It will come as no surprise that these very quickly went onto success and created an effect on the UK market.
So who plays bingo online? A portion of the players on these sites are those that once played in halls but there is another group of players that also enjoy this game. These younger, more tech savvy players are ones that would not be in the halls but the online world appeals to them. In this way, online bingo is having an effect on the market but they’re not entirely stealing players from the halls.
While the physical bingo industry took a dip at the same time as online bingo surged, the technology wasn’t the only thing to blame for players leaving halls. The smoking ban removed many players from the halls, as it was a popular pursuit and a large portion of the players were also smokers.
Heavy taxation of this industry has also had a marked effect, like the Point of Consumption tax. This placed a strain on the industry and in 2017, a further free bets tax will also come into place. This means that the government is earning a lot of money from the industry, as are those operating within it. This is an indicator that the online area of betting is doing better than physical betting, as we’re not seeing the same legislation changes there.
We also have Brexit to consider within this industry, as it is bound to present a challenge. With overseas licences and holdings companies being affected by this massive change, as they may no longer be able to operate within the UK any more. While article 50 is still a while off, operators and industry experts are already predicting the changes in the industry that will occur.
While the bingo industry isn’t in the glory days of the early 80s, it is still present and changing. Bingo sites in UK like www.luckytouchbingo.com, are implementing changes based on what their players are looking for. This is a recipe for success, no matter the industry, and many sites are doing well as a result of this.
Mobile bingo was the biggest tech trend of 2014 and 2015 but the beauty of the online gaming sector is that it always changes. This gives any aspiring entrepreneur the opportunity to sneak in and make a splash, even attracting players from bigger brands that can’t offer the same thing. This would be unheard of in the physical gaming sphere, as it takes a massive amount of investment to open up a hall. This has drastically changed the industry, as little known businesses can come out of nowhere to great success.
We also see dual operators now, ones that operate online as well as in bingo halls, which can help them reach both audiences at once. This is a good strategy to take as they can get both areas of the demographic of bingo players. This two pronged approach shows that both markets are alive and well, with the onus on operators to appeal to both.
We’re likely to see even more changes occurring over the next few years, with new taxes and political changes cause ripples in the industry. The industry today is likely to bear little resemblance to what we see in a year, isn’t that one of the most exciting parts?