Commercial Feature

One test that psychologists use to investigate stereotypical notions is to state a word before asking a subject to respond immediately with something they associate with it. So, for example, if you mentioned the word ‘jackpot’, the subject may say ‘winner’; if you mentioned the word ‘joy’ the subject may respond ‘happiness’.

So what would you think if someone said to you ‘bingo’?

For many, the idea of bingo is some form of quaint British pastime. They assume it is played in a variety of large old buildings throughout the country, many of them former cinemas. The average bingo player is likely to be of pensionable age and female. They will play in silence and complain bitterly should anyone make a noise or actually begin to enjoy the experience. They will return day after day, pension money at the ready, in the hope of winning ‘the big one’.

Many people would have that idea of bingo in their head and yet in terms of the people who actually do play the game on a regular basis, that stereotype could not be further from the truth.

The face of UK bingo is changing. It has had a facelift, some surgery, a few Botox injections and a full body makeover. The wrinkles have gone; the fresh, young, vibrant complexion has returned and bingo in the UK is now, not to put too fine a point on it, a bit of a stunner!

The reason for this radical change is not just down to a new generation of people being attracted to the game, but also a change in how and why they play the game. Since 1997, there has been a 29 per cent decline in the number of high street bingo halls in the UK, yet many companies are reporting that their profits are increasing. How can this seeming dichotomy possibly be?

The answer lies in the massive and sustained growth of online bingo. Sites like Jackpotjoy, currently the most visited gaming site in the country where you can play bingo online, have embraced the game that was once the domain of church and bingo halls and reinvented it for a brand new, enthusiastic and appreciative online audience. The results have made all stereotypical notions of what a bingo player in the UK is typically like entirely redundant.

For example, research has discovered that in the UK, bingo has become an incredibly popular leisure activity for women aged between 20 and 25 years-old and 90 per cent of regular online bingo players are aged below 50. This is very different from the notion of this being a game solely enjoyed by elderly women. Indeed, the only part of the stereotypical view of bingo that seems to be correct is that the majority of its players are female, with women making up 85 per cent of all online players.

Indeed, further research has shown that only a small fraction of regular online bingo players in the UK are actually what we would view as being a traditional older bingo player.

This marked change in customer base is the real reason why UK bingo companies like Jackpotjoy are experiencing record levels of growth and the reasons behind the forces that are driving this change are intriguing.

It seems that the real reasons why many people are switching to online bingo and moving away from the game traditionally played in bingo halls are many and varied. One issue is, of course, the ease of playing. It is much easier to sit at your home PC, log onto a site and play bingo when you get a chance than it is to travel into the town centre at allotted times to play the game. In addition, online bingo is available to play 24 hours a day, seven days a week, meaning that playing games of bingo can easily be accommodated into even the most rigorous of personal schedules.

There is, however, much more behind explaining online bingo’s growth than merely ease of use and accessibility. One of the key factors in transforming the fortunes of the online game is the social element that has been fostered by the best sites, such as Jackpotjoy.

At its heart, bingo is a social game played by friends, ideally within a group situation. Indeed, winning is only a relatively minor aspect of enjoying a game of bingo. The social side of the game is far more important to many and it is this side of the game that online bingo games have really pushed the boundaries of what is possible.

With chat rooms, forums and message boards encouraging a feeling of unity within their communities, many people opt to log onto the bingo sites to play the game and to keep up with friends. Bingo sites have become a form of social media; a place where you can do everything you can on other websites, but where you can also enjoy a game of bingo in the meantime. Plus, there is always the chance that you may win a few quid, too!

These services are the lifeblood of the bingo community and are what keep people coming back for more. Research has shown that 69 per cent of online bingo players use the chat facilities on offer often and half of all customers have made new friends as a direct result of their bingo playing.

The face of bingo in the UK is most definitely changing and it is a change for the better. The new market for online bingo is young, vibrant, chatty and friendly, with people who share a love of bingo and socialising in equal measure. The time has come to throw out the antiquated stereotypes of what people think the average bingo player in Britain is like.

Online bingo has undergone a major transformation and it really has hit the jackpot.