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Bingo is one of the world’s most popular games. It can be played for some great prizes in huge halls or theatres, but can also be played at a more relaxed level among friends in smaller community centres. You will be aware of the stereotypical view of the average bingo player; but is this correct? We will take a look at this and whether the audience has adapted to the new technology – or whether the online bingo customer base is much different from the more traditional demographics.
Like many ‘traditional’ games, bingo has been digitally transformed so it can work in an online environment, and the various versions of online bingo have proven to be extremely popular. Many have also been inspired by different elements of popular culture; for example, there are bingo versions of Deal or No Deal and Age of the Gods.
The traditional bingo player
Research has suggested that Canadian bingo players that play in a traditional environment are usually older than 40, which would probably support the stereotypical view that most people have. Outside of Canada, the game’s popularity in bingo halls peaked in the mid-1960s. During this time, it had been estimated that around 150,000 people were visiting local bingo halls across England, Scotland, and Wales every single day.
In 2010, CBS reported on the still booming business of bingo in America. It can be seen that, despite the online game becoming popular, people are still turning up to play the game in person.
The online bingo player
A wider look at the world of online gaming shows that it’s a huge growth market. Due to its easily accessible nature, many people are setting up accounts on online gaming platforms, and this includes online bingo.
A look at the profile of online bingo players shows that the majority are female. You may see that other online bingo websites do clearly target female players through advertisements and promotions.
It had also been revealed that 62% of online bingo players are women, but 28% are aged between 25 and 34 – which varies slightly from that traditional customer base. In other parts of Europe, such as Sweden, the main demographic age of online bingo players is a slightly younger one than other parts of Europe, such as the UK. The game has also become a billion-dollar industry in the country.
Has online bingo now taken over from its offline brother?
Despite the growing popularity of the online game, there is clearly still a market for playing bingo person with others. In the UK, events such as Bongo’s Bingo have become extremely popular and have added some entirely new elements to the traditional game. Furthermore, at the time of writing, the number of active traditional bingo halls across the UK is reported to be around 350.
The online version will only grow in popularity, and the sheer number of virtual bingo rooms on websites such as Paddy Power’s is perhaps evidence of this. The video below, taken from ‘Gambling in Canada’, provides some helpful tips for new players. The people featured in the video illustrate that the game as a whole is attracting new dimensions of players, and has perhaps moved on from its historical stereotypes.
