Bingo is still a game of chance.  But it is also a game that is evolving. The introduction of online bingo attracted a new kind of player, whose demands led to updated game features and the introduction of game novelties. The online bingo revolution also shattered the monopoly land-based bingo halls, once the only place to play, had over bingo fans.

The world of gaming is changing. Technological evolution and market trends maintain a strong influence on the development of this industry, which attempts to create a real-life gaming experience through the use of 21st century technology.

Bingo is a Community Game
Bingo is primarily considered a community game that is particularly popular among female players.  Bingo has never been seen as a real game of chance.  The cost of purchasing game cards has always been quite low and, as a consequence, the total value of winnings has been low as well.

Bingo often represents a good excuse to bring people together, whether in a bingo hall or in a parish, and play with friends and acquaintances who share s passion for the game.

Bingo is Changing
Perhaps it is incorrect to say that bingo is changing.  Rather, it is perhaps more appropriate to say that bingo players, whether along with or as the result of technology, are changing.  This change is very similar to what is happening among new generation poker players, many of whom are the antithesis of past and older professional players.

Though the popularity of bingo among female players remains unchanged, there is one remarkable difference in their composition.  As a general rule, the online bingo audience is comprised of 80% - 85% women, the same percentage that exists in live bingo.  These online bingo players, however, are, on average, substantially younger than those who attend land-based bingo halls.

According to a recent survey conducted by market research company Mintel, bingo is the favorite pastime of UK women aged 20 to 25.  This is surprising until one considers the technological savvy of those polled and the popularity of online bingo.

Online Bingo Success Factors
Studies of bingo in various countries reveal similar results: the activity of real bingo halls is decreasing, while the activity of online bingo sites is growing. Among the main factors influencing this trend are:

• the proliferation of internet broadband connections
• new legislation in favor of online bingo
• players’ preferences for gambling from home
• the 2008 ban on smoking in public places that is enforced in almost all European countries.

Bingo is also gaining ground in countries such as Spain, Holland, Germany and Sweden, the latter of which is a nation that is home to many online bingo operators.

Bingo online satisfies the expectations of players who are neither traditional casino and poker room customers nor participants in church and parish bingo games.  The number of players that fall into this category is significant.  As their awareness of the game increases, so too will their number.

Examining and analyzing market trends, the conclusion is only one: the future of bingo is online!