Online bingo and casinos – a match made in heaven?

A few years ago, the relationship between online bingo and the world of online casinos and poker could be described as non-existent. Although there were some gaming companies with interests in bingo, both had their own group of operators, software providers, and indeed, their own sets of players. Whilst there were exceptions to the trend, these were few and far between, with casino’s the domain of men and online bingo finding it’s roots in a fiercely female fanbase. But the two worlds have seemingly collided over the last year or so, with an increasing array of crossover. And now that the worlds of online bingo and casino have met, is this a partnership that is destined for greatness – or disaster?

Perhaps the most obvious example of the convergence between the two has been the sharp increase in mergers between gaming brands and online bingo operators. First came the move by established bookmaking brands such as Ladbrokes to enter the world of online bingo by introducing spin offs of their brand. PartyGaming was a notable success, with the introduction of Party Bingo to complement it’s Party Poker and Party Casino brands.

And then came the mergers and takeovers. In the last year, the very same PartyGaming acquired British bingo giant Cashcade (owner of brands such as Foxy Bingo, Cheeky Bingo and Think Bingo) and US rival 888 Holdings took the reins of two of the other top UK online bingo sites, Wink Bingo and Posh Bingo. Since then we have seen further acquisitions, blurring the distinct lines between operators, software suppliers and indeed between the various sectors of the gambling market.

So what can be said of these alliances? Well, not only do the players acquired boost the total earnings of the companies involved, there is also much to be said of the crossover potential. Recent research found that female bingo players have become more likely to try their hand at roulette style games, with the recently launched Foxy Flutter an ideal example of how online bingo brands are translated into the other reaches of the gambling world. A casino style site boasting roulette wheels and slot games, it’s branding fits perfectly with a female audience, and thus helping to convert some bingo fans into general fans of gaming.

At the same time, online bingo sites have increased the side games on offer, adding huge jackpots that begin to add an element of “high stakes” into the world of bingo. Recent wins at Costa Bingo have extended up to £71,000 – a figure not often seen from a game of bingo itself. These new additions to sites have not only helped to diversify the interests of the female audience, but have been a huge factor in growing bingo sites amongst men.

And so it seems that with a more inclusive and cooperative gaming world, the partnership between online bingo and casino’s can only get stronger. For online bingo fans and poker and casino fans alike, the latest partnerships look set to be the start of one beautiful long-term relationship!