We all have the image of the stereotype of an old lady with faded purple hair and, large specks and nurse-type slippers, sitting in a bingo hall marking her cards. This image is slowly changing, as younger females take interest in the activity.
The industry is attempting to refresh its image, offering “student nights” and inviting celebrities like Denise Van Outen and Catherine Zeta Jones to appear as the pay-out figures. Last year, over 8.5 million people played bingo, and a recent statistic shows that there has been a rise of more than 15% in younger players. According to the Bingo Association, half of the players are currently under 45, something which would have seemed impossible before.
In another place, recent information gathered shows that 51,000 women under the age of 35 play online bingo. 22% of these go online more often than they go to the gym, and a surprising 12% goes online more often than having sex. A 22 year old female bingo player says: “I don’t know if I’d find bingo more satisfying than that. But I suppose the joy of getting a big win is bound to last longer.”
Steve Baldwin, spokesman for the Bingo Association said: “For something to be around as long as bingo has, it has to have something going for it. We see a broad range of ages, and it’s good to watch new generations discover that their grandmother was on to a good thing.”
We all have the image of the stereotype of an old lady with faded purple hair and, large specks and nurse-type slippers, sitting in a bingo hall marking her cards. This image is slowly changing, as younger females take interest in the activity.