Just over a year ago, award-winning iGaming subsidiary Bojoko.com made a significant move into the bingo industry, actively testing, reviewing and evaluating online bingo sites available to UK players.
The aim of the expansion was to establish Bojoko as a one-stop shop for coverage Online bingo sites available to UK playersBetting websites and bingo platforms under one roof, further diversifying the offering and appealing to a wider audience.
In this interview we sit down with Bojoko CEO Joonas Karhu, a well-known expert in the iGaming industry. We previously spoke to him about unexpected advertising opportunities for UK casinos. Below, he will discuss the strategic rationale behind this move and reflect on the company’s rapid growth in the new industry. He also discussed the challenges they faced along the way and their plans for the future.
Nice to have you with us again today. Over the years, Bojoko has made a name for itself in the online casino and betting space. What inspired this move to bingo?
A few factors were crucial in the decision to switch to bingo. First and foremost, we found a clear overlap between casino players and bingo enthusiasts. It was a natural progression for us to create an environment where these players can explore different forms of gaming without leaving our platform. Bingo has a unique appeal; It is social and offers a more interactive experience through its chat rooms compared to traditional online casino games.
Our goal is always to provide players with diverse, high-quality options, and bingo fits this strategy perfectly. This also allowed us to appeal to a broader audience, particularly gamers looking for a less intense but still rewarding gaming experience.
How has the response been from your users so far?
We were very pleased with the response! Our users have embraced bingo in a way that has exceeded our expectations, and because of this change we are attracting many new users – bingo players who might otherwise never have heard of Bojoko.
The key here is to provide a platform that is not only user-friendly but also offers something new in terms of promotions, game variety and overall experience. We’ve invested a lot to ensure our bingo offerings are appealing and it’s paying off.
You mentioned that bingo attracts a different demographic. Can you elaborate on how it fits into Bojoko’s overall strategy?
Bingo in general has a completely different profile. With the exception of live dealer games, playing at online casinos is a rather solitary experience. This also applies to sports betting itself, even though bettors may place the bets in a social setting. Bingo players, on the other hand, enjoy a shared experience, often with built-in chat features and social interaction.
Bingo has a completely different appeal, especially for players who may not be as familiar or comfortable with casino games. There are bingo halls all over the UK and the fun of bingo is very different to the fun of slots or blackjack. Of course, there is overlap in players, but many bingo players are unlikely to venture into casino games and vice versa.
There is another important point here. By diversifying our user base and offerings, we also reduce business risk. If one industry is less successful at a given time, another may flourish. This approach is important in such a competitive industry. It also means we can offer players more personalized experiences by understanding what types of games resonate with different segments of our audience.
What challenges did you face expanding into bingo in a market as saturated as the UK?
One of the first challenges was to attract talent with in-depth bingo know-how. We needed specialists who understood the unique preferences and behaviors of bingo players. It was crucial to ensure our platform covered all relevant bingo topics and reached the right audience.
The other big challenge is simply getting the word out to UK bingo players. We are fortunate that many of our casino and betting users also enjoy playing bingo, but we have not quite achieved the market dominance in these areas that we have. We’ve seen a lot of growth over the last year and it’s clear that we’re reaching more and more Brits, but a big part of our focus will be on continuing to educate more and more bingo players about our brand.
What role does technology play in the success of this expansion?
Technology is at the heart of everything we do. Our product has risen to the top of the casino and betting industry thanks to our tools that empower players to find the brand that suits them best. We are confident that we will win over more and more bingo enthusiasts as they discover our easy-to-use tools such as quick filters and the ability to find bingo sites tailored to their specific needs.
Our platform is scalable and adaptable, meaning we can integrate new features like bingo without disrupting the existing ecosystem. This meant we had a strong bingo site comparison tool from day one. We also continually invest in backend and frontend improvements to ensure our users have the best possible experience.
What’s next for Bojoko in terms of expanding beyond bingo? Are there other areas you would like to explore?
Our immediate focus is on expanding our bingo industry. Our goal is to grow it until it reaches the same level of dominance in the casino and betting sectors. To achieve this, we are actively expanding our team to ensure we have the expertise needed to scale.
At the same time, we are reinvesting in our existing casino and betting verticals to ensure they continue to offer users everything they need. Ultimately, we want to ensure that all of our verticals meet player expectations and remain market leaders.
While bingo remains our top priority for now, we are continually exploring other opportunities, but it would be too early to reveal anything about our further expansion strategy.
