The Connection Between Bingo and Pop Culture in the UK

Bingo has long been a part of the UK DNA, indeed as far back as the 1960s which has led many to speculate that there could well be a link between the activity and pop culture.

Pop culture is something that is generally recognised by society as practices and beliefs that are heavily present at any given time. Applying this to bingo in the UK, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that there is definitely a genuine connection between the two.

Ever since bingo reached British shores, it has been a hit. Indeed, by 1963 the total number of active bingo hall members in the UK was 14 million, which is not only sizable but also represented just over 25 percent of the total population at the time.

In the decades since, it would definitely be fair to suggest that the industry has grown considerably, with key names such as Mecca and Gala originally dominating the traditional bingo scene.

What effect has online bingo had on pop culture in the UK?

Following the transition to online bingo, many traditional bingo venues disappeared, with people realising that they could play from the comfort of their own surroundings. As a result, many quality, new bingo sites have appeared in recent years, the majority of which can be found here and it can be argued that this has continued the connection with pop culture.

Because many of these operator sites also advertise through mainstream channels, such as via television, it has meant that bingo has remained near the centre of British consciousness and been able to continue to attract players.

The knock-on effect of this is that those who see the adverts and who are interested in bingo will then (using the device of their own choosing), visit that particular website and go through the registration process, having potentially been attracted by the sign up offer.

In addition to the fact that at any given time, you can find 10s of thousands of people playing on a popular bingo site, in many different bingo rooms where they will often chat virtually to each other suggests that if anything, bingo (online or otherwise) and pop culture have more of a connection now than ever before.

Have celebrities played a part?

Many bingo brands over the years have used celebrities to advertise and help acquire more players and it could be argued that they may have had an effect on the link between bingo and pop culture. One, in particular, includes Jackpot Joy who used iconic soap actress Barbara Windsor to promote them via their television commercials, who earned the title ‘Queen of Bingo’.