Electronic bingo has a lot up for grabs and this is evident by the growing popularity this gaming offering has had throughout the years. It fuses two worlds in order to get the best of them and make it available for the players to enjoy. Mixing traditional bingo gaming infused with the spirit of nostalgia with the technological advance of the past few years could be defined as a winning move.
Nowadays an increasing number of people turn towards the technological advancement electronic bingo is able to guarantee them. The modern version of traditional bingo is able to guarantee them a better perspective on everything happening on their screens. It should be taken into account that the popular handheld devices are capable of displaying many bingo cards at once.
Seniors Prefer Bingo Action
Electronic bingo is also able to eliminate any potential overlooking of information while gambling, as the platform itself, takes care that every bingo is being taken into account. The player could never miss a thing because the electronic bingo machine notifies them instantly once they have matched all the numbers needed for a bingo.
But is there a way a player could enhance their chances of winning big? Nowadays it has become increasingly intriguing for people to look for life hacks and ways in which they could make their lives easier. Such is the case with gambling as well, as the culture has made its way to the casino floor. In the past, many fans of the traditional bingo offerings have expressed their position that electronic bingo seeks ways in which the game could be hacked.
Relying on the traditional paper cards and the human touch has been the case for years, which makes such concerns a rather normal thing. Every new technology is welcomed with a pinch of skepticism especially if the audience has not had much experience with similar devices. Hacking into the electronic bingo platform is unlikely to happen, as there is casino staff taking care fo the devices on a regular basis.
Problem Gambling Concerns
Compulsive gambling is one of the biggest concerns of every community ahead of the official launch of a given gaming venue. The way some gaming devices could affect a player is beyond conceivable and it varies from person to person. Some players have an addictive personality and they often fill an emotional void with various stimuli.
Gambling triggers satisfaction and particular responses in the brain that could keep a player glued to the machine for hours. Instant gratification is among the main reasons why people develop an unhealthy gambling relationship. Understanding the risks and the speed of developing this addiction is essential for its prevention. Ontario’s Centennial College students had the chance to learn more about gambling addictions and the ways it affects their lives thanks to the interactive video game that they played.
The joystick they used processed information such as their excitement at the moment of gambling. Changes in their emotional state were detected in mere seconds. The bigger this excitement grows, the more players tend to spend while gambling, possibly taking risks. Traditional bingo often appeals to senior individuals seeking social interaction and time spent with their friends.
The electronic version could also attract some of them potentially exposing them to patterns of unhealthy gambling relationships. Concerns have been raised about the easily impressionable minds of these players and the negative impact electronic bingo might have on them. Canadian operators and the management of venues often mix the traditional and electronic offerings, but this might be more harmful to the players.
What Makes them Attractive?
A paper published by the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction points out that electronic bingo might affect players the same way as slot machines. Over the course of the study, researchers have indicated the same response in the players’ brains. The electronic bingo devices use the same instant gratification features that make slot machines and electronic gaming devices so attractive to players.
One of the ways in which players get hooked on them is the near-miss feature they employ. It makes players think that their next move would be a successful one when in reality this is a clear case of the gambler’s fallacy. This is the belief that an event could affect the outcome of a future one, and the fact that they have a near-miss would mean that they would win big very soon.
Paul Pellizzari, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation Social Responsibility Chief pointed out that the electronic devices offering bingo games might attract a gaming revenue at breakneck speed, but they are still perceived as an addition to the traditional bingo activities involving paper cards and more. Every bingo location is obliged to introduce problem gambling information and make access to it easy.
Measures Battling Gambling Addiction
There are special zones welcoming players willing to learn more about problem gambling, as well as battle the surges of gambling addiction that could take over them in a matter of minutes. When it comes to the activity, players often report losing control of their willpower and engaging in gambling even if their original plan had been to refrain from it. The fact that they have money at their disposal is a reason enough for them to stray from the path.
Bingo locations across the Canadian provinces focus more on the prevention of problem gambling and teaching players that they should work on their healthy relationship with gambling. Keeping their gambling activities, including traditional and electronic bingo, within the normal pastime activities is their own responsibility. The Responsible Gambling Council also organized regular events focusing on players’ health.
They take place at the bingo halls offering both the traditional and the modernized version of this activity. At the end of the day, electronic bingo devices are no bigger threat to the well-being of players than slot machines that are also sprinkled across every casino floor in Canada. The flashing lights and welcoming interface are among the main selling points of those devices, that could keep players engaged for hours on end.
