7 Things Swedish Bingo Can Learn from Bingo Rimér

The Swedish photographer’s impressive career hides valuable lessons which could inspire gambling business owners.

In Sweden, almost all forms of gambling are controlled by the state, through the Svenska Spel monopoly, but bingo is one of the few exceptions. The game is very popular among locals and there are around 100 bingo halls across the country, as Swedish gambling laws allow clubs and associations to host bingo nights for charity, as well as for profit.

Players also have access to several online bingo games in Sweden and the industry is worth about $2 billion. The game has several variations, but the 75 Ball game is an all-time favorite, as it offers 3 ways to win and players are rewarded for bingo on one line, two lines and full house.

Now that we’ve covered a few facts about bingo in Sweden, here’s one interesting tidbit: Bingo is also the name of a local celebrity. Bingo Rimér is an eccentric photographer who worked for Playboy and Moore Magazine. He became so popular that he even got his own TV show called “Being Bingo”. “The Local” named him “Sweden’s self-styled answer to Hugh Hefner”. With such a successful career, Bingo Rimér can serve as an inspiration for the country’s bingo industry. Here’s what it can learn from the superstar:

1. Reinvention – Taking pictures of beautiful women for a sexy men’s magazine will put you on the rick track to fame. But what seems to have helped Bingo succeed is his ability to reinvent himself. The guy started out as a photographer, then he became a TV celebrity, he co-founded a casting agency, a publishing company, a lingerie website, as well as an e-gaming site.

2. Building trust (and keeping it) – Speaking of this e-gaming website – Mooregames – it should probably be taken as an example of how NOT to run an online operation. The Curacao-licensed operation was eventually shut down in May 2013, with players’ money. This is certainly not the way a trustworthy service treats customers.

3. Flexibility – In order to survive, a business must be flexible, learn what the public needs and give it to them. At the beginning of his career, Bingo was the man behind the camera, taking shots of women and helping them become stars. In a few years, he ended up being the celebrity and all cameras were suddenly pointed at him.

4. Building image – So the ex-photographer got his own TV series called “Being Bingo”. But what would make people actually watch it? Linking his name to Playboy and Hugh Hefner sure helped.and so did marrying former Big Brother celebrity Angelica Rimér. And he sure hit the jackpot this time, as the current Mrs. Bingo is a gorgeous glamour model who has her own show called “Extreme Bikini”. They eventually got divorced, but he is still always surrounded by beautiful women.

5. Marketing – Once you’ve built yourself an image, becoming successful is closely linked to the art of marketing and this is where the newspapers come in. The local media sold him to the public as “Sweden’s self-styled answer to Hugh Hefner” and even helped promote his online business – a sexy lingerie shop.

6. Make sure you’re found everywhere – At the peak of his career, Bingo’s name was everywhere: in magazines, on TV, in exhibition halls, in the newspapers and online. In order to reach out to as many people as possible, being available online is a must for gambling companies. Bingo can also increase its success through televised shows and this is exactly what the BingoLotto brand is doing.

Born on June 23 1975, Björn Oluf Rimér has worked for famous companies, such as:

• Levi’s

• Universal Music

• Warner

• EMI

• Playboy

• Leo Burnett

• MTV

7. Be good at what you’re doing – No matter how good you are at selling yourself, you won’t get far unless you’re actually good at what you’re doing. Fame is fleeting, but talent is not. Combine this with hard work, and you’ll have the best recipe for success.

Swedish players have several options for playing bingo and the industry is quite successful. However, it has more growing potential. With the right legislative strategy, good marketing and modern services, Sweden could have one of Europe’s most successful bingo industries.