Bingo on TV

The increasing popularity of Bingo has seen the game acquire a public profile that would have been considered impossible many years ago. Although there are many reasons for the growth of the game, Bingo has been thrust into the public eye for two reasons.

The first has to be the arrival of the online version of the game. Individuals who may never have considered a trip to their local Bingo hall have been drawn to a number of sites that offer generous free bingo bonuses, fantastic prize money and the chance to remain relatively anonymous.

The other reason is the increased attention that the game of Bingo enjoys in the world of media and, in particular, on television. Changes in the gaming act in 2005 saw the UK peppered with television adverts encouraging potential players to visit local halls or Bingo sites with the promise of an action-packed evening of fun.

Celebrities were very quick to jump on the bandwagon with Sharon Osbourne, Jordan and Vic Reeves all promoting clubs and web sites in a series of commercials that were fun, appealing and inviting.

Gala Bingo went a step further and threw everything into the ‘Girl’s Night Out’ angle, with an idea of an assortment of young ladies ditching their partners for the evening to make their way to the nearest Gala outlet. Their promotional campaign was so successful it spawned a digital television channel dedicated to the company and the game of Bingo itself. Gala TV was born in late 2006.

The profile of the game continued to gather steam and when Bingo Night Live made its first appearance on ITV1 in June 2008, a nation watched with baited breath. The show allowed the British public to play an interactive game of Bingo with free bingo cards and a golden jackpot prize of £25,000. It became an instant hit!

This was followed by Big Box Bingo, which also proved to be a runaway success and followed a similar format as the ITV version of the game. Since then, commercial breaks for bingo on television have seen a huge rise in strategically placed advertisements that see large numbers of online sites and all of the land-based giants fighting for an increased chunk of a continually rising market share.