Bingo Online
Online bingo is the most advanced and sophisticated form available of the game in the long history of bingo (click here to read our detailed bingo history section). The games rules follow the same basis as the ones found in Bingo hall but there are fundamental changes which allow bingo to adapt for this media.
There are 3 distinctive bingo types; bingo 75 balls a version predominantly played in the US of which the main goal is to complete the bingo card before anyone else to match the given pattern following a draw of 75 balls; bingo 90 balls mostly played in the UK and Europe where the aim is to achieve the completion of 1 horizontal line, 2 horizontal lines and a full house (completion of the entire card) before anyone else within a draw of 90 balls and bingo 80 balls, also mostly played in the UK and Europe for which the aim is to completed 1 or 2 lines whether being horizontal, vertical or diagonal within a draw of 80 numbers. (Detailed rules can be found at the following links: How to play 75 balls, How to play 90 balls, How to play 80 balls,).
One significant difference between online and offline is that users are no longer require to daub (stamp or tic) their numbers on their bingo cards as this is automatically undertaken by the application program.
Another is that users no longer need to make a claim to obtain their prize. Traditionally, the rules of bingo in halls would be that when a player completes a line or full house by daubing the relevant number drawn on their card, he/she would be required to announce it loudly in order to claim the relevant prize. The claim and card would then be checked by a staff member to validate it. The varied and inconstant internet connection accesses have forced bingo developers to remove the human claim as it would be impossible to track the validity of whether one had claim before another. Instead, the bingo system settles the draw on behalf of the user and automatically determines the winner. All of the above result in the games being a much faster and sophisticated experience than the offline one. However, you no longer have the physical contact which the clubs offer.
The most considerable and vital aspect of online bingo is the chat rooms which play a key role in replacing the social aspect of bingo clubs. As players are no longer meeting each other in halls and clubs, the chat area becomes the missing link for community and gossip exchange. This function is also being used to play chat games (more in our bingo chat section).
As for the games that club players used to play on physical machines and in between bingo games, the online bingo players can choose to play from a large selection at a click of a button
All in all, The consequences of bringing the games to the internet is that, bingo has evolved to a quicker game, it has revitalised the industry and is now played by a newer and wider audience, a crowd who no longer consider bingo as an old game, a crowd which as a result of the media anonymous property and great accessibility has attracted a wider and mixed audience involving males and younger females. The Traditional, the typical bingo player being seen as the old granny who gets picked up on a Saturday night with all her other granny pals to enjoy a night in a room packed with smoke puffing does no longer exists. Statistics demonstrate that the majority of audience players are aged between 18 and 55 with an estimated 75% of female.
The internet has revolutionised Bingo and the games you now see online are at their infant stage. One can only predict how the game will develop in the future. The arrival of new technologies, new media platforms and the increase demand will, no doubt present us with better and more sophisticated bingo applications.
Online bingo is not new, Cyber Bingo was the first operator to launch a bingo online in 1996 in the US but this was a far cry from the application we now are presented with. Another early pioneer was Uproar who launched Bingo Blitz in 1998.
However the proliferation and growth of bingo on the internet accelerated in 2004 with the improvement of internet technologies, spread of broadband access and investment from Large group such as Gala Bingo, Mecca Bingo and Foxy Bingo. In the UK, the world’s most developed online bingo market, the number of web sites raised from 17 in 2004 to a whopping 243 in 2008. Last year it is estimated online Bingo industry earned 120 million pounds on 650 million pounds revenue. The gambling commission indicates that there are over 500,000 players each month.
The approach taken to soften gambling regulations by the government in the gambling Act 2005 and the UK smoking ban which took effect on 1st July 2007 has a significant impact on the migration of offline bingo players to the online version and it is predicted that according to the global gambling report, by 212 online bingo will account for 25% of the worldwide betting market and deliver in excess of 2 Billion dollars.
Furthermore many European territories have still not been penetrated by online bingo due to legislation restriction, but the European gambling act will slowly be implemented in all European countries. This will no doubt increase the proliferation and fascinating spread and growth of online bingo. We will soon see selections of languages in chat room and be able to converse on an international level with a multicultural bingo audience.
One could say that the ancient game which has evolved over the past 500 years is now entering yet another golden age and will keep millions entertained for a many years to come.
