Just over a year ago, the award-winning iGaming affiliate Bojoko.com took a significant step into the bingo vertical, actively testing, reviewing, and ranking online bingo sites available to UK players.
The expansion aimed to set Bojoko up as a one-stop-shop, covering online bingo sites available to UK players, betting sites, and bingo platforms under one roof, further diversifying its offerings and appealing to a broader audience.
In this interview, we sit down with Bojoko CEO Joonas Karhu, a well-known expert in the iGaming industry. We have previously spoken to him about unexpected advertising opportunities for UK casinos. Below, he will discuss the strategic motivations behind this move and reflect on the company’s rapid growth in the new vertical. He also addressed the challenges they faced along the way and their plans for the future.
It’s great to have you back with us today. Over the years, Bojoko has made a name for itself in the online casino and betting space. What inspired this move into bingo?
A few factors drove the decision to move into bingo. First and foremost, we’ve noticed a significant crossover between casino players and bingo enthusiasts. It was a natural progression for us to provide an environment where these players can engage with different forms of gaming without leaving our platform. Bingo has a unique appeal; it’s social and offers a more interactive experience compared to traditional online casino games through its chat rooms.
We aim always to provide players with diverse, high-quality options, and bingo perfectly fits that strategy. It also allowed us to tap into a broader demographic, particularly among players looking for a less intense but still rewarding gaming experience.
How has the reception been among your users so far?
We’ve been delighted with the response! Our users have embraced bingo in ways that exceeded our expectations, and because of this change, we are picking up many new users—bingo players who may never have heard of Bojoko otherwise.
The key here is providing a platform that is not only user-friendly but also brings something new to the table in terms of promotions, game variety, and overall experience. We’ve invested heavily in ensuring our bingo offerings are engaging, 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 has a very different profile in general. Playing online casinos, with the exception of live dealer games, is a fairly solitary experience. So is sports betting, in and of itself, though punters may be placing the bets in a social setting. Bingo players, on the other hand, enjoy a shared experience, often with chat features and social interaction built into the gameplay.
Bingo has a very different appeal, particularly among players who may not be as familiar or comfortable with casino games. There are bingo halls across the UK, and enjoying bingo is very separate from enjoying slots or blackjack. There is an overlap in players, of course, but many bingo players are unlikely to venture into casino games and vice versa.
There’s another important point to be made here. By diversifying our user base and offerings, we’re also de-risking the business. If one vertical is less successful at any given time, another may flourish. This approach is important in such a competitive industry. It also means we can offer more personalised experiences to players by understanding what types of games resonate with different segments of our audience.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in expanding into bingo in such a saturated market like the UK?
One of the initial challenges was acquiring talent with deep expertise in bingo. We needed specialists who understand the unique preferences and behaviours of bingo players. Ensuring our platform covers all relevant bingo topics and reaches the right audience has been key.
The other big challenge is simply getting the word out to British bingo players. We are fortunate that many of our casino and betting users also enjoy bingo, but we are still not quite at the market dominance we have in those areas. Over the last year, we have seen great growth, and it is clear we are reaching more and more Brits, but a big part of our focus will be to continue to let more and more bingo players know about our brand.
What role does technology play in making this expansion successful?
Technology is at the core of everything we do. Our product has risen to the top of the casino and betting verticals due to our tools, which give players the power to find the brand that suits them best. We are confident we will win over an increasing number of bingo enthusiasts as they discover our user-friendly tools like quick filters and the ability to find bingo sites tailored to their specific needs.
Our platform is built to be scalable and adaptable, which means we can integrate new features like bingo without disrupting the existing ecosystem. This meant that we had a strong comparison tool for bingo sites from day one. We’re also continuously investing in backend and frontend improvements to ensure our users have the best experience possible.
What’s next for Bojoko in terms of expansion beyond bingo? Are there other areas you’re looking to explore?
Our immediate focus is on expanding our bingo vertical. We aim to build it until it reaches the same level of dominance in the casino and betting sectors. To achieve this, we’re actively expanding our team to ensure we have the expertise to scale.
At the same time, we’re re-investing in our existing casino and betting verticals to ensure they continue offering users everything they need. Ultimately, we aim to ensure all our verticals meet player expectations and remain market-leading.
While bingo remains a key priority for now, we’re always exploring other opportunities, but it would be too early to reveal anything about our further expansion strategy.
