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Will online bingo help push virtual reality into the mainstream?

19th June 2022 Print

Virtual reality is one of the most exciting pieces of technology ever conceived, but it is nowhere near being an essential household item yet. The first devices hit the market in 2016 and, six years on from that momentous event, little has changed.

It feels like something major has to happen for VR to become mainstream, and for users all over the world to be convinced that they need to buy headsets. The rapidly growing online bingo industry could act as a catalyst for that future.

Online Bingo is One of the Fastest-Growing Online Industries

Bingo has only existed online for a short amount of time, but it is already a multimillion-pound industry. Millions of players all over the world are attracted to sites like Paddy Power Bingo because of the varied and engaging entertainment experience on offer. Unlike the bingo of old, there are now options that appeal to diverse personalities. People can log on and play in themed bingo rooms or spin the reels on titles like Slingo.

Online bingo has thrived because of this, but its impressive rise has also been down to it offering players a place to play games alongside like-minded people. Players know they can enter a bingo room like Age of the Gods Bingo and use the chat feature to talk to other fans of ancient Greek mythology while playing bingo at the same time.

Virtual Reality Still Needs a Major Boost to Go Mainstream

According to Resource, there are various reasons why end-users are not interested in VR yet. These include the price being too high and a lack of valuable content. These are issues that developers are trying to address, and new models of the leading headsets from companies like Oculus are driving down the prices of older versions.

In an article in The Ringer, it was suggested that VR headsets need to be more comfortable and better designed before they are going to enter mainstream usage. These are problems that many believe Apple will address when it eventually releases its VR offering. Still, there has been no official announcement about when users can expect this.

Bingo Developers Could be Waiting for VR to Become More Popular First

Industries like bingo and online casinos have proven that they are willing to take risks with future technology, and often incorporate platforms before they become mainstream. This was highlighted with casino games that used live streaming years before Facebook introduced it. It feels like moves from these industries could help push VR forward.

The problem is that bingo and VR could be a chicken and egg scenario. While VR would clearly benefit from bingo boosting it and helping it appeal to a wider audience, bingo developers may be cautiously waiting for VR to boom before investing too much time and money into developing titles for it. Therefore, it’s hard to say whether bingo will end up being a catalyst for VR.

There’s no doubt that something huge needs to happen before VR goes mainstream. It could be a push from an industry like bingo, or it could come about thanks to the metaverse. The picture should be much clearer by the end of the decade.