Online Bingo Beats Poker to Become Most "Googled" in 2010, Says Lucky Games

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND, March 02, 2011

Data from search engine giant Google has revealed that the term "Bingo" was searched for more times than "Poker" in the United Kingdom during 2010, but only just. The information sheds light on the intense rivalry between online gaming firms as they battle it out to attract new customers in an extremely competitive industry. Remarkably the search figures for both terms are almost identical and similar peaks and troughs can be identified throughout the year. Even though Bingo came out on top in 2010 the results have fluctuated in previous years with Poker taking the crown in 2009 and Bingo proving more popular the year before.

The data also paints a very interesting picture on how the UK itself is segmented between Bingo and Poker players. It seems that the Scots love their Bingo, easily beating Poker in terms of searches while Northern Ireland is the exact opposite, with Poker being the game of choice. As for England, Poker attracted the most searches but only by a very small margin, lastly the Welsh proved they love both equally with search figures split 50:50.

Bingo has certainly had a big year in the UK with brands such as Jackpotjoy Bingo spending heavily on TV campaigns in order to gain traction in a very competitive industry. Poker on the other hand was not as heavily promoted in 2010 with fewer adverts appearing on our television screens. While the Poker industry may never repeat the success it had in the mid naughties (00's), it has become a more established market compared with Bingo and appears less reliant on advertising due to stronger loyalty between players and Poker sites.

With intense competition and saturation of the online gaming market, 2010 saw a number of mergers and acquisitions in the industry with more brands choosing to span more gaming verticals, in order to gain a bigger foothold. So where does this leave us for 2011? Well this year could see Poker make a big come back, especially in the U.S where a new bill may be introduced which could legalise online gaming, if this law is passed then it could have a knock-on effect in the UK as new firms enter the market. Back in Britain, Bingo brands will continue to push offline advertising heavily up until the Summer, many brands will also continue to invest in sponsorship. Some may even follow in Jackpotjoy's footsteps who have this month partnered with Comic Relief, launching the official Red Nose Day Bingo game which will see profits donated to the UK charity. Watch out for more online and offline partnerships with mainstream brands this year and continued celebrity endorsements.

Andy Hogan editor for UK blog, LuckyGames.co.uk, says "2010 was a very competitive year for online gaming sites and as a result we may well see a shakeout in 2011 as the market consolidates. However there will be room for new companies who can make mobile gaming work and even disrupt the market with new technologies. As a whole 2011 will see more investment in the mobile space, giving players more options to enjoy both Bingo and Poker while on the move."

As for who will come up trumps in the 2011 search wars? Well the race has only just begun, but it does promise to be another exciting year in the world of online gaming.

Note To Editors:

For more information, visit: http://www.luckygames.co.uk/2010-bingo-vs-poker-search-trends.

Lucky Games is a UK based blog dedicated to the latest cash and prize games. The site aims to bring unbiased reviews of the best online games and promotions including bingo, casino and slots. The site has grown dramatically in recent years as more players search for reputable information and try to find the luckiest online games.

Data Source - Google Trends http://www.google.com/insights/search/#content=1&cat=0&geo=GB&q=%22bi ... 12m&cmpt=q

Contact Details:
Editor: Andy Hogan
andrew@luckygames.co.uk