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Annual insight report from WhichBingo suggests Bingo halls will continue to face a steady decline in numbers, as online popularity soars

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The popularity of traditional Bingo halls is continuing to decline as audience demographics shift and the popularity of online bingo sites has soared in lockdown. The findings were part of the annual insight report by WhichBingo, the UK’s number one, independent online bingo reviews site, owned and operated by XLMedia, which found a significant shift in the Bingo industry to younger online consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 WhichBingo survey found that 45% of respondents said they prefer to play bingo online, while only 28% of the same respondents said they would prefer to play in a land-based hall. The report reveals player numbers at bingo halls are continuing to decline year on year since 2007, and the rise in popularity of online bingo has seen many players swap their weekly night out for time spent online.

Report researchers surveyed more than 800 adults who played online bingo in the UK between January 4th – 15th 2021, and results revealed that:

  • Facebook is the social media platform of choice for bingo community groups
  • Being part of an online bingo community is considered “very important” by 20% of players, according to the survey
  • The social aspect of land-based bingo halls is perhaps the most difficult element to recreate, and 41% chose “the atmosphere” as their favourite part of attending a hall.

Facebook is the most likely place to find online bingo players gathering on social media, with 40% of survey respondents saying that is where they would like the online bingo community to exist. Website forums (27%) remain more popular than channels like Twitter (21%), Twitch (16%) and Discord (14%), showing that the most up-to-date platforms are not necessarily the places bingo players want to gather.

The report revealed that changing demographics might be behind behaviour shifts. There has been a significant increase in younger men playing online bingo, but the report’s findings show that it is still women between the ages of 25 – 54 that are the more likely grouping to play online bingo. The overall shift to a younger player demographic, with 25 to 54 now the most represented age range (83% of respondents), confirms an industry step-change and growing preference for online bingo.

The WhichBingo Report is an anticipated annual insight tool for the UK online bingo industry and a unique collective analysis of shifting consumer trends in online gaming business. The report studies and forecasts online gaming trends in the bingo, sports betting and casino industries.

 

 

Stuart Simms, CEO of XLMedia PLC Group: “Our reports have shown for several years now that the demographic playing bingo has been changing gradually and there has been a marked shift away from going down the bingo hall mid-week with friends to those playing online. Of course this has all been exacerbated by the pandemic and bingo halls being forced to shut by the government’s regulations. It seems online bingo’s appeal is now reaching people earlier in life, with those 25 to 54 now the most represented age range.

“It’s obviously hugely encouraging to see so many younger people enjoying the game and that it’s popularity is growing faster than ever. Of course, the questions on everyone’s lips will be how many of these changes have been caused by the pandemic and how many people will return to old habits when bingo halls are reopened to the public on May 17th. We think it’s important bingo retailers understand their new audiences and rethink how they communicate to them going forward.”

The full 2021 WhichBingo Report can be found online at the dedicated microsite: https://www.whichbingo.co.uk/reports/2021/

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Gaming Corps

Gaming Corps Slots Arrive at Lottomart

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Lottomart has broadened its games portfolio with the addition of titles from Gaming Corps, bringing players a vibrant mix of bold themes, inventive mechanics, and personality-driven slot experiences.

Gaming Corps has carved out a unique identity in the iGaming industry by approaching game design from a fresh perspective. Drawing inspiration from pop culture, storytelling, and contemporary entertainment, the studio delivers slots that are energetic, engaging, and built to capture attention from the first spin.

Lottomart players will soon enjoy standout Gaming Corps titles such as 3 Pigs of Olympus Bonus Pot, 3 Pigs of the Caribbean, and 3 Pots of Potion Bonus Pot. Adventure-driven releases like Fins of Fortune and the action-packed Anubis vs Horus: Twin Titans further enrich the offering, each featuring vibrant visuals and entertaining bonus mechanics that keep gameplay dynamic and immersive.

The partnership reinforces Lottomart’s commitment to expanding its slots catalogue with studios that deliver fresh, innovative, and engaging experiences for players.

Chris Ruddock, Commercial Director at Lottomart, said: “Gaming Corps adds a creative spark to our slots portfolio. Their games are distinctive, entertaining, and a perfect fit for our players, and we’re thrilled to bring their content to Lottomart.”

Graham Greensmith, CCO at Gaming Corps, added: “Partnering with the fantastic team at Lottomart has been a key goal for us, and we’re delighted to see it come to fruition. Our games are designed to resonate with Lottomart’s player base, and this partnership supports our rapid UK expansion. With even more innovative and diverse content planned for 2026, we’re excited about the opportunities ahead.”

The post Gaming Corps Slots Arrive at Lottomart appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Groove

Groove Rolls Out Next-Gen Instant Tournaments Solution

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In an industry where player attention spans diminish rapidly, leading platform and aggregator Groove has launched what could be the most valuable weapon in the fight for engagement: their groundbreaking Instant Tournaments Tool.

This groundbreaking advancement enables operators to envision, set up, and initiate high-stakes tournaments straight from Groove Command’s back-office faster than it takes to make a pot of coffee, no developers needed, no delays, only sheer competitive excitement at the speed of now.

The development team, under the guidance of Product Development Head Shay Kababie, observed with pleasure as the initial live test occurred. An experienced casino operator, who was initially doubtful, launched a $10,000 Blackjack Blitz with only a few clicks. The outcome? A sudden increase in players, soaring engagement statistics, and revenue boosts, all happening before lunchtime arrived.

“This alters everything,” the operator said, observing leaderboards illuminate in real-time.

For years, creating tournaments involved managing intricate technical specifications, relying on overloaded development teams, and hoping that everything would run smoothly at launch. Groove’s approach completely eliminates these obstacles.

The new advancement in the Groove Command platform is already causing a stir in the iGaming industry, as beta testers indicate significant increases in player involvement and earnings.

“This isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a fundamental shift in how operators compete,” says Rachel Tourgeman, Head of Partnerships at Groove. “Our partners have been begging for a solution that keeps pace with player demand. Now they can create high-stakes tournaments faster than most teams can schedule a meeting. We’re seeing operators launch tournaments around live sports events, viral trends, even competitor outages, all in real time.”

Operators can now react to market trends with the quickness of day traders, identifying an opportunity in the morning and profiting from it by afternoon. Looking to take advantage of a competitor’s downtime? A competition exists for that. Looking to reconnect with inactive VIPs? The ideal challenge is merely a few clicks away.

This advancement integrates effortlessly into the Groove Command ecosystem, the most robust back-office platform in the industry. In this scenario, establishing a tournament is merely one tool in a well-equipped arsenal. Operators have total control over their operations, encompassing detailed game management, real-time financial analysis, compliance protections, and now, immediate competitive experiences that engage players continuously.

The consequences are significant. While rivals may take days or weeks to set up tournaments, operators using Groove can experiment, refine, and enhance various tournament formats in just one afternoon.

The platform’s user-friendly interface masks its advanced features, customizable prize formats, interactive leaderboards, and specific player segmentation can all be effortlessly set up via a sleek dashboard.

“Speed has become the ultimate competitive advantage in iGaming,” explains Kababie. “We’re not just giving operators tools, we’re giving them the ability to outmanoeuvre competitors at a strategic level. The team that can launch a perfect tournament when a trending slot drops, or capitalise on a major sporting event in real-time, that’s the team that wins.”

Looking ahead, Groove’s roadmap promises even more disruptive innovations, including AI-driven tournament suggestions and automated optimisation algorithms. But for now, the message to the industry is clear: the tournament landscape has changed forever, and operators who hesitate will find themselves hopelessly outpaced.

Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, explains the strategic advantage: “For years, operators have been trapped in a cycle of slow, expensive tournament development. We’ve broken that cycle. Now when an operator sees Messi score a hat-trick or Drake tweet about a new slot, they can capitalise immediately. That agility is worth millions in today’s market.”

Perfectly incorporated into the Groove Command platform, the Instant Tournaments Tool complements a range of operator-centric innovations such as real-time analytics, automated compliance verification, and data-informed game suggestions. The user-friendly interface of the system enables operators to configure personalized rules, prize frameworks, and qualification criteria effortlessly through easy dropdown menus, eliminating the need for coding skills.

In the future, Groove has hinted at new features such as AI-driven tournament enhancement and large-scale cross-operator events. However, as Meltzer observes, “The true revolution is occurring at this moment, in the possession of operators who realize that speed is the new greatest competitive edge.”

Meltzer states, “The tournament arms race has changed permanently and Groove has just given operators the nuclear codes.”

The post Groove Rolls Out Next-Gen Instant Tournaments Solution appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Bet St George

A knight at the races: Bet St George launches VIP giveaway at Cheltenham

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Bet St George’s brand mascots will greet fans in key locations around Cheltenham, offering racegoers the chance to win a VIP day out at the jump season finale at Sandown on St George’s Day weekend.

As part of its launch campaign, the operator is inviting supporters to “Take on the Knight” – the enigmatic figure at the heart of the brand. Created as a bold symbol of the company’s challenger mentality, the Knight represents Bet St George’s ambition to stand up for punters while bringing personality back to the betting experience.

The UK Gambling Commission-licensed operator will place football and horse racing at the centre of its offering, supported by a full sportsbook and casino platform. Its positioning leans strongly into an English identity, highlighting domestic teams, homegrown talent and the country’s biggest sporting events.

England-focused markets, specials and promotions will feature prominently, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to backing English sport and its supporters.

The stage is set

Bet St George Head of Marketing Andre Au said: “Cheltenham felt like the perfect stage to introduce Bet St George properly. It’s one of the great moments in the British sporting calendar, and we wanted to show from day one that we’re here to add to the occasion and put fans first.

“‘Take on the Knight’ captures exactly what we’re about. We’re not just launching another sportsbook – we’re building a brand with personality, confidence and a clear point of view. The Knight represents that spirit. He stands for value, fairness and a willingness to go toe-to-toe in a competitive market.

“Our focus is firmly on English sport – from the passion of domestic football to the heritage of racing – and we’re committed to giving those markets the attention they deserve. That means competitive pricing, standout promotions around major national events and a genuine readiness to take bets. We want customers to feel that Bet St George is on their side, especially when it comes to backing English teams and talent on the biggest stages.”

The post A knight at the races: Bet St George launches VIP giveaway at Cheltenham appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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