Taking Bingo back to the High Street

Online bingo is big business; adverts about the game are streamed into our homes all the time via the television and of course our computers. Companies from outside the gaming sector are beginning to see its potential and recently we saw the launch of Iceland Bingo, which ties together the high street supermarket and our favourite game.

With their motto ‘That’s why mums go to Iceland’ and sponsorship of the popular reality TV show I’m a Celebrity get me out of Here, it’s clear that there’s scope for the brand to expand even further into the gaming market. They are already a family friendly, popular company who are well-known amongst the demographic that many bingo websites attempt to target. This bodes well for the success of their site, teamed with its great offers.

Who’s Next?

There has been previous discussion that other supermarkets and retailers are considering or at least have considered moving into online gaming. Tesco is one of the largest companies, with its fingers in many pies that has previously stated it was considering a move into the online bingo world; although nothing has come of this as yet. Additionally, there’s been much coverage of ASDA and their Tickled Pink campaign which takes the form of a regular bingo game, so maybe they’d consider an online version of the incentive in the future.

Like other brands that have their own bingo sites, most notably newspapers and magazines such as The Sun and Fabulous Magazine, gives further avenue to market their original product. For example, at Sun Bingo you can play instant games which are obviously designed around the newspaper theme and at Fabulous new members receive a makeup gift, not dissimilar to that which you may find on the front of a magazine.

Bingo Brands on the High Street

Very recently we have seen online brands team up with high street stores to promote their products. Most recently Mecca Bingo teamed up with Poundland to offer free £5 bingo vouchers to all customers who spent £10 or more. This type of incentive not only gets more traffic to the site but also builds up a strong partnership between the two brands. It wouldn’t be surprising therefore, if the site were to run a promotion with a prize package of Poundland goodies in the future.

This could be the start of something new as retailers work with bingo brands in a mutually beneficial way. Bingo fans then would be driven to Poundland to pick up their free vouchers but equally shoppers who may not have played the game before may be giving it a go because of the voucher they received doing their shopping. It’s a clever move by both brands and something we could well see more of in the future.

What about traditional clubs?

With online bingo sites teaming up with high street stores and some of our best known brands launching their own sites where does this leave the humble bingo club? Why didn’t Mecca offer vouchers to get players visiting their local halls? These are questions that only the companies can answer but it’s safe to say that online players aren’t necessary the same people who play in land-based halls, although many people of course do both.

We all know that the land-based industry is on the decline, so perhaps some of the brands who do have land-based halls, such as Mecca, should be considering offering vouchers for their clubs rather than their online site. However, the success of their online venture is undeniable and you can hardly blame the owners for wanting to capitalise on this success. Additionally, the installation of electronic terminals in their clubs also means that many of their members are now using the online platform as well as visiting their hall. There is no reason why you can’t play both types of the game and enjoy them in their own right.

We’re wondering who’s going to be next. Will we see the launch of HMV or WHSmith Bingo? Probably not but we wouldn’t be surprised if some of the other supermarket brands are keeping a close eye on how Iceland gets on to see if it’s a market area on which they can capitalise. You could perhaps even earn lusted after loyalty, Nectar or club card points whilst enjoying your favourite games. The possibilities are endless and it would be a savvy move by any company who chose to get involved.