The traditional Bingo hall has been a staple of many towns and cities for decades and until 2005 bingo halls were continually opened throughout the UK to help with demand. A game that has existed since around 1530, it was originally played as a lottery game in Italy before finding its way to France. Heading to the local bingo hall used to be something that was a common occurrence for many people – not just old ladies with blue hair and tons of troll dolls. Bingo became an enjoyable pastime and also a cheap evening out as many Bingo halls traditionally served very low priced food and alcohol and so it attracted a varied crowd looking for something to do on weeknights, as well as weekends.
The Halls
Bingo in the UK differs slightly to its American cousin. Depending on the hall, you may have to pay an entry fee and for your tickets from a central point, but many American halls don’t require an entry fee and you can purchase tickets from sellers who walk around offering them for each different game. Tickets are typically fairly inexpensive in both cases, a couple of dollars or a pound or two and you have the option of joining other exclusive games such as the satellite bingo, where the same game is played around the country by players in numerous halls for often a fairly substantial prize.
Decline
Since 2005, bingo halls have steadily declined in popularity due to a number of factors such as the rise of online bingo and gambling as well as things such as the smoking ban which came into full effect in 2007 in the UK. It’s thought these factors contributed to the decline of the bingo hall and since 2005 along with higher property prices and taxes. These days the bingo industry in brick and mortar bingo halls has significantly decreased, even with the rise of electric bingo which can be played without the use of traditional paper tickets and dabbers, a popular choice which sees players spend more money per visit than with the traditional way of play.
Rise Of Online
Over the past decade or so, the rise of online gambling has meant that casinos as well as bingo halls have had to get creative to stay relevant and competitive. It’s common to find free nights, half price days, more outrageous bonuses and the like in many brick and mortar halls now, depending on the club. Websites devoted to online gambling are a huge draw for many who don’t have the desire to, nor are able to physically visit a brick and mortar bingo hall. You can visit new Bingo sites at Bingo Find to see just what kinds of sites are out there if you’re a fan of the game but can’t get to a physical club. Not only that, but you can also play on your mobile, making it an easy game to play on the go while waiting for the bus and the like.
So if you’re looking at joining the wild world of bingo either online or off, hopefully this article has given you some history and background into the rise of bingo halls as well as given you some ideas as to how to play and what kinds of games are available to players.