News Archive
Old Bingo News
Big 8 Gaming suffers another launch setback
Author Sandra Thompson 27 July 2008
Big 8 Gaming, the eagerly awaited sportsbook betting and online bingo company has suffered another setback in its launch date. It is now been re-scheduled for mid August 2008 as technical integration is proving to be problematic. Big 8 Gaming will be part of the Virtue Fusion bingo platform and will also offer sportsbook betting. In partnership with a radio station to be a major influence in the market place. Just how much marketing time and effort to be put in by the radio station is unclear and we are waiting to see at least a landing page to keep us informed of when the site will be up and running. Meanwhile join up at http://www.fruitbingo.com/ to experience the bingo site, you may also be able to use these same login details for the Big 8 gaming site after launch.
Bingo live 365 to launch soon
Author Sandra Thompson 26 July 2008
Our featured live online bingo site will soon be relaunched as bingolive365. Bingo live 365 will be be a revamped version of the bingohour website. Existing players on the bingohour website will not notice any of the changes. The decision to relaunch the site was to mark some of the changes to the running of the website and the new jurisdiction of Malta to which the site will be under a new Gambling commission. Under the new jurisdiction this will allow the site to be given much more needed exposure and marketing over the internet. Malta is a white listed jurisdiction and this will allow bingosupermarket to bring our customers many exclusive bingo bonus deals in the coming months.
Deluxe bingo club closes in Southend without notice
Author Sandra Thompson 24 July 2008
Deluxe Bingo in Southend played its last bingo session yesterday after staff turned up for work this morning only to find that baliffs had moved in and chained the doors. This is yet another devastating blow to the bingo industry as many bingo clubs are suffering from poor trading conditions.
Big 8 gaming from club to online
Author Sandra Thompson 10 July 2008
Former bingo operators the welcome group who we reported as closing the doors of its last remaining bingo club in Pontypridd has decided to launch on the internet with its new online product. Big 8 gaming who will be operating Big 8 bingo is expected to be released in the next few months. Big 8 will be a sportsbook betting platform and will also offer bingo as a by product. The bingo is part of the Bingo Networks Alderney group operated and funded by the National Bingo Association. John Wiley and Brent Harding will be spearheading the new venture. The bingo will be part of the existing BNA network on Virtue Fusion software and you can login at http://www.fruitbingo.com/ now to whom they will be joining on the network.
Shipleys sell off Arcade Group
Author Sandra Thompson 9 July 2008
One of the largest independent operators of gaming centres has sold off its entire estate. The salel is reported to be around £25 million. This only includes the arcades and it is believed they are still operating the remaining bingo clubs.
Gala Tv launches online
Author Sandra Thompson 01-07-2008
Gala bingo have launched the TV game to live streaming that runs parallel to the online games. Bingo players can now enjoy playing TV bingo through the web without the need to subscribe to sky TVNew National Bingo game announcement coming soon
Author Sandra Thompson 25 June 2008
The National bingo game will be launching its new game without Gala bingo on 1 September 2008. The new game after major debate will not involve a live game and will be called in its existing format. Obviously the prize levels will be greatly reduced but the winability and plans to reduce the cost will prove popular for existing bingo players. Also plans have been submitted to allow players to be given a choice of playing either 3 tickets or 6 which again has been welcomed by the bingo industry. Gala will be playing their existing high 5 game but the National bingo game and Mecca to their credit have invited them to rejoin the game if things were not to work out.
DCMS announce good news for bingo industry
Author Sandra Thompson 25 June 2008
Gerry Sutcliffe the cabinet minister for the department of media and culture announced earlier this morning that bingo clubs have been given the approval to operate 8 Jackpot gaming machines. The current legislation only permits licensed bingo clubs to operate 4 jackpots but from 1 September 2008. This is a welcome change by the industry and is the first bit of optimism that has been announced for bingo clubs which has been struggling to cope with new legislative changes.
Pontypridd bingo club closure
Author Sandra Thompson 19 June 2008
A land based bingo club operated by welcome group has closed its doors. This demonstrates the ongoing issues and financial burdens the bingo clubs are facing at the moment. The Pontypridd Stardust club which was operated by an independent operator has decided to leave the land based industry and will be switching to online gaming. Big 8 gaming which is mainly sportsbook betting will be launched later this year and will have a bingo function supported by the Virtue Fusion gaming platform. It will be part of the Bingo Bonanza network. If you wish to sign up and play early on, we recommend signing up and logging onto fruitbingo.com
National Bingo Caller of the Year suspended
Author Sandra Thompson 19 june 2008
The National Bingo game has decided to suspend the caller of the year competition "Due to considerable challenges and issues facing the industry at present." They have pledged to reopen the competition in a bigger and better format in 2009. This gives another negative blow to the industry and shows how the recent finacial problems in the industry is tearing it apart. Bingosupermarket reported a few weeks ago that Gala bingo were pulling out of the National Bingo and the land based operators are jumping ship with every man for themselves. In the meantime the online bingo industry is continuing to go from strength to strength and the online operators are looking to pull together and market consolidation is expected.
Sun Bingo to Split with Tombola
Author Sandra Thompson 18 June 2008
The Sun bingo will be giving up its existing gaming platform to the current operators Tombola. It is part of a multi-million pound switch to Operators Jackpot Joy. All existing customers of Sun bingo will stay on the site and the bingo accounts are still held by tombola but anyone wishing to join up with the new Sun bingo platform will have to re-register. The date of the changeover is reported to be around 25th August 2008. Details of the reason for the split has been kept under wraps but Tombola is confident that the existing players will stay loyal to the existing site and customers that choose to stay will be rewarded. However with the media power of the Sun, many customers may choose to leave the existing platform and follow the Sun bingo brand
First online bingo Awards results in
Author Sandra Thompson 18 June 2008
The first prestigious online bingo awards were presented on 17th June 2008 and the winners were as follows
Online Bingo Operator Of The Year: Foxy Bingo
Best Online Bingo Portal: Which Bingo UK
Best Newcomer: Paddy Power Bingo
Best Affiliate Programme: Income Access
Online Bingo Software: Parlay
Best Marketing Campaign: Foxy Bingo
Innovation: Parlay / Bingo Bets
The nominations were made by a panel of industry experts including Stephen Baldwin from the National Bingo Game. The winners were then picked using a voting slip by the attendees of the summit. For the record, bingosupermarket had voted for all the eventual winners apart from online bingo software which we picked virtue fusion. Next year, bingosupermarket will be asking for your views and we will cast our vote through your recommendations. Bingosupermarket will be following up further events from the online bingo summit.
Online bingo summit to be the biggest online event of the year
Author Sandra Thompson 11 June 2008
The online bingo summit will be the third and largest event organised for the online bingo sector. Bingosupermarket will be attending the event which will be held in London next week. All the biggest names in bingo including bingosupermarket, foxy bingo, Gala bingo, Mecca Bingo and the National Bingo Game will be attending the event to discuss and progress the future of online bingo. This year there will be an awards evening to recognise some of the achievements from the online bingo operators and bingosupermarket will be giving a full insight to what happens during the course of the summit.
New bingo Show Launches on Wednesday 5th June
Author Sandra Thompson 02 June 2008
ITV are launching a new bingo show on Wednesday 5th June 2008 at midnight. This is a new show wereby the nation will be able to go online, print some bingo tickets and take part in a National Tv bingo game. The program will be presented by Melinda Messenger.
William Hill bingo ad rapped by the Advertising Standards Agency
Author Sandra Thompson Wednesday 28 May 2008
William Hill have been instructed by the advertising standards agency to withdraw an advertisement for their online bingo website. 4 complaints were received about an advert that showed a lady desparate for her husband to leave for work so she could have a game of online bingo. The ASA upheld the complaint and instructed William Hill not to allow the advert to be broadcast again. However the banned advert can still be seen on youtube.
Mecca Bingo win the first round of Court battle over taxation
Friday 23rd May 2008
Author Sandra Thompson
As reported on bingosupermarket yesterday, it was Mecca involved in taking the government to court over EU regulations for unfair taxation. This will have an impact of around £36 million to be refunded if backdated over the last three years, this is the first of a number of issues regarding taxation that the bingo companies are having with the Treasury. Ranks shares rose by 1.5p on this news but the money will not be released by the government until the appeals process is complete and if upheld. Bingosupermarket will keep you posted.
Bingo company wins first round of Court battle
Thursday 22nd May 2008
Author Sandra Thompson
A major court battle between one of the larger bingo companies and the government over the legalities of charging VAT on mechanised cash bingo participation fees have delivered a verdict in favour of the bingo clubs. This is the first bit of optimism that may be a major step to delivering a much needed lifeline to the bingo industry. The government have 56 days to contest the verdict and lodge an appeal, but if the decision is upheld this could potentially give a much needed winfall of tax relief backdated up to three years. Mechanised cash bingo is one of the main sources of income for any bingo club and giving back 17.5% on this revenue over the last three years and future years to come will be welcomed. It would also stop the battling between the government and the association about taxation and will allow the operators to work to a brighter and more confident future.
Gala bingo send industry into meltdown
Wednesday 21st May 2008
Author Sandra Thompson
Gala Bingo have made the decision to leave the National Bingo game high and dry by pulling out of the well known game. It comes as a real bitter blow for the bingo industry as it was only a few weeks ago when Riva bingo had made the same decision. This has left many of the independent bingo clubs very annoyed as Gala bingo and Riva Bingo had each represented the National game as directors through Neil Goulden and Simon Hannah. This has also left the Bingo Association in tatters as the Association is largely funded through the National Bingo Game. For the time being, Mecca Bingo have continued to support the National Bingo Game and have pledged its support to independents. However many of the independents are now taking a review of the National and further withdrawals are possible. Gala is the largest bingo chain in the UK, but the independents and Mecca bingo who are still left in the National Game do represent a larger market share and they intend to bring a game that will be in direct competition to Gala bingo's high five.
An operator, who represents a small bingo chain in the UK commented "Recent tough trading conditions have started to tear the industry apart, but now is the time when the industry should be closing ranks pulling together and coming up with a strategy that will improve the popularity of the game." he went on to say "what's the point in trying to compete for market share whilst the market is in decline, to address the decline and increase the market would prove beneficial and less costly for everyone concerned".
Bingosupermarket will continue to monitor this situation as the date for the last National Bingo game as we know it will be on 31st August 2008.
New Bingo Variant game being launched in next few weeks
Wednesday 14th May 2008
Author Sandra Thompson
A brand new style of bingo game is to be released in the next few weeks by an independent organisation. Work is underway by the National Bingo game to also bring out a new product over the next few months. The Majestic Bingo Club in Worcester and the Hippodrome Bingo in Bishop Auckland have been selected to take part in the up and coming trials in 6 weeks time. A spokesperson for the Hippodrome claimed that this is a fixed odds betting game that will create multiple winners on the same game and also huge jackpots that can go at any time. Although details of the game are kept under wraps at the moment, Bingosupermarket have been promised that details of these games will be released soon as they are available.
£50.000 mistake still honoured by Foxy Bingo
Tuesday 13th May 2008
Author Sandra Thompson
Foxy Bingo have paid £50,000 to a bingo winner after a glitch in their software wrongly infomed a person they had scooped a £50,000 prize when it should have only been £500. After deliberation, Foxy decided to honour the £50,000 payout making tracy180 a very happy person. Tracy180 had called house in a staggering 60 numbers, it only cost her £1 to purchase the tickets.
Rank optomistic on bingo future
Thursday 08 May 2008
Author Sandra Thompson
Rank who operates the Mecca chain of bingo clubs have shown slight improvement on their trading results. Although sales and admissions were down like for like on last year, this was pre smoking ban and based on the last 17 weeks, they have shown slight improvement, this has also reflected in their recent share prices.
Government announces VAT will not be abolished from bingo
Friday 02 May 2008
Author Sandra Thompson
The Government have announced that the removal of VAT will not happen despite the constant pleas of the land based bingo clubs to attempt to secure their futures. The government claim that the state of the industry and the challenges ahead is not down to VAT. This is a bitter blow but many operators had given up the fight and have decided to take a more pro-active approach to rescue the industry. Online bingo is still on the increase and the popularity of the game shows no evidence of it declining. However many regular attenders are finding the recent economic conditions, credit crunch and the smoking ban has resulted in the visits becoming less frequent.
Bingosupermarket exciting expansion plans
Author Sandra Thompson 24-04-2008
Bingosupermarket has recently opened its very own ebay shop. Production of its own bingo tickets and dabbers are underway and due to be released in the next few weeks. Bingosupermarket can supply direct to the consumer and wholesaler. The reason for using ebay as the sales platform was to encourage customers to shop around and compare the prices before making a purchase.
Mecca Bingo Club opens its doors for the last session
Author Sandra Thompson 18-04-2008
Mecca Bingo Club in Swindon called its last house last Saturday evening. The council are in talks with Mecca bingo to try to throw a possible lifeline to something that they believe is an important amenity in the local area. Many more clubs are under threat of closure since the smoking ban that was largly supported by the bingo industry. For its continued support of the government policy, the bingo association has asked for VAT to be taken off bingo profits to bring it in-line with the rest of the UK's gambling industry to save the future of land based bingo clubs.
Buckingham Bingo manager steals £31,000
Author Sandra Thomson 18-04-2008
Helen Walker, manager of Buckingham bingo in Peterlee has been sentenced to 15 months for stealing £31,000 out of the club safe. She was also charged for stealing £500 vouchers that were intended for customers. She had worked at the club for 5 years and was paid around £48,000 a year. She allowed some of her debts to escalate and stopped paying bills.
National Bingo Game winner loses court battle
Author Sandra Thompson 18-04-2008
A Judge ruled that a £50,000 winner of the National Game had to share the winnings with her two sisters as they had a verbal agreement to share any winnings from their visits to bingo club in Chester. However a twist in the tale has emerged that after the ruling was given, the winning sister Edna Sexton had spent all her money and had given some away to her immediate family. Edna Sexton said she had changed her mind about spliting the winnings but the judge ruled that although it was verbal Edna had breached her contract.
Bingo for Breakthrough
Author Sandra Thompson
420 bingo clubs throughout the UK joined together and raised £488,000 for breast cancer awareness. This was raised inside a week in 2007. The money raised helps Breakthrough undertake vital research and promote health messages, all the time moving towards a better future free from breast cancer. Bingo for Breakthrough 2008 will start 19th October.
Tough Time for Top Ten
Author Sandra Thompson 14-04-2008
Top ten Bingo shares have dropped to an all time low. The current trading is at 9.5p a share and the company has reported it has net debt of £28,000,000. Top ten have reported themselves that the company has shown a sharp drop in revenue and is falling below market expectations. New terms have had to be agreed with the bank to amend banking facilities in return for a higher intrest repayment. Top ten bingo is the UK's third biggest bingo chain with 38 clubs. Top ten bingo are reporting a slight recovery since the beginning of the year. Recent media reports would suggest that the whole of land based bingo is in for a rough time during the next few months.
Bingo.com gives £9 free plays to all bingosupermarket readers
Author Sandra Thompson 11-04-2008
Bingo.com has stepped up is free plays with no deposit necessary to £9. Bingosupermarket.com have been given a promtional code MY9 to put in the promotional box when you have clicked on any of our links. This is one of the best no deposit sign ups out there so if you have pondered on playing now is the best time to give it a go. Remember the opening page will offer you £5 free but you will receive £9 when you sign up and remember to put MY9 in the promotional code.
Carlton Sell two bingo halls for £1.35million
Author Sandra Thompson 02-04-2008
Scottish Bingo operator is reported to have sold off 2 of its bingo clubs Tivoli hall in Edinburgh for £900,000 and a bingo in Grangemouth for £450,000. Simon Bashford of Jones Lang Laisalle said "Modern day bingo requires a more contemporary premises" indicating that the deals were sold on for a different use and not onto a bingo operator.
Bingo Bosses hit back on double taxation
Author Sandra Thompson 01-04-2008
After a miserable budget, some of the smaller operators are considering legal action against the double taxation of land based bingo. Many of the bingo organisations are questioning the legality of charging VAT on bingo when it already attracts gross profits tax. One of the smaller independent bingo company's will be approaching the Bingo Association to suggest that a major QC is appointed and the case taken to the house of Lords for a ruling, in the meantime holding back the VAT in trust until a ruling is made.
Britain's Biggest Bingo Jackpot won
Author Sandra Thompson 27-03-2008
Soroya Lowell has won the largest cash prize ever on the National Bingo game. She scooped £1,167,795 at the club 3000 in Lanarkshire.This win is the third time that over £1,000,000 has been won on the National Game, the first was claimed by mum of 2 Margeret Shearer of Glasgow during September of last year
Budget Bad for Bingo
Author Sandra Thompson 25-03-2008
Many of Britain's best loved bingo clubs are facing closure after the Chancellor did not announce the abolishment of VAT on bingo to bring it inline with the rest of the gambling industry. In fact the Chancellor could have hit it even harder as it increased the tax burden on amusement machine licences and a raise in alcohol tax.
The Bingo Association did anticipate a VAT removal after putting pressure on the government by submitting a petition last year and handing it direct to the doors of 10 Downing Street. A leading independent bingo operator commented "Abolishing VAT would have been an all round winner, it would secure the livelihoods of the many who work in the industry, holding on to a much loved and popular pastime enjoyed by millions throghout the UK and the government would have a long termrevenue strem through gross profits tax" he then went onto say "We are now left with job cuts, potential closures thus customers losing a much loved facility enjoyed by them for many years. The government will not make income from a bingo club that has closed its doors, it is very short sighted of them not to see this coming."
If it wasn't for the popularity of bingo in clubs, it would not be popular online and the online bingo community should back their local bingo halls. Bingosupermarket will keep everyone up-to-date through our news features on any further developments.
"Darling" you forgot to remove the VAT
Author Sandra Thompson 20th March 2008
The Bingo Association has reported its disappointment at not having the removal of VAT on bingo in the recent 2008 budget. This would have a detrimental effect on many of the bingo clubs we enjoy playing. Gala bingo and Mecca bingo may now face closures in the wake of this recent news. Online bingo operators including foxy bingo , think bingo and jackpot joy will be unaffected by this omission as online bingo does not attract the same amount of taxes as the servers are offshore.
