Over the last couple of decades, the world we live in today has changed enormously to how it once was. The 90s may seem like yesterday to some people, but in terms of technology, economics, and inflation, they may have been a lifetime ago. Many things have been and gone over the years, yet there is one game which has been around for far longer than a couple of decades, and that game is bingo. So, why the mention of the 90s if bingo has been around for much longer? Well, because for today’s article we’re looking at how bingo sites have changed over the years. Bingo sites only started appearing in the UK back then, and it’s safe to say that the biggest bingo sites like Trusted Bingo are much different now, than they were back then.
The near demise of bingo
Despite being enjoyed for decades, bingo was largely a game played exclusively by pensioners. In the 1990s however, even pensioners began getting sick of bingo, and more and more bingo halls started closing down. Bingo was dying a slow and agonizing death, and few people expected it to last much longer into the new millennium. In the 1960s the bingo halls literally couldn’t keep up with the amount of players. In one day, as many as 150,000 people would visit a local bingo hall. Fast forward to the late 90s, and bingo attendance rates had dropped by close to 90%.
What caused the decline?
By the late 90s, bingo was on its last legs. Few people expected it to last much longer, but what exactly caused this decline? Well, to begin with, cheap flights to foreign countries hit the UK’s coastal towns and resorts, where bingo was once as traditional a British seaside tradition as fish and chips. Not only that, but the game had barely changed in nearly half a century, including the bingo halls. People were fed up with the same things week in and week out. Finally, as more competition from other leisure activities started heating up, people now had other options for ways to pass their time.
How online gambling saved bingo
In the 2000s, more and more households had internet access, and online gambling was just being rolled out. Internet users loved the fact that they could gamble online in a virtual casino, without having to leave the house. Eventually, online bingo was explored as an option, and it’s popularity just exploded. Investors started pouring money into online bingo and more and more bingo sites started popping up. Amazingly, this also led to a huge increase in the amount of people heading to local bingo halls to play a few lines too. Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, bingo was now back, and back in a big way.
How have bingo sites changed?
If you save some of the online bingo sites from the mid noughties, you’d find them primitive compared with what we have now. Bingo sites have changed hugely over the years. Here are a few key examples of how:
- Faster loading speeds
- More social functions such as chat rooms, games lobbies, etc
- Welcome bonuses and sign-up incentives
- Professional web design
- User-friendly layouts
- Mobile optimized layouts
- Wide selection of games to enjoy
- Live gaming capabilities
- Hefty cash prizes to be won
- Augmented and VR bingo sites are right around the corner
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