Will online bingo rooms boom or bust in times to come?

The i-gaming era is firmly upon us. Many folks have taken to it with a sense of excitement and eagerness. Indeed the traditionalists who are familiar with bricks and mortar bingo-halls have been stunned by the sudden arrival of this sparkling new alternative and all signs look set for its thrilling way forward.

Let’s be upfront about this issue from the get-go. Online bingo is here to stay. Of that there is can be no doubt whatsoever. Whatever benefit traditional gaming offers players, is matched and exceeded by online bingo gaming’s bounty. That’s because gaming offers convenience and versatility with a massive global audience of players. On the surface of it, the answer to my question seems pretty obvious: online bingo rooms will boom in the foreseeable future. But a little scratching beneath the surface reveals a sad reality for many bingo sites. This seems somewhat paradoxical but it isn’t. A closer inspection of the title points to the online bingo rooms that are out there – not the future of online bingo gaming.

How do the bigger and the smaller online bingo rooms fare in the new world order?

You see the net is awash with hundreds of featured online gaming operators. Many of them are what I like to call ‘conglomerates.’ These are the types of bingo rooms that form part of a larger holding company. Like Cassava Enterprises owns 888Ladies and 888Bingo for example. Virtue Fusion has some 20 licensees including Ladbrokes and Mecca Bingo. There are many such similar success stories. But in and amongst the mix are mom & pops online bingo rooms that operate on shoe-string budgets and thus are unable to pull in the crowds (through marketing/prize and gaming offerings). It is to these small-scale bingo rooms that I pay homage because I firmly believe that they are like the cogs in the greater wheel of this great game. They are the pillars of this massive gaming house. Each one of them has a pivotal role to play in their own community. Their future is uncertain – owing to the power of big business.

What are the bigger bingo rooms doing to harm the smaller ones?

Again my answer is going to come as a surprise: nothing. They’re doing nothing wrong. The bigger bingo rooms are providing top-class gaming entertainment, stellar prizes, terrific portals, a massive marketing and gaming network and the comfort, safety and security of regulated gaming. You see – that’s how they’re operating. Smaller operators simply can’t compare to the stellar offerings, credibility and appeal of these known brands. So what’s starting to happen is the whales are eating the plankton – like it or not. The good news is that players are benefiting from the flux. All the change is moving in a positive direction with bingo gamers seeing the best of both worlds – as both are eager to please players. Both small and large operators are competing for players’ patronage. This results in super sign-up bonuses and tailored gaming packages.

The verdict according to Stersky: Enjoy it all because this competition is excellent news for players. The more they scrap it out on the online playing field, the more we guys benefit.

If you have any thoughts on the future of bingo rooms in particular, I’d love to hear what you have to say – drop me a line right here.

About Jeremy Stersky