalise on the public’s hunger for this game.
The boom continued for more than 3 decades, and the ’90s saw almost half a million people participating in the game every day of the week.
Technology Boom
As the millennium came and went, bingo was on a downward spiral and wasn’t helped by taxation issues, as well as the government’s controversial decision to ban smoking inside all public buildings.
But things were about to take an unexpected turn for the better. The rise of the internet created a market opportunity for bingo, and it was a market that was untouched.
Sportsbooks were already operating online, but not yet bingo.
Online operators seized the opportunity, and bingo changed its image, giving it a new lease of life. The early sites were pretty basic, but it wouldn’t be long before improved technology would drive bingo forward, creating more entertaining games, and attracting a younger market in the process. Bingo was back, with a whole new weapon.
The Future
Bingo is definitely in a good place right now and is also on the path to bigger and brighter things.
Bingo continues to reinvent itself as a way to stay trendy.
The rise of internet technology no doubt helped it in the early years, but as technology advances more and more; so does the competition.
Bingo has proven time and time again that it can go up against stiff competition and come out the other end bruised, but not defeated. Bingo operators now operate games that payout huge amounts on a regular basis, with all of these games getting a large following. Bingo is stronger than ever, and is only getting bigger.
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