A lot of well known celebrities are avid gamblers, some of whom have won lots of money and have even invested in some famous casinos. Here is a guide to the top five celebrity gamblers and how much they have won.

1: George Clooney

You may remember his role in Ocean’s 11, playing a criminal that steals millions from a casino; however, Clooney’s interest in gambling and casinos goes beyond the silver screen. In real life he has taken an active role in the gambling business, investing an undisclosed sum in a $3 billion Las Vegas resort.

Clooney admitted that he could end up losing his shirt on this investment but he went onto say, “these guys are good at what they do”.

Clooney was famously spotted gambling with the cast and crew of Ocean’s11, playing blackjack. However, Clooney was losing a lot and despite what you might think, apparently he is notorious for having bad luck.

2: Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt also invested some money in a Las Vegas Casino and while filming Ocean’s 12; the cast and crew enjoyed some late night poker sessions. According to reports some were as good as professionals, with Brad Pitt supposedly particularly savvy.

3: Ben Affleck

When it comes to big winners, Ben Affleck has got to take the crown; he is said to be the best gambler in Hollywood. A trained poker player, those who have played against him say Ben has great instincts.

He famously won $356,000 (?220,000) at the California State Poker Championships; he also recently won a charity poker tournament. What more could you want, movie star good looks, great acting skills, a celebrity wife and exceptional poker skills?

4: Matt Damon

Another great gambler from the Ocean’s 11 crew is Matt Damon who famously loves to play poker. He believes that a good poker player has to be skilled as well as lucky saying that a line in one of his movies is close to his actual view about the game:

“Why do you think the same six guys end up at the final table at a World Series of poker every year? Are they the luckiest guys in Las Vegas? No, it’s because they’ve got skills.”

5: Tobey Maguire

Better known for his starring role in Spiderman, Tobey also loves to play poker. He won $186,000 (?114,000) at a tournament recently and $2,000 (?1,200) later in another competition. Apparently he usually has the best poker parties at his house, with high stakes. Oh to be a fly on that wall!

6: Pamela Anderson

Last but by no means least, Pamela Anderson. Another fan of poker, Pamela is rumoured to have married Rick Salomon to pay off huge gambling debts. Sources say she had debts of up to $250,000 (?153,000) cleared.

So, there you have it. Gambling fans can rest assured they are in good company with the top five biggest celebrity gamblers including some of the coolest Hollywood A-listers.

You can play online bingo and try to make some serious money, with a lot of people scooping major jackpots in recent weeks. For those who are more interested in poker or roulette, online games can be a good place to hone your skills.

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We all know that land-based bingo halls are finding it hard to keep enticing punters through their doors, especially with the smoking ban and the vast amount of online bingo clubs, traditional halls are struggling to maintain the same lure they used to have. But, the ones which are refusing to close and fighting to stay open are resorting to quite drastic measures to drag in the customers and this means some very expensive renovations.

So, the news that the Rank Group are planning a £3 million refurbishment is not a massive surprise. The Entertainment group is also going to invest £2.7 million to land based bingo halls within the North-West this year, giving the Mecca bingo clubs, in Sale and Southport a brand spanking new look. And it is not just the bingo halls which are going to be getting the star treatment either, Rank Group is also going to be freshening up numerous casinos within that same area, reinvesting in an attempt to try and capture a larger share of the market.

This huge spending spree is going to create new jobs, which can only be a good thing with the current state of the job market, and it also means that more traditional land-based bingo halls are going to remain open. As much as online bingo has its advantages such as convenience, it is still not the same as a girls night out with your friends playing the number spotting game and having a gossip!

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Research carried out by Ernst & Young has found what a lot of people have thought for a while, that the online version of the number spotting game, and the more recent development of mobile bingo, has taken over the land-based traditional form of the popular past time.

The research states that in the last 5 years the number of bingo halls that are actually operating in the UK has dropped drastically from 678 to just 526, meaning that 25 of these have shut down for business within the last year alone.

It was approximately five years ago that online bingo took off in the UK and leading bingo giants Mecca Bingo and Gala Bingo got in on the action straight away, since then there are smaller sites popping up here, there and everywhere. With the smoking ban bingo clubs saw players leaving by the dozens preferring to stay at home to play where they can smoke as much as they like.

Most bingo halls in the UK are drawing in less than 1,000 players per week, with a lot of them on the brink of closing down as more and more people are seduced by the idea of playing the game online in the comfort of their own home. So what does the future hold for bingo halls?

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A bingo enthusiast suffered a heart attack while at this local bingo club enjoying himself playing the number spotting game but has now recovered and has returned for another contest – they do always say you have to get straight back on the horse!

The gentleman in question, Mr Lydon Wright of Goytre collapsed while he was playing the numbers game at his regularly frequented Castle Leisrue Club in Newport, as reported by the South Wales Argus.

Luckily for 57 year old Mr Wright, this is one of the very few clubs that is fully equipped with a defibrillator and the fully trained staff at the bingo hall were quick to react helping to bring Mr Wright round almost immediately.

John Featherstone and Marcus McLean were the actual employees who took action and it is probably their roles in the event which helped to save the father of six’s life, and fellow bingo player but fully qualifies nurse Kate Howells also helped out by performing CPR.

Despite Mr Wright’s poor health, as soon as he came round it was bingo he was thinking of. Mr Featherstone told the newspaper that the first thing he said was ‘Did I win?’, despite everyone esles concern it seems Mr Wright was not as fussed!

Once back on his feet, the retired butcher headed straight back to the bingo club and has been every Friday night to try his chances at winning the jackpot.

It seems that playing bingo could also help Mr Wright see in many more birthdays as 100 year old fan Fred Parry recently said that playing the game helped his brain to keep active.

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Zac Goldsmith asked the council to put in place far stricter conditions on the applications to make the Kingston Arena inside the former Gala Bingo Hall on Richmond Road, Kingston. January 26th saw a coffee morning being held at the Grey Horse Pub at 9.30am to talk about the residents’ worries and concerns.

Mr Goldsmith said: “Residents are rightly concerned by this application. A 24-hour licence will make it possible for the owners to do more or less what they want, adding “I hope the council will be able to apply strict planning conditions so whatever happens on the site, it is within the bounds of what is acceptable to people living nearby.”

The secretary of the Richmond Road Residents’ Association has put together an online petition for anybody living close to the venue or in the nearby area to object. It declares that Kingston town centre does’t have the capacity to cater for another large venue and lists another 15 reasons for the grounds of objection!

A council spokesman said before it could open the venue would need a licence and planning permission, which has not yet been applied for.

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With the rise of online bingo it appears that getting all dressed up for a night about the town could soon be a thing of the past as a lot of women are now choosing to stay inside the comfort and warmth of their own home and play a fun game of online bingo.

Now, logging onto the net and playing a great game of online bingo is now one of the most popular things to do on the internet and one of the main causes of this is the fact that you can now chat with your friends as you are playing!
Chatting with your mates in the numerous chat rooms has become as much as part of playing the number spotting game online as much as it was when people used to go to their local bingo halls.

Yet another reason to stay indoors and play bingo games is all the amazing contests, competitions and jackpot prizes that are on offer every single day like winning cars, holidays and brand spanking new TV’s.

Bingo fans who are still unsure as to whether or not they are ready to put down their bingo dapper and get themselves on the net should get online and see all the fantastic bingo sites which are now available at the touch of a button!

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As a result of all their efforts in fundraising, including playing bingo games with their customers in order to raise money, the Ashvale Fish Restaurant in Aberdeen has been given an award for all their hard work. The Fish Restaurant collected their accolade of Contribution to the Local Community at the National Fish & Chips Awards ceremony.

The Ashvale Fish Restaurant opened their doors in 1985 and they are reported to be among the largest fundraising establishments in the local area and they often put on games of bingo to raise money for charity – no one can resist a good game of bingo!

The commercial manager of Nortech Foods, Gary Lewis, the sponsor of the Award said “The level of fundraising and ingenuity behind the Ashvale Fish Restaurant’s projects and also the way they raised awareness of their community was obviously a success.”

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As a result of this many people will find playing online bingo from the comfort of their own home far cheaper than actually taking a trip out to their local bingo hall.

From January 4th VAT rose to20% and as a result of this the price of an evening at the bingo has also increased. This has led many online bingo sites to question how long it will take for everyone to convert to playing the online game?

It has come to light that the average cost of playing bingo at a local venue has now risen to more than £30 a go! When comparing this to a night on your sofa playing bingo online – this is very expensive, especially if you like a play a few times a week!

One avid bingo fan, Ms Jakes, stated that “We have all started to play at Virgin Bingo as it is much cheaper, with free bingo every morning”.

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Bingo has generally been a popular game within the UK, however traditionally it has always been played in Bingo halls with gaggles of female friends of all ages meeting up for their weekly bingo win. So when it transferred online there it no surprise that people have gone crazy for it!

Online bingo has now bought the thrill and excitement of the game into your own home and has also made it more accessible to every kind of demographic, which has been one of the main reasons for the rise in online gaming within the United Kingdom. Registering with one of the many online bingo sites such as Giggle Bingo or Red Bus Bingo allows you to play from the comfort and convenience of your own home, you never had to trot down to the local bingo hall to get your bingo fix!

There are several advantages of playing free bingo games in comparison to the traditional bingo hall experience.

- You are able to play anywhere and anytime you like
- You can interact with numerous other bingo fans using the different chat functions featured on the sites
- You will find some amazing promotions and prizes available due to the fierce competition of online bingo

While online bingo provides fun and exciting entertainment the financial side of playing can sometimes become a problem which is why you can now find free online bingo games available for you to take advantage of, and many of these even offer cash prizes!

Online bingo has really revitalised the bingo world and they typical bingo player is now young women in their mid-twenties rather than the typical old ladies who were always associated with the game. Most people see it as a great way to make some free money, especially in this hard economic climate.

So, why not see if you’re a bingo natural and find a great site for you to pass away the hours having fun and making money?

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Hospital volunteers have been playing bingo with a group of elderly stroke victims for a couple of months and it has produced some interesting and positive results.

The report states that the motivation of the patients dramatically enhances when many bingo games are played on a regular if not daily basis. As well as an overall satisfaction within the ward increasing, episodes of depression had also decreased and the predicted length of hospital stay for the individual patients has reduced by roughly 25%.

The Head of the British Medical Association’s Science and Ethics Department, Dr Vivian Nathanson has claimed that she agrees with the findings the report has found and that other hospitals should be adding bingo to the list of activities available to patients on the appropriate wards.

When giving an interview on BBC’s Today Program, Dr Nathanson stated that the fact that continued high moral in patients is associated with a quick recovery. Additionally she said that adding activities which aim to stimulate the mind and senses of patients, like Bingo, can be a significant factor in getting patients back into their own homes much sooner than expected.

By reducing the amount of time people have to spend in hospital also has the additional positive and that is that it can potentially slice off the NHS care bill! Discharging patients earlier will save the individual hospitals money which can only be a good thing, especially in today’s economy.

So not only is bingo great to play at home and with friends but it also in hospitals! So will it catch on? The reports results so far are extremely positive and it appears that other hospitals in the same area are looking for volunteers to help begin bingo sessions in their wards too! The sooner patients can get home the sooner they can start living their lives again. Patients are also being encouraged to carry on playing the game when they return home to continue to aid recovery further.

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The cinema building is 100 years old and located in Lonsdale. Known locally as Alhambra, in the Cumbrian town of Penrith is be threatened with closure in just a few weeks as Graves, the business who owns it wish to sell the bingo hall attached to it as it’s making a loss.

Grant, along with the comedian Eddie Izzard, has signed an online petition. The petition currently has 3,000 signatories urging Graves to reconsider. But, currently the cinema is being scheduled to close on March 3rd.

The closest cinema to Penrith is located in Carlisle which is roughly 20 miles away, and every Sunday the Alhambra, which only has two screens accommodating 238 people, screens alternative films.

Richard E Grant has released a statement today claiming, “I hope the petition has a positive response, especially as this historic century-old cinema has been such a success, condemned to close due the failure of the bingo hall in the same building.”

Leader of the campaign, Dawn Stobbart, had said that this local cinema has been profitable and even doubled how many people have been attending film screenings in the last five years from 30,000 to 60,000. Although she did say the owners are extremely reasonable, however she did appeal to them to find a different solution.

Alan Towers, the Lonsdale boss, has claimed that he wanted to keep the cinema going but the landlords have had other ideas for this old building. He has described the whole period as ‘extremely sad’.

The cinema’s manager, Darren Horne, said: “People are far more angry than I thought they would be.

“We get stopped in the street by people asking what’s on at the cinema. It is those connections that have made the impact so harshly felt.”

Although the decision has been made with ‘sincere regret’ claims Graves, the bingo hall has been making losses for the past three years. With the increased popularity of online bingo and the smoking ban, the bingo hall has really been hit hard.

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Well, I bet bingo never crossed your mind when thinking about the increased shopping bills and rises in petrol prices, but yes the world of bingo is being forced to change too!

As the standard rate of VAT is changing from 17.5 per cent up to 20% as of yesterday, everything is going to be more expensive. Even having fun is going to cost you more. With the growing popularity of online bingo, traditional bingo halls are going to find it even harder to get people through their double doors.

Bingo has always been seen as a fairly cheap game for people to have a drink and socialise with friends but the increase in price will be sure to curtail how many trips people are making on a weekly basis.

Jackie Jakes is an avid bingo player but she told the news provider it is getting too expensive for her to continue to play as often as she wants.

“I use to play live bingo at least twice a week and sometimes more. I have had to cut down to one night per week for the last six months,” she noted.

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Oh yes! You heard right, although online bingo is already fairly interactive with the use of forums and discussion boards, it is going to become even more so throughout the New Year. As online bingo has been one of the main reasons for the closure of many traditional halls, sites are trying to stress the social element of the game to prove that people will not be missing out by staying at home to enjoy the game.

As 2011 goes on sites are going to try an incorporate cutting-edge technology like social media tools, live video feeds and some are even trying to bring in 3D elements. Everyone is hoping that by making the online game much more interactive it will attract those who currently turn their nose up at it.

The already competitive industry is seeing new sites emerge everyday and so operators are trying the gain an advantage as and when they can.

So, make sure you keep an eye out on very popular sites such as Virgin Bingo and William Hill Bingo to see what new changes they will make to get ahead of the crowds!

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Jane Spickett was unfortunately diagnosed with Melanoma cancer seven years ago but was not letting it get the better of her and had not long been give the 5 year all-clear from her doctors. However, at the end of 2008 she was sadly given the awful news that the cancer has returned.

Helen said: “Throughout even the darkest of days, Jane always remained positive, but she passed away in October 2009, aged 41.”

Not long after the anniversary of Jane’s death, Helen organised a Bingo fundraising night at the Masonic Hall in Barry to celebrate everything Jane enjoyed – joining the bingo was karaoke and disco!

Each table honoured Jane with her picture and a vase of sunflowers – her favourite!

“There was no difficulty in quickly selling all the tickets to the event – with many people unfortunately left disappointed,” said Helen.

“During the evening a raffle was drawn and an auction was held for prizes donated by local businesses and friends – too many to mention but a special thanks to all.”

The evening raised £1,500, which will be donated to the Marie Curie Hospice Penarth (Holme Tower), and to Velindre Hospital where Dr S Kumar, the consultant who treated Jane, is hoping to start a fund for a specialist Melanoma nurse.

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The Charity workers, who give their time helping at the Vaughan Centre in Southgate Street, Gloucester, served up a turkey dinner with all the Christmas trimmings to the more vulnerable members of the local community.

Also, in Cheltenham, staff at the Open Door Project in St Luke’s Hall cheered up their Christmas diners with fun filled bingo games, board games and crackers! Who doesn’t enjoy a good game of bingo when you’re feeling a bit down?

People who attend these kinds of shelters said that this kind of effort by caring and giving individuals really helps with what can be a very lonely time of year.

One of the homeless individuals in Gloucester, Dishon Nandi, said that “It has been brilliant! The food has been absolutely fantastic and there is a good atmosphere with everyone here together.

“Christmas can be a really tough time for a lot of people who either don’t have a home, or live on their own.
“To be able to share it with other people makes it far more enjoyable.”

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The real name for the building, The Adelphi, located on Vicarage Road in Attercliffe is going to be sold through the London firm Paramount Investment in the hope of attracting a serious buyer. It’s on the marketing for £220,000, however the owner will consider ‘unconditional offers’.

Stuart Oliver, agent for the company, said: “The Adelphi is for sale with full vacant possession.”

The Grand Old Lady is a Grade II listed building and was originally opened in 1920 as a picture house but has now been disused since 2006. However, there is heaps of opportunity for a number of different redevelopments including a leisure or shopping facility!

It is a stunning building and has had many purposes in the past including both a venue for Asian weddings!

This building is a dream for any property developer and the right person could really make this structure into a vital and prosperous asset for Attercliffe. But it is in need of a good clean up and someone with quite a lot of vision.

The building, which is made of red-brick and terracotta, was designed by the architect WC Fenton as an auditorium and help approximately 1,350 people. There were tiered stalls and circle levels, in addition to a projection room at the back of the building. There was also a kitchen, dining area and office space!

The Adelphi was a cinema until 1976, when after it became a thriving bingo hall from 1990 right through until 1996 when it was redeveloped into a night club until 2006. And it has been closed ever since!

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The traditional game used to held in Bingo Halls across the UK with groups of friends all meeting up for the same game every single week. But now, this could not be any more further from the truth.

The bingo playing community has moved online with internet bingo sites popping up left right and centre and many of the flourishing due to the high demand! But do you know how many hours you spend playing online bingo?

New online bingo sites are able to sprout up every week because of the rush of traffic the sites get from people trying to play. The traffic is often so intense that it causes the sites to be less efficient than they are capable of being.

This demand shows that people are spending more and more time playing online bingo sites than in the past. When in a typical bingo hall, all you could do is play but now people are able to multi-task as well as potentially earning thousands of pounds!

It is also far more sociable in the sense that people are less shy to talk to strangers in a chat room compared to starting up a conversation with them face to face and many people have built quite strong friendships with people they have met through the sites. And it is this socialising whilst enjoying themselves which keeps the bingo lovers on the sites for even longer.

But of course people cannot survive solely on playing online bingo and with anything which is extremely fun it needs to be moderated to stop it becoming addictive! Most people see playing online bingo as a treat rather than a ‘must’ and often play for an hour after work to help them unwind or on a Saturday when they have got rid of the kids for a few hours. After all what can be more relaxing than winning a jackpot and not have to worry about the next bill payments!

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When it comes to throwing an amazing New Years Eve party Posh Bingo is the place to be! And if you have plans to avoid the cold and staggering drunkards then get yourself down to the best chat party in town. Don your best PJ’s, favourite drink in hand and settle on down for some fantastic NYE Bingo!

And to make it even better NYE celebrations at this fantastic internet bingo site will continue from 30th December 2010 to 3rd January 2011, now who else is going to be celebrating that hard?

Why not make it a part with your friends, laptops are for fun in every locations! So get dresses up, put on the party food and you can all celebrate and play your favourite game at the same time, who says you need to be alone. Take some amazing pics and send them into Posh Bingo as well to show just how much fun you had!

The best dressed will be selected and be in with the chance to win 25,000 Joy Points – what a bingo bonus! And do not drink so much that you forget about the amazing Joy Pot which is going to be played on New Years Day giving some very lucky winner a great start to the year with £25,000.

The Black and White New Years Chat Party will be throwing around extra cash and fabulous prizes. There is a Guest List chat room also for you to try and get into from 8pm to 12 midnight and there is also special chat games and double Joy Points to be won!

But don’t be fooled! This is not the only Bingo NYE party going on. Make sure you check out other partying bingo sites such as Giggle Bingo and RedBus Bingo to see exactly what’s on offer!

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The TV and motion picture star confessed his love for the game to the Daily Telegraph and said it is one of the things he most looks forward to on Christmas day.

Grant is going to the chef Nigella Lawson’s house on Christmas day for an amazing festive feast and claimed he was a mega Christmas-acholic.

“As you can imagine there’s an enormous amount of food and after lunch we do karaoke and play bingo. People are always very competitive about who is going to be caller,” Grant observed.

It looks like we’ll not be the only ones dabbling in a little bingo fun when Christmas day rolls around!

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It was Gilbert Turner who ran the games and according to him the closure was a result of low attendance, which meant the games were actually losing the hall money. Turner said “I was going to try to go to the end of the month, but we’ve lost too much money in the last couple of weeks.”

The once popular weekly night was attended by approximately 50 people week on week but over the months this had dropped to less than 30. It was the bingo lovers fee who actually paid for a lot of the programs the community hall ran and so with the bingo stopping so does everything else.

Now, the hall makes enough money to get by through being rented out for parties, including birthdays and anniversaries, wedding receptions and church meetings.

It’s a shame that the bingo fans didn’t continue their love of traditional bingo, rather than online bingo, as this really was a weekly event for the community!

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So many people gave turned to internet bingo sites because of the convenience of playing in their own home as and when they want and the incredible prizes they offer. But as with everything there are consequences, and these consequences are that traditional bingo halls are being forced to close.

Now though, Swindon can get their bingo fix at home and come to the re-launched venue for some media entertainment.
This former Mecca Bingo venue has been cleverly renamed MECA. Although this is a play on words, it also stands for music, entertainment, cultural arena!

The new venue was opened with a night of white collar boxing which had 6 bouts. The night was organised by the former boxing champion Eddie Neilson. Approximately 350 people attended the opening night, including some people who used to play bingo there.

But, boxing is not the only type of event which will take place. Other nights on the agenda are dnace act Chase and Status and rapper Example will be taking to the stage on December 27th.

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The attack happened in the Keresley End area of Coventry on Sunday, 5th December. The frail lady was knocked to the ground and sustained injuries to her wrist and knees after getting off a local bus, her handbag was stolen which contained the £120 in winnings.

It is not known whether the attacker was actually in the bingo hall when the lady won, overheard a conversation whilst she was on the bus, or just a random, opportunist attack. Warwickshire police are actively seeking the perpetrator.

Let’s hope the police find the attacker and the victim is compensated for her suffering.
.

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Local website This is Kent reports that the city’s council and licensing body has given approval to nationwide chain JD Wetherspoon to open a public house within the old building.

I’m sure one or two of the old bingo patrons will be down to check out the new venue, and perhaps try a drink or two as well.

People may have turned to the vast world of online bingo to get their fix, the reported £1 million pound conversion could bring up to 40 jobs into the area, from bar staff, catering staff and duty managers

“There were some concerns raised but we intend to preserve the interior character of the building as its history is integral to the development,” JD Wetherspoon’s Nigel Connor told the news source.

In other news, Birmingham Mail reported of a bingo venue in Dudley that could be redeveloped to provided increased access to 2 of the town’s main attractions – the zoo and Castle Hill.

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This is one of the largest free roll bingo tournaments to ever take place in the online world. The games have been starting daily at approximately 6pm and continue into the very small hours of the morning, finishing at around 1am Eastern Standard Time.

All internet bingo players need to do is log into BingoHouse.com and click through to the ‘$50K Bingo Free Roll’ room and then play until their heart is content on the free bingo games.

A value game of $10,000 with a minimum cash prize of $100 shall occur three times every single hour, so roughly once every 20 minutes. As well as this every Friday at 11pm will see the Bingo Tourney Room offer a $1,000 game with completely free cards!

Unfortunately this offer is only open to American players however with so many amazing online bingo sites available in the UK you would be daft to not shop around for the best offers. The Christmas season has gone to everyone’s head and with the likes of RedBus Bingo and Virgin Bingo offering some incredible prizes you would be silly to not join in!

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However the 73 year old actress isn’t set to retire yet. She is open to suggestions for future projects and is also the new face of Jackpotjoy Bingo. She has already appeared in a new advert which was screened last week in the commercial break of another popular soap, Coronation Street. The advert saw her appear in a gown decorated with bingo balls looking very regal, as would suit the title ‘The Queen of Bingo.’

We’re sure this will not be the first appearance she makes, and that this marks the beginning of a new campaign by Jackpot Joy Bingo, aimed at luring away players from other online bingo sites

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The pair had previously worked together on The One Show, the popular BBC programme, and were expected to bring their magical partnership across with them. At it’s peak Daybreak had 1.5 million viewers, with an average of 1 million, whilst The One Show, with its new hosts of Sian Williams and Bill Turnbull, managed to get a peak of 1.9 million viewers and an average of 1.4 million on Monday.

One senior BBC executive commented; “Daybreak did OK but they had Tony Blair on and lots of advertising. On Monday Adrian and Christine’s old programme, The One Show, got 4.3 million so they clearly haven’t taken all of their audience with them. And BBC Breakfast is still the most popular show at that time of the morning.”

One other change is that GMTV Bingo is no more and, just the same as the TV Bingo programme, has been replaced by Daybreak Bingo. This launched just before the TV programme so had a bit of a head start. As you play bingo you can keep up to date with whats going on in the world as there is a link to the new breakfast news, lifestyle and entertainment show. Lorraine Kelly made the move between the two morning shows and also features on Daybreak Bingo, which has Lorraine Bingo. There are some great promotions on the new bingo site which offers a great mix of both 90 ball and 75 ball bingo games in addition to some great side games, including the ever popular Deal or No Deal, which recently made Matthew G a very happy man when he won a staggering £1,963,089 playing it.

We like the look of both the morning show, great to watch with a cup of tea and biscuit, and Daybreak Bingo, and quite happily recommend you try both.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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66 year old Ray O’Brien, a former Halfords worker living in Ely, Cardiff has now managed to raise an incredible £100,000 for various charities scattered around Great Britain, all by holding charity bingo sessions. He started back in 1985, when he decided to raise some money for the church fund at St Timothy’s in Ely. This was next followed by a fund-raising session for his local Scout troop. Mr O’Brien said; “I became involved after my brother had started running the bingo night. We were both involved in the Scout movement and we needed to raise funds to bring over a troop from Ireland.”

Originally the bingo sessions were held in the Ely Community Hall when there were usually 300 people turning up. The sessions have since become a normal part of life for Ray and his wife Margaret, who take no profit at all from the games. These sessions have proved to be so popular that various generations of the same family have attended and played.

The couple choose different charities to help out, and although they don’t offer cash prizes they do offer a range of prizes which attract players. Recently St David’s Hospital in Canton have been at the receiving end of Ray’s generosity. Ray said; “We raised £300 on the first night, and not long after Margaret and I received an invite to their Christmas party, I was so touched. The staff there often get presents for the children out of their own wages, but the money we raised helped this year. And the kids’ faces just lit up when they were given the presents.”

Justine Carter is a child development adviser at the hospital who praises Ray, she said; “He really is one of those people who has put all his energy into helping others without earning a wage himself. He has the biggest heart and he is constantly on the go to help raise money for local charities. I work in the NHS with children with special needs and Ray has kindly given us some money to buy sensory boxes for all the children I see who are partially sighted or with cerebral palsy. He even goes on holiday Monday to Thursday and comes back on a Friday so he can run the bingo for the regular attendees.”

Often relatives who have lost family members ask Ray to organise a special bingo night in their memory, with past events donating money to charities such as the RNLI and Macmillan Nurses. Money is also sent to a charity for artists who paint using their mouth and feet, as well as the donkey sanctuary in Somerset.

There will hopefully be a special 25th anniversary novelty bingo session at St Timothy’s church hall, going back to where he first started from.

We congratulate Ray for his selfless work and wish him continued success with his fund-raising.

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PayPal – an incredibly swift and secure depositing method that is actually owned by Ebay. You are able to get your money in and out almost instantly with the comfort of knowing your funds are completely safe. Traditionally PayPal is not where you would first think of when trying to get money into a casino account. In fact PayPal previously said that they would not allow their service to be used to put money into online gambling accounts. However a few years ago they luckily did a swift U turn and started to allow people to deposit to online casino’s using their service. Paypal is very popular amongst bingo players as one of the best bingo deposit options online and is renowned for their great 24 hours a day customer service.

MoneyBookers – Another online e-processing site that the majority of large sites accept as a depositing method which has been around since 2002. Founded in London, the financial capital of the world, MoneyBookers offer its entire customer base a secure and swift experience when depositing to online gambling sites. You are charged a small fee to deposit and transfer funds but in the majority of cases the casino you are depositing at covers this cost. It takes just a few minutes to get started. You will be required to prove you identity if you start marking large deposits just to prevent fraud however this is completely standard with all the top depositing methods online.

Depositing online is incredibly simple and with the two depositing options listed above all you need to do to get started is create a free account which takes just minutes. You can then deposit into that online account with a debit or credit card and start depositing to your favorite sites. The main advantages of the services listed above is they will not charge you a card fee when depositing (which a lot of casino’s will) and they are a completely instant solution. When depositing and withdrawing using the more popular debit and credit card method you have to wait for withdrawals to be credited to your account however with PayPal and Moneybookers you do not. You can also easily keep track of how much money you have won or lost because these methods separate your gambling money from your main funds. Click here to explore the world options that you have for making deposits to gamble.

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Welcome Bonus

The welcome bonus is one of the deciding factors for players looking to find the best UK online casino for them. Different players will be looking to take advantage of different bonuses. For instance some bonuses are absolutely huge but take a while to clear while smaller bonuses are sometimes much quicker. Many online casinos also offer no deposit bonuses where players can have a taste of real money play without risking a penny.

There are so many bonuses out there it is hard to run through everything but when looking for the best welcome bonus for you make sure you check out the terms and conditions of it. Look for if can clear the bonus with the game you enjoy playing for instance some bonuses allow blackjack as a way to clear it and some do not. Games such as online roulette are typically not allowed to be used in clearing online casino bonuses.

Games offered

Take a look at the games each casino offers. The majority of casinos will offer different types of games for instance some will cater more towards slots or others might cater towards varieties of blackjack games. The good news is the majority of casinos will offer all the classic games so games such as online roulette, classic blackjack and some form of slots is quite standard however if you are looking for specialty games or specific variations on a classic game you should take a closer look at the casino selection before depositing.

Software

Software is one of the most important factors for finding the best UK online casino to play. Again each player is different and each piece of software will offer different advantages and disadvantages. For instance you may want a much more graphical interface however this may cause a slower game speed. Some software will allow you to play while you are away from the computer and other will not. To really get a feel for what is the best software for you try out a few different online casinos and see what works for you. You don’t have to play for real money to test out a casino’s software.

Depositing Methods

Finally take a look at what depositing methods a certain casino allows. Many players prefer a certain deposit method or some credit/debit cards may not be supported by certain online casino’s. The majority of casinos should have the deposit methods they accept clearly stated on their website. You will find that the best UK online casino’s typically have quite a wide array of choice when it comes to how you can deposit real money into your casino account.

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Jose Luis Merino, the general secretary of ASEJU, one of the trade associations representing the industry said; “If the online bingo sector in the Community of Madrid is not given the ability to introduce new areas of business to innovate and expand the range of entertainment offered, it will close.”

With the problems that Spain is experiencing at the moment, and the high unemployment levels, such a loss would be catastrophic. In Madrid there are approximately 60 large bingo clubs employing 2500 people, with another 2500 people employed in various support industries. The city collected approximately €300m in taxes from bingo in 2009. Operators have stated that they want new licences to be issued which will allow them to introduce electronic bingo, replace traditional machines with card displays and improve the prizes currently on offer.

The Spanish have lobbied authorities to adopt a model similar to that used in Italy. Here prizes have improved to being at least 70% of the income and taxes from winnings have been cut by 50%. In Madrid the community now takes 61.11% of the income from machines. Spain is fighting to bring in these changes now to avoid getting into worse financial problems. Due to worldwide concerns over their financial position, and their ability to dig themselves out of it, Spain, like Ireland, Greece and Portugal, pays more for its debts than other countries seen to be better equipped, such as Germany. Any moves which will bring more money into the economy are sure to be closely followed.

Let’s hope for all our fellow bingo players in Spain that their problems are resolved and they will still be able to enjoy their favourite game.

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The loss of $29,977 is far better than the $266,702 loss that Bingo.com posted in the second quarter of 2009, and is a huge improvement on the $344,806 loss that they had in the first 3 months of this year. The massive fall in revenue, from $1.5 million last year to just less than $370,000 in the past 3 months, has been largely blamed on the loss of gaming activity caused when the company changed their software provider. They are now on the Unibet platform after negotiating a deal whereby Unibet acquired a 26% stake in Bingo.com for $2.25 million.

The CEO of Bingo.com, Tarrnie Williams, said; ” The second quarter of 2010 was an eventful quarter for Bingo We secured an equity investment of $2,250,000 from Unibet thereby significantly strengthening the balance sheet and ensuring sufficient capital to meet our revised business plan for the next few years. In addition, Bingo.com sold two subsidiaries, no longer required for the revised business plan, for $250,000, recording a profit of $177,832 on their sale. We are pleased that our loss is considerably reduced but we will continue to suffer losses for the next few quarters until our revised business plan is fully operational.”

Thanks to the deal with Unibet Bingo.com is now able to offer itself worldwide, and as it is not just restricted to the UK market future results are expected to improve.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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There will be a 5-aside match, starting at 1pm, as well as a fete in the Plymouth Stonehouse Recreation Ground where there will be book stalls, raffles and other family favourites. The bingo clubs are hoping that they will attract many people as well as their bingo regulars as it’s all in a good cause, or two in fact – Marie Curie Cancer Care and Sue Ryder Care.

Mecca Bingo is supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care this year, which is one of the UK’s biggest charities. They employ over 2,700 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals and care for approximately 29,000 terminally ill patients, both in their hospices and in people’s homes. After the NHS they are the largest provider of hospice beds in the UK. Mecca Bingo is hoping to fund 10,000 hours of home nursing care with various fund raising efforts this year.

Gala Bingo is fund raising for Sue Ryder Care, which provides long term and end of life care for people living with various conditions, such as strokes, multiple sclerosis, cancer and Huntington’s disease. The group has pledged to raise £1.5million for the charity by the end of 2010.

David Gregory-Clements, the organiser and the Manager of Gala Bingo Derry Cross, said; “It’s really gaining some momentum now and we’re all looking forward to the day. This five-a-side tournament not only allows us to generate a bit of friendly rivalry between the local bingo clubs but also to do something really positive for both of our charities. We are all hoping the day will be well supported. May the best team win!”

Nigel Green, the General Manager for Mecca Devonport commented; “The team has been training hard and we are all really pleased to be taking on a rival local bingo club to raise money for both charities! It should certainly be a lot of fun on the day and we hope our customers and team members will come along to show their support and help us raise a lot of money.”

We think it’s great that so many bingo clubs are doing their bit to raise money for charities, and if any of you are in the Plymouth area on Monday 30th then please go down and support them.

This is Truely a battle of the online bingo giants!!

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This was invented by Mark Walsh from Leeds who first played it in his local pub. In it numbers on the card are replaced by song titles, and instead of numbers being called clips of music are played. It has been growing in popularity over the last year and is now played in nearly 350 bingo clubs across the country. It has been described as having a DJ, quiz master and a fun game all rolled into one. More importantly it is also said to keep the players in the club for longer and increase the spend per head, as well as creating a great atmosphere.

Rock and Roll Bingo got a further boost recently when Walsh was a contestant on the popular Radio 2 Ken Bruce Popmaster spot. Here he managed to get 24 points, no doubt helped by his role where he is surrounded by music, and got through to the ‘Three in Ten’ round. Here he had to name Westlife hits in 10 seconds, although the pressure was just a little too much and he only managed to get two. However he did manage to get more publicity for his game which certainly can only help.

As the concept grows with more and more bingo clubs trying it we’re waiting for the day when it makes an appearance in Internet bingo. We’re sure there must be some software developer who can help make the transition, and we’ll be certainly looking forward to it, music whilst you play!

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His stepfather Bob Frazer, a taxi driver from Heaton, Newcastle, won a staggering £14 million on the Lotto Extra draw in 2003. He very generously decided to share his winnings with his family, and amongst other gifts gave his stepchildren Christopher and Wendy £1 million each. Christopher received his money one day after being released from prison, where he had served a three and a half sentence for drug dealing.

Instead of using the windfall to build new life though he spent it all on buying large amounts of drugs and drug-inspired art, as well as the more unusual items of comics, hot chilli sauce, Chinese green tea and miniature bottles of spirits.

He is now in Newcastle Crown Court accused of drugs offences, he has admitted several charges but denies dealing in drugs. When asked why he bought thousands of the miniature spirit bottles he simply said; ‘I just liked the look of it. I stopped buying green tea and went on to them.’

A psychiatric report commissioned by the court said that Graham was not suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder but showed signs of obsession. Graham said due to his obsessive behaviour he bought large quantities of drugs to share with his friends, and did not need money as he had a significant amount of money left from his gift. Tim Moran, who is defending him, said; ‘He has hundreds of thousands of pounds left from the money he received. So the financial incentive does not get off the ground. This is a person who is an oddball, taking eccentricity to another level. Although he can operate on eBay and buy and sell, he is not a man with a great deal of sophistication.’

The judge, Christopher Prince, said winning the Lottery could change people’s lives for better or for worse. He stated; ‘Before you came into this money your horizons were involved in the drug taking and the rave culture. Your interests do not appear to have risen beyond that. You may not suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder but it is said you show typical features of obsessive conditions.’

Mr Frazer’s stepdaughter, Wendy, also had an unhappy experience with her money, and was previously called the ‘lotto loser’ as she spent all of her money on drugs and drink. Some time ago she said; ‘The money has been a curse. Someone said to me I’d never spend it all – well you should never dare a fool. I regret most of it – but the gigolos were good. After all, these guys are there to please you.’

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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There are many different places that a bettor or slots player can have fun and make money by playing slots or betting on sports. With an abundance of sites offering these games and services, it is important to understand which sites are reliable and worthy of your money and trust, just as it is imperative to know which sites one should avoid.

When playing online slots, there is no better place than to play at one of the casinos that offer RTG slots. The RTG Casinos are by far the most trusted brand of online casino slots that are open to people all around the world. Not only is RTG a trusted and well-known brand, they also have some of the best graphics and widest varieties of slots game you will find anywhere – be it the live casino or online! You can play different types of slots games, so whether you are on a quest to hammer a progressive jackpot, want to give the bonus slots a try, or even want to play a slots game that has an Egyptian theme to it, you can find the exact slot game you are looking for at any of the online casinos using the RTG software. RTG Casinos will let you play from home on the PC or Mac, and you can even hit the slots up from your mobile phone. No matter where you are, you can experience the innovative graphics and realistic graphics that makes RTG slots the best designed and most exciting casino slots games online.

While slots are enticing, many people love to bet on different sporting events on the Internet. This again can be done online, as there are plenty of sports books that cover all sporting events you can think of. Whether betting basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey, football, or golf – you can find a site that will give you the odds you want and take the bet that you need to place.

Unfortunately, not all betting sites can be accessed by US bettors. However, many different sites still service the US betting public. The sites that remain open to the USA are also accessible to bettors from around the world and as a rule of thumb, the better known the betting site, the more reliable they are.

Whether betting a soccer match in England, Rugby in Australia, a horse race in Kentucky, or planning to give the slots a spin, there are plenty of places to bet and gamble on the Internet. Playing casino games online is easy, convenient, and more and more people every day are making the choice to stay in and enjoy the online casino and sports betting world.

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Mrs Archer used to play frequently with her daughter Peggy, and regularly played several cards at the same time. Unfortunately nearly 19 years ago she had a stroke, and eventually lost her eyesight. Her son Bill was concerned she would be unable to continue to Play Bingo, but as her sight worsened she managed to memorise the numbers on a couple of cards, and with the help of family members continued to do this.

Recently he arrived at her Bluefield nursing home to find she had already started a game. On the next card he noticed she was covering up the wrong numbers. He didn’t say anything to begin with, and only did at the same moment she called bingo. He thought it was an embarrassing mistake until the call was deemed to be correct and his mother explained; “Oh, I forgot to turn it over. I was playing the card on the other side.”

We’ve heard before of clubs who have helped out their players by making the tickets larger, and deaf players can often enjoy the game as most modern clubs have hearing loops, so those with compatible hearing aids don’t have to miss out on the fun. We’re always pleased to hear of players overcoming problems to continue playing bingo, and hope to report many more like this.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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The Premier League is back folks and we know some of you bingo fans out there are into football and betting on football as well as bingo! The season starts with a game at White Hart Lane between Tottenham and Manchester City. There are six 3pm games and at 5:15pm Chelsea play new boys West Brom at home.

If you are looking for someone to bet on Premier League football this season then why not check out the best betting sites by following the previous link.

Premier League Week 1 Fixtures

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
Aston Villa v West Ham United
Blackburn Rovers v Everton
Bolton v Fulham
Sunderland v Birmingham City
Wigan Athletic v Blackpool Town
Wolverhampton v Stoke City
Chelsea v West Brom Albion

If you want to see odds on any of the above games then check out vcbet for the best Premier League odds this season.

Personally we can’t wait for the season to start. It’ll be really interesting to see if Man United can bounce back and challenge Chelsea for the title and if big spenders Manchester City can break into the top four. At the bottom it’s going to be a fight between new boys Newcastle, Blackpool and West Brom to see who can stay up for a second season.

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Bingo has now got a more trendier image, many clubs have invested a lot of money to give their clubs a fresher, more modern image. As well as the surroundings being updated clubs have also spent money on their food and drink, introducing more interesting menus and a wider range of drinks. There is also more technology being used now which also appeals to younger people.

Previously people played bingo on tickets which had to be marked off with a pen, or dabber. Over the years though the introduction of online bingo games and hand-held units at bingo clubs have become more attractive to younger bingo players.

Cherry Hosking is the company secretary of the Bingo Association. She says that the bingo game attracts a broader demographic these days, and is ‘not an old persons game.’ She says that Internet bingo bonus also has a social element, which is very important to bingo players, thanks to the use of chat rooms. She commented; “It offers a social game as everyone is on the internet now. Although it is lucrative, it is still on the lower scale of the gambling spectrum, [so] it is socially acceptable.”

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Microgaming broke into the online gambling scene back in 1994 and came to market with the first actual Internet casino. Since their introduction, Microgaming Software Systems Ltd, the company behind the Microgaming online casino system, has brought to market numerous exciting casino games. When you play at one of the trusted Microgaming casinos, you can play games such as online slots, table games like Microgaming blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat, and even video poker games. When you play at one of these casinos, you can use a full version of the Microgaming Casino software via the full download casino. Alternatively, you can opt to play using the download free flash Microgaming Casino platform. The flash version allows people using Macs, operating systems other than windows, and even people on the go or at work to play the fun casino games that Microgaming provides.

Microgaming features numerous progressive jackpots that are tied to their numerous casino games. In fact, the largest ever online progressive jackpot came via a Microgaming Casino, paying out an absolutely stunning €6,374,434 courtesy of the Mega Moolah slot game. This life-changing jackpot was paid out in full and reiterates why one is right to trust Microgaming casinos when gambling online. In fact, all payments from any of the various Microgaming Casinos are processed in conjunction with publicly listed and respected company Datacash Group plc and players can track their wins and losses, as well as deposits and cashouts through their PlayCheck and CashCheck statements that are available through their Microgaming Cashier‘s area.

Microgaming is the innovators of Internet gambling and they have paid out more than $280,000,000 in progressive jackpots alone. Millions of people trust the various Microgaming Casinos with their online gambling bankroll. With a tremendous selection of casino games, slots, games, and progressives – Microgaming is the elite casino software platform to gamble online with.

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Along with his wife, Susan, he has just scooped a fantastic win of £7,706,631 on the lottery. The couple run a lightning protection business and are the first to admit that it has been a struggle over the last few years. They have 30 employees and have battled to keep things going throughout the recession, working every day of the week and going without a proper holiday for 4 years. However, because of their employees, they have vowed not to give up work, as they do not want to put them at risk of losing their jobs.

They plan to visit estate agents, travel agents and car dealerships soon, with a house with a pool and a Jaguar on their shopping list. Their first holiday though will be a £9.50 week bargain break in a caravan in Cornwall, which was booked as part of a newspaper promotion earlier in the summer.

62 year old Mrs Westbury bought the winning ticket for Saturday’s Lotto at a Morrisons supermarket in Nottingham last Wednesday. It was only when she visited a Tesco store on Sunday that she found out they
had won, when the ticket-reading machine advised her to contact Camelot, an action which only happens for big winners. She returned to her car ‘in a daze’ and called her 64 year old husband, who met her before they both called Camelot. They drove to a pub to celebrate and then, in an ironic moment, realised they had no money on them.

Mr Westbury returned to the headquarters of their company, Sentinel Lightning in Nottingham, to complete some unfinished business. He said; ‘I’m an ordinary man who has always worked. Susan and I have worked very hard to build the business up and we have got a dedicated workforce to think of. They have stood behind us through tough times recently so we cannot just walk away and leave them in the lurch now,
because there are no jobs out there. We will keep going in to work, although maybe only for four days a week, until we work out exactly what to do with the company. Perhaps we will sell it eventually, but
we will make sure the staff are safe. It has been a real struggle recently and I have worked virtually seven days a week for four years.’

The firm installs lightning protection and earthing systems on buildings all over the world, and was set up by Mr Westbury, a steeplejack by trade, 19 years ago – 2 years after the couple married. The couple have 3 children between them, from previous marriages, and 7 grandchildren, and live in a two-bedroom bungalow.

They enjoyed a champagne celebration with their staff who were also pleased with their win. Employee Ian Phillips said: ‘It couldn’t happen to nicer people. They are a very generous couple who work extremely long hours.’

Brought to you by London Bingo News. London Bingo gives you the latest lottery and UK bingo news and access to the newest Internet bingo rooms and exclusive bingo bonus offers.

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Of the universe of online casino sites, three major software providers stand out from the rest. The three elite online casino software providers are Microgaming, Playtech, and RTG. Each of these three top casino platforms has plenty to celebrate, as the best casino gaming experiences derive from the superior software that these casinos are known and respected for.

Microgaming Casinos are the elder statesman of the bunch, as they are thought of as the pioneers of the online casino. The first Microgaming online casino went live in 1994 and features well over four-hundred different games on their software. A little more than 100 online casino skins let Microgaming power their games, delivering slots, table games, and video poker games in both flash (no download) and a full downloadable software format. Players rave over how smooth the Microgaming software runs and whether you play by Mac or by PC – you can have a flawless and enjoyable day at the Microgaming Casino nearest you.

Playtech Casinos rely on the software developed by publicly listed company Playtech Ltd. Playtech has been in the online casino business for over ten years and serves a unique and wide variety of chance and skill games such as table games, scratch cards, video poker games, slots, and even arcade games, poker, and bingo. Playtech customers appreciate the attention to detail in the delivery of high quality graphics and some of the higher payouts you will find online come from Playtech Casinos. If popularity is rated in terms of player base, then Playtech is surely the most popular online casino software provider in Europe, as more European Casino players flock to Playtech driven casinos than any other online casino platform in the world.

When looking to USA casinos RTG stands out as the leader in the online casino marketplace. RTG Casinos are extremely popular in the United States and these RTG powered Internet casinos are well known for having some of the best graphics and interactive gaming of all online casinos. In addition to providing a captivating look to their games, the RTG Casinos software is fast, reliable, and quite flexible. Players truly appreciate that they can use the RTG flash (no download) casino or the full download version without sacrificing quality. Both the no download RTG Casino and the full download version provide innovative graphics, and sound effects that keep players interested and coming back for more.

Whether you play casino games with RTG, Microgaming, or Playtech – you really cannot go wrong, as these are the three most respected casino software companies around. All three provide licensing to ensure fair gaming and they each strive to deliver the highest quality online gaming experience they possibly can.

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The amount of Internet bingo operators has increased exponentially over the last ten years and while online players have far more alternatives as to where they can play online bingo, the rights and best interests of online players are not always taken into consideration. Industry wide, there is entirely too much fine print to read over and players do not always know exactly what they are getting into when signing up to a new bingo site. The online charter moves to make the extensive terms of free play and clearing bonuses more transparent, as well as player friendly and intends to address issues such as wagering requirements, the excessively higher minimum withdrawal restrictions, the practice of overselling bingo tickets, and even freezing online accounts – among other hot button issues. Far too often a player books a big win and they end up with an unpleasant surprise when the discover they are unable to cash out the huge win they booked while playing on either free money or on their bonus money and the charter looks to lessen the likelihood of such an unpleasant surprise and plans to reflect the level of player-friendliness in their bingo reviews.

Holding bingo operators accountable and protecting the players’ best interests are of paramount importance to Bingo VG. In fact, Bingo VG founder & bingo industry insider David Lloyd points out, “For years, I have wanted to make a difference in the shoddy way some bingo sites treat their players. Setting up Bingo VG gave me the perfect opportunity to put this plan into action.”

Definitely worth noting, most online bingo portals avoid talking about the darker sides of bingo play online, in fear of irritating the bingo operators who pay their bills. By addressing the underhanded tactics brought on by bingo operators, as well as establishing a set of best practices, it is the hope of Bingo VG that David is able to make a difference within the industry and that bingo operators consider the player’s best interest.
David comments, “I know numerous bingo operators will attempt to mask their players’ problems by making legal threats to sites that dare air their issues. As far as we are concerned, any site that uses these tactics should take a good look at themselves. If a bingo operator sees a complaint about them that is featured on the site, they should view it as an opportunity to show the world that they can do the right thing and improve their offerings to their players, as opposed to being offended or getting defensive.”

The Online Bingo Players’ Charter is going to be built over the course of the next year. The public’s help is requested to assist in building the charter and it will represent the expectations players have from an online operator. The aim of the charter is to fight off the abuse and neglect that is found from some bingo sites as well as communicate to the bingo operators what players want out of a bingo operator. Those who respect the best interests of their players will be celebrated at Bingo VG, while those failing to meet the charter’s standards will be frowned upon and players will be appropriately warned.

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There are several factors blamed for the recent downfall in the bingo industry, and one was the smoking ban which was introduced in 2007. It is currently rumoured though that this ban might be reviewed by the Government, as it is claimed it is badly affecting Britain’s £6 billion a year pub and bingo industry.

Approximately 130 bingo clubs are said to have closed over the last 3 years, which works out to be 20%. As well as this 2365 pubs closed in 2009 with about 39 pubs closing per week now. Figures like these have supposedly led to the talked about review, although when the Health Bill was introduced in October 2005 MPs were told by Patricia Hewitt, the Health Secretary that; “We will monitor the impact from day one, and we will have a full review at the end of three years.”

There is much debate about the cause of these figures though, as bingo had been in decline for many years before the smoking ban came into place. This is despite many changes that took place in the late 1990s. These include the abolishment of charging periods (affecting spending limits), the abolishment of advertising rules and the 24 hour waiting rule (before players could join a club), rules relating to prizes, an increase in link game limits, allowing clubs to have both fruit and jackpot machines and the abolishment of tax on players stakes. All these combined to give the clubs greater freedom, which in turn allowed them to make more money from players.

Brian Binley, the non-smoking newly re-elected All Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group vice chairman and MP for Northampton South wants the law to be changed to allow smoking in separate well-ventilated rooms. He said; “The way Parliament handled the situation for pubs and clubs was draconian, crude and crass. You only have to look at these shanty town lean-tos in rural areas to know there is sizable damage being done to pubs. It’s just crazy and a rather crude answer to the problem.”

The cost of going out for an evening to play bingo has increased a lot over the last few years, and the smoking ban is probably the straw that broke the camels back, rather than the cause of the decline. It will be interesting to see if the smoking ban is amended, though whether it leads to an increase in bingo players is another matter altogether.

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An American judge has just sentenced a man who robbed a casino, threatening the lives of unlucky bystanders in the process, to more than 17 years in the federal prison.

UsS District Judge Richard Cebull sentenced 42 year old Jeffrey Lyle Schlepp, from Billings, Montana, to 17 years and 3 months in prison, as well as fining him $135.

Schlepp had previously pleaded guilty in April to the offence of robbing Sam’s Place on 11th June 2005. Altogether he was charged with interfering with interstate commerce by robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, being a felon in possession of a firearm and using a firearm in a crime of violence.

He had entered the casino at 1.47am, took out a short-barrelled shotgun and demanded money. He also smashed ashtrays and shouted; “I’ll kill you, I swear to God.”

He escaped from the casino with his haul of $905, yelling that he would kill anyone who watched him leave. Police managed to track down the getaway vehicle from witnesses’ descriptions. His companion, Hope Rathbun, admitted that she had conspired with Schlepp to rob the casino and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Schlepp was found in a motor home where he showed police where the loot was hidden. The shotgun was also found in the home, but Schlepp claimed that it had been empty when the crime took place.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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The last couple of weeks have seen several awards ceremonies, notably the Online Bingo Summit and eGaming Awards. As well as being a time when companies and sites were rewarded for their work it was also a time when leading people in the bingo industry aired their views, and an interesting one was the discussion on whether free bingo is a good or bad thing for the industry.

Leigh Nissim of GTech chaired a debate on the subject of sites offering free bingo. There are a large number of operators who believe that there is a place in the industry for free bingo, but they also believe that some websites have gone too far with this. This in turn has spoilt the game for players who like to spend money.

In 2009 many sites offered ‘play for free’ and ‘win for free’ promotions, but although this approach is great in the short term it is not sustainable in the long term, and could in fact cause the industry to go into decline by giving players the expectation of free bingo, rather than a loyalty ot trial bonus.

Simon Hannah, a well respected bingo operator who has seen the problems caused by free bingo in land based clubs can see the online bingo sector facing the same difficulties. He believes that now is the time to think seriously about how free bingo is controlled, and to act on this before everyone jumps on the bandwagon.

Another panellist, Wayne Howe, expressed his belief that free bingo was a great tool in introducing players to a site and allowing them to have a taste of the games. It was agreed that bingo sites should make a larger distinction between free and pay to play bingo, thereby making the games more attractive to players that do want to make a deposit after their initial free trial.

Tombola recently offered free bingo to their players, but only to those who have previously made a deposit. This is seen as a good tactic, as otherwise loyal paying players could end up subsidising those who just hunt for bonuses and free money. This in turn may lead to depositing players either doing the same themselves and stop making deposits, or getting so disillusioned that they stop playing bingo altogether.

Operators such as Tombola give out free money wisely and have a large number of loyal players who believe they get great value for money. They have several years experience in the bingo industry and seem to have developed a successful long term strategy.

Last year Cheeky Bingo was introduced onto the scene, with their emphasis on free bingo, but after an introductory push Cashcade soon decided to concentrate their efforts on Foxy Bingo instead.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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In addition to expanding their portfolio of Internet bingo websites, London Bingo plans to release reviews of live bingo venues and UK bingo clubs to include the likes of Gala Bingo, as well as Mecca Bingo clubs at various locations. On top of that, London Bingo plans to release informative bingo articles, teaching bingo players about the different types of bingo games, as well as providing general commentary, instructions, and bingo tips in the London Bingo Articles section.

This bingo article library, combined with the live & online bingo review expansion is sure to further cement the LondonBingo website as a leading source of online bingo information. In their efforts, London Bingo will naturally continue to provide the best bingo bonuses found anywhere.

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Online bingo is a very profitable, and popular business in many countries, but there are fears that this soon may change following new legislation in Europe regarding online gaming.

France in particular is a country that has many Internet gambling sites in turmoil and deciding on the best course of action. To give some historical background all games which were considered to be a game of chance (such as slots, as well as Internet casino games) were banned on 12th July 1983, apart from some casinos where games were approved by the ministry, which led to 200 gaming venues which were operating legally. There was no common system for bingo which meant technically it wasn’t allowed, although again there were some exceptions to this.

According to European Community Law, Article 49 of the treaty establishes the principle of freedom to provide services across the European Community. In a nutshell this means that, unless there is a valid reason, no member state can prevent another state from offering services on its territory. Article 49 is supported by Article 43, which concerns the freedom of establishment.

Italy has also experienced problems with the monopoly of gaming. It was ruled that member states were not able to restrict the cross border supply of gambling services. In 2003 the court held that “the Italian Government does not pursue any coherent policy to limit and to remove and play activities”. Because of this other state members could not be restrained from providing services within it’s territory. Since this time European states have kept to this ruling and online bingo operators have been able to operate without restriction.

As France are extending the monopoly to the internet it seems that they do not support this policy and so are making a stand against it. In order to prevent the European Court of Justice forcing it to open its market to competition the French Government have created new legislation. With the new legislation the French wanted to control the level of turnover in gaming on the internet, as well as tackling the problems of under age players and problem gaming.

Certain games, including slot machines and roulette, are banned as they are considered to offer exceptionally high risk levels for addiction. Liberalisation will occur however for Internet poker and sports book betting. The operating license will be free and valid for 5 years, after which time it can be renewed. Limits will be placed on player account balances and player stakes. There must also be a system whereby the player knows how long they have been playing for, and how much money has been lost in a session. These restrictions are an attempt to prevent compulsive gambling and to deter money laundering. France has also said that they will not recognize any license that has been issued by other European countries, even if they are fellow State members. Any companies that gain the license and operate on French territory will have to have separate accounting departments to deal with French players.

The sudden rush to introduce the legislation was triggered by the soon to start World Cup, and the increased betting levels that goes with it. Several bingo companies are currently deciding whether to continue operating in France or not. William Hill for one have decided to withdraw all casino services from France, although they are still operating in other European states. Betfair have also withdrawn from the French market. The Director of European Affairs, Tim Phillips said; “We are looking very hard at the French market and how we may operate within the new license regime. Although it is not impossible for a newcomer to create a commercially viable business most projections show it will be difficult to do so given the proposed restrictions imposed on license holders”

It is anticipated that 30-50 operating licenses will soon be granted, and that the majority of license holders will not be able to operate profitably. The proposed tax levels are quite high, and companies which operate in French territory will have to pay tax on players’ stakes, which will be a boost to the coffers of the French Government. In view of the current economic situation in Europe we’re sure that leaders of other European states will be closely monitoring the situation to see if it something they can too introduce.

Gaming operators will no doubt remember the effects of the US enforcing their gaming legislation. Many senior executives of gaming companies were arrested, threatened with jail and faced huge fines. Party Gaming for one were pursued by the US Justice Department and reached an out of court agreement for $105 million.

With several countries looking at their existing legislation we are sure that others will soon announce amendments, none of which will probably be in favour of online gaming sites. Internet bingo operators have faced many challenges of late, and we are sure that there will be more to follow.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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In a landmark decision Ladbrokes have lost a long running legal battle to overturn an injunction which stopped them from taking bets from people living in Holland. The marathon battle has lasted 7 years and could lead to Britain and other countries banning foreign online gambling sites.

The injunction was granted to De Lotto, who run the Dutch lottery, after they argued that Ladbrokes did not have a licence to operate gaming activities in the Netherlands. Ladbrokes appealed to the Dutch Supreme Court, who in turn passed this to the European Court of Justice to rule on. They acknowledged that Dutch gaming legislation is technically a restriction on EU rules guaranteeing freedom of movement and freedom to provide services, but however also said that such a restriction; ‘may be justified by the objectives of consumer protection and the prevention of both fraud and incitement to squander money on gambling, as well as the need to preserve public order’. They decided that it was up to national authorities to decide on the measures needed to protect consumers, as currently there is no EU-level harmonisation of the online gaming industry.

The judgement stated that; ‘A member state is therefore entitled to take the view that the mere fact that an operator such as the Ladbrokes companies lawfully offer services in that sector via the internet in another member state is not a sufficient assurance that national consumers will be protected.’

Ladbrokes had a licence, issued in the UK, which meant it could offer ‘sports-related prize competitions and other games of chance’ via the telephone and the internet, and their argument was that this allowed them to operate elsewhere in the EU. They claimed that the UK licence was subject to ‘very strict legislation for the prevention of fraud and of addiction to games of chance’ – and the Dutch ban on its internet services to Dutch gamblers amounted to an unnecessary ‘duplication of controls and safeguards’.

In the ruling though, just made today, the judges stated; ‘A member state can prohibit the operation of games of chance on the internet. This prohibition may, on account of the specific features associated with the provision of games of chance on the internet, be regarded as justified by the objective of combating fraud and crime.’

Last December, after losing an earlier stage of the legal battle, John Reilly, Ladbrokes’ Managing Director of Remote Betting and Gaming, urged the judges to ‘uphold principles of free and fair competition across borders as there is no logic in the fact that the Dutch monopoly could freely compete against us in the UK but we are prevented from accepting bets from any Dutch resident that finds us on the internet.’

This news is a blow for Ladbrokes, and will probably lead to a few sleepless nights for a few other operators too.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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This is well known in the industry as being one of the most important online bingo meetings in Europe, and focuses just on online bingo. It’s well known for having expert speakers on various subjects, who are more than happy to share certain pearls of wisdom with you, and also gives participants a great chance to socialise and network with other attendees. It’s truly a key event where you can find out about various aspects of running an online bingo site, and discuss changes and innovations in the industry.

The venue this year is the luxury Victoria Park Plaza Hotel in London, and the event will take place Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th of June. Every year it seems to get more and more popular, and this year it’s rumoured that 400 people will be attending. The full programme is still being fine tuned, although it is said that amongst the key speakers will be Angus Nisbet, the Director of Gaming at Mecca Bingo, Raj Ramanandi, the founder of Tea and Bingo, and Gabi Campos, the MD of Dragonfish.

As well as being a networking and learning event there is also a very eagerly awaited awards ceremony. The plaudits this year will be announced on 8th of June, and the awards up for grabs are for Best Online Bingo Information Portal, Online Bingo Operator, Best Newcomer, Best Marketing Campaign, Best Bingo Affiliate and Online Bingo Software. We’re still waiting at the moment to find out who has been short-listed for these prestigious awards, so can’t even give you a clue right now.

There’s a lot of pride at stake, as well as all important bragging rights. The announcement of the winners is always waited with baited breath, and we’ll certainly looking forward to seeing who the winners are in 2010.

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A Reading pensioner has claimed that over £6000 was ‘lost’ after thieves hacked into 3 accounts at different internet bingo sites, one of them being Dream Bingo. She says that a total of £9000 had been gambled and lost, with only £3000 being withdrawn back.

Rita Tapping started to play online bingo in 2007 after her husband suffered a stroke. He would go to bed at 6pm and she would play online, though she said only a maximum of £20 at a time. Despite her claims though both the Financial Ombudsman and her bank, Natwest, have said that she is not entitled to any compensation as any winnings could only be withdrawn to Mrs Tapping’s bank account and therefore they could find no motive for anyone to play bingo on her accounts.

She believes that thieves hacked into her unsecure wireless network and played without her knowledge. Dream Bingo are alleged to have offered her a refund of £3,600, which Natwest advised her not to accept as that would mean she could no longer claim she had been a victim of fraud.

She says that the stress caused by this led her into having a breakdown and that she had to then put her husband into a care home as she was no longer able to look after him herself.

Mrs Tapping told the Reading Post: “My only crime was I used an unprotected wireless router. I think somebody local picked up on that. They did not need to get into my account because I was already in it. They picked up on where I was and I believe they gambled for fun and kicks. If I had been mentally strong enough and had not had this on my mind I would have had him at home, but I had to put him in a home. I had a total mental breakdown. He was aware of it but there was nothing he could do. He was incontinent and paralysed. I used to go to the nursing home and he would just say, ‘I want to come home’. It was definitely a contributing factor in his death, definitely. He could see that I was stressed. I was so stressed I could not look after him. I had to have him put in a home. It was a very sad time in my life and he died still worrying about the money.”

As strange stories go this is one of the strangest we’ve heard in a long time, and one which will probably never come to a satisfactory conclusion.

This sad news is brought to you by London Bingo News

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Although we don’t know if it was won by a man, woman or syndicate we do know that they’ve entered the Sunday Times Rich List in the 789th position, which makes them richer than veteran actor Sir Sean Connery,who has a mere £80 million, and level with Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts and pop star Robbie Williams.

A spokesman for National Lottery operator Camelot said last night: ‘The lucky ticket holder(s) of this prize have taken the decision to remain anonymous and therefore no further details about this prize, or the location of where the winning ticket was purchased, will be revealed.’

Mark Dampier, of financial advisors Hargreaves Lansdown, also had some advice on keeping their identity secret. He said: ‘The only way to keep it completely quiet would be not to give up your job, not to tell any relatives at all, and not to change your lifestyle. Parking a Ferrari outside your council house would be a giveaway.’ He also recommended they
should bank at a branch far away from their home, to avoid a cashier spilling the beans.

We’re sure they’ve got many ideas on how to spend their millions, but couldn’t resist giving them a couple of ideas. If they fancy moving house £80 million would get them a 5-storey Kensington mansion, complete with swimming pool, gym and sauna. If they don’t have such fancy tastes they
could buy themselves a village, as the average house price in the UK is now £205,000 and they could buy 410 of these! For getting around why not buy 2 Boeing 737-700 jets – 2 in case the first one has any problems! If you’re a sports fan you can now watch any game or event you want. If you want to take it further though you could even buy your very own player. Cristiano Ronaldo was bought by Real Madrid for £80 million in 2009, though maybe consider the lower leagues if you’d like a pair.

At the end of the day if you just invested the money in a high interest account at 5.4% interest you’d get £370,712 a month in interest – which we could very happily live on. Ah well, let’s keep our fingers crossed now for next week!

Brought to you by Lodon Bingo News

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54 year old Maureen Klopocinski saved hard to get £1,300 to treat her 59 year old husband Michael to a cruise after he survived a heart attack. Along with her father, 80 year old Harry Kinney and niece, 36 year old Kate Grant they were enjoying a week long cruise, visiting Dubrovnik, Greece, Corfu and Venice on the Royal Caribbean operated cruise. After Maureen won the internet bingo game though they were upgraded to a £1,400 per-night suite, ending up next door to the captain.

Their original suite would have fitted inside the bathroom of their new home, the Royal Suite, which came complete with a grand piano, two balconies, a spa bath and even their own bar. Maureen said she was so excited about the fact that the bathroom, complete with mirrored ceiling, came fitted with a telephone next to the toilet, she ‘screamed like a banshee’ when she realised she had won.

The lucky bingo winner commented: “It was an incredible prize to win. I couldn’t believe it when they took us up to the suite. We had never even been on a cruise before and we ended up treated like royalty. The suite was unbelievable. Our original room didn’t even have a window and then we ended up staying next door to the captain.” She added: “It really was an out of this world holiday and we were so pleased. On the first night we held a little party in the room for all of the friends we made on the trip and even hired a professional pianist to entertain us.

When Maureen entered the game she admits she was not feeling very optimistic – she said: “It sounded like fun but I was up against hundreds of others. At the end they made everyone who was down to just one number stand up. There was a lot of us standing and I was just waiting for 37 to come up. When I did I went wild. They told me that porters would come to the room to help transfer us but I couldn’t wait. I raced to our room and took everything up myself. I was so excited!”

We think this is a lovely story, and proof that you have to speculate to accumulate!

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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“When providing coverage of the London area bingo scene, it is important to be thorough. Our reviews are by far the best in the business, but we need to expand our focus to include all the London Bingo halls, as well as a strong portfolio of Internet bingo rooms so that our visitors & bingo players in the London area can get a full picture of just how great the London Bingo scene is,” comments Mabel.

“We additionally anticipate offering special deals to both the live bingo venues and Internet bingo sites we cover, so that our visitors and bingo site customers will do be rewarded for doing their part in supporting the game that they love both live and online.”

Mabel and the rest of the London Bingo staff are working diligently to line up reviews of all the top Internet bingo rooms, as well as a full overview of bingo life in London.

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The new show will see him talking about funny experiences and stories with people from many different walks of life, amongst them bingo callers. This is the chance for you to share anything strange and bizarre that has happened to you, or that you have witnessed, whilst you’ve been calling the numbers. The show is scheduled to include Vox pop polls, interviews with the featured professionals and some of John Bishop’s routine.

Any bingo callers who would like the chance to appear in the show are asked to send an email to takepart@objectiveproductions.com, giving details of their name and address, age, telephone number, and experiences. The closing date for this fantastic opportunity is July 16th, so get your thinking caps on soon.

The production team have said though that evem if you’re not a bingo caller you should still apply if you believe you have a funny story to share, as they will not just be focusing on the bingo industry but will be looking at other industries and points of view too. Basically the producers are looking for people who have ‘outgoing’ personalities and who are ‘characters’, so if you think this applies to you then why not give it a go. They have mentioned on the Bingo Association website that all aspects of modern life will be considered, from politics to sport, love and relationships and growing up in the UK.

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The increase in bingo revenue was particularly welcome as the company’s poker side suffered a fall in revenue, largely caused by stiff competition from Poker Stars and Full Tilt Poker who dominate the US market.
Jim Ryan, the Chief Executive of Party Gaming chief said: “Total revenue was up by 27% year-on-year with strong increases in all product verticals except poker which fell due to competition from US-facing sites. On a quarter-on-quarter basis and as expected, we have seen a slight softening in average daily revenue overall following the exceptional casino performance in the previous quarter. While Clean EBITDA margins for the year to-date were ahead of our expectations in the first quarter of 2010, we are maintaining our previous full year guidance for 2010 Clean EBITDA margins of approximately 28%. In line with our expectations, since the end of March gross average daily revenues have softened and were down between 6% and 7% versus the average for the previous quarter, reflecting the normal seasonal pattern seen in previous years.”

Despite the positive announcement shares in Party Gaming fell just under 3 per cent in early trading, down 7 pence at 278 pence.

brought to you by london bingo news

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It was just a couple of months ago that Nigel Page won £56 million on the lottery, much to the delight of him and his long-term partner, Justine Laycock. The couple were both working at the time, him running a property maintenance company and her as a sales negotiator for an estate agents. The massive win was the largest in the UK and took them to 980th place on Britain’s Rich List. However, when the cheque was presented to Mr Page it only had his name on it, as the couple, although together for 8 years weren’t married.

This has now changed, as it has been revealed the couple got married at Easter in a low key ceremony, to which not even their friends and family were invited. Instead they used staff from the registry office as their witnesses. Mrs Page’s father explained that the wedding was basic as they didn’t want any publicity; ‘They had so much publicity that they now just want to live their lives.’ The couple from Cirencester, Gloucestershire were both divorcees and have 3 children between them from their previous relationships. Following the wedding the couple whisked away their children and other lucky relatives to a honeymoon/holiday at the luxury Atlantis Hotel in Dubai, which is said to have cost them £70,000. However, as the couple receive approximately £47,000 a week in interest from their Euromillions win this isn’t going to bother them too much.

Legal experts say that the wedding now gives the new Mrs Page far more financial right to the huge win than before, as by law co-habitees are not treated the same as married people.

In this cynical age of pre-nuptial agreements and life long friendships falling apart after a much smaller win we report this story with a smile on our face, and wish the couple much happiness.

Brought to you by london bingo news

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One of the biggest disruptions came with the introduction of the smoking ban in the UK, back on 1st July 2007. Great Britain not having the warmest climate in the world saw many bingo players choosing to stay away, when faced with the prospect of not being able to enjoy a cigarette as they marked off their numbers. Although some clubs had, or soon made, outdoor covered areas many players felt that the atmosphere was lost, and as outdoor shelters can, by law, only be 50% covered, the solution wasn’t ideal by any means. Following the smoking ban in Scotland Rank reported a 10% drop in admissions, a 7% decrease in spend per head, and a 17% drop in turnover. This of course led to a decrease in prize money, which could have also led to the fall in admissions. Since the introduction of the ban in England over 200 halls are said to have closed as a direct consequence of the ban.

Many organisations have long lobbied for a fall in the rate of tax which is imposed upon bingo halls. In the last budget a decrease was announced, taking the duty down to 20% from 22%. This only came into action last month, so the affects cannot be seen yet, although as other forms of gambling have as low as a 15% duty there is still a lot of work to be done.

The general recession has also had an affect on bingo takings. With many people suffering with unemployment, people only be able to find part time or poorly paid jobs, coupled with the high cost of living a
night out at the bingo is a treat that not all players have been able to keep up. Although many players still make their outings, both as a night out and the hope of winning a large cash prize, many either now stay at home or have cut down on their outings and expenditure.

The disruption caused by the volcanic ash from Iceland will undoubtedly add to these problems. Forget about the short term fact that some people have been forced to extend their holidays overseas and so have missed out on a session or two. The long term cost will be seen as many people, having spent vast amounts of money to either extend their stay abroad or to make long and expensive trips to get back to the UK, will now be forced to drastically cut back on any non-essential spending in order to recoup their outlay. A fortunate
few may have been covered by insurance, or were lucky enough to have family and friends to help them, many have maxed out their credit cards to survive and return.

If you’re lucky enough to still have your favourite bingo hall open make sure you support it, as your hall needs you!

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The game, After Dark Bingo, was first launched in Beeston, Nottingham when Rank opened a new bingo hall last May. In a bid to attract more and younger players they decided to give the hall a more modern look, as well as concentrating more on the food and drink on offer and coming up with new games. The venture proved to be a huge success, with the spend per head 10-20% higher than the average Mecca, and admission levels 66% higher. The concept was then rolled out to Oldbury, Birmingham as well as the Catford branch. Labelled as Full House sites the idea is to have a hall divided into two by the use of soundproof glass. One half will remain as usual, as they don’t want to deter the traditional players, but the other half will be geared to a younger age group, with amusement machines, a bar and TVs in the pipeline.

The game itself has also been adapted. The traditional calls have been updated, no more Legs Eleven and 2 Little Ducks – instead you’ll hear things like ‘Your place or mine – 29′ by the callers, known as the Binglets. There are also a few tweaks to the usual rules – ranging from giving the host a hug if you get a full house to making sure you’ve got your face and arms daubed before going up to claim a prize. The whole thing is louder and brighter then the traditional game, but with a big increase in players it seems to be a big step in the right direction.

Approximately 50 sites will convert to Full House sites, with the others staying as they are. Plans though are also being discussed for other events, including mecca’s Got Talent shows and snail racing. So, if you haven’t been down to your local hall before as you think bingo’s not the game for you then think again – you might be pleasantly surprised!

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London Bingo halls

London has a very happening bingo scene for anyone looking to get in on an exciting game of bingo. Since playing bingo is one of the more popular pastimes, it makes sense that there would be a lot of great options available when it comes to bingo. The places you will have to choose from will vary in what it is that they have to offer, but one thing is for sure; you will have a great time!

When you experience live bingo in London, you will experience laughs, fun, and the chance to walk away a winner. One choice you will have when it comes to live bingo halls are the Carlton Bingo Clubs. With 19 live clubs, there is a good chance that one is near you. Not only do the Carlton Bingo Clubs offer very entertaining bingo games, but they also have a fully licensed café and bar where you can let off some steam, slot machines, and both electronic and traditional bingo.

When you are in the bingo scene in London, you will be able to enjoy a lot of great fun while you are waiting for your numbers to bring you a win. The bingo clubs offer you the ability to connect with others that share in your love of the game of bingo. The atmosphere is one of fun, excitement, and adventure. London is definitely a great place to be if you are interested in bingo, as it caters to bingo players.

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Costa Bingo Welcome Deposit Bonus

Costa bingo is matching 200% on all first time deposit bonus as a way to welcome London Bingo players to their new and exciting online bingo hall. The 200% first time deposit bonus is good on all deposits giving you up to £150 in free money to play bingo on the web at Costa Bingo!

Costa Bingo Regular Bonus

As if the initial deposit bonus isn’t enough – Costa Bingo is willing to pay you to stay and play bingo with them. Costa offers London Bingo players a regular deposit bonus of 50% on all bingo reloads, allowing you to claim up to £150 in reload bonus money at Costa Bingo.

Play Costa Bingo Now

Don’t miss the free bingo money at the newest and brightest bingo site on the web. Play Costa Bingo now!

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Thursday 2^nd – Friday 3^rd – deposit £50 or more and they’ll give you a 30% deposit bonus, but if you deposit £100 or more they’ll give you an amazing 40% bonus.

Saturday and Sunday – the weekend is here, and they’ve got more bonuses to celebrate with. Get 10% bonus on your 1^st deposit, 20% on your 2^nd deposit and 30% on your 3^rd deposit, and this pattern repeats itself over and over again!

Monday – the weekend may be over, but the bonuses just keep on rolling. On every deposit you make today you’ll get a 20% bonus – that’s a nice way to start the week!

Scratch Surprise Tuesday – you just have to take a look to see for yourself what’s on offer.

This month’s challenge is to email Prime Scratchcards and tell them what your dream holiday would be. 5 lucky winners from June’s challenge have already received their cash prize, so email care@primescratchcards.com now and see if you can also be a winner!

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Whether playing Bingo, or Wink Bingo’s Instant Games, if you have booked a loss, Wink Bingo helps to offset that. Wink Bingo Cashback will be credited to your Bingo player account and can be used on all regular Bingo Games on Wink Bingo. Get playing now, and take advantage of this bingo bonus offer from Wink Bingo!

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5. £100 cash match at Virgin Bingo

Players who have accessed Wink Bingo through the London Bingo website that are first time depositing players at Wink Bingo are eligible for 250% bonus on their first deposit. This great bingo promo runs from NOW until 23:59 on Tuesday 30th June on deposits between £5 and £100.

Bingo Bonus Code

To take advantage of this limited offer through Wink Bingo, enter the bingo bonus code: WINK250 in the cashier making your deposit.

Wink Bingo Review

Need more convincing? Have a glance at the London Bingo Wink Bingo review.

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• Posh Bingo Bonus code for Friday: POSHFRI,
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Get with the game and begin taking advantage of the great reload bonuses at Posh Bingo today!

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Each day at 6pm, Virgin Bingo hosts a £2,000 guaranteed prize money bingo game, and again at 10:30pm, where a £4,000 Full House is up for grabs! That makes for £6,000 in guaranteed money each day at Virgin’s Bingo!

The bingo games take place at the Necker Island and Marrakesh rooms on the Virgin Bingo gaming platform. Tickets cost 50p each and you can purchase a maximum of 36 tickets for each game!

No sense waiting on this guaranteed prize money, get started playing at Virgin Bingo now! Still need more convincing? Take a look at the official London Bingo review of Virgin Bingo.

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If you’re in need of a bingo break at the end of the week, why not head down to Necker Island this Friday for a chance to win over £1,500 worth of guaranteed prize money.

As the evening progresses, the bingo games get hotter. The Full House prize money jumps up by an extra £100 every hour.

To get in on the guaranteed prize bingo action, head over to Virgin Bingo’s Necker Island today!

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Every second Thursday at 9.45pm, you will have the opportunity to win a flatscreen television from Bingo Fabulous.  For a mere £1, Bingo Fabulous gives you the opportunity to take down the fabulous flatscreen TV.

With the cash match bonus us to £100, Bingo Fabulous is the place to be to play bingo online on Thursdays!  Not convinced yet, check out our London Bingo official  review of Bingo Fabulous to learn more.

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At Virgin Bingo, you can win the tennis rackets used by Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova, as well as Nadal and Ivanovic’s Trainers.  Additionally, you have a shot at winning  a tour for two around Wimbledon, along with hampers full of Strawberries and Cream and Pimms up for grabs too.  Furthermore, Virgin Bingo are throwing in a Nintendo Wii, complete with EA Sports Tennis and an Xbox 360 with Virtua Tennis 2009.

To win these prizes, battle it out amongst your fellow bingo players, by playing in the Virgin Bingo Tennis Tournament. For every £1 you spend on bingo tickets between Monday 22nd and Sunday 28th, you’ll earn yourself 1 point. And by the end of the week, the top 10 players win themselves the corresponding prizes! Serve up an ace now by competing for Wimbledon tennis prize packages at Virgin Bingo.

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In addition to this attractive welcome bonus offer by Virgin Bingo, Virgin also offers several programs aimed at rewarding and retaining the London Bingo community.  For example, you can play bingo and accumulate Virgin Bingo reward points to fly from London to Vegas for the gambling vacation of a lifetime.  Additionally, Virgin Bingo offers their players a free scratch card every day!

Take a look at our London Bingo review of Virgin Bingo, and get the bingo winnings rolling in today!

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Virgin Bingo additionally offers a welcome cash match bonus of £10 for newly depositing bingo players.  Take advantage of the bingo cash match bonus, and begin winning your way to Vegas via Virgin Bingo today!

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