It seems the worlds of online bingo and casinos have collided yet again, with news reaching us that more and more casino sites are starting to adopt the free no deposit bonuses that have been the darlings of the online bingo acquisition world. But is this a case of follow the leader, or a newly found state of co-dependency? And when it comes down to it, are the lines between casinos and bingo blurring so much that it could be both industries are reading from the same page?
Online bingo has really seen an explosion over the last year, with 2009 noted as the year that online bingo really hit the big time. With player acquisition at the forefront of many bingo bosses minds, it seemed that there was something of a gold rush amongst online bingo sites, with many offering huge one off free no deposit bonuses to tempt roomies through their doors. And it seems casinos have started to learn these lessons, with many casino sites now picking up where online bingo left off, offering huge bonuses of up to £60.
But this isn’t just catchup. Over the last year, there has also been notable criss crossing between online bingo sites and casino style sites. Perhaps it is in part, due to the emerging trend of gaming industry consolidation, with many online bingo sites becoming a lot closer to their casino cousins. A good example has been the crossover potential of Foxy Bingo, which has managed to take it’s distinctive brand and turn it into a female friendly casino site, Foxy Flutter. And more and more online bingo sites have begun to add more casino style side games, and advertise the winnings on their progressive instant win games, with notable examples being the fantastic Wink Bingo and Posh Bingo.
And we think there is also much to be said about the online format anyway. Whilst smoky bingo halls have always been associated with grannies, and casino’s with the guys, the online world has removed the biggest boundary of all – the physical one. With the collision of the traditionally soft form of gaming which is online bingo, and the slightly more high stakes tendencies of casino games, the two worlds are opening up to a greater range of players. More women are starting to have a spin at roulette, and if there’s anything we’ve learnt thanks to online bingo, it’s that the game of bingo is definitely not just for your nana – or solely for the ladies.
It’s no bad thing, but it’s worthwhile to remember that regardless of the form of gaming, it should always be fun – and players should always be aware that they are spending what they can afford. And whilst we are not suggesting the two will soon be indistinguishable, it seems that online bingo and casinos may not be worlds apart like they once were.
