Who doesn’t know bingo? A classic game beloved by all ages but especially cherished by the elderly, often associated with festive gatherings and the thrill of winning a prize. But bingo’s story didn’t start in the local hall or at Christmas dinner — it dates back nearly 500 years, originating in the courts of Italy before spreading across the world. Fast forward to today, bingo has undergone a digital transformation. No longer confined to halls, it can now be played from the comfort of your home. With the rise of smartphones and online gaming, bingo has evolved into a global pastime, accessible anytime, anywhere. How did a centuries-old game make this leap into the digital age? Let’s explore its fascinating journey.
What’s Bingo?
Bingo is a well-loved game of chance in the UK. Players begin by purchasing a ticket filled with numbers, and as the caller announces numbers, participants mark them off. The game offers three prize levels: completing one line, two lines, or a full house by marking all the numbers on the ticket before anyone else. Bingo traces its origins back to 18th-century Italy, where it was known as Il Gioco del Lotto d’Italia. While it’s often linked to older generations, younger players enjoy the game. Its lively, social atmosphere makes it a great way to have fun and connect with friends.
A game loved for centuries
Bingo eventually spread to France, becoming Le Lotto, favoured by the aristocracy and featuring more complex cards similar to modern British bingo. By the 18th century, bingo reached the UK, flourishing as a social pastime, with large games in ballrooms offering prizes like cash and luxury items.
The game crossed the Atlantic in the 1920s, gaining popularity in the US under the name “Beano,” inspired by the beans used to mark numbers. When toy entrepreneur Edwin S. Lowe misheard the name as “Bingo,” it stuck. Lowe patented the bingo card in 1929, helping the game spread across the US gambling scene.
In the UK, the Betting and Gaming Act of the 1960s legalised large cash prizes, leading to bingo’s resurgence in dance halls and cinemas. The allure of substantial rewards cemented its status as a popular social activity.
The first online bingo site, Bingo Zone, debuted in 1996, but smartphone gaming in the 2000s made it globally accessible, bringing this historic game into the digital age.
The dawn of online gaming
Online gaming involves players connecting to a computer network, often the Internet, to play electronic video games. Its origins trace back to the 1980s, but the foundation was laid earlier with ARPANET, a predecessor to the Internet developed in the late 1970s. ARPANET connected computers at several U.S. universities to a central mainframe, enabling near real-time interaction. This network eventually expanded globally, reaching other institutions.
At the University of Essex in England, two undergraduate students used ARPANET to create the first online game, MUD (Multi-User Dungeon). This text-based fantasy adventure allowed external players to connect and engage in an interactive, virtual world.
MUD quickly inspired further innovation. Programmers added graphics, chat features, and player groups or guilds, evolving the game’s design and functionality. These enhancements became the foundation for modern online gaming and were incorporated into the first true Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs), which combined immersive settings with social interactivity.
Bingo online
From the 16th century to nowadays Bingo has come a long way, and turned into a game that can be played everywhere. After the invention of online gaming, many forms of games have slowly transitioned from in-person to online, becoming easily accessible from any part of the world at any time. This means that even Bingo, moving from the physicality of the hall, became available 24/7, breaking geographical and time barriers. Packaged in this new shape, usually colourful and themed, the game started appealing to younger audiences reaching them through apps and using gamified features to make it more interesting and fun.
Online gaming impact on Bingo
The advancement in web and app design has been huge in the last ten years. These platforms create now fun and smooth experiences for the end users, making the game more entertaining and immersive. Online gamers can also connect with people all over the world and feel connected with them through features such as live chats, leaderboards and avatars. The transition to digital also made the game safer thanks to the introduction of the RNG (Random Number Generators) which guarantees fair play in the world of virtual bingo.
