source: 123rf.com The evolution of bingo is something to marvel at. From its humble beginnings in 1500s Italy and 1700s France, the gameplay of selecting numbers at random until someone has accrued enough of them to win is one of the simplest and most engaging types of game. The game has survived changing times, new centuries, and changing attitudes to gaming – most recently the evolution of online gaming. Considering the current bingo landscape and how other forms of online casino are utilizing technology, what does the future of bingo look like?
Utilizing New Technologies
One of the most important things for bingo to do as it moves forwards is to utilize modern technology in order to stay relevant. The gameplay is understood by everyone and the game has an innate excitement that comes with the tension of being close to winning. To truly thrive in the digital era, bingo should utilize as much new technology as possible.
Bingo could take some advice from elsewhere in the online gaming industry to see how to make the most of thriving online. For example, bingo appeals to large groups and has a community ethos, so bringing in live chat to bingo games could expand this community online. Moreover, utilizing live casino technology – as has been done with poker, blackjack, and roulette – could bring a live caller for bingo games who not only calls the numbers but enhances the experience for the fans.
Indeed, as the slot selection at SkyCity online casino shows, taking the traditional three-reel and five-reel slots and turning them into video slots based around a range of themes – including major film and TV franchises – helps to bring new technology to the traditional gameplay. Bingo could adopt more franchise tie-ins that utilize video to a greater degree. Bingo fans should be sitting down to an experience, not just a game when it comes to bingo.
A New Kind of Bingo
The move to online bingo helped breathe new life into the game. The addition of themed bingo – such as games based around Deal or No Deal and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – helped to usher in a new audience. Online bingo was simple to grasp and captured the attention of those who were interested in gaming online. A number of good bingo sites popped up quickly and there's been steady growth ever since.
Appealing to younger audiences is increasingly important for the bingo industry. Bongo’s Bingo, for instance, turned bingo into a nightclub event which introduced many younger people to bingo. The addition of dancing and zany prizes combined with the traditional gameplay show that bingo has enough appeal to survive modernization.
'I won one of those wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube men things at Bongo's Bingo and this was the result…' 😂😂
🎥: @megsbrien pic.twitter.com/IN1hnw9wIu
— LADbible (@ladbible) September 30, 2019
Bingo will likely survive in any iteration it is presented due to the core foundation of the game being universally enjoyed. While other industries worried about what the digital age meant for them, bingo was able to harness the challenges and turn them into opportunities. No matter what happens in the next 100 years, it would be a safe call to assume that bingo will be available in some form or another.
Ben has been an massive bingo enthusiast and fan since playing at the seaside as a kid. Dedicated to bringing you the latest and best bingo news from the UK
