For a long time bingo has had a bad reputation. Most people, when they hear of this popular but often marginalised hobby, associate it with a series of images: rows of middle aged women, brown carpets and walls, and a general sense of dullness. Bingo is changing, however, and in recent years has undergone a transformation that should end all these clichés, and hence its reputation as an activity only suitable for the middle aged and fusty. Various changes have led to this heightened popularity. The décor of bingo halls –previously often church halls, or buildings that were old fashioned and not necessarily appealing to the twenty or thirty-something consumer– are now practically nonexistent. Modern bingo halls are increasingly being transformed at night into clubs, proving that young people are definitely not averse to socialising inside a bingo hall. The fact that ultra-hip clubs and bingo halls can be in fact the same building shows that the hobby of bingo is no longer aimed at one certain age group. The creation of online bingo now means that anyone can play, whereas before people may have been put off by the thought of being out of place or isolated at their local bingo hall. It also means that those with busy lifestyles or those that work shifts and cannot commit to a regular weekly timeslot can take part too, and they are doing so in their droves. Bingo is no longer a game exclusive to middle aged and retired women, and even the traditional bingo hall can often be seen to be filled with younger gamers –and those of both sexes. The advent of glamorous celebrities and young women to advertise bingo and online bingo on television has also increased in recent years. Celebrities appeal directly to the young market, which, from the amount now flocking to bingo halls, has seen their adverts and responded. To most people, especially young adults and teenagers, celebrities represent a fun and glamorous lifestyle, and if it is possible to equate this with bingo then the business is on to a winner. Bingo is a hobby, and a cheap one. For young people, especially students and those with limited monetary funds, there has never been a better time to start playing, especially when it creates an excuse for them to have fun with their friends. The fact that bingo also exists to give out money is always going to be appealing, too –and especially during the recession, it is clear to see why this hobby has been taken up by hundreds who never would have considered it a few years ago.
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