I read somewhere that bingo has roots in Italy in the 16th century where high society played at social events . Parlo Italiano Posh Bingo ? Funny to think that on line bingo has only been around six years when a lot of players won't have played it in it's original hall form. Once seen as a way to fill cinemas, dance halls and theatres left empty by the advent of television we are now seeing more people happy to stay in the comfort of their own homes as bingo is brought to us.
One of the earliest on line bingo sites launched in 1996 was free and therefore not considered gambling. It was called Bingo Zone and made money by using players sign up details to target them with advertising. I wonder what trade off could be used by today's entrepreneurs ? On line bingo mania took off first in America and there are currently over 1,000 U.S. sites. Britain is seeing the fastest growth at present inspite of or maybe because of the credit crunch.
A big part of going to bingo was and still is the socialising for a lot of people so I guess the chat rooms are a vital asset to any site if people aren't going to become isolated. Fab little communities discussing life issues, celebrity gossip and what's going on in the world aswell as the best bingo. A far cry from the garden fence or a shared cuppa but then we don't have to get cold or clean up for the visitors coming and we can pretend we all look like Sindy Crawford on a good day.
Who knows what the future holds ? Bingo on our mobiles, 3D bingo or maybe a vintage bingo TV channel. No doubt plots are hatching as the game goes from strength to strength bridging age gaps, appealing to both sexes and tempting us with dream wins.