Bingo has been a very popular game in the past few centuries, in fact, it became popular almost immediately after it was invented. The exact date when bingo was played for the first time isn’t known, but most historians place the date somewhere in the first half of the 16^th century, or to be more precise around 1930. The game soon spread throughout Europe and the UK.

When we talk about the period prior to the 20^th century, we’re actually discussing the prehistory of bingo. The modern versions of the game can be dated back to the beginning of the 20^th century. Bingo was played at fairs and carnivals before the Second World War and it has been suggested that the name bingo comes from an early slang phrase.

Decline Of Land-Based Bingo – Closure Of Bingo Halls

Bingo halls started popping up all over the UK and their number kept on growing until the first online bingo sites were launched. Since then, the number of bingo halls has been in decline and it appears that this trend is about to continue. There were around 600 bingo halls in 2005 but this number has since dropped to below 400 in 2014. Bingo halls keep on closing down, whereas new bingo online sites are launched regularly. Let’s see how and why online bingo became so popular.

Online Bingo Chat – The Social Aspect Of Bingo

Bingo is a social game and that was a big concern when the first online bingo sites were launched. Namely, many suspected that the social element of the game would not be maintained online. If you’re playing in a virtual environment, you don’t get to socialise with other people. This was the line of thought that many people had.

People communicate virtually very often nowadays and, despite the fact that it is less direct and less personal than to face-to-face communication, it has its advantages. Online bingo still allows players to communicate with fellow players. There is a chat room where all game participants can talk to each other and the caller. Moreover, there are certain chat prizes that can be won and regardless how small they are, this can still be an additional incentive for players to play bingo online, as opposed to playing at a bingo hall.

Online Bingo Bonuses 

Who doesn’t like a bonus? This is a question that’s very easy to answer. Of course everybody, or almost everybody likes bonuses. Bonuses aren’t awarded at bingo halls, but you can claim quite a few different promotions if you’re playing online.

Firstly, once you register you will be eligible to claim a welcome offer which usually includes a number of free bingo tickets, but if the site includes online slots, you may also get free spins.

Moreover, in addition to the incentive that you’re getting when you join the site, there are plenty of other perks. Many bingo sites offer loyalty programmes which allow players to claim bingo tickets and even cash depending on how much they have deposited and wagered in the previous period.

Game Selection

There’s a much wider range of games that you can play at an online bingo site compared to a bingo hall. Most bingo halls offer only one variant and not more than few games are played per night. On the other hand, bingo sites offer 90-Ball bingo, 75-Ball bingo, as well as less-known variants and even branded games based on game shows and films.

Multiple games can take place at the same time, as there is no limit on the number of open rooms that a bingo site can have. Every player likes to have different options at their disposal and in that respect bingo sites are much better than brick-and-mortar bingo halls. Plus, in some of these rooms you can play for free, meaning you won’t have to pay a single penny for a ticket.

Finally, tt’s not just different bingo games available at these sites as many of them offer a wide range of slots and other casino games too.