It’s fair to say that bingo today is very different to those first days of it being played. In fact, the originators of bingo would be quite frankly terrified of such an invention as the internet. But, with the likes of casino, bingo and slots, that’s exactly how it’s gone, delivering new and exciting games while still sticking to their traditions and more humble beginnings.
Although when it comes to bingo, it’s not exactly a humble beginning at all.
A Game of the Aristocracy
Bingo actually dates back to the 16th century when it was invented in Italy as the first lottery game. The original concept then started to work its way across Europe and was picked up by the French aristocracy.
A hugely popular game amongst the rich and famous during the period, in which it was referred to as ‘Le Lotto’, word began to spread and throughout the late 1700s it was one of the biggest and best games around. It was also here where the game evolved and began to develop into the game that we know and love today.
Britain and the Working Classes
The game arrived in Britain during this period and started to become more of a hit with the working classes. The game then hopped aboard a boat across the Atlantic, and “bingo” was officially born.
Named by a man named Edwin S Lowe of Long Island in the USA, rumour has it that the name evolved from a game known as “beano” and after winning Lowe mispronounced the game and instead called “bingo” after winning, and thus the game was born.
A toy manufacturer by trade, he then began to produce bingo cards and selling it across the country. The game grew in popularity particularly during the World Wars as a pastime for soldiers and people back home, and following the war the boom really began in the UK especially, as bingo halls were legally allowed to open.
The 1980s continued to see bingo thrive, before a lull at the turn of the Millennium as people sought entertainment from the likes of television and video gaming. Halls began to close and it seemed like bingo’s lifespan was slowly coming to a conclusion.
Online Bingo – The Saviour
Online gaming began to get more and more popular as technology evolved. Online bingo first established itself in the mid-1990s, but it wasn’t until the mid-2000s where it would really begin to take off. First through desktop and then through mobile apps as the smartphone continued to take off.
Today, whether you’re an Android user or iPhone you can play bingo quickly and easily, and with the changes in technology, more and more bingo variants are beginning to come to the fore.
The likes of slingo bingo games are really taking bingo to the next level in its life, combining online slot games to reach a new generation of audience. They’ve proven to be landmark moments and the resurgence in bingo both online and offline has been quite remarkable over the last few years.
There’s plenty more to come too, and here at Moon Bingo we’ll be here, playing our part, to ensure this wonderful game is around for many generations of player to come.
