It seems that progress and innovation in online bingo is speeding up all the time. Not only do we now have Bingo on our mobile phones, there's something new this year that is increasing in popularity, known as "live" online Bingo. Hang on... I thought live Bingo was always land based Bingo at a real venue with real people! Well, yes. And then there are online Bingo sites that have the word live in the name… but may not be actually playing live Bingo. Confused? Let me try to explain.

Live online Bingo is Bingo where there is actually a real, live, non-virtual, human being is pulling and calling random numbers. He or she will be in a studio with microphone and camera and a live feed. As with TV broadcasts, you see them, hear them, and can chat with them as you would when a friend of yours uses their camera on top of their PC or lap-top to communicate with you. The delay is barely perceptible; this isn't some pre-recorded footage! It's actually happening!

So your online experience is enhanced because you have a real person there that you can ask questions of, chat, and who is actually calling and managing the game for real and in real time.

While chat room moderators and managers have been around for some time, their interactions with players has only been by way of text and therefore being able to see the game hosts, opens up a new dimension. It allows for hosts to get across their real personality, their clothes, their mannerisms, even their singing and dancing if you want! It will make the online experience more vibrant and reduce that feeling of isolation that players can get when it goes quiet in the chat room, in-between games. The projection of hosts, callers, managers or presenters onto your computer screen gives the game a feel getting closer to live land based Bingo at a Bingo Hall where you are physically present. Live vision and sound will enhance the online Bingo experience, as the interaction between players and the Live Bingo presenters will allow quicker and richer exchanges. Imagine callers in fancy dress or bringing props along to amuse you!

I guess there will be a minority of people who prefer a quiet game of online Bingo and don't embrace the chatting and interaction. They are purists! Well that's fine, each to his or her own. The numbers will still be shown if you turn off the sound or close the window showing the live presenter, so you'll still have a s much chance of winning as everyone else.

More and more sites are offering a live presenter for their games, so it seems that the phenomenon is satisfying a need of online players to get more "real" and emulate land based Bingo, but without the need to leave their home.

Wow! Thanks are moving fast- what will be next? Holograms of all the players and the caller there in your room? One thing is for sure, technology and innovation in relation to our favourite game is not going to stand still!

Good Luck!