Online casino games such as the best online slots draws people from all walks of life. On the other hand, when you think of a bingo player, a group of elderly ladies is likely the first thing to come to mind.
But is this truly the case in all circumstances? We take a look at whether there is truth to this bingo stereotype, or whether bingo has become a young person’s game.
The history of bingo, and why it’s considered an “old person’s game”
Bingo has been around for centuries, with the earliest records of a bingo-like game going all the way back to the 1530s in Italy. The game concept spread across Europe, before making its way over to the US, where a travelling salesman, Edwin Lowe, spotted the game’s potential and decided to make his own version of it, which he named bingo.
This new version of the game made its way back to Europe and the UK, where it became an instant hit. It was loved so much by British citizens in the 1960s that dedicated bingo halls sprang up across the country, with people flocking to them. For many decades, these halls were where you would find the majority of bingo players.
However, as you may have guessed, these halls are also home to the stereotype that bingo is an old person’s game, as older players who enjoy the bingo-hall culture continue to be the main demographic at these brick-and-mortar venues. But a new way of playing bingo has kick-started an interesting trend when it comes to the age of your average bingo player.
The demographics of online bingo
Since the first online bingo site launched in 1996, the online presence of this game has slowly been growing and changing. One of the first major reports to note the demographic trends in online bingo games came from YouGov, an international research data and analytics group. In its 2018 report, “A full house – who is driving online bingo’s growth?”, it noted the following:
- The largest age group in YouGov’s research is the 25- to 34-year-olds, making up 28% of the total player base.
- The second-largest group is the 35–44s, making up 26% of the total player base.
- In terms of the gender split, 62% of the players identified as female, while 38% identified as male – another finding which showed that men’s interest in the game was on the rise.
Two years later, WhichBingo, a bingo and casino review site, released its findings on the state of the online bingo industry. Interestingly, its research revealed a slightly different trend, but one that still shattered the stereotype that all bingo players are old:
- The largest age group in WhichBingo’s report was the 55–64 bracket, with a total of 27% of all online players. However, 45 to 54-year-olds were a close second, with 26%; and the 35–44s came in a close third, with 25%.
- The smallest demographic was the 18 to 24-year-olds, at 1%, with 65-year-olds and up coming in second at 4%, and then a big leap up to the 25–34 group, at 17% for the third-smallest category.
While the details may vary from study to study, there is undoubtedly a younger crowd playing bingo online, which not only breaks the stereotype of the game solely appealing to older people but also bodes well for the future of bingo on the internet. Thanks to the great variety of online bingo, players can enjoy slingo bingo and so much more.
Other easy and exciting games of chance
While there’s no doubt that some bingo fans can spend many hours happily playing bingo online, others might want to mix it up with other great games of chance once in a while. If you like bingo, be sure to check out these easy-to-play and equally exciting table, scratch, and jackpot mobile casino games.
- Blackjack: In this classic card game, players compete against the dealer to have the highest-value hand without going higher than 21. If either the dealer or the player gets more than 21, they go “bust” and lose the game. Blackjack is also a very popular casino game because it has a low house edge.
- Instant-win scratch cards: If you’re interested in games that are fast, you can’t go wrong with instant-win scratch cards. Purchase a scratch card online, “scratch” away to reveal your numbers, and within seconds you’ll know if you’re a winner.
- Online slots: Casino games that are easy and exciting to play? Many would consider the best to be online slots when it comes to these two criteria. While some offer intriguing and slightly more complex mini-games, the majority of slots only require you to place a bet and hit spin! Then once the reels stop, you’ll know if you’re a winner or not.
- Roulette: Roulette is as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. This classic casino table game offers a variety of easy-to-understand bets, as well as more advanced wagers, depending on your appetite for risk.
Play the best online casino games at The Phone Casino
When you’re done with bingo and would like to give some other games of chance that we’ve discussed, be sure to check out The Phone Casino. Whether you’re interested in online slots or card games, or you like to play roulette online, you can find all these genres and more at our amazing online casino! Give the best slingo games a try and discover what all the excitement is about.
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