60 years of Mecca Bingo
We’re celebrating 60 years of bringing you wins and grins! And just like the Queen, we’re not letting our diamond jubilee pass us by without a nostalgic look at the last six fantastic decades. Ready to jump on the memory train with us?
Humble beginnings
We opened the doors of our first club, Rosehill, in the swinging 60s which started our journey in entertainment. Before becoming the much-loved bingo hall it is today, Rosehill was originally the social centre of the town inviting the younger generation to don their best outfits and dance the night away.
The rise of bingo
Eric Morley, British TV host and director of Mecca, brought the game of bingo to our dance halls to pack the place and keep it bustling. Morley was a key influence in helping popularise bingo at our Mecca venues throughout the UK, taking the company from a small dancing firm to a leader in entertainment.
The fall of the balls
From the mid to late 70s, we decided to ditch the old bingo cage and its physical balls in our clubs to welcome in some more updated technology. Today, our bingo caller has a monitor in front of them on the stage, generating the numbers for them to read out, and in case you don’t hear it there’s also a handy screen with the called numbers on it.
The move to digital
The year 2000 was not only the mark of a new century, it was also the year we launched Mecca Bingo online. We brought the fan-favourite game (along with slots) to your screens with a safe, secure and friendly platform that you could use at any time and from anywhere.
The recognition we deserve
Mecca Bingo is the largest National Bingo Game operator in the UK, but we’re more than just big – we’re great. Over the years, we’ve been recognised for our brilliance and have won top awards in the industry. In 2014, 2015 and 2016, Mecca Bingo was awarded ‘Bingo Operator of the Year’ at the International Gaming Awards. The Rank Group, owners of Mecca Bingo, also scooped up the ‘Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Land Based’ award in those years.
At the 2016 EGR Innovation and Marketing Awards, we won ‘Best Native App’ and ‘Innovation in Bingo’ for our fabulous Emoji Bingo game. Then in 2017, we bagged the WhichBingo awards for ‘Best Customer Services’ and ‘Most Socially Responsible’, along with the prestigious EGR award for ‘Best Mobile Bingo Product’.
Looking back, it’s safe to say that we have been pioneers in entertainment. And we’re far from done with serving the British public new and innovative ways to have fun. So, if you haven’t signed up to Mecca Bingo yet, then join us today and take advantage of our wonderful welcome bonuses!
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