Marcus Richards
Improvements in smartphone technology and Wi-Fi connectivity have had a massive impact on the online gambling industry in recent years.
People were limited to playing games on desktop or laptop when the sector first emerged, but the landscape looks very different today.
Bingo operators have been one of the biggest beneficiaries from these technological advancements, with the sector rated as one of the biggest success stories of the 21st century.
The best mobile bingo in UK should offer players an immersive gameplay experience, particularly if an operator has pushed the boat out by developing a standalone app.
Read on as we take a closer look at the main advantages of playing bingo on a mobile app instead of a personal computer.
How websites laid the foundations
Bingo was suffering a massive downward spiral around the turn of the century, with shifting consumer habits having a significant impact on the game’s fortunes.
The smoking ban and increased taxation on the gambling industry also hit bingo extremely hard, forcing many land-based venues to shut their doors.
The internet proved to be a lifesaver, although it would have been a brave move to predict this would happen given the basic nature of the first bingo websites.
The gameplay experience was rather limited, while unreliable internet connectivity often caused dissatisfaction amongst online bingo players.
Things are very different today, with advancements in technology helping bingo re-establish itself as a mainstream entertainment activity across the world.
One of the key factors behind the game’s resurgence has been the creation of mobile bingo sites, which have introduced a new demographic to this iconic pastime.
Mobile apps are now all the rage, allowing players to access bingo games whenever and wherever they want.
Mobile apps power stunning bingo boom
Mobile apps have transformed how people engage with the outside world, giving them the ability to perform a vast array of tasks via their favourite digital device.
Bingo operators have expertly leveraged this to their advantage by developing immersive bingo apps that can be accessed around the clock.
Players no longer have to be tied to their personal computer to play bingo – just download the app, login or sign-up for an account, make a deposit and start playing.
Playing bingo on mobile is really convenient – all you need is a suitable device, a stable Wi-Fi and you are ready to go.
From having a lazy afternoon in the garden to sunning yourself on the beach and more, mobile apps place zero limits on where you can play bingo.
With the top bingo brands using leading software developers to build their apps, players can play safe in the knowledge that they are in a secure environment.
This element has helped to attract more players to bingo sites, thus allowing the industry to grow much more quickly than was originally forecast.
Mobile apps have played a massive role in the growth of the online bingo industry – Image via Pexels
The benefits of playing bingo on an app
Convenience and security are not the only reasons why mobile bingo apps have proved to be so popular with players in recent years.
Reliability of the platform is another key factor, with app development and maintenance requiring a significant financial commitment by the bingo operator.
If a bingo brand has taken the step of investing resources into an app, they can generally be trusted to deliver a thoroughly immersive gameplay experience.
Another element which has helped to drive the popularity of bingo apps is the range of features operators have been able to incorporate.
Apps allow players to contact customer support to resolve queries and interact with other players via integrated instant messaging services.
Fair play also factors into the equation, as bingo operators must adhere to regulations relating to the randomness of each of their games on an app.
Third-party testing agencies regularly check bingo apps for fairness, giving players peace of mind that they have a genuine chance of making a profit on the site.
Arguably one of the biggest benefits of playing bingo on a mobile app is the greater range of payment options available to players.
If you login to your bingo account via personal computer, you will generally be forced to process payments via debit card or e-Wallet.
However, with the online payments sector now awash with mobile-first options, funding your online bingo activities is much easier on an app.
Mobile payment gateways such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay offer heightened levels of security, making bingo apps more attractive to players.
Newer payment gateways such as Trustly have further increased the popularity of mobile app payments in recent times.
This open banking method uses the same encryption technologies as major worldwide financial institutions and can be seamlessly integrated into a bingo app.
The final word
While there is nothing inherently wrong with playing bingo games on a personal computer, mobile apps offer players lots of benefits.
With people now using their smartphones more than four hours per day on average, more operators are likely to take a mobile-first approach to the development of their bingo platforms.
Whether this eventually results in the death of playing bingo on personal computers is debatable, although it would be no surprise to see it happen in the future.
The added convenience, superb gameplay experience and greater choice of payment methods undoubtedly make mobile apps a more attractive proposition than PCs for playing bingo.
