With pubs and clubs suffering in the credit crunch a major new survey reveals growing demand for online bingo and the social life it offers

April 2009 – The economic gloom may be forcing people to cut back on nights out, but their social lives are on the up, with the online bingo chat rooms seeing friendships being made, love flourishing and even new jobs being found according to a major new survey from Bingo Hideout.

The survey, which questioned over 2,000 online bingo players, revealed that three quarters of players regularly use the bingo chat rooms and 50% said they have made new friends through the sites, as well as players finding romance, long lost relatives, and even new jobs - underlining the social experience now available from the comfort of home.

Over one third of the survey respondents said that playing online bingo had actually made an improvement to their lives. Making new friends; stopping loneliness; increasing confidence; providing a social life; sharing problems; help through an illness; and reducing shyness were all highlighted as key benefits players had enjoyed.

Ben Thorns, director of Bingo Hideout, says: “The popularity of online bingo has grown immensely over the last 12 – 15 months. People may not be able to afford to go out, but they still want to catch up on gossip and meet new friends, and the bingo sites give them the perfect opportunity to ‘go out’ and socialise whenever they choose. The survey results show just what an impact these chat rooms are having on people’s lives, from starting new relationships to creating new support networks.”

The survey also asked about the highlights players had experienced through using the chat rooms – one player is now godmother to a bingo friend’s child; a number had been helped through depression; some are housebound for much of the time so get an opportunity to make friends; and others highlighted big wins that helped ease their finances.

While more women than men play online bingo, nearly 1 in 5 of the respondents were male, underlining the widening popularity of the game and its social side. For both sexes the game is most popular with the 36 - 45 age group, but for men this is followed by the 26 – 35 age group, while for women it’s the 46 – 55 age group.

Women are also more likely to play every day, while men prefer to log on a couple of times a week, and while women are more likely to use the chat rooms, 53% of men say they regularly use them with a third saying they have made new friends and some even finding girlfriends.

Ben adds: “The social side of online bingo is one of the main attractions, alongside the chance to win money. But it is the friendship and support elements that really make online bingo players a strong community and that is what is boosting its popularity in the current climate. People find friends, advice and more through the sites, and these are incredibly important.”

Bingo Hideout features offers and news from over 50 top bingo websites including Foxy Bingo, Wink Bingo and Gala Bingo and has grown to become one of the UK’s leading bingo portals with over 25,000 members.

For more information visit www.bingohideout.co.uk

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About Bingo Hideout
Bingo Hideout is a social networking site for fans of online bingo and is one of the UK’s leading bingo portals. The website provides a forum for players to discuss the latest games and offers available on over 50 top bingo websites, including Foxy Bingo, Wink Bingo and Gala Bingo.

Completely free to join, Bingo Hideout allows members to create their own profile page and upload photos and information, while being able to easily keep track of their friends online. With over 17,000 members throughout the UK, Bingo Hideout also features additional elements such as bingo website reviews, a forum, and the latest news in online bingo.

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