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Paypal returns to internet gambling

mabel — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:30:59 +0000

There have been several interesting moves lately relating to the US online gambling saga, and one is the news that Paypal has begun to return to process payments for online bingo. This is seen by many as an indication that there will be regulated online gambling in America.

Going back several years Paypal was widely used by online gamblers, but this changed after Paypal was acquired by eBay in 2002. Soon after Paypal stopped processing payments due to the legal risks in the US. At the time this seemed to be a very cautious move, particularly as this was before the UIGEA. At the time the Wire Act was restricting payment processing for online gambling although in a low key way.

Recently though financial service, banking and credit card industries are becoming more vocal in their protests against the UIGEA’s restrictions and Paypal seems to be slowly re-entering the market. 32Red and Ladbrokes bingo have recently started to allow payments by Paypal, which many believe is a sign that Paypal is making a return to the world of online gambling. Paypal can also be used on the Virgin gaming network and it is expected it will be used by an increasing number of online casinos.

At the end of the day we believe that a greater choice in payment methods for players can only be a good thing, and we’ll certainly be watching this situation with interest.

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Bingo hall becomes church

Tom — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:47:54 +0000

We have reported many times on how the decline in land based bingo has led to bingo clubs closing down and the buildings being used for new purposes, and in America, the bingo situation is no different.

Alabama has had a huge crackdown on gambling, leading to many empty bingo halls scattered around the state. One hall though is having a makeover at the moment and has become a church.

James Gardner is the pastor of the Jasper Christian Center and was in the same building for more than 20 years. In this time his congregation grew and so he and his wife started to look for a new building. He said; “Most people in the community think it’s about bingo. But for us, it’s about revival. We started driving up and down the road. We saw a for rent sign on this one, so we leased it for a few years so we can grow.”

The church have been holding services for a few months and began whilst they were still painting and cleaning the building. “It’s a funny irony,” Gardner said. “We have people who say they’re no longer going to shout ‘Amen’ they’re just going to shout ‘bingo.’ We have people doing that. We’re glad bingo’s gone. We’re against it as a congregation. But this wasn’t about us defeating bingo, legislation and prayer did that before. We’re just here because it was an available building and we needed space.”

From the sounds of things, the congregation objects to the community spending money to play bingo. Opposing views to this line of thinking clearly believe that it is our right to spend money on playing bingo games as we see fit.

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Lottery winner keeps on working

mabel — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:41:10 +0000

When faced with the great news that they have become a multi-millionaire on the lottery most people would be rushing to quit their jobs, but for Ivan Westbury that thought is the last thing on his mind.

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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Playtech offers more games

Victoria — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:03:40 +0000

Playtech’s Virtue Fusion Alderney, a leading developer and provider of online bingo solutions, has now launched a new multiplayer game called Multi Balls.

The concept of this is quite simple, in that players compete against each other to win a share of the Community Jackpot. The networked prize pool is made up from players on separate games. By matching combination of balls, players can win multiple amounts based on the total amount staked. The stake-per-game is 25p, and each winning ball combination of five or more characters will earn a cash prize as well as a set of points which gives the player a place on the leader board. Nice and simple, the higher on the ladder a player gets the larger their share of the community jackpot.

As well as this Virtue Fusion have also launched two new games. One is a new five reel, twenty five line slot game, George and the Dragon. The other is a nine square scratchcard, Treasure Time Traveler.

Bob McCulloch, the CEO of Virtue Fusion Alderney said; “I am sure that bingo players across our network will love playing these new games. The community jackpot which is also part of our Blockbusters game is a feature that helps make online bingo even more sociable, so we expect it will be very popular.”

Virtue Fusion is a vast network of online bingo sites and is the worldwide leader in developing and licensing bingo software and online bingo games. Amongst the bingo rooms who have chosen Virtue Fusion as their home are bingo sites such as Bet365 Bingo, Crown Bingo, Paddy Power Bingo, Virgin bingo, Ladbrokes, & William Hill Bingo.

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Austrian betting giants sponsor football league

Tom — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:49:10 +0000

The Austrian betting giant, bwin, have now agreed to sponsor the Italian second tier Serie B for two years. The league will now be known as Serie bwin, and the deal is expected to bring vital revenue to the struggling league, who only recently separted from the two division professional league, leaving Serie A to run itself.

The deal, which will run until 30th June 2012, was announced between the Chairman of Lega Nazionale Professionisti Serie B, Luca Ferrari and the CEO of bwin Italy, Paolo Di Feo, at the Serie B offices in Milan.

Paolo Di Feo said; “We are delighted to be working alongside the new Lega Serie B in this exciting new adventure. bwin is continually active in high-end sports sponsorship and this will continue at the international level. Today, with the advent of Serie bwin, we are facing a very exciting new challenge, giving us real contact with local situations.”

Bwin is a giant in the online gambling realm, as they put forth a terrific offering of casino games, arcade games, lottery games, and scratch card games, as well as poker, sports betting backgammon, and other skill games for money.

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Comparing Casino Sites – Which is preferred?

Jaymac — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:42:38 +0000

To many people, a casino is a casino. However, the true player has to wonder, are all Internet casino sites created equally? Sure, most sites host the same or similar selection of table games and have their own variation of online slots games, but one could argue that it is the software driving the games that makes the casino. The look and feel of the online casino site’s software, as well as how smoothly the software runs is imperative to delivering an enjoyable, fair, and profitable gambling session at the Internet casino.

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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iPad enters the bingo world

Tom — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:32:21 +0000

Bingo was very much a simple game when it started out but it has definitely evolved over the years. Starting from land based bingo clubs it eventually moved onto the internet, where now there are a large number of online bingo sites. Since then though it has continued to adapt to new technology; it can now be found on social media sites such as Facebook, on game consoles such as the wii, and the latest news is that iPad have now decided to bring out a children’s version of the game.

One thinking behind this development is that it will be a great tool to help ease the boredom of long car journeys, particularly now as more and more people are choosing to holiday in the UK. Several applications can be downloaded from the iTunes store which can be played on the iPad, the iPad Touch and the iPhone, making it an ideal travel companion.

The iPad is considered to be particularly suited for kids as it has a large, high-definition touch screen, making it very child-friendly. You can download the Road-Trip-Bingo onto the iPad which two children can play at the same time. Instead of numbers the bingo boards have things on them which might be seen on a car journey, including different coloured cars and road signs. When they see an image they simply tap it on their card, and the first one to get bingo wins.

Anything that might stop the timeless wail of ‘are we there yet’ has to be a good thing in our eyes!

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Gala Coral Chief Executive Leaves Company

Jaymac — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:16:34 +0000

It’s time for a change at Gala Coral, the parent group of popular online bingo site Gala Bingo, as their Chief Executive, Dominic Harrison has left the group for pastures new.

Whilst the company looks for a new Chief Executive Neil Goulden, the Executive Chairman, will become Interim Chief Executive. He has been with the Group for 10 years and prior to his present position was Group Managing Director (Bingo and Casinos) 2001-2004 and then Group Chief Executive 2004-2008. He became Chairman in January 2009 and will revert to that role as soon as a new Chief Executive is appointed.

Dominic Harrison on the other hand joined Gala in 2004 and was appointed Gala Coral Chief Executive in October 2008. He will remain with the company until 1st October to ensure a smooth handover of the popular online bingo site.

Neil Goulden said “Dominic has played a big role in the development of the group over the last six years and we are grateful for his contribution. He leaves with our thanks and best wishes for the future”.

Dominic Harrison commented; “After six years with Gala Coral it is time to seek fresh challenges. I wish Neil and the rest of the team all the best as they take the company forward to the next phase in its development and ensure that it remains at the forefront of the sector.”

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Islington Mecca Bingo Site at Risk

Tom — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:45:25 +0000

A former bingo club in Islington has been put on the ‘at risk’ register by English Heritage as, despite several promises, no work has been carried out in it during the last 3 years where it has stood empty.

The building is Grade II listed and used to be a Mecca Bingo club until it was closed in March 2007. It is currently owned by Evangelical Church Resurrection Manifestations who had promised to restore the historic building to its former glory. They blame Islington Council for the lack of work, saying they are dragging their heels over granting planning permission.

English Heritage grew concerned over the building and took the decision to place it on the register. Nigel Barker, the acting regional director for London said; ‘Something has got to happen. This is a very important building and certainly one of the greatest assets in the area. The building has been empty for some years and it’s deteriorating – particularly the interior. When the church first came up with their approach we were reasonably comfortable because they said they would let the community in and because the building wasn’t going to require many alterations. But we have had no clarity yet as to when they are going to do something and what the delay is. All we know is that there is no clear way forward.’ It has been suggested by English Heritage that if no work takes place the council may force the church to sell the building.

The building started life in September 1930 as Carlton Cinema. In 1972 it closed as a cinema and then re-opened as a bingo club. Mecca decided to close the club just before the smoking ban took place and the Christian group bought the building 6 months later, in September 2007, reportedly for $5million.

The company had big plans for the building – as well as returning it to it’s former glory they were going to include a conference centre, church and community venue. Behind the building they would erect a seven storey block of 44 flats. The total cost of the project was said to be approximately £18 million.

Islington Council granted permission regarding the conversion of the bingo club to a community venue and church but was still debating the block of flats, which the owner said was needed to fund the other works. However, there was an almost 2 year gap before the application was filed, so blame for the delay is down to both groups.

A spokesperson for the company commented: “We could go in tomorrow and convert it into a church. We have got enough funds for that. But we need the flats to fund the community project. By the council’s own rules, there is a time limit by which they have to give us a response. It’s gone way over that. It’s now going to an appeal hearing. The building has been lying derelict all this time. We are eager to put it to use.”

Owned by the Rank Group, Mecca Bingo is one of the largest UK bingo clubs. There are over 100 Mecca Bingo Clubs in the UK, which collectively has nearly 1 million club members on the books. Mecca Bingo’s owners additionally own and operate Rank Interactive, the Internet bingo site for Mecca Bingo, Grosvenor Casinos – a popular casino chain in Great Britain, and Spanish Casino chain Top Rank España.

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J-Lo faces casino lawsuit

Jaymac — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:21:53 +0000

International superstar Jennifer Lopez has been told she may soon be facing a $40 million (£26.6 million) lawsuit over a cancelled engagement in Cyprus.

The singer/actress was due to perform at the opening night of the brand new Cratos Premium hotel complex in the north of Cyprus, situated in the Turkish-occupied area. The opening was scheduled for 24th July, which is the date of her 41st birthday and is also the 36th anniversary of the invasion. After this was announced though there was a outcry from several groups, including the Cyprus Action Network of America, which seemed to work. “After a full review of the relevant circumstances in Cyprus, it was the decision of her advisers to withdraw from the appearance,” read the statement on Lopez’s website. “Jennifer Lopez would never knowingly support any state, country, institution or regime that was associated with any form of human rights abuse.”

This decision however has not gone down well with the company that runs the hotel, who have threatened to sue her if she does not perform. Murat Bozoglu, the Chief Executive, said; “The contract has not been terminated. If she does not show up for the concert, we will begin a procedure in the courts to claim 35-40 million dollars in damages. The cancellation… is not covered by any clause in the contract she signed with us.”

Feza Firat, the PR spokesman for the $220 million resort believed that Lopez may have been misinformed about the situation in Cyprus. She has been “led to believe there [is] a war going on”, he said.

Cyprus is the home to numerous Internet bingo sites, including popular UK bingo sites Eat Sleep Bingo & and Bingo Playground, both of which are situated on the Cozy Games Platform.

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City Council rejects money from bingo halls in Alabama.

Jaymac — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 09:08:12 +0000

Times are hard in many areas and most councils are busy coming up with new ways in which to boost their income. For any council to return money is very unusual, but that’s what has happened in Fairfield, Alabama, USA. The City Council has just returned cheques amounting to $10,700 to two US bingo hall operators as they claim they are owed more money.

Mayor Kenneth Coachman has said that Sparkle Bingo is the only hall in the town that has paid what it owes in June. Two other halls, Bingo Fantastic and J&B Games, only paid a percentage of their fees as they were both asked to close on June 4th. Therefore they do not see why they should pay the full amount, and so sent pro-rata cheques which they felt was fair.

Councilman Ves Marable has said that the Council wants the full amounts as required by the city’s ordinance. ‘That amount of money is an insult and is unacceptable’ he said of the 2 cheques. The council is presently owed approximately $450,000 in fees.

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BT strike threat for online operators on hold

Gladys — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:47:54 +0000

There are many factors that affect online bingo. The economic climate is a major factor, as can be seen by the struggles faced by many operators at the moment, and the weather is another. One factor which would have had some impact may have been narrowly avoided however, and that is the possible strike by BT employees which has just been called off.

BT have not gone on strike for more than 20 years, and the rumoured one has been called off due to legal technicalities, the Communications Workers Union (CWU) confirmed. The strike, which would have happened next week, could have had an adverse affect on broadband and telephone lines, and any faults would have taken far longer than usual to be fixed. BT did state that they had contingency plans, although this is no guarantee of uninterrupted service. A large number of internet service providers (ISPs) lease their broadband lines from BT Wholesale, and depend on BT engineers to fix any faults and keep their networks running.

The CWU did confirm that a strike by BT engineers and call centre staff could have a “significant impact” on internet services throughout the UK. “Although BT might move call centre operations to other centres, it’s really on the engineering side of things that things will be felt most keenly. The biggest impact could be in fixing faults on exchanges or broadband lines – which would be on hold for the duration of a strike – and things that are scheduled to happen, such as laying new fibre or upgrading exchanges, wouldn’t happen.”

Although bingo clubs that play bingo would not be as severely affected they do rely on phone lines to run linked games. One bingo operator said; “If lines were to develop a fault we would have to review participation in link games, however generally bingo lines have many telephone and ISDN lines and as such, unless all lines are down, temporary measures can be taken.”

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Ireland man killed on way home from bingo

Tom — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:54:44 +0000

A 66 year old man on his way home from playing bingo in Buncrana was killed in a horrific car crash on Sunday night, along with 7 young men. The two car collision took place on the Drumfree to Clonmany road, which has been the scene of other accidents in the past.

The late night accident occurred in County Donegal, approximately 15 miles from the Northern Ireland border, and involved men from 3 different parishes. 7 of the dead, all in their late teens and early twenties, were travelling in a Volkswagen Passat which is believed to have hit a Renault before crashing into the Toyota Corolla being driven by Hugh Friel from Clonmany. The driver of the Passat is in a critical condition in Letterkenny General Hospital.

Donegal senator Cecelia Keaveney said it was “an ordeal” for all of the families involved. “Because of the close-knit community it affects very, very many people in Inishowen particularly,” she said. “We have had so many fatalities on the roads over the past decades, for many families, this will reawaken the difficulties they faced. The immediate concern is for the families, but it will reawaken histories for many people as well.”

Brian Cowen, the Irish Prime Minister and Martin McGuinness, the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister, were amongst those sending condolence messages.

Get the scoop on all the bingo halls and casinos in the UK, as well as the latest bingo promotions and new bingo site listings from http://www.LondonBingo.net/.

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Bingo Players’ Charter Protects Rights of Bingo Players Online

Gladys — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:22:16 +0000

Bingo VG, a new bingo portal dedicated to protecting the rights of bingo players online, has begun work on a charter that is aimed at holding online bingo operators accountable for providing a fair, fun and player friendly atmosphere to play bingo online. The goal of Bingo VG’s Player’s Charter is to establish and communicate a set of standards that is similar to that which live bingo players receive when playing bingo in a live bingo hall.

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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Manchester City footballer arrested for casino fight

Tom — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 21:04:48 +0000

Kelven Etuhu, the Manchester City midfielder, was arrested after a fight in a casino in Manchester which led to 3 people being injured. The 22 year old will answer bail next week after being held on suspicion of wounding.

The incident took place at the 235 casino in Manchester City Centre, where police were called to after receiving reports of a disturbance. Mr Etuhu and 27 year old Leonard Rico Richards from Longsight were arrested after a 23 year old woman and two men, aged 24 and 26, were taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary for treatment to injuries. Crown lawyers now have to decide if the men should be charged or not.

Mr Etuhu rose through the City’s Academy ranks, making his senior debut in September 2007. Towards the end of the 2007/08 season though he was loaned out to Leicester City following tough competition for places in the squad. He was unlucky enough to suffer a hamstring injury at the beginning of the 2008/09 season which took him out of the squad into after the New Year. He has been on loan to Cardiff since August, though he did return to Manchester City for treatment after suffering an ankle injury in December.

London Bingo brings you the scoop on UK bingo halls and casinos, as well as news on new bingo promotions & bonuses and Internet bingo happenings.

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Bingo win in time to celebrate 21st birthday

Gladys — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:11:54 +0000

A 21st birthday is always an important one, but for one lucky person her near approaching birthday will be celebrated in style after she scooped a very handy £22,000 whilst enjoying a game of bingo.

The 20 year old was playing at the Opera Bingo Club in Penrith, and can consider herself quite lucky as she had only joined the club in January. She managed to call Full House on just 38 numbers, which meant that she won the National Bingo prize, hence the larger than usual jackpot. This is great news for bingo halls and internet bingo.

Ethel Nicholls, the Club Manager, said; “It is absolutely fabulous. Everybody started cheering and she was shaking. Everybody is delighted for her. We are getting a lot of younger players nowadays. We’ve had an exciting couple of weeks at the UK bingo club, as last Thursday we had a young lady win our monthly holiday game, a luxury four-star holiday for two.”

The winner has not been identified although it has been said that she lives in a nearby village. If you know someone who plays bingo, will be 21 in August, and is walking around with a bigger than usual smile then there’s a good chance you’ve found the lucky winner.

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Bingo club may become cinema

Victoria — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:01:19 +0000

We have often reported on the struggle that bingo clubs and online bingo“>internet bingo rooms face to stay operating, and even when they are forced to close there is often a battle as to what becomes of the building. The fate of an old Gala Bingo club in Cambridge though may finally be resolved after a lengthy battle.

The Hobson Street site is a huge Art Deco building. It started life as a cinema before becoming a bingo club. There has been speculation that the former bingo club would be turned into a block of flats, though the latest rumours are that it may reopen as a cinema again.

Bidwells, a local estate agents, have confirmed that they have received an offer from a business on the building, which at the moment only has permission to be used as a bingo club or a cinema. If any business wanted to develop the site for residential use they would have to apply for planning permission, which would probably be opposed quite fiercely from local businesses and residents.

Emma Thornton, the manager of the city centre estate agents said; “It’s a key building in the historic city centre and we are pleased that it will be used after being empty. But it depends on what it is used for and we hope it will be appropriate as it would revitalise that area of the city.”

Gala Bingo closed the club in June 2009 despite local opposition, and it is said that approximately 400 players attended the final session. The building had been used as a UK bingo“>uk bingo club for 37 years, following its conversion from a cinema in 1972.

Following its closure Occupy Cambridge, which describes itself as a group of “squatters, anarchists, revolutionists, land rights types and general social misfits” occupied the building. One of the group members said that the actions would send a message to authorities about providing community spaces. He said; “We’ve got pubs closing down and there is nowhere for people to go to meet as a community. This is a protest against councils and the capitalist system which are abandoning communities. We are calling for radical social change.”

The group were soon evicted and metal shutters put up against the doors. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service inspected the building and declared it was unsafe for people to live in.

Despite the current economic climate Cambridge City Council has said that there has been a “number” of enquiries relating to planning permissions as well as applications from various parties. The building is classed as D2 which covers cinemas and bingo halls and is listed as a “building of local interest”

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Double Decker Progressive Exceeds 3300GBP

mabel — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:42:20 +0000

The Double Decker progressive jackpot has exceeded £3300 at the popular new Internet bingo site Red Bus Bingo. In the double decker progressive bingo game, players must cover their entire 90 ball bingo card in less than 37 calls.

Should a player do so, they win the entire double decker jackpot. When players take part in the jackpot bingo game but fail to bingo in 37 or less, they win the prize and the double decker jackpot rolls over to the next 90 ball progressive bingo game.

Players can take a shot at winning the double decker progressive at any of the participating 90 ball games on RedBus Bingo. Players who are new to Red Bus Bingo will enjoy a 250% up to £100 free bonus on their first deposits. Veteran bus riders reloading their Red Bus Bingo accounts get 50% on their reload. Red Bus Bingo is one of our favorite new bingo sites, so give the RedBus a ride and chase the progressive bonus today.

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Special New Bingo bonuses & games this weekend

Victoria — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:04:24 +0000

The weekend is filled with special bingo bonuses, as well as bingo games from the best new bingo sites in town. London Bingo visitors will be well served in taking advantage of our special bingo games & promotions:

Win a car courtesy of Polo Bingo – Polo Bingo is giving their players the chance to win a new car by playing bingo, which would make for a really stylish drive around London. Players who join Polo Bingo earn two tickets to the Polo Bingo car giveaway game. Players can earn a maximum of seven bingo tickets to the Polo Car giveaway or they can be purchased for £2 each. While depositing to Polo Bingo is not required for getting free car tickets, their deposit bonus is quite difficult to pass up – as polo bingo gives one of the biggest bonuses around at a whopping 100% up to £1000.

The Polo Car, a VW model S 5 door A/C basic, will be won through the Polo Car bingo game, which is to be held on 27 September. Claim your big bingo bonus & take a shot at the Polo Car by registering and depositing at Polo Bingo now.

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Play twice the bingo on Saturday

Victoria — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 11:26:20 +0000

BOGOF all day long this Saturday at WilliamHill Bingo. In William Hill Bingo’s Community room, all bingo tickets purchased entitle players to a second ticket absolutely free. This means that if you buy a bingo ticket to one of their qualifying bingo games, you will get a second one free – which gives you twice the bingo, twice the fun, and two times the chance of winning the bingo game you are playing in!

Additionally, William Hill Bingo players also get 10% cash back all weekend long on any losses that are booked, which is perfect for trying your hand at nailing the 2 huge progressive jackpot games that are climbing at WilliamHill. The Big Top Tombola progressive jackpot sits north of the £1 million GBP mark, while the Clover Rollover progressive sits above the £2.5 million GBP mark. Both William Hill progressives would do any player quite a service.

Keep in mind, in addition to the great deals, huge games, and fantastic prizes, new players depositing and playing as little as £10 within the first 48 hours of making a deposit will get £25 in bonus money from William Hill, so get started and take part in the cash back, BOGOF games, and try to take down the progressive jackpots at William Hill Bingo today!

brought to you by London Bingo News – http://www.LondonBingo.net – the #1 source for bingo news, live bingo in London, online bingo bonuses, and Internet bingo promotions.

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Bingo for Detainees under question

mabel — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:51:21 +0000

Bingo is an activity enjoyed by many people worldwide, but for one group of people it is currently being questioned whether it should be on offer to them or not.

Bingo, along with other activities such as yoga and cooking classes, may soon be offered to illegal immigrants waiting to be deported from America, although not everyone agrees with this idea and one Congressman is currently fighting this.

US Rep. Brian Bilbray has asked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to clarify proposed changes that would ’soften’ illegal immigration detention facilities to try and make the detention centres more humane. There are several centres run by the Corrections Corporation of America, and amongst those targeted for the new programme is one in Otay Mesa, San Diego.

Bilbray and 18 other members of Congress have sent a letter to the DHS, stating that although they agree detainees should be treated with respect they’re worried that the new provisions and costs will fall back onto taxpayers.

The new changes would provide detainees with activities such as bingo, dance classes, movie nights and continental breakfast.

Bilbray said; “The federal government doesn’t pay for Grandma and Grandpa to get these kinds of accommodations, I’d be damned if we ought to be talking about providing that for someone who is waiting for deportation. This is exactly the kind of message you don’t want to send that people that are illegal in the United States are entitled to treatment better than U.S. citizens” he added.

Lauren Mack with ICE said; “These reforms have been offered by ICE contractor CCA for consideration by ICE. They are currently being evaluated and have not been implemented. Any such reforms will not be funded at additional taxpayers expense. ICE is committed to making sensible reforms to its non-criminal detention system and will continue to consider reasonable approaches that seek to achieve those goals.”

“No one can tell me with a straight face that these accommodations are not being paid by the taxpayers,” Bilbray said.

The proposals also include allowing visitors to stay 12 hours at a time, eliminating lockdowns, and letting low-risk detainees wear personal clothing.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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PLaytech to bring back Blockbusters

Jaymac — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:36:31 +0000

It has been announced that Playtech will, on an exclusive basis, be providing Mecca bingo , part of the Rank Group, with a bingo variant based on the hugely popular television quiz show Blockbusters, through Virtue Fusion Alderney. Scheduled for release on 20th July Blockbusters Bingo will be the latest branded product from Playtech, which creates licenced games.

Blockbusters was first screened in the UK in 1983 with Bob Holness as the host. It ran for almost 20 years on different channels and with different hosts. The theme music and several key elements will be included in the game, where normal bingo numbers are replaced by letters which appear on 20 yellow hexagons per ticket.

As well as the standard prizes Blockbusters will also have a ‘1TG’ feature game, the famous ‘Gold Run.’ This will be for all players who have just one to go when the final prize, which could be either a column or a line, is won. In addition to this a Community Blockbusters Jackpot can be won if the first five letters called are B, I, N, Go and O, which can be in any order. Players will win a proportionate amount of the jackpot depending on their game stake compared to the total amount staked by all players.

Angus Nisbet, the Head of Gaming for Rank Interactive said; “Branded online bingo games are among the most popular on Meccabingo.com and I am sure that Blockbusters will be another success for any new bingo sites. Playtech’s Virtue Fusion Alderney has created a fantastic product and I am positive it will strike a chord with fans of the show and be well-liked by new players too.”

Bob McCulloch, the CEO of Virtue Fusion Alderney commented; “Virtue Fusion Alderney has a long-standing relationship with Meccabingo.com. We recently created Britain’s Got Talent Bingo for them which was very well received so we are delighted to have been asked to provide this game as part of their exclusive agreement with Blockbusters.”

Brought to you by London Bingo News Team

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Netplay issue profits warning

mabel — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:01:16 +0000

Television is always a risky business as results can go either way, both with advertising and with programmes, and it seems that the gamble has not worked out for NetPlay TV. They have just issued a profits warning after seeing lower than expected revenue from the initial run of their ITV Bingo Stars programme.

NetPlay TV have Challenge Jackpot and Bingo Stars on ITV, STV and Virgin 1. Bingo Stars was launched on 27th May and a new way of playing the game, which is a type of quick play keno, by mobile phone was recently introduced.

The company admitted that the take-up of the mobile gaming product was lower than expected. They said; ” It is becoming clear that we need to be very flexible in our product outputs and, on 21 June, we altered our format and scheduling to trial an alternative format in our earlier segment. This product is a more akin to our proven interactive gaming formats. We have gained a vast amount of knowledge from our current successful and profitable media partnerships and we are using this knowledge to the full, both in terms of potential cost savings and customer playing habits. Early signs are more encouraging with customers depositing funds during the show as well as to the website the following day.”

The company did warn however that revenues would take longer to collect because players would lose money over a greater time period; “The move from an instant play model to a more traditional game play, as well as increased first half costs, will have a material impact on our short term profit performance. As a result the Directors believe this will have a significant impact on the full year market expectations. The initial costs associated with producing and trialling new gaming formats are high, although as we amend the model to be more inline with our proven formats we are able to reduce costs significantly with immediate effect. The focus on developing new formats, moving technical platforms, migration offshore and improving our core offerings has been a major upheaval for the business; as a result costs have increased substantially in the short term. In altering the current format and scheduling as well driving more synergies between our brands we
are able to strip costs out from the business with immediate effect, thus protecting cash and the Company’s balance sheet.

NetPlay TV has several online Internet bingo, including Bingos.co.uk, Bingos.com, El Bingo and Bingo Friends.

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Police seize bingo machines from bingo hall in Alabama.

Gladys — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 09:45:48 +0000

16 people have been arrested in Alabama, USA, including a State Senator, when they protested against the seizure of bingo machines from a popular bingo hall by police. The Greenetrack bingo hall was the scene of the protest, which took place in a bid to stop state troopers from following orders from the Alabama Governor, who had decreed they should seize 800 electronic bingo machines. They blocked the entrance to the hall for 12 hours before the troopers decided to make the arrests.

The protest was mainly as the closure of Greenetrack will lead to 400 employees losing their jobs, and as the hall is in an area of high unemployment the chances of the staff quickly finding alternative jobs are quite remote. The Democratic State Senator Bobby Singleton of Greensboro was one of those arrested, and the Democratic nominee for governor was amongst the protestors. All of the 16 were released on a $1000 bond.

The majority of employees at the hall are black, leading black legislators to claim that the decision to close Greentrack has racial undertones, and so making this a big political issue.

Alabama’s Republican Governor, Bob Rily, believes that the electronic bingo machines are in fact illegal slot machines, which therefore contravene state laws on gambling and Internet bingo. He has been backed by John Tyson Jr, the gambling task force commander who has helped close more than 20 bingo halls in the last two months. Only Victoryland, the giant hall with more than 6000 electronic bingo machines in Macon County is still open, along with the three state-endorsed Indian casinos in Alabama.

There are currently 34 charity bingo halls in Alabama which, in line with Alabama state law, run bingo games as a charity fundraising purpose, and do not have electronic bingo.

Brought to youy by London Bingo News

Brought to you by London bingo News.

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No merger for Party Bingo and bwin

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:52:42 +0000

There have been many rumours recently that a merger was on the cards between Party Bingo and bwin, but it has been confirmed that this will not be happening now. Party Gaming own Cheeky Bingo and Foxy Bingo, and have been in talks with bwin, the European sports gambling giant. If things had gone ahead as speculated it would have created the largest bingo online group in the world.

Hannes Androsch, bwin’s largest single shareholder and chairman of the company’s supervisory board, said that talks to merge the two companies have been abandoned; “In the end, the talks have not led to the desired outcome”.

Party Gaming bought Cashcade only last July but due to the increase in legislation in all European gambling markets all online gaming companies, in the bingo industry and associated markets, are expected to undergo a series of acquisitions and mergers in order to become bigger and stronger to ensure survival in these difficult times.

Bwin have said they are in talks with a ‘competent’ American company who’s goal is to end up with a 11 per cent stake in the online gambling company. At the moment bwin hardly feature in the bingo industry. It is believed that the San-Francisco based company has been chosen for strategic reasons, to help bwin enter the all-important American market when it opens up for online gambling.

Brought to you by the leading bingo industry news site.

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MTV to launch a bingo site

Victoria — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:45:49 +0000

At a time when several bingo sites are struggling to stay alive, the entertainment giants MTV have announced that they will be launching their first online new bingo sites shortly.

The site, to be called Up Your Bingo, will be run by 888’s Dragonfish division, so will have the same software as more familiar sites such as Silk Bingo, Wink Bingo and Foxy Bingo. It will target the UK and Irish markets and will be advertised on MTV’s music channel and on VIVA.

The CEO of 888 and Acting Manager of Dragonfish, Gigi Levy, said; “As a leader in the field of gaming software and services we wish to form partnerships with market leaders from other business sectors seeking to monetise their assets. MTV Networks is an internationally renowned brand, and we are proud to launch their first entry into online gaming. The strength of Dragonfish’s bingo product offering, coupled with MTV Networks’ marketing reach, provides an exciting platform from which to build a successful partnership.”

Philip Bourchier O’Ferrall, Senior Vice President, Digital Media, MTV Networks International, UK & Ireland, said; “We are delighted to have agreed this new deal with Dragonfish which marks our very first online gaming initiative. At a time when the market for online games and virtual worlds is continuing to grow, collaborations such as this one provide responsible and enjoyable gaming opportunities for our audience.”

The announcement came at the same time as shares in 888 hit new lows. The share price was 34.5 pence, down from a 52 week high of 121.5 pence, and far less than the April 2006 high of 240 pence a share. 888 is currently valued at £119.5 million and is widely considered to be a potential takeover target.

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Scottish grandmother mugged after bingo

Tom — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:44:46 +0000

We all know that times are hard, but a thief in Scotland stooped very low this week when he mugged a 63 year old grandmother on her way home after a night at the bingo.

Margaret Craig from Tillydrone, Aberdeen had won £140 playing bingo, and had an additional £60 in her handbag. The pensioner said; “I was at the bingo and decided to walk home because it was such a nice night. I was going on to Portal Terrace when I heard someone running behind me. When I turned round, this guy started pulling my bag and said, ‘Give me it.’ I swore at him and said no but he kept pulling and pulling and we struggled.” The gran of four said the man then pointed a silver sharp object against her hand, which caused her to stumble. She added; ”I landed on the grass verge. That’s when he kicked me in the face. When he kicked me a second time, the strap broke and he ran away. I screamed and screamed. A guy came down and helped me.”

Mrs Craig was taken to hospital where she was treated for minor injuries, including a large bruise on her eye, before being released. Police are investigating the crime, Constable Duncan MacKintosh said; “This was a terrible attack on a lone woman. We are determined to find the person who was responsible.”

This just go to shows its some times safer playing online bingo in the comft of your own home.

Brought to you by London Bingo news

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Bingo hall fighting to open

Gladys — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:24:42 +0000

A California bingo hall’s opening has been delayed again whilst the final decision is referred to the City Council.

Pop’s Bingo World was given approval to open a bingo hall on Willow Pass Road, Concord, California in April 2010. However, the Concord Blue Devils bingo hall, a local would-be rival, went to the city’s Planning Commission to lodge an appeal against the approval.

This is the second time there has been an approval followed by an appeal, and the final decision will now be made on 13th July by the City Council. The Blue Devils appeal asks that the city undertake a full environmental study on how the new bingo sites
would affect parking, traffic, crime and the provision of city services before issuing an approval.

The owners say though that the building was previously used as a gym for many years, so there is plenty of evidence as to the environmental impact of using the site.

There are 197 bingo halls in California at the moment. They must all operate to raise money for charity, although bingo hall operators are allowed to be for-profit organisations which hire out their equipment and hall to charities who want to operate bingo nights. Pop’s Bingo World shares their name with another bingo hall that is run in Richmond, Virginia.

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Get free money with special reload bingo bonuses

Victoria — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:08:43 +0000

While the main talk of the town is usually the initial deposit bonuses that Internet bingo rooms throw to their new bingo players, this weekend we need to point out that there are some really exciting and special reload bonus offers for London bingo players that are looking to replenish their bingo accounts and get some nice bank for doing so. When you play bingo, getting the maximum bonus money is key to playing bingo successfully, as the bingo bonuses help you maximize your earnings.

This week only, London Bingo presents you some of the best bingo bonuses for the first week of July.

1. For everyday this week end starting today at Tasty Bingo, you can have a reload bonus on your deposit of an extra 80%!

Thursday 01/07/2010 – 00:01 to 23:59 – Bonus Code Tasty
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2. At Wink Bingo, get 75% to 85% extra bingo bank when you reload your account this week. Be sure to use the appropriate Wink Bingo bonus codes when you are reloading. The bonus code corresponds with the day of the week, so be certain to choose the proper bonus code to claim your Wink Bingo online bingo reload bonus.

Thursday 01/07/2010 – 00:01 to 23:59 – Bonus Code WINK85 - deposit bonus 85%
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http://www.LondonBingo.net/ provides you with latest bingo news and best online bingo bonuses, promotions for when your playing online bingo.

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Smoking ban to be reviewed for Bingo halls?

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:34:20 +0000

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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bingo bonuses & special bingo games in July

Victoria — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:31:31 +0000

The month of July rings in special bingo bonus offers, & really terrific bingo games, as well as some brand new bingo sites. London Bingo proudly presents the best bingo in July:

1. Claim a full 100% bonus up to £1000 from Polo Bingo – the Internet’s newest bingo site. At Polo bingo, not only can you grab up to a grand in bonus GBP, but you also can play in bingo games that give you several chances to become an instant millionaire. For a mere quarter, a lucky Polo Bingo player could very well become the next bingo millionaire!

2. Bingo Flash lights up the sky in July with an extra bingo bonus on top of their normal bingo bonuses. Anytime you make a deposit to bingo flash – whether it is a new deposit or a reload deposit – you get extra bonus funds for bingo and also qualify for a special bingo game. Anyone depositing to bingo flash using ewallet Xpress, Moneygram, MyPaylinQ, UseMyWallet, or Money Line Wallet gets an additional 200% bonus on top of the already attractive bingo flash bonus of 250% up to $1,000.

In addition to the top of the line bingo bonus that Bingo flash is handing their depositing players, anyone depositing at least $50 qualifies for a special free bingo game on the day that they fund their bingo flash account. While the prize pool varies based on the day, the minimum bingo prize for any of these special games of bingo for depositing players starts at $500.

http://www.LondonBingo.net/ provides you with information you need to find the best online bingo bonuses, promotions & the best spot for playing bingo on line.

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Casino thief sentenced to 17 years

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:50:10 +0000

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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World Cup Revenge at Red Bus Bingo

Gladys — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:19:58 +0000

There are many bingo sites with special World Cup promotions at the moment, but if you’re not a football fan then head over to Red Bus Bingo for a brilliant game, World Cup Revenge.

This is a fun game to play but has some great prizes up for grabs, including a Dell Inspiron laptop, a Panasonic Lumix digital camera, an iPod Nano, a Samsung microwave and 6 other prizes where you can choose between cash and vouchers at various places.

When you start you’ll see a choice of various weapons – you can choose between stilettos, a handbag, a microwave or an iron. You then throw your weapon – you can knock out the man or smash the TV and you’ll earn points, but you must be careful as if you hit the cat or your weapon goes out of the window you’ll lose points.

The tournament will run until the 11th of July, when the final of the World Cup is played, so you can take out any frustrations every single day between now and then. You can throw your weapons 5 times per game, and you can play World Cup Revenge every day as long as you’ve made a deposit.

if you’re not glued to odds comparison sites keeping an eye on the odds, then free bingo games are another good way to spend your time while the world cup is on.

There’s a leaderboard as well so you can see if you’re in one of the top ten prize winning slots. Now if only they gave you extra points for throwing the man through the TV it would be perfect!

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Two online bingo sites to close

Tom — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:09:11 +0000

The online bingo market in the UK is seen as a tough market, and with the constant addition of
new bingo sites combined with the present economic climate it is not really surprising that some sites will disappear.

It has been said that two sites, Bingo Fantasy and Bingo 777, will be closing at the end of the month and so are entering into their final week of operating. Neither site has sufficient funds to start an advertising campaign, which is not a cheap undertaking, nor are they supported by other sites on the same network.

The online bingo industry is constantly changing, and some of the largest players in the industry have had to join forces in order to maintain their position and success. Even software providers such as Virtue Fusion and Playtech are amalgamating, and if leading players like those are having to adapt to survive just think what it must be like for players at the other end of the scale.

It is believed that the company behind Bingo 777 and Bingo Fantasy is closing these sites down to concentrate on their online casino sites which are more profitable for them.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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Online bingo not legalised in Australia

Tom — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:01:36 +0000

Despite speculation that a change was in the air, and recommendations from a policy advisory board, legislators in Australia have decided not to legalise online bingo.

The panel had recommended that online bingo, as well as casino and poker games should be legal for Australians to play, but this advice was ignored by the Communications Minister, who believed that any potential benefits of allowing online gambling would be outweighed by the likely rise in problem gambling. This will surely effect the people who play bingo online.

Australia has one of the highest rates of problem gambling in the world, but experts believe this is related to the mixing of gambling and alcohol in Australian bars and the high number of slot machines, otherwise known as ‘pokies’. It is estimated that there are 160,000 problem gamblers in Australia.

Online gambling on bingo, casino and poker was banned by the 2001 Interactive Gambling Act, but as many Australians didn’t know that sites were illegal they continued to play on unlicensed sites.

The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, and the Families Minister, Jenny Macklin, both gave interviews where they said that the government had decided to ignore the advice of the Gambling Policy Board, an independent body who suggested that the tax and player protection benefits which could be gained from allowing online gambling would be beneficial.

Conroy said that the government would do their best to crack down on online operators who target Australians from overseas, and would talk to American legislators about how they passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, and how they tried to enforce what is widely seen as a badly drafted piece of legislation.

Recently there has been speculation that a few British companies were planning to acquire Australian gambling licences in advance of the hoped for change in legislation. William Hill were.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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YouTube to allow gambling adverts

Gladys — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 09:06:04 +0000

In a move that could be quite interesting to various parties YouTube, the popular video sharing website, has said that they will allow; “licensed entities located in England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France or Spain” to run online gambling advertisements on YouTube videos, according to new advertising guidelines which have been posted on the site.

There will be some restrictions though, and a viewer will have to verify that they are 18 or older before they can view any content. Companies will be able to run advertising campaigns on their own channels as well as TouTube’s home page and video pages.

Google actually owns YouTube and over the last 2 years they have been slowly easing their once strict policy on gambling restrictions. In October 2008 Google lifted their Adwords ban on internet gambling advertising in the UK which saw a sudden flood of activity.

It is widely believed that Ladbrokes will be the first company to run a display advert on YouTube, although we are sure that many other companies will follow, as they attempt to introduce their brands to a new and so far untapped market.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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Gala Bingo restructure finalised

Tom — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:49:07 +0000

Its always good when a deal comes together, and when the deal in question has been going on for over a year the conclusion is definitely sweeter. The deal we’re referring to is the Gala Bingo restructure although some of their major investors have lost out financially. The largest ones are Cinven, Candover and Permira, Permira are the largest losers but between the 3 of them they have lost approximately £600 million.

Before they entered negotiations the gaming and bingo giant were believed to have around £2.7 billion of debt, but now it is believed to be roughly £1.9 billion – still a considerable sum in our eyes! The new owners, headed by Apollo Management have not only restructured the company’s debt but have also steered them away from administration.

The Chairman of the Gala Coral Group, Mr Goulden, believes it is a positive move and said; “Everyone believes it is the best offer on the table and everyone agrees it is the best thing for the company.”

He also said that Gala bingo will be unveilling a new board this week. It will have 4 new industry experts, to be nominated by the new shareholders, as well as Mr Goulden, Dominic Harrison, Gala’s existing Chief Executive and Gary Hughes, the Chief Financial Officer.

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World Cup fun at Red Bus Bingo

Gladys — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:01:24 +0000

Red Bus Bingo is a relatively new bingo site and have some great promotions. Like several other sites they have been running a special promotion for the World Cup, but as it’s linked to England’s progress who knows if it will last for much longer.

The third game in their World Cup series will take place at 9.30pm on Wednesday 23rd, after England play Slovenia, so any football fans will be able to watch the game and then play bingo afterwards. Tickets for the game start at the very reasonable price of just 3p, and altogether there is £300 up for grabs. The first line prize is £35, the second line will get someone £45, and the lucky player to call full house will win £220. This is higher prize money than the first two games so hopefully will attract even more players. The first game was 12th June, in line with the game against the USA, where the full house was worth £60, and the second game had a prize of £140 and took place on 18th June which was when England played Algeria. (We’re all football fans here at Londonbingo.net so we won’t mention the results!).

The game can be found in the England Supporters Club room under the Specials tab. More games may follow but that depends entirely on how England do against Slovenia, and whether or not they can progress to the next round. RedBus Bingo have said though that if England do get knocked out they will hold a special Honour the Lions game with a minimum jackpot of £500.

We’re certianly be cheering on the England team Today and hope you do too so the World Cup games can continue.

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Free bingo money to disappear?

Tom — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:53:41 +0000

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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Budget Announcement for Bingo

Jaymac — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:00:12 +0000

The bingo industry is on tenterhooks this morning whilst they wait for the new budget to be announced, with much speculation as to how it will affect them.

It is expected that there will be an increase in National Contributions and VAT, which will have a knock-on affect in other areas as this will lead to a general rise in costs. Hopefully gaming duty will not increase, so at least the impact of tax increases on the bingo industry will be on par with other industries.

Due to the present economic situation the Government needs to raise revenue, so tax cuts are not expected. Some people in the gaming industry believe this could be the time when gaming duty is levelled throughout the industry, and Gross Profits Tax raised to 20% for everyone, including bookmakers.

It is also feared that an increase in VAT could cause problems for the larger bingo clubs, particularly those that rent or lease their properties. As a large proportion of the income does not attract VAT, and the machine income is affected by GPT instead of VAT, the recoverable VAT from premises will drastically reduce, whilst the amount paid on top will increase.

On the other hand online bingo companies which offer their games to customers from off shore will probably not see any changes that will affect their revenue streams. However, the amount of taxation that is presently lost abroad has been noted by the Government, and new legislation to increase the tax burden on off shore online gaming companies is expected shortly. Instead of offering incentives to operators who operate in the UK it is a distinct possibility that off shore companies will face financial penalties instead.

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Costa Bingo introduces new bonus structure

Jaymac — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:05:09 +0000

Costa Bingo, the biggest bingo site to launch in 2009, has introduced a new bonus structure, giving new bingo players and existing Costa bingo players far more bang for their buck. The new Costa Bingo bonus deals give bingo players more opportunity to maximize their bingo money & will make the bingo games at Costa Bingo even bigger! The more you deposit, the richer the deposit bonus.

Bingo players who make the minimum deposit to Costa Bingo (£5), will get a full match bonus of 100%.

Players who fund their bingo accounts with £10 receive a 200% bingo bonus from Costa Bingo.

Players who deposit £20 or more earn themselves 2.5 times their money and get a HUGE Costa Bingo 250% deposit bonus!

With 2.5 times the bingo bonus money up for grabs, Costa Bingo puts their money where their mouth is and rewards bingo players for recognizing Costa Bingo as one of the leading Internet bingo sites. Use the bonus money to play bingo games, or to play instant games, slots, and table games at Costa Bingo right now.

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Special Father’s Day bingo events & bonuses

mabel — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:14:31 +0000

The London Bingo staff would like to wish everyone a Happy Father’s Day. Whether you are a father or not, you can cash in on the special deals, bonus offers, and take part in the special events & bingo games that some of our special bingo sites are putting on in celebrations of the fathers of the world.

Here are some special Father’s day bingo games for you to play:

Wink Bingo – Enjoy Father’s Day at Wink Bingo. Treat your Dad to some bingo and if you or your Pop win, Wink Bingo will match the jackpot win for you or your Father! In order to take part in this special Wink Bingo Father’s Day bingo game promotion, the Father must play in the same bingo game as their son or daughter. Whoever wins the bingo game (Father, son, or daughter) – the other is credited with the same amount in bingo money! Celebrate Father’s Day with the family and Click to visit Wink Bingo now.

Posh Bingo – Get an extra special Father’s Day Posh Bingo bonus of 101% on Father’s Day. Whether you’re a dad or not, you can take advantage of the extra bingo bonus money at Posh Bingo – click to get extra money from Posh Bingo on Dad’s day now.

Giggle Bingo – In celebration of Father’s Day, Giggle Bingo is laughing up £4,460 in their Dynamite Dad’s Giveaway promotion. In this special Giggle Bingo giveaway, you can laugh all the way to the bank when you get a full house or show some love to thy neighbor, as Giggle Bingo will kick you extra prize money on top of the prizes you take down for bingo-ing! Play at Giggle Bingo now by clicking here.

These Father’s day specials are brought to you by http://www.londonbingo.net/ Internet bingo news. Enjoy your day with your Dad.

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Mecca Bingo Club Hosts Charity Event

Victoria — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 11:36:44 +0000

If you’ve got a free space in your diary on Saturday then why not head down to the Mecca Bingo Club in Chester, which will be holding a Blooming Great Tea Party to raise funds for the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity.

There is a ‘Mad Hatters’ theme to the party, during which members will be offered cakes and drinks for £1, the money for which will be donated to the charity.

From Mecca Bingo Bernie Dullaghan said; “We are very excited to be holding a Blooming Great Tea Party to support our charity partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care and hope that many of our club customers will come and join in the fun. The money raised from the tea party will allow more Marie Curie Nurses to provide free care to terminally ill people in their own homes.”

A community fundraiser for the Marie Curie charity, Siobhan Hefferman added; “We are really pleased that Mecca Bingo is holding a Blooming Great Tea Party. We’re asking everyone in the community to host their own Blooming Great Tea Party for Marie Curie Cancer Care this summer. It’s such an easy way to get together with friends or family.”

The company, which as well as Mecca Bingo also owns Rank Interactive and G Casinos, has set an overall fundraising target of £200,000, which would fund 10,000 hours of vital nursing care for terminally ill patients in their homes. Over 8,000 employees throughout the group will be taking part in a variety of activities for the campaign, which will last throughout the year. As well as acting as collectors for the charity they will take part in the Blooming Great Tea Party campiagn in June and July, hold other events and also organise various challenges, such as leg waxing and completing a marathon.

A spokesman for Mecca Bingo said; “It’s very important to us to ensure that we make a positive contribution to the communities in which we operate. Marie Curie is a fantastic cause and I’m very much looking forward to working with them over the coming year. Our employees and customers have set a great example through the work they have undertaken with Whizz-Kidz in 2008/9 and I have every confidence that we will exceed out 2010 fundraising target for Marie Curie.”

Tom Hughes-Hallett, the Chief Executive of Marie Curie Cancer Care added; “We are really looking forward to working with the whole of the team at the Rank Group over the coming year. I’m confident that the group’s employees and customers alike will rise to this wonderful challenge for 2010, and get their friends and families involved, knowing that their efforts will help terminally ill people spend their final days in the familiar surroundings of their own homes.”

Marie Curie nurses, for those not familiar with their work, provide free care to terminally ill patients in the comfort of their own homes, which means they can stay close to their loved ones. Mecca have a history of fundraising and last year managed to raise the grand total of £516,000 for the Whizz-Kidz charity, through Meccabingo.com and the Mecca Bingo clubs.
We hope they do just as well this year, and we think its fantastic that you can play bingo and help an important charity at the same time.

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EGaming Review award the bingo industry

mabel — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:20:39 +0000

Recently we told you about the bingo winners named at the Online Bingo Summit, and this week was the turn of the EGaming Review ceremony. This was held at London’s Old Billingsgate centre, with Olympic silver medal winner Steve Cram handing out the awards.

Playtech won the prestigious Bingo Supplier of the Year category through its Virtue Fusion product, which is a leading brand in the bingo industry. They beat Dragonfish, Parlay Entertainment and NYX Interactive to take the honour. This followed on from their awards at the Online Bingo Summit, where they took the honours for Best Online Bingo Innovation and Best Online Bingo Software. Mor Weizer, the CEO of Playtech said; “The EGR Awards are a prestigious new event in the industry’s calendar, so we are delighted Playtech have been recognised here with three separate awards. It really shows the strength of our products across the group. Being named Bingo Supplier of the Year is a fantastic endorsement and it is extremely satisfying as it comes straight after our double success at the Online Bingo Summit.”

The prize for Bingo Network of the Year was taken by Dragonfish, who beat Microgaming and Fusion Network.

Dragonfish made it a double when they scooped the award for WhiteLabel Partner of the Year. Neogames, who power Prime Scratchcards, were highly commended in the Software Rising Star of the Year category.

The Innovation in Bingo award was accepted by NYX Interactive, who edged out Cozy Games, Playtech and Alvin5, who had the consolation of being highly commended.

To the surprise of many G2 GTech who own St Minver, the bingo white label supplier, were not shortlisted for any bingo awards, although as a consolation prize they did win an award for Lottery Software Provider of the Year.

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Giant 888 expands again

Victoria — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:11:59 +0000

In a move which is sure to be viewed with great interest in the gaming world, 888 has agreed to purchase several assets from Real Dice Inc as it enters the world of social games. The deal will go ahead at a base price of $18 million, plus additional amounts which will be determined by the profit for 2011, and has been set up through a wholly owned subsidiary of the gaming giant.

888 will pay Real Dice $12 million in cash as soon as the deal is completed and an additional $6 once certain criteria have been met, connected to the mobile and social networking games before the end of December 2011. The additional profits based amount will be capped at $30 million, meaning the maximum amount payable by 888 will be $48 million.

The deal will see 888 acquiring the Mytopia social games development studio, providing them with many opportunities for the future. The development studio specialises in developing cross-platform social games for mobile handsets, smartphones and social networking platforms such as Facebook. 888 has said that Mytopia would form the cornerstone of its future social and gaming mobile strategy.

Part of the deal also sees 888 acquiring several games including Bingo Island 2, a Facebook application, a social poker application and a real-time multi-player mobile phone application for the Blackberry, Windows Mobile, iPhone, Android and J2ME handsets. Other assets include a technology platform for hosting and operating real-time social games and a software licence for Particle Code, a cross-platform application framework for mobile devices and tablets.

Gigi Levy, the CEO of 888 Holdings said; “This is a very exciting deal for 888 including the Internet bingo arm, and builds on our aim of providing a variety of entertainment destinations where people can enjoy a truly interactive experience on a multitude of platforms. Mytopia is one of the leading publishers of cross-platform social-games and this acquisition gives us an immediate footprint in the fast-growing social gaming arena, complementing our core offering and giving us access to millions of customers. “Improvements in mobile technology now mean more people are comfortable using applications on the move, and we expect significant growth in this area,” added Levy. “The acquisition extends 888’s reach and market share in the fast growing social networks and smart mobile devices, such as iPhone and Android powered handsets, and leaves us well positioned to take advantage of this growth.”

The assets in consideration did make an unaudited loss for the period ending December 31st 2009, but their future value through the opportunites they present are significant.

The CEO of Real Dice, Guy Ben-Artzi said; “888 understands where the market is going. Mytopia will thrive with 888’s infrastructure and expertise behind it and bring to 888 new revenue streams from virtual goods and micro-transactions on social networks and mobile devices. We both believe that an advanced social gaming creative and operational capability, along with technology to move faster in critical smartphone and emerging platforms like iPad, is the best way to connect with the next-generation of players.”

While the assets in consideration made an unaudited loss for the period ending December 31st 2009, their future value through the opportunities they present are significant. The deal is said to be subject to several conditions.

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NYX Interactive Acquire Cashball

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 08:34:50 +0000

NYX Interactive, the Swedish online bingo software provider have just completed the purchase of Bingo network Cashball, one of the most innovative network operators, from Bonnier Lottery.

Steffan Lindgren, the CEO of NYX was extremely pleased with the deal and said; “In addition to being a transaction, in financial terms, it is also an acknowledgement that we have chosen the right direction – that allows Nyx to create greater benefits and value for our customers. We will be able to deliver customer projects and value added services more rapidly than ever. We have a unique market position that will create a huge opportunity for existing customers and new bingo sites for any operator who wants to connect to the Cashball network. The Cashball services and the NYX Rapid Platform together create a framework for operators to be proactive against the rapidly changing market and add content that they know their players want.”

He added “Bonnier Lottery sees the value in this approach and will continue be a close partner to Cashball and NYX Interactive. Their focus will remain on the parts of the business that are closer to Bonniers core values such as distribution, marketing channels, content and brands.”

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Former Bingo Club Fights to Avoid Demolition

Victoria — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:47:24 +0000

Many former bingo clubs have been axed in recent years, but one that is still hanging on is the former Opera House in Workington. The site has been under debate for some time, and has just been given a stay of execution from plans to demolish it whilst councillors decide its future.

The site was originally called the Queen’s Jubilee Hall and Opera Club and could hold more than 1300 people when it opened in the late 1800’s. The small theatre unfortunately burnt down in 1927 and was then rebuilt as a cine-theatre. In 1958 Robert Graves changed the building to a bingo hall after there was a fall in demand for cinemas. In 2004 Opera Bingo moved out and the building has mostly been empty since then.

The owners of the building, Graves (Cumberland) Ltd want to demolish the Coopers Walk building, along with 3 adjoining shops, and build new retail units and apartments in their place. In a campaign against these plans a petition with 117 names on it has been handed in to the council, and a Facebook page has approximately 1000 members.

Members of Allerdale’s development panel paid a visit to the site and then stated that they were looking to keep the building as an entertainment venue. They agreed to delay any decision on the demolition plans for 3 months, in which time the campaigners could put together a detailed rescue package for the building.

Councillor John Armstrong said; “It is a quality building and there is nowhere in West Cumbria quite like it. It has got to be saved for the people of Workington and West Cumbria and we need to see if there is any other way to preserve it.”

Councillor Peter Kendall added; “We need facilities like this in the area and we need to promote arts and leisure in the heart of the town centre of Workington so it must be kept.”

Councillor Allan Caine commented; “We should give it three months to see if anybody comes forward to restore it.”

Councillor Alan Smith said; “It is a big area and a lot of work needs to be done with it.”

Due to the size of the site it is believed there will be limited interest in it. 3 months is also thought to be a short timescale for another plan to be submitted. The other shops that would be demolished are the British Heart Foundation shop, Supernews and the former Card Warehouse shop. In turn 9 shops and 15 apartments would be built, so it would lead to a significant change in the nature of the area.

We all love internet bingo but we have to keep the heritage of our live bingo halls across the UK, they seem to be taking them down faster than they are gowing up. Which is worrying times for the live bingo halls.

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Bingo Caller gets an Award

mabel — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:06:26 +0000

Blanche Gibbs, a 78 year old bingo caller, has been fund raising for the last 11 years and has now been officially recognised for her work. Over this time she has managed to raise more than £30,000, and has been called a ‘community star’ for her efforts.

Mrs Gibbs has organised a string of charity nights in Ludham Church near Great Yarmouth, where people take part in bingo games and she acts as the bingo caller. In this time she has helped the Air Ambulance and several charities, voluntary groups and schools.

Her charity work began in August 1999 when she decided to raise funds for the Air Ambulance, following an incident where a young boy was knocked down by a car in Stalham. “When I started 11 years ago I never thought I would still be going today” she said, but since that first event she has organised over 100 bingo nights. Mrs Gibbs buys all the prizes herself as well as calling the numbers, and she has had up to 50 people at her nights.

This week her work was officially recognised by Norman Lamb, the MP for North Norfolk, who presented her with a MP’s Heroes Award. He also praised her work, saying; “She is a remarkable woman and a real star. She is an absolute example to us all for putting others before herself – while entertaining a lot of people on the way.”

Although many people her age and younger would be looking for an easy life as the years advance Mrs Gibbs has a different view on things, and says; “I hope to keep going until I am 100 at least. The reason I think the bingo nights are popular is because it gives people somewhere to go and socialise and have fun.” Her next charity event will be on 22nd June, and is again hoping for a good turnout.

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Hop on the Red Bus & Support England in the World Cup

Jaymac — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 13:09:23 +0000

RedBus Bingo are calling on England supporters to hop on the red bus by joining the Red Bus England supporters club in the Redbus Bingo world cup wonder promotion.

At Redbus bingo, the club gathers whenever England plays in a world cup match. Bingo players can buy in and play bingo games for special prizes. The games can be found at Red Bus Bingo under the special games tab and are scheduled as follows:

12 June – 21:30 – 1p buyin for £100 prize – England v USA – 1 line bingo pays £15, 2 line bingo pays £25, Fullhouse awards £60 in prizes.

18 June – 21:30 – 2p buyin for £200 in bingo prizes – England v Algeria – 1 line pay £25, 2 line bingo win pays £35, Fullhouse gives a £140 cash bingo prize.

23 June – 21:30 – 3p buy-in for £300 in cash bingo prizes – England v Slovenia Wednesday 1 line win = £35, 2 line bingo comps £45 in cash, a fullhouse win pays out £220!

The Redbus world cup wonder games are open to all funded players at Red Bus Bingo. Future games will be announced as England advances in the World Cup. In the unfortunate event that England is ousted from the Football World Cup tournament, a special HONOUR THE LIONS game with a minimum jackpot of £500 will be played.

Players depositing to Red Bus Bingo for the first time get themselves a 250% bonus on their first deposit up to 100GBP. To take part in the World Cup festivities at Red Bus Bingo, you can simply click here to play.

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Win an i-pad in the Wink Bingo World Cup Revenge

Jaymac — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:44:34 +0000

With the World Cup underway, Wink Bingo is hosting the World Cup Revenge competition, where participants can win an I-pad as the top prize for this Wink Bingo promotion.

In Wink Bingo’s world cup revenge, players who deposit to Wink Bingo get to choose their ammo. Once the ammo is chosen, they throw it at the tele. The top ten players win prizes. The prizes that are additionally awarded through the World Cup revenge promotion are a blackberry curve, a necklace, ipods, shopping vouchers, and cash!

Just place in the top ten in the World Cup revenge game at Wink Bingo and any of those great prizes can be yours! The promotion runs from 11 June to 11 July at Wink Bingo. Players depositing to Wink Bingo for the first time get themselves a 200% bingo bonus. Get revenge on the World Cup and play at Wink Bingo by clicking here now.

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London Bingo Expands Bingo Site Reviews

Gladys — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:27:08 +0000

http://www.LondonBingo.net has stepped it up in terms of the number of new bingo sites & online bingo rooms they are covering. Currently, London Bingo showcases 25 bingo rooms and bingo reviews on their bingo website. As Internet bingo continues to expand, so shall London Bingo. The objective of London Bingo is to expand coverage of the bingo sites reviews to cover at least 50 online bingo rooms by the end of summer.

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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Bingo Summit Awards Announced

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:26:40 +0000

The 5th Annual Online Bingo Summit has just taken place and there are some very happy bingo operators celebrating the results. This prestigious event was held at the Park Plaza Victoria in London, and was attended by many leaders in the industry, as not only was there an award ceremony but also a series of talks from leading names, as well as the all important party afterwards.

The winner for the highly sought after ‘Online Bingo Operator 2010′ was Tombola, who beat off the other nominated operators of Foxy Bingo, Wink Bingo and Paddy Power.

Another hotly contested category was for ‘Best Newcomer 2010′. The nominations were for Red Bus Bingo, Tea & Bingo, Tasty Bingo, Hollywood Bingo and Caesars Bingo. All sites have performed well and had some excellent promotions, but Tea & Bingo took the honours, possibly gaining an edge from their length of operation.

The award for ‘Online Bingo Software’ is always an important one in this very competitive field, and Virtue Fusion ended up with this, beating off the other nominees of Parlay Entertainment, Dragonfish, Cozy Games, Nyx Interactive and Gamesys. Virtue Fusion also took the award for ‘Best Online Bingo Innovation 2010′ for Deal or No Deal.

Bingoport walked away with the prize for ‘Best Online Bingo Information Portal 2010′, Income Access were the winners in the ‘Best Bingo Affiliate Programme 2010′, and in an increasingly growing field Foxy Bingo took first place in the ‘Best Marketing Campaign 2010′ with ‘The One That You Want’

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100 Years Old and still Playing Bingo

Victoria — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:11:43 +0000

It’s been said that bingo is a game for all ages, and Lydia Clark is living proof of this, as the great-grandmother has just celebrated her 100th birthday with a game of bingo.

To celebrate her centenary birthday she had a family party, and then went to her local bingo club with 50 of her bingo friends. She plays at the day centre at Woodside House, Woodside Park High Road in North London, and her and her friends were joined by Eddie Griffiths, the Major for Haringey. He presented Mrs Clark with a pair of whiskey tumblers, embossed with the Haringey Council logo, and said; “It is a great privilege to see somebody who is not only 100 but an active 100 as well.”

He was referring to the fact that Mrs Clark was still ballroom dancing at 90, for which birthday she celebrated with a trip to the London Eye. She visits the club once a week to catch up with her friends and play bingo. She lost her husband Herbert in 1977 and never re-married. When asked by Councillor Griffiths what had kept her going she replied; “Just accept things and don’t worry about them. And have a glass of sherry now and then when playing internet bingo.”

Mrs Clark, a mother of four, was 29 when the Second World War started, and whilst her husband joined the army she stayed at home with the children. She said; “I met my husband when I was 18, and I liked him because he was with it. I couldn’t work during the war because I had babies. I’ve got a good memory, and I’ve always been positive. I never got depressed.” In later years they ran a newsagents together in Plamers Green, although Mrs Clark is originally from Edmonton.

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Irish Government decision on gaming imminent

Jaymac — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:39:10 +0000

We’ve already seen announcements from France, Spain and Norway this month regarding new legislation on online and land-based gaming and it looks like Ireland will soon join this club. They have been carrying out a review for some time which could lead to the creation of a significant number of jobs, and it is believed a decision will soon be made regarding an outdated law.

The law dates back to 1956 and is the Gaming and Lotteries Act. In its present state this prevents Ireland from introducing a new regime which would help the country from becoming an important e-commerce hub for the global online-casino industry. DKM Consultants have carried out a study which indicates that a change in legislation could create between 5000 and 8000 jobs, with an average pay of €40,000 per year. These would include web developers, accountants, e-commerce professionals, business analysts and mathematicians.

The law has been under debate for some time, and it is feared that if the delays in amending it continue then other countries may capitalise instead. A lot is at stake, as if Ireland managed to take just a 5% share of the global online casino business it would be worth €2.2 billion.

A spokesman for the Department of Justice said that Dermot Ahern, the Minister for Justice, initiated a major review of gambling on 1st May. He said; “The review will provide Government with options for a new and comprehensive legal and organisational framework governing the gambling architecture in the State, including remote gambling and
online bingo. Three important considerations, which are the hallmark of most well-regulated gambling codes, inform the review.” These are the protection of the young and vulnerable, that gambling should be kept crime-free, and that all aspects of gambling should be fairly and openly conducted.

“Following the settling of policy in relation to a new gambling architecture for the State, legislative proposals will be published in the normal course,” the spokesman said. He confirmed that the consultation phase of the review had been completed, and that since 1st May material on the department’s website had been viewed more than 5000 times, with over 50 face-to-face meetings and 71 submissions.

This is good news for certain businesses, including betting firms and online casinos and new bingo sites, although news that the Government is also considering levying a tax on online betting is a cause for concern for local betting firms such as Boyle Sports and Paddy Power. Paddy Power of Paddy Power Bookmakers said that a speech Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD gave to the horse-racing industry recently suggested the industry would receive financial support into the future through taxes on online betting.

Paddy Power currently employ 700 people in Tallaght, and are hoping to create an additional 350 jobs over the next 3 years. A spokesman said; “Our concern is that of the Top 10 bookies in Ireland, ourselves and Boyle Sports are the only two actually based here. We have no problem paying an online betting tax as long as it is enforceable and others pay it, too. As employers in Ireland this is a concern. We will have to look at the future of the company. There is an opportunity here. We are probably the most successful and largest indigenous e-commerce company in Ireland. We are a smart-economy company and as we grow internationally we will create more employment in Ireland. But we are obviously concerned that our successful business model is under threat with this new tax.”

Their concern is that less than 10% of bets they take are do to with horse racing, so therefore feel that these bets should not be affected by online tax. They added that over the last 10 years approximately €540m have been given to the horse-racing industry from betting taxes.

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Gala Coral gets a bronze in Corporate Responsibility Index

Jaymac — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:15:15 +0000

The Gala Coral Group, one of the leading gambling operators in Europe who operate UK bingo website Gala Bingo and own the bingo clubs of the same name in the UK, are extremely proud to have been awarded a Bronze in Business in the Community’s 2009 Corporate Responsibility Index.

The Index is usually seen as the most important voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility in the UK, so it is a great honour to be recognised by it. The Gala Coral group won it’s award for their leading position on responsible gambling, as well as their award-winning partnership with Sue Ryder Care and their strategy on environmental care.

The Index helps companies in various fields to integrate and improve their business operations, by providing a dedicated approach to managing, measuring and reporting on business impacts in society and on the environment. To gain a Bronze is a reflection of the Group’s commitment to corporate responsibility across all of its business, which includes brands such as Gala Bingo, Gala Casinos, Coral bookmakers and Eurobet. Gala operates both live and online bingo and gambling parlours.

The Chief Executive of the Gala Coral Group, Dominic Harrison, said; “We’re delighted to have been included in the Corporate Responsibility Index for the first time and we are aiming higher as we continue to work on clear corporate responsibility goals. We were highly commended for our strong community partnerships where we have worked hard to raise over £1m for Sue Ryder Care. We also gained accolades for developing our strategy on environmental stewardship, where we have set and exceeded clear targets on carbon reduction.” He added: “Business in the Community also recognised our leading relationships with key stakeholders in the field of responsible gambling which remains an important area of focus for the Group as well as for our transparency on Corporate Responsibility reporting.”

The Chief Executive for Business in the Community, Stephen Howard, said; “I congratulate Gala Coral on achieving Bronze in the 2009 Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index. Companies participating in the Index may be at different stages of their responsible business journey, but they have all demonstrated that they take these issues seriously and are leading the field in ensuring this is just how they do business. We believe this is imperative if we are to strengthen and stabilise our businesses and economy.”

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Silk Bingo Promotions

Jaymac — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:24:44 +0000

As smooth as silk, Dragonfish bingo site Silk Bingo gives their new players the opportunity to play free bingo and take advantage of a full match deposit bonus. As you surely well know, the Dragonfish bingo software platform is the best in the business and Silk Bingo is the best of the best new bingo rooms. Offering a strong line-up of bingo games and prizes that will wow you, Silk Bingo gives each new player 20 free bingo cards to get started and a 100% match bonus up to £100 on first time deposits.

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Chief Executive of Dragonfish leaves

mabel — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 11:23:06 +0000

In a sudden announcement it has been revealed that Gabi Campos, who was the Chief Executive of Dragonfish, the business-to-business division of 888, has left the company to pursue his own personal projects. He will be replaced by Gigi Levy, the 888 Chief Executive until a replacement is found, which is expected to be announced within the next month.

Dragonfish is the bingo software provider to several large online bingo brands, including Costa Bingo, Think Bingo, Wink Bingo, Foxy Bingo and the recently launched Bingoyard. It was launched in March 2009 with Campos in charge. He had been in the company for nearly 2 years then, and had overseen the acquisition of Globalcom, the software provider to brands such as Mirror Bingo, Bingo Scotland and Foxy Bingo. Dragonfish was conceived to provide a business-to-business service to media companies who wanted to enter the bingo, casino, sportsbook and poker world but with lower overheads. Dragonfish was launched at the same time as a deal to power the Racing Post’s online gambling operations was announced.

An unidentified source who has knowledge of 888’s operations has said; “The relationship between Gabi and Gigi seems to have become increasingly strained, especially as Dragonfish is perceived as the only growth area of the business. Gabi definitely saw it as his own kingdom and would have liked to have eventually seen it spun-off. In the end it was his personal decision to leave. It definitely didn’t help that 888 failed to buy both GTS and Cashcade, both of which they were in a position to execute and then didn’t do so. There was a feeling that these two could have been key deals and to lose them to Playtech and Party doesn’t look good to the City, especially at a time when profits are dropping. But you should remember that 888 is hugely cash generative and it would be silly to write them off.”

We recently reported how 888 had surprised the City with a profits warning, although at the same time they said that internet bingo was the shining light in an otherwise gloomy report.

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Spain to Cut Down on Gambling

Victoria — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 10:05:48 +0000

Following on from new legislation in France regarding gambling Spain has also announced it will be introducing new methods which aim to target problem gambling.

We’re used to seeing health warnings on packets of cigarettes, but it has now been said that slot machines in Catalonia will also carry warnings, advising players that if they play for too long then the machines may turn themselves off. This is part of a pioneering new project that aims to tackle problem gambling. Although not confirmed it is believed that the machines will flash a message every 30 minutes, making players aware of how long they have been on the machines. In an even stricter move it has been said that one machine, known as ‘video lottery’ and installed in bingo clubs throughout Spain, has actually been programmed to switch itself off after 90 minutes of continuous use by one player.

These measures show some similarities to new legislation recently introduced in France, which means that online gaming operators must show a player how much money they have staked in a session, as well as how long they have been playing for. The French legislation though appears to benefit the government more than the players, as under the new policies they will receive more tax. It also seems to be somewhat a protectionist policy, as it means that overseas operators will find it difficult to offer their services within France, leaving a clear way for French operators to gain an advantage and so keep a larger portion of money within the French economy.

Most operators within the internet bingo industry already work with organisations such as Gamcare to monitor and also help those who feel that gambling is more of a pastime, whilst these latest reports seem to indicate that certain European governments are taking a more proactive approach in an attempt to restrict players. Organisations like Gamcare and the GREaT Foundation have done much research in the field and this, combined with their years of experience, means they are an effective force, unlike some of the measures introduced by governments which do not seem to be particularly well thought out.

The measures being considered by Spain may flash several warnings to a player when playing on sites such as Red Bus Bingo, and even lead to the machine switching itself off, but there is nothing to stop a player simply changing to another machine. Many people believe it is more beneficial to educate both operators and society in general so that they can spot the signs of problem gambling, and hopefully nip any potential problems in the bud before a person becomes addicted.

The problem with much of the new legislation seems to be that it is being introduced by bureaucrats, instead of by people who have experience within the gambling industry. It has been suggested that this is an ideal time for bingo operators of all countries to form an online bingo association to help shape future legislation which would truly be beneficial to all members of the community, instead of being mostly in place to line the pockets of a fortunate few.

Brought to you by London Bingo News

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Mecca Bingo Club Converted to Supermarket

Victoria — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:28:42 +0000

It seems that nearly every week we are coming across stories about old bingo clubs being converted for another use, and this week it’s the turn of the former Mecca Bingo club in Toxteth to get a new lease of life.

After gaining support from the government Tesco will go ahead with what will be the largest supermarket in Liverpool. This will be built on the former Mecca Bingo site, and is rumoured to be the largest private investment in the area since the notorious Toxteth riots in 1981.

The plans were originally approved by the planning committee last February, but were later amended by Tesco after several concerns were raised. One of the main fears was that the development would lead to the loss of the Park Road post office, although these fears were put to rest with the news that the revised plans included a larger, self-contained post office, as well as approximately 530 parking spaces.

The government also confirmed that under the Shopping and Departure Directives legislation they would not be objecting to the project. Tesco will be contributing £600,000 for upgrade works and the new Post Office. They have also promised to set up a job guarantee scheme to cater for local unemployed people, and it is hoped that approximately 500 jobs will be created out of the works.

As the government has given it’s approval it is expected that the final sign-off, to be given by Liverpool council’s planning committee, will be just a formaility. The Deputy Council Leader, Paul Brant, was very pleased at the news, and said; “This will be a major boost to the Liverpool economy and bring in much-needed jobs and training for people. It will also bring back to life this part of Park Road. The ward councilors and the council are fully supportive of this project and pledge to make it a success for the community of Liverpool and Tesco.”

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Online Bingo to End in Some Countries

Gladys — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:19:52 +0000

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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bingo & football

Jaymac — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 10:11:52 +0000

With the World Cup set to kick off, the eyes of the world are on South Africa to watch the top nations engage in battle on the pitch. Naturally, many of the Internet bingo promotions centre around this familiar and exciting theme. Giggle Bingo has assembled some facts about football (or soccer as it is known in the US):

* Football is the fastest growing sport in the world, as well as the most popular sport in the world,
* Hungary has won the most gold medals in the Olympic Football competition since 1952.
* France qualified for the World Cup this year courtesy of a Thierry Henry handball that went uncalled in a qualifying match against Ireland,
* Diego Maradona scored one of the more controversial goals in World Cup history by way of the “Hand of God,”
* From the 11th of June to the 11th of July 2010, the Football World Cup will take place in South Africa.
* Livesoccerscores.net has got the latest football results in the UK.

* Italy is the current world football champion, having been the last nation to win the World Cup.

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New bingo and gaming rules a possibility

Gladys — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 09:49:24 +0000

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Gambling Commission are discussing measures that may lead to online bingo and gaming operators based overseas seeing huge changes to the current remote licensing laws and approved ‘White List’ of countries allowed to advertise in the UK. In January the DCMS produced a report on current legislation, and also commissioned a feasibility report to see how any changes to existing legislation would impact on the industry, and if it would lead to greater protection for consumers. The latest report not only sets out the proposed changes but also asks for feedback on how the proposed changes to the Licence Conditions and Code of Practice (LCCP) would affect the online bingo and gaming industry.

Present legislation for gaming and online bingo sites aims to make sure that sites which target the UK market have specified measures in place. Amongst others they have to report irregular betting and any suspicions of organized crime to the authorities, do their best to prevent irregular betting, protect vulnerable adults and underage people, test games for fairness, have a clear procedure for any complaints, and ensure that their terms and conditions are clearly displayed so that players can easily refer to them.

At the moment only sites that have their equipment based in the UK have to abide by license regulations. Other remote gambling sites in areas which are covered by the White List, including Alderney, the Isle of Man, Antigua and Barbuda, as well as those in certain European countries, such as Gibraltar (Silk Bingo, RedBus Bingo, 888 ladies), are allowed to advertise in the UK.

Thanks to the influx of new bingo and gaming sites, as well as the rapid increase in remote gambling, certain changes are needed in the industry, especially as some sites which are advertising in the UK are neither on the White List nor licensed in the UK. Not all, but certainly some of these UK bingo sites, offer no protection to the consumer and do not help deal with problem gamblers as legitimate sites do. This unbalanced system is overdue for an overhaul, and it is expected that changes will lead to a more consistent standard of regulations that will apply to all bingo and gaming sites that target the UK market.

At the end of the day all sites should put the consumer first, and we welcome any legislation that will offer a greater degree of protection for all players, as well as dividing the cost of upholding regulations between all sites that operate in the UK market which would be a fairer way of doing things.

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Norway acts against unlicenced gambling operators

Tom — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 09:55:03 +0000

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It seems a few countries are trying to put their foot down regarding gambling, both on-line and off-line, and Norway has made it’s feelings clear as it will now block financial transactions in a move to prevent it’s citizens from using unlicensed foreign gambling operators.

The new law will prohibit banks from allowing transactions between Norwegian consumers and gambling operators, irregardless of whether the consumers are located in Norway or elsewhere.

What has upset many people though is the fact that if you a foreign betting operator you cannot obtain a Norwegian gambling licence, so therefore you are classified as an unlicenced operator and there is nothing you can do about this.

Norway isn’t part of the EU but is a member of the EC, and so has to subscribe to EU principles and trade laws. One of these is the freedom to offer services, though in this case Norway has decided to ignore the same rules they are signed up to protect. They have stated they are acting to prevent crime, fraud and gambling addiction, although there is no firm evidence that blocking licenced EU operators achieves this.

The opposite view is that, by reducing the legal options available to Norwegian players, some will be pushed towards unlicenced and illegal gambling operators, especially as the legal options are quite limited in terms of value and quality. There are currently 2 state-operators in Norway, Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping, which are exempt from the transaction ban, though many consider them to be inferior to outside operators.

Many people in the industry believe that this move is a poorly veiled attempt to boost the profits and status of the national monopolies, rather than looking after the consumer. This is a potential blow to players who will now be deprived of a free choice, but it will be interesting to see how effective this new law actually is.

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More June Free Bingo Bonuses

Victoria — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 14:29:43 +0000

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EU bars Ladbrokes from taking Dutch bets

mabel — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:38:29 +0000

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.

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Costa Bingo to continue with Dragonfish

Gladys — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 07:49:09 +0000

Highly popular online bingo site Costa Bingo have just announced that they have extended their deal with Dragonfish, the leading online bingo software provider, for another 3 years, taking the present deal they have up until June 2013.

The Managing Director of Dragonfish, Gabi Campos said; “Costa has blazed a trail over the past year and shown what is still achievable in the maturing UK bingo market. We have worked hard with them to adapt our software to deliver some highly innovative customer acquisition and retention activities. They are committing a substantial marketing investment and we look forward to helping the Costa bingo business further over the coming years.”

Richard Skelhorn, the CEO of Costa Bingo commented; “Dragonfish has allowed us to focus our skills on player acquisition, which has been really important to the business over the last ten months. We are really pleased with the first year’s growth to date, and will continue to invest in the Costa Bingo brand, and look forward to launching new rooms on the Dragonfish platform this year.”

Costa Bingo are constantly coming up with new ideas to try to keep ahead of the game in the fast moving world of internet bingo. They have several new marketing projects on the go as part of their extended deal with Dragonfish. Their Free Bingo is one of the most popular sections on their site, which is one of the busiest in the UK market. Rather than go down the traditional advertising path they have targeted new media, which has helped them to gain more players. As part of their deal they got Dragonfish to alter their software, so that players at Costa Bingo could invite their friends on social networking sites, Facebook for example, to join the site.

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Silk Bingo Special Weekend Promotions

mabel — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:20:37 +0000

Silk Bingo has some great promotions and special events lined up for you this upcoming weekend promising lots of cash prizes and free points when playing internet bingo with Silk.

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Bingo does well for 888

mabel — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 10:07:20 +0000

888 is a big player in the world of online gaming & internet gambling, but that has not prevented it from having to issue a profits warning. On a positive note, 888’s online bingo operations was a bright spot amidst the doom and gloom of their earnings warning.

Shares in the 888 company dropped 20% in early trading, falling to 55.5p which valued the company less than £200 million. A spokesman for 888 holdings said they had “revised its outlook for the remainder of the year and now expects profit to be significantly lower than previous market expectations”.

The company has seen it’s online poker sites suffer a huge fall in player numbers; real money ring game players falling 18% from January to May. 888 attributed this though to a general decline in player numbers throughout the online poker industry, and not to a decline in numbers for just their poker brands. They also felt that the weak euro and sterling against the dollar contributed to a decline in profitability, as did the forthcoming World Cup.

In contrast to this though – bingo, which includes wholly owned brands 888 ladies Bingo, Posh Bingo and Wink Bingo, and the software behind sites such as Think Bingo, Foxy Bingo, UK Bingo and Bingo Ireland has showed good results in the internet bingo market, and had avoided what 888 call a “a difficult trading environment”.

This news is bound to increase pressure on Gigi Levy, the Chief executive who was appointed in January 2007 and has since seen shares in the Gibraltar-based company suffer a sharp decline. Analysts believe the company is now ripe for a takeover, naming Ladbrokes and Bwin as possible candidates. One analyst said: “None of this should have been a big surprise to the market but we think Gigi is reducing expectations now so that the company is re-rated and the share price gains some upward momentum, rather than constantly drifting downward.”

Despite all this, 888 stated that they believe the online gaming industry would continue to consolidate and they are well placed to make acquisitions.

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June Free Bingo Bonuses

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 18:39:46 +0000

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Bingo Club to be demolished by Aldi

Gladys — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:49:54 +0000

There are many historic bingo clubs scattered around the UK, and the news that another is to be demolished has got local residents up in arms according to the Blackpool Gazette. The controversy is surrounding an Art Deco building, which dates back to 1934, and was formerly the Orion Bingo Hall on Crescent Street, Cleveleys. Workman have started to tear down the building.

Wyre Council Planning Committee granted permission to Aldi, the supermarket chain, to knock down the building and build a new 15,000 square foot retail unit, although some admirers of the historic building had called for it to be listed and therefore protected from such acts. The affair has led to conflicting views as some traders believed the building, which was originally an Odeon Cinema, should have been demolished and a multi-storey car park erected in it’s place.

Martin Hunns, the Chairman of Cleveleys Traders Association, said: “The traders are on a downer, we need a car park in Cleveleys not another supermarket. There’s already an Aldi two minutes away in Fleetwood. It’s very frustrating. Cleveleys is desperate for a car park and that would have been an ideal site but Wyre Council said it was too dear to buy. We have gone for years about parking in Cleveleys. All this money has been spent on this beautiful promenade but people are being turned away because there is nowhere to park.”

A local resident however was pleased with the decision and neither wants the building to be preserved or sees the need of a car park: “The demolition has not outraged residents and traders only SOME of them. The whole block is an eyesore and its great that it will be demolished. It is a pity the old post office counter cannot go along with it. On the parking front, there is plenty of space around the streets of Cleveleys (I have lived here over 25 years and have never had a problem parking – and I am neither a user nor abuser of the blue badge scheme). IMHO the largest amount of parking space is taken up by the car showroom on Bispham Road near to Victoria Road. Because there are very little parking restrictions on some of the surrounding streets the garage owner parks his vehicles for sale there for days and weeks on end. Bring in one hour parking throughout the area during daytime and there would be many more places available.”

Peter Gibson, the leader of Wyre Council, commented: “Our planning committee can only look at what is in front of them. I’m sure somebody would have had something to say if we had bought the land with council tax money, we have to be very careful. Cleveleys is a booming town and that brings its own issues with car parking. We have no plans at the moment to change car parking in Cleveleys but it’s something that we are always willing to look at.”

It’s always sad to watch a piece of history disappear, and although we are always pleased to report when an old hall is preserved, this is one battle which sadly was not won.

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New Bingo Sites of the Month – June – Giggle Bingo

mabel — Mon, 31 May 2010 21:53:30 +0000

Giving £5 GBP free and a £200 GBP match bonus up to £200 GBP, Giggle Bingo has been named London Bingo’s new bingo site of the month for June 2010. Giggle Bingo joins WilliamHill Bingo as the only new bingo sites to be featured as bingo room of the month at London Bingo.

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5 bingo bonus specials for the UK banking holiday weekend

Victoria — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:21:10 +0000

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Silky Smooth Weekend Promotions

Gladys — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:15:06 +0000

For the holiday banking weekend, Silk Bingo has some great promotions and special bingo games and bingo players can win lots of cash prizes that are silky smooth.

Free Cash – £200 worth of free bingo points goes to the player who wagers the most during the holiday weekend.

Love Cash – Be the player to bingo the most on the HEART pattern and collect £100 worth of points.

Lucky Jar – Go bingo on sweet 16 over the weekend and collect your fair share of £1000 in bingo points. (only in 75 ball bingo games)

Additionally, you can win one of three Smooth Espresso Cappuccino Makers, as three lucky bingo players who go bingo on the letter C winning bingo pattern will win one of our fantastic espresso makers.

The Silk Bingo weekend bingo promotions run from 28 to 31 May and are a great way to fill the long UK bank holiday weekend. Keep in mind that every new player receives 20 free bingo cards and newly depositing players get a 100% up to £100 bingo bonus from Silk Bingo on their first deposit. Click here to win some smooth prizes from Silk Bingo now.

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Bingo – the new way to network

Jaymac — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:34:36 +0000

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Bingo has been a popular form of entertainment for many years, and for some has led to some nice prizes, but a company in Sunderland have found a new use for it – as a networking tool.

The firm, Network North, is run by Marc Gordon and his brother, with the aim to provide structured networking and business development meetings. They aim to attract business people who can either pay a monthly or yearly fee to join, and who are looking for new business opportunities and support.

After seeing a life coach Marc was inspired to use the bingo concept as a relationship building tool. He said; “She had a grid with different things on it. I thought I can put a networking spin on it. It gets people talking. It’s about meeting people and talking to them”. He added “it works well – people always like it. We have done it about four times this year and it’s always a winner”.

For it to successfully work a minimum of 20 people are needed. Each participant has a bingo sheet which has 25 boxes with questions that need to be ticked off. If you match a question to the person that it relates to you then collect a business card from them. No full house is required but the winner is the first to get two lines, which means they have spoken to at least 10 people.

Networking Bingo, as the concept is called, will be explained in more detail at an all-day event, scheduled to take place on Tuesday 8th June at the Falcons’ ground in Kingston Park. Other marketing tips will also be presented and the event, which will include both workshops and seminars, is expected to attract in the region of 400 delegates.

Mr Gordon commented “In times of recession the best way to drum up new business is to get out there and meet people face-to-face”. We think the concept is an interesting one, and although we always like to call house we’d be happy to get 2 lines and win in this particular case.

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Ireland Set to Tax Online Gambling

Jaymac — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:16:40 +0000

Tax in relation to gambling, both online and land based, has been a matter of much discussion over the last year. Along with other factors, such as the smoking ban and the general economic climate, it has been blamed for the closure of many land based bingo clubs, who have also campaigned for a more even playing field when it comes to what various sectors in the general gambling world pay.

In a new move Ireland has now said that it will tax all forms of online betting. All foreign online casino operators who wish to accept Irish citizens as players will be taxed, which will be levied as a tax on advertising. Basically any company wishing to advertise to Irish citizens will have to pay for the privilege of promoting their brands.

As things stand at the moment off-shore operators do not need to obtain a licence, nor pay any tax, to offer their gambling services in Ireland, though from now on they will need to get a licence. Paddy Power, a very popular online betting operator which covers all sectors, including Internet bingo, casino and sports betting, doesn’t think the idea will work. They feel that, irregardless of whether the casino has a licence or not, Irish citizens will still gamble at them, and so the lack of a licence will not make any difference at all.

The only way this could successfully work would be if new laws were introduced, preventing locals from playing at off-shore sites without the necessary licence. At the moment the proposals are to ensure firms wanting to advertise in Ireland pay tax, yet there is nothing to stop citizens finding off-shore operators on the internet.

It may seem a good idea in principal to any cash-strapped government, a way to bring in some extra cash, but as it stands the proposals have huge loopholes in them which many operators, equally looking to pay close attention to their bank sheets, are bound to exploit.

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Controversial plans for Bingo Club dropped

Victoria — Wed, 26 May 2010 10:58:18 +0000

Residents in Upper Norwood, South London are celebrating this week after hearing that, after a long running battle, disputed plans concerning an old Gala Bingo Club have been dropped.

The bingo site in Crystal Palace was bought by Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) in May 2009. The Christian organisation were located in Wimbledon but wanted to move, and believed their plans would lead to spiritual development of local residents, as they would be providing training and counselling.

The group outbid City Screen, the independent chain behind Clapham Picturehouse and the Brixton Roxy for the site, which led to protests by residents who wanted something instead which would provide them with jobs and revenue. The closure of the Gala Bingo Club had badly affected the local community as it provided jobs for many people, and the locals felt they needed something to help them financially in it’s place.

Such was the strength of feelings about the proposed church move that thousands of protest letters were sent to Bromley Council in the Picture Palace Campaign, claiming that the area had already suffered enough with the clubs closure and they wanted a cinema to open in the old club. They branded the proposed application unneighbourly and arrogant, and felt that parking would become a major problem if it went ahead.

On 17th December the application was doomed when Bromley Council Planning Committee Chairman Gordon Jenkins used his casting vote to refuse the application. At the same meeting John Getgood, a Committee Councillor said; “There is nothing wrong with another church coming into the area. The problem with this one is that it is being imposed on the community. This is a wandering tribe looking for a home. Crystal Palace is the wrong place for it.”

A representative of Kingsway, Bhavash Vashi, from architects Broadway Malyan, confirmed the KICC had dropped their plans, saying: “I can confirm my clients are not going to appeal the decision. They haven’t decided what to do with the building but are looking into the possibility of turning it into an entertainment venue.”

Annabel Sidney, The Picture Palace Campaign chairwoman said: “The Picture Palace Campaign welcomes the Kingsway’s recognition that an entertainment use is best. We would appreciate an opportunity to work with the church so any future developments are discussed with the whole community in mind. Meanwhile, we will continue to campaign for a local cinema and strongly feel that this is the best possible location for this. Moreover, it is key to the economic, social, cultural and physical regeneration of Church Road and the entire district centre.”

Vice-chairwoman of the Crystal Palace Chamber of Commerce, Sue Nagle said: “I am glad KICC has accepted that it is not practical to run the building as a church, and I hope they can find it in their hearts to allow the cinema company to buy it for the benefit of the community.”

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5th annual online bingo summit on the calendar

Victoria — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:05:37 +0000

There are a few anniversaries fast approaching; Foxy Bingo have their 5th birthday next month and just before their weekend celebrations in Blackpool the 5th Annual Online Bingo Summit will be taking place in London.

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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£42.5 million refund for Rank

Victoria — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:32:24 +0000

Rank, the owners of Mecca Bingo and the Grosvenor Casino brands – which is amongst the largest providers of UK bingo games, are said to be celebrating today as they’ve reportedly received a £42.5 refund from HM Customs and Revenue in relation to overpaid VAT. This consists of £16.1 million for VAT paid on main session bingo fees from 2004 to 2009, and £26.4 million for VAT paid on amusement machines from 2002 to 2005. The repayment follows a number of successful rulings, both in the High Court and the Tribunal Tax Chambers.

The first case Rank brought was in relation to the double taxation that bingo clubs were subject to. Operators had to pay bingo duty and VAT on the fees taken in bingo games & sessions, but Mecca said that VAT should not be charged.

The refund claim for the second case started as jackpot machines were subject to VAT, and fixed odd betting machines prior to 2005 weren’t. Rank said that the VAT obligations contravened the European Union principle of fiscal neutrality, basically that as the machines were similar they should be treated the same as far as VAT was concerned. The tribunal ruled in their favour, agreed that they were similar and therefore the jackpot machines should not have been subject to VAT.

Deloitte gave advice to Rank in both cases, and always believed that they would win. Tony McClenaghan, a Senior Tax Partner for the company said; “This is a very welcome decision following on from earlier victories at the Tribunal and in the High Court. We have always been confident that there was a breach of fiscal neutrality in the differential treatment of the relevant gaming machines and we welcome the Tribunal’s confirmation of this fact. Taxpayers affected by this decision should now consider making claims for overpaid VAT.”

HMRC have appealed the rulings to the European Court of Justice. This is expected to be heard some time next year, although it is not thought likely to succeed. Rank must be keeping it’s fingers crossed on this, as if the HMRC were to overturn the original verdicts then they would have to return the payment, and to add salt to their wounds would also have to pay interest on this.

In the present climate a £42.5 million refund is a welcome gift indeed, and it will be interesting to see if any of this windfall trickles down to Mecca Bingo in any way.

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Giggle Bingo hunk campaign

Jaymac — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:11:47 +0000

There’s always some promotions that will appeal more to you than others, but one that definitely got our attention is the latest by Giggle Bingo. In this campaign you have the difficult task of deciding who you’d prefer as your own personal hunk!

Making the ultimate sacrifice we decided that this involved further investigation – it’s a difficult job sometimes but someone has to do it! Take a look at the Giggle Bingo site and you’ll see what we mean, as there are 8 lovely men for you to vote for. This promotion is so new that Giggle Bingo haven’t yet revealed what the prize will be, though they have let slip that a meeting with your chosen hunk might well be on the cards.

We can honestly say that whatever your favourite type of man is, either fully fledged hunk or little boy lost, they’ll be someone for you. If you like a man who looks like he’s a frequent visitor to the gym then Paul, Jun, CJ and Chris 1 should keep you happy. If it’s a city slicker type that floats your boat then we’d recommend going straight to Daniel and Chris 2. Felipe has a bit of a hard man, street look going on, whereas Sean looks like he’s going for the soulful look. Though they’re all very nice, and none of them we’d turn away from the door, we have to say that if we had to choose just one then Paul would definitely get our vote.

The Giggle Bingo campaign gets into swing on 22 and 23 May, with visits planned to London, Cardiff and Manchester. Anyone interested is told to keep an eye on the site and also on the Giggle Bingo Facebook page.

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Join in the party with Foxy Bingo

Gladys — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:01:29 +0000

Can you believe that Foxy Bingo will be celebrating their 5th birthday in June? It certainly doesn’t seem that long ago that they launched their highly popular Internet bingo site, and we’re sure that early players would have been highly delighted to know that they were playing on what is now one of the leading sites around, a great achievement when you think about how many sites there are to choose from these days. Anyway, to celebrate their anniversary, which is a good one in bingo years, they’ve decided to hold a party at the Cliffs Seafront Hotel in Blackpool.

The fun will get started on the evening of Friday 11th June. Foxy Bingo will put on a Foxy Feast for all of their guests, as well as providing a disco and, of course, a bingo game. You’ll have free time on Saturday to do as you please, and with Blackpool’s famous Pleasure Beach just down the road we’re sure you won’t be stuck for things to do. Blackpool football team have just beat Cardiff to earn promotion to the Premiership, so if you’re a football fan why not pay a visit to their ground. The party then continues on Saturday evening, where Foxy will have more bingo and games to keep you amused.

If you’d like to attend this fun-filled event then there’s a very easy way to join in the festivities, just contact the hotel and book a room, which will cost a very reasonable £140 for a room for two. This will put you on a bed and breakfast basis, and will mean that you can just pop downstairs and have a fantastic Foxy weekend. We’ve been told that rooms are selling out fast, so to guarantee you don’t miss out on their 5th birthday celebrations we suggest you book now!

In addition, Foxy Bingo continues to extend run their zero deposit bingo bonus offer to all new players – giving £10 free, as well as a 100% up to £150 bingo bonus, so play at Foxy Bingo by clicking here now.

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Virtue Fusion gains Bingos Bingo

Victoria — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:29:26 +0000

Originally launched back in 2003 Bingos.co.uk is one of the longest running and trusted Internet bingo sites in the UK. Over the years it has seen a few changes. It underwent a makeover in both 2005, and more recently in 2009, and now Bingos has announced it’s latest move – it’s going to change it’s software provider, leaving behind the Parlay Network and going to the Virtue Fusion bingo network.

Virtue Fusion won the award for best bingo Software in 2009 and provides the software for some of the leading bingo brands, including Mecca Bingo, Ladbrokes Bingo, William Hill Bingo and Paddy Power. With it’s vast network of key operators it drives over €100,000,000 in stakes per month and at peak times has over 7000 players.

With this move in mind Bingos is now offering all new players £1 free to try out the site with, with no deposit needed, as well as a £25 bonus with a deposit of just £10. They have also announced that they have launched 10 new fun-packed rooms, each with a very friendly atmosphere. Taking into account the current economic climate we were pleased to hear that bingo tickets for these rooms start from an incredible 1p each. They also have a good choice of side games which offer some of the largest progressive jackpots in online bingo, including the Clover Rollover Progressive Slot which at the moment is over £2 million.

Bingos also claims it has the best chat hosts around, and now has Bingo Studio Live, where you can play bingo with the added bonus of a live presenter. This is available every day, 6pm to midnight, and has daily Happy Hour Specials, Buy One Get One Free and other great games. Why not pay them the best Virtue Fusion bingo site a visit and see for yourself.

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The National Bingo Game Association launches National Cash

Victoria — Sun, 23 May 2010 13:03:30 +0000

For those of you unfamiliar with the name, the National Bingo Game Association works with leading bingo operators to offer games of bingo with massive prizes. They deal with land based bingo halls and basically use the total number of tickets sold, across all clubs, to generate a total prize fund. This happens twice a day, every day of the week for 364 days of the year, which is a mammoth undertaking.

The National Bingo Game has been operating now since 1986 and the majority of regional and national bingo chains take place, including well known names such as Mecca Bingo, Buckingham Bingo and Beacon Bingo. The prize varies according to the day and time; from Sunday to Friday afternoons for example the prize can reach up to £5000, whereas on a Saturday afternoon it can reach £10,000. If you strike it lucky in an evening session then you’ll be even more pleased – as Monday to Thursday evenings the prize is up to £20,000, increasing to £25,000 Friday to Sunday. The idea behind the game is very straight forward, to be a winner you have to call house on the least number of calls throughout all participating halls.

It is said that the introduction of the National Game back in 1986 gave a fresh burst of life to bingo, and it will be interesting to see how their latest move, the launch of their new linked game, National Cash, performs. Bingo hall players, for just a £1 stake, will be able to play for a £5000 jackpot, twice a day, every day. To win the jackpot players have to call house in 45 numbers or less. However, if no-one crosses off all of their numbers within the 45 maximum, the game will continue until one player in each of the halls linked to National House calls house to claim a prize.

National Cash has the honour to be the first wide area mechanised cash bingo game in the UK. Previously, before the installation of this new technology, less than 30 bingo halls could link up, whereas now up to 250 UK bingo halls are said to be looking to participate.

Bingo halls have faced a tough time of things lately, but this is another move that could lead to a comeback and rise in popularity.

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More bingo in Missouri

Jaymac — Sun, 23 May 2010 12:53:57 +0000

For those of you planning an overseas holiday in the future you’ll be pleased to hear that bingo in Missouri may soon become a more regular event, following a recent bill in the southern US state which has just been approved.

Since the mid 1990s the number of buildings which are licenced to hold bingo games has fallen by a massive 50%, and bingo hall owners are hoping that the new legislation will enable them to be more competitive when compared to casinos and other gambling entertainment. At the moment bingo halls, or parlors as they are called there, are only allowed to have games once a week, which many have seen as too restrictive. The changes being asked for would mean that halls could offer games twice a week, as well as being able to open earlier and close later, which should lead to increased income.

Bingo halls in Missouri can only be operated by a limited type of organisations, namely charitable, veteran, fraternal, religious and service, and this is not likely to change. However, US bingo players, as well as UK Bingo players alike can get $20 free to try Cyber Bingo on top of a 500% bonus up to $250. Click here to play at US bingo site Cyber Bingo now.

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Bingo battle in Alabama

Jaymac — Sat, 22 May 2010 11:53:06 +0000

People in Alabama can enjoy playing electronic bingo at the moment, but a huge row in the middle of America’s Bible belt may put a stop to this in the near future.

Alabama has several bingo casinos, including the massive Victoryland which is the largest with 6,000 machines. Of late though there have been several raids leading to the closure of several casinos. Even the FBI are involved, carrying out a public corruption probe. The matter is made more complicated by the fact that the bingo casinos were authorised by the local counties to provide slots and bingo games and thus have the legal right to operate. In most states in the US bingo is covered under either a casino license or a small games of chance license.

The problem is that, although they provide jobs and tax revenue, Alabama is a very religious area, and many feel that these casinos lead to corruption. Bob Riley, the Governor for Alabama said; Alabama is being threatened by bingo. I think one of the biggest threats we have in the state today is the corruptive nature of what gambling does to a state. We have said this ever since we started this. This is not about gambling as much as it is about corruption.”

Stan Hubbard, the Gaming Director of Victoryland has a different view on things; “Overall, it’s just like any other industry. It is like a car manufacturing plant with respect to what it means to the community. [In] this particular community, when there is no industry, it’s the largest private employer in this county. However he freely admits “There are some conservative religious elements that are antigambling of any kind and we respect that.”

Victoryland has no roulette or blackjack, just slot type machines which are all for electronic bingo, the only type of gambling that is legal in the state. There are 3 casinos in the state that are safe as these are on federal land, and are run by Native Americans. At the moment the state is looking into new laws, which would allow state residents vote to see if they wish to keep the bingo casinos, which not only provide thousands of jobs but also could provide millions in tax, a huge benefit for the state.

…Brought to you by London bingo news – covering all things bingo both live and on the Internet – in the UK, as well as abroad.

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