The popular game of Bingo has a great history, bringing fun to gamers since the 16th century, and will no doubt continue to be a classic favourite.
Bingo was first known as a lottery-style game, moving around the world to more Bingo halls and other establishments. The game then found its way to digital platforms to become a staple in the online casino world, combining everything players love about the traditional game of Bingo.
Carry on reading to take a journey through the evolution of this chance-based game – from its humble beginnings to the growth of online Bingo.
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The origins of Bingo
Starting in Italy, during the 1500s, Bingo originated from the Italian lottery ‘Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia’. This then spread to France where it was known as ‘Le Lotto’ and was played by the French aristocracy.
During the 18th century, the game migrated to Great Britain and other parts of Europe where players marked off numbers on a grid as they were randomly called out.
The origins of the modern Bingo game are unclear, but it definitely gained popularity as it appeared at carnivals and fairs in the 1920s.
From Beano to Bingo
At the beginning of the 20th century, a travelling salesman named Edwin S. Lowe discovered a version of Bingo being played at a carnival in Georgia. It was known as Beano, as beans were used to cover the numbers called out.
The game intrigued Lowe who then brought it back to New York where it grew massively in popularity. During a game, one of Lowe’s friends shouted “Bingo” accidentally instead of “Beano” and the name stuck!
Bingo turns digital
Bingo had long been played at land-based establishments, but the late 20th century saw a great technological shift that impacted the casino world.
As the use of the internet and online gaming was on the rise, Bingo found its way to the virtual world with the first online Bingo sites emerging during the mid-1990s.
Now gamers have the choice to play in person or from a range of many digital platforms, bringing more variety to the game.
The future of Bingo
With mobile technology constantly advancing, more apps are being created to house the game, but this is just the beginning!
The evolution of Bingo continues with even more technological advancements, like Virtual Reality (VR) having the possibility to transform how players enjoy their Bingo games.
VR allows for more realistic features, further mirroring a land-based Bingo hall. With VR technology constantly evolving, would you be interested in playing a game?
The popular game of Bingo has come a long way since the 16th century, showing how adaptable the game is. Although, it continues to carry parts of the game’s humble beginnings.
It’s still a popular choice to play in land-based establishments, but technology has allowed game variety to increase and will carry on doing so.
With great potential for the future of Bingo, what do you think the future looks like for this beloved casino game?