Bingo is one of the most popular pastimes in the UK. It is a game played by players from all age groups, connecting the younger generation to the older generation. Whether young, teenage, twenties, thirties, middle age or elderly, everyone can join in. In fact, in the UK, Bingo is usually one of the first games to come out of the box on Christmas Day. And if the entire family wants a fun day or evening out where all age groups can join in, then UK Bingo halls have always been there as the perfect option!
History of Bingo’s Journey Into the UK
The game’s history dates back to the sixteenth century, but bingo had not yet made its way into UK culture. First, it would need to make its way from its country of origin, which was Italy, over to France. The Italian name for the game then was ‘Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia’, yet the French renamed it ‘Le Lotto’.
After over 100 years gaining popularity over the channel in France, bingo made it to mainland Britain in the 18th century. This was the very beginning of bingo’s journey into British culture, and it soon rose to become a cult hit in the country where the game remains popular even to this very day.
Interesting fact: It was also the Italian influence that saw bingo rise in popularity in the USA too, however, the US version is slightly different to UK bingo!
Bingo’s Push into UK Culture!
In the 20th century, bingo began to take off in the UK bringing people together in a fun social environment, which is why bingo is so popular. It was around the 1960s when it really took off with small bingo halls becoming popular at first. Over the decade entrepreneurs, bar owners, and social groups adopted the game. This is when mass bingo advertisements became a part of everyday British marketing.
Soon the game would bring tremendous investment, as it was now obvious that this game has a knack of drawing in the crowds. In the 1979s bingo boomed, becoming the go-to entertainment activity and one that was accessible almost every day of the week. Bingo halls were opening across the country with the most successful of them building brand names recognised for bingo.
When UK bingo was at its peak during the 70s and well into the new millennium, there were over 2,000 bingo halls around the UK. And it was the Mecca Bingo that came out on top as one of the major brands after it started as a small bingo entertainment venue in 1961 before growing into a large brand with over 76 bingo halls!
The Rise of Online Bingo
As with many other activities such as scratch cards, lottery, casino games, and sports, bingo followed the same path by becoming digitised.
First it was a computer game, and then when the internet came, online bingo websites in the UK became immensely popular. There are so many bingo website today that most people need a reliable online bingo comparison platform like whichbingo to help them review the different brands available such as Bet365 Bingo, PlayOjo Bingo, and even the aforementioned Mecca Bingo brand that once had over 76 bingo halls has an online bingo website.
Online bingo has helped the game inject itself into the UK’s younger generation, and it is popular with those that grew up while the World Wide Web developed into global culture. As the youth of today prefer to play games online or via their mobile, bingo is the perfect way to do this. You can play virtual bingo on a variety of themes and cards while there are also live dealer bingo games available too, such as Evolution’s Mega Ball.
And with every online bingo site you see on bingo comparison platforms, you will also have the chance to opt-in for a bingo welcome bonus offer giving you free bonus money to play real money bingo games!