Online bingo sites may seem to be at a disadvantage when it comes to replicating that social atmosphere but clearly, that’s not the case. In the UK alone, the online bingo industry was worth around £1.34 billion in the 2019/20 tax year so clearly, the internet operators are doing something right. But how does bingo retain that popularity and what should a potential customer look for in an online provider?
Key Demographics
In the days when bingo was exclusively played in the physical world, there was a key demographic in place. The halls were generally seen as homes for an older generation with women playing the most important role in the game’s overall success. Those that can remember those days might just be surprised at the statistics relating to online bingo in the modern-day. Official figures within the UK indicate that a much younger audience is being turned on to online bingo with 28% of players falling within the 25-34 age group. Moving up into the next bracket, 26% of all players are aged between 35 and 44. The emphasis on female players does remain with 62% of women as opposed to 38% of men getting involved.
An Abundance of Choice
Online bingo play is so popular that the market is now saturated with providers. New operators are continuing to open their doors at a steady rate and, while there is great choice, this can often lead to confusion. When faced with many hundreds of different operators, it becomes essential to do a ton of research in order to find the right provider, this is when blog posts like https://www.888ladies.com/blog/insights/best-bingo-sites/ come in handy to help players when making their choice. In a growing industry, it’s important to establish trust and to identify how long a site has been trading. Details in regards to licensing should be transparently shown on the main website so that prospective players can easily check out a company’s credentials. Potential customers should also check to see that their details, including any sensitive personal and financial information, will be safe and secure online. Once again, the best bingo operators should clearly show their approach to secure technology and how they can ensure that these details remain safe. That security should also extend to cover transactions, with financial details expected to remain safe whenever funds are deposited or withdrawn. Having a choice of funding providers is also important to many players and this element can also provide added security. With e-wallets such as PayPal, no financial information is given to the casino when those transactions are made and this is a factor worth keeping in mind. Beyond those security questions, players can start to look at more interesting factors when determining which site to use.
Online bingo sites should have financial security to protect players details.
Welcome on Board
In such a crowded sector, online bingo operators will look to incentivize potential players. Promotions and offers can often be in place for the life of an account and that means starting with a welcome bonus. This type of offer can often provide free games or a match that provides extra funds on top of an initial deposit. These promotions can also continue once a player is registered and has worked through that opening deal. Free games are the most common form of promo at a bingo site and these can offer a useful boost to the playing schedule. Loyalty programmes can also exist with players able to earn discounts and other offers as they continue to play. There may even be VIP rooms with exclusive titles that cannot be accessed by occasional players. In order to replicate the social element of bingo play, many operators also provide chat rooms. The ability to join existing social groups online and to make new friends is important to many players and operators take this aspect very seriously. Choice is also important to any player and that’s an area where providers are continually looking to score over their competitors. It’s common to have 75-ball and 90-ball bingo cards but there is the potential to provide lots of twists on this approach. As with online slot games, bingo cards can now be attached to a host of themes. Players can find titles with a cartoon element while others might be related to a fantasy realm. Other bingo games take their inspiration from films, TV shows and even some of the most popular board games in history.
Online bingo providers have space and capability to offer a wide range of bingo games, something that is limited with physical bingo halls.
A Steady Truce
Land-based bingo halls remain, and, to an extent, online operators can’t completely replicate the social side of physical play. In all other respects, however, the digital world has all the advantages. The key element here is that level of choice: A bingo hall can only play one standard card at a time while the online provider isn’t limited by mere floor space. The capacity to add in offers such as free games and discounts is another clear benefit. Online bingo continues to grow and the only issue for many players is using those essential factors in order to find the best provider.
