Recent bingo news reports indicate that the UK government is taking a close look into the possibility of taxing and regulating online bingo sites licensed outside the United Kingdom. Currently the government receives no tax revenue from the many offshore bingo sites openly operating in the UK. Bingo operators licensed in the UK say this puts them at a competitive disadvantage with offshore operations. Many offshore bingo sites are also allowed to advertise in the UK if they are on the government’s ‘white list’ of approved licensing jurisdictions. Many in the industry believe the situation is about to change.

Online bingo operators have always enjoyed a clear advantage over land based bingo sites in the UK because by locating their operations offshore they can afford to invest more heavily in advertising and marketing. They can also offer players bigger bonuses and promotions than sites taxed by the UK government. Most sites licensed in the UK pay a tax of at least 15% and most offshore operators typically pay a tax of about 1% if they pay any taxes at all. Even worse offshore bingo sites have full access to all media in the UK.

Most expect the UK government to recommend that all sites doing business in the UK will have to obtain a UK gaming license in addition to any other licenses from other jurisdictions. Industry experts say that this will have serious implications for offshore operators. Most likely the government will impose some sort of taxation and ‘secondary’ licensing costs.’ Most expect the tax rates to equal the 15% paid by bingo sites licensed in the UK. Rank Group chief executive Ian Burke believes that changes are coming and stated “Many European markets are moving to regulating and taxing online gaming and it’s inevitable that the UK government will look at changing the offshore tax regime.”

The effect of paying 15% as opposed to 1% could mean that larger online bingo operations could have a tax bill amounting to millions of pounds. Burke said that smaller operations could be hurt and stated “Weaker companies would disappear as their business model would no longer be sustainable.” Many major bingo firms such as Ladbrokes, William Hill and others moved offshore to avoid UK taxation but new regulations will erode the tax benefits leading many firms to relocate to the UK. The UK online gaming sector is worth about 1.5 billion pounds annually and some companies spend as much as 30% of their total revenues on advertising in the UK. Clive Hawkswood, the chief executive of trade group the Remote Gambling Association says a lot is at stake for many gaming companies. Hawkswood stated “Some online casinos have a payout rate of about 97 percent so there is no room to withstand such a jump in tax.,” said Hawkswood, opining that in order to survive companies may have to cut back dramatically on marketing, which has been lucrative for the UK media and sports industries”. The entire online bingo industry is watching developments very closely.

Bingo is probably one of the simplest games to play. It is not necessary to learn complicated strategies and techniques; bingo is a random game of chance. Basically players purchase their bingo cards and mark them as the numbers are called. Players at bingo sites can use auto daub to mark their numbers automatically. This feature allows players to mark several cards at once. Like slots bingo is pretty random and based on luck but there are a few things bingo players can do to give themselves an edge.

Players should always try to find the best bonuses. Most bingo sites offer players substantial deposit bonuses. Usually deposit bonuses are based on a percentage of a deposit. Many bingo sites offer bonuses as high as 500%. Look for a site that has ongoing bonuses. Many bingo sites have started to offer various bonuses to established players designed to give players more value for their money. Don’t forget to read and understand the terms and conditions associated with bonus offers.

Players should find a favorite site and play often. Most reputable bingo sites have player loyalty programs and schemes. Many bingo sites are now giving players exclusive bonuses and cash back offers. Players can win points for every wager and collect real cash that can be used to play more games. Bingo bonuses are no longer limited to new players and more bingo providers are offering bonuses designed for player retention. Take advantage of all the bonuses available.

Players should save large wagers for progressive jackpot bingo games. Progressive jackpot bingo games are won if a player scores a full house within a certain number of calls. Players should keep a record of jackpot hits and look for any patterns that may emerge. The only time players should make large bets is when a large cash prize is on the line. It makes no sense to bet large for a small jackpot. Try to find games without a lot of players and your odds of winning will be increased.

Always check the game schedule for specials and promotions. Guaranteed jackpot games are always a good choice especially if the jackpot is large. Many bingo sites offer buy one get one free bingo cards. The more cards played the better the odds of winning. Players that take advantage of the best bonuses are ahead of the game and have increased their chances for a big bingo win.

Internet bingo providers have used several marketing methods to promote their individual bingo sites.  Bingo sites have recently engaged in an extensive television advertising campaign in the UK. Bingo sites have spent millions to promote brand awareness. Most bingo sites have also hired Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts to increase web visibility. Internet marketing is now a big business yet the costs for internet marketing remain surprisingly low compared to more traditional marketing methods. Many bingo sites employ full time internet marketing specialists. Affiliate marketing has become popular among bingo providers. Exactly what is affiliate marketing? Affiliate marketing is a marketing strategy in which a business rewards another business, or affiliate, for every customer or site visitor provided by the affiliate’s own marketing efforts. Basically one web business rewards another for sending customers to their website.

The high customer retention rate of internet bingo sites makes the industry perfect for affiliate marketing. Currently internet bingo is the fastest growing sector of the online gaming industry and is a two billion dollar a year business.  While players at bingo sites do not wager large amounts of money they love the game and are fond of the community atmosphere at most bingo sites. Online bingo communities are the key to player retention and if players referred by affiliates like the games and community they are likely to become long term customers. Players at online casinos and poker sites tend to jump from site to site chasing bingo bonuses but bingo players are usually loyal to one site and will make deposits on a regular basis.

Affiliates of online bingo sites usually earn a commission for each player referred. Generally online bingo affiliate programs will pay commissions of 20% to 30% of the total purchase amount. Some affiliate programs offer a flat fee for every player referred by the affiliate. This form of affiliate marketing is known as a Cost-per-Acquisition (CPA) and commissions can range from $50 to as much as $200. Businesses considering a bingo affiliate program should look for certain website characteristics. Chat rooms are particularly important and can indicate a strong sense of community among players. The key to making money as a bingo affiliate is to advertise and promote bingo sites with high player retention rates. Of course the overall quality of any bingo site should be a key consideration. Online bingo affiliate programs can be very lucrative for affiliates and online bingo is still a growth industry.

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It is a well establishes fact that most online bingo players consider the social aspect of bingo the most important part of the online bingo experience. Chat rooms at bingo sites enable players to chat, joke with other players and make new friends. Since the internet is global in scope and there are bingo players around the world players are likely to meet people from several countries and cultures. The ability to make new friends is one of the best aspects of the internet version of the game. Many players have formed strong online friendships and while many of these friendships started in the virtual world in many cases people who met online have arranged real world meetings.

Many bingo sites have recognized the importance of online friendships and hold events designed to allow virtual friends to meet in the real world. One major bingo site in the UK has held annual bingo cruises for several years and player feedback has been consistently positive. Foxy Bingo has sponsored several bingo cruises to Bilboa and Bruges and the 2008 bingo cruise sailed to Rotterdam. Tickets for the cruises can be purchased but are also given away as prizes in special promotional games with bingo bonuses. Bingo games take place on board and virtual friends can get together for a good time.

Other UK bingo sites sponsor special events for players. One popular bingo site features a “Players Meet” section which details upcoming events and also contains photos of previous events. The events are popular with players and give online bingo friends a chance to meet in a live setting. Some sites will sponsor player get togethers on a regular basis and events take place across the UK so that all players have a chance to attend.

Bingo forums are also a great place for players to meet and arrange real life meetings. Most websites have their own forums and many also have Facebook pages which are popular with players. Forum members exchange stories and experiences and close friendships are formed. In many cases online friendships turn into lasting real world friendships. In some forums players have arranged group trips to theme parks and even parties at private houses. Those who play online bingo are a gregarious lot and it is inevitable that close friendships are formed. It is easy to understand why the opportunity to socialize is so important to players at online bingo sites.

Most bingo experts expect increased marketing efforts by bingo operators and networks throughout the year. Bingo operators have already spent millions on television ads and most industry observers expect the larger operators to greatly increase their presence on television. Some of the larger operators sponsor daytime television shows aimed at a female audience which is bingo’s core demographic. Most of the ads feature the bonuses, bingo promotions and special games. In addition most industry experts say that bingo sites will be adding new interactive features and more social networking opportunities. Game developers will be kept busy creating new bingo and side games. This year could be a ‘make or break’ year for many bingo sites and those without the resources to engage in marketing campaigns will probably fold up.

Despite all the money spent on television advertising and marketing campaigns most potential players get their information from a much older source-bingo review websites. Many bingo review sites report increased traffic from players seeking reliable information about the many bingo sites online. In 2010 over 50 new bingo sites were launched and bingo review sites have become the primary source for comprehensive information about the many new bingo sites that have been launched. On the average a new bingo site is launched weekly and players want information about the new sites before making a deposit.

Players can find answers to most of their questions at bingo portals and review sites. Players can check the reputation of just about any website that offers online bingo and can find out about any issues other players may have had while playing at a specific website. Unfortunately there are some bad apples in the industry and a good impartial bingo review site can help players to avoid unpleasant experiences online. Most legitimate review sites contain a large selection of reviews and articles covering most of the features available at bingo sites. Players can access a virtual library full of information that will help them find the perfect bingo site. Most experts say that the competition in the online bingo world is going to heat up in 2011 and bingo review sites will become more valuable than ever in helping players find the best games, bonuses and promotions throughout the year.

Online bingo sites have been keeping millions of players happy for years. Online bingo has been an internet phenomenon that has not only attracted millions of players but also generates about two billion dollars a year for the industry. Online bingo sites are popular because there’s plenty to do and players have a huge choice of games. Players at bingo sites come from many countries and the internet version of the game has had a global appeal. Players at online bingo sites play from the comfort and privacy of home and if they are smokers they are not treated as second class citizens and forced to leave the games to indulge in their habit. Life today is fast paced and stressful and the instant availability of online bingo provides players with a quick way to relieve workday stress.

Not only is bingo a lot of fun to play but it has many advantages over other games. Bingo is good mental exercise and helps to maintain hand eye coordination. Both of these benefits have been documented by studies at universities in the US, Canada and the UK. People who play bingo generally do better on tests designed to measure memory, action speed, decision making and logic. Playing bingo improves the brain’s capability to focus and concentrate and memorize. Most of the studies have been done in the UK where bingo has long been popular. In the UK bingo is the most played online game and over 400 websites now serve the UK bingo market.

Playing at bingo sites can also be good for the heart. A recent study found that playing bingo is a significant stress reliever and that those who play bingo react more favorably to stressful situations. The most recent study done in the UK revealed that playing bingo can shorten hospital stays for patients. Not only is bingo good for the brain and body it is also good for the pocketbook. Online bingo is a very inexpensive game and most bingo sites offer players a wide variety of bonuses, bingo  promotions and player incentives. Most bingo sites offer players free bingo games and for those new to online bingo free games are a great way to learn the game.

Online bingo is popular and bingo site owners are constantly adding new games and the latest state of the art technologies to keep their bingo sites up to date and appealing to players. For those who have been hesitant to join the millions of happy and healthy bingo players the time has never been better to take advantage of all of the benefits the game provides.

In 2010 there was a 40% increase in internet gambling and many believe that the increase was driven partially by women playing at online bingo sites. A recent report by a reputable gaming research firm in the UK said that online bingo is the fastest growing sector of the internet gaming industry. There are many reasons for the rapid growth of online bingo sites.

First, there is more prize money to be won than ever before. Last year online bingo produced its own online bingo millionaire. Jackpots in excess of one hundred pounds or dollars are common and progressive jackpots at bingo sites can get huge. Go to any online bingo site and check out the amount of money that can be won. Jackpots at bingo sites are several times larger than those offered just a few years ago. Bingo operators have realized that to stay competitive in the industry they must provide players with larger jackpots and prizes. It is not uncommon to see luxury automobiles as prizes along with Rolex watches and other luxury items.

In the UK another reason for the rapid growth of online bingo is the extensive marketing campaigns by bingo providers. Clever, well produced and mostly humorous television ads have increased brand awareness and are popular with viewers. Some of these television ads have produced well known characters such as Foxy bingo’s fox and Jackpot Joy’s Queen of bingo. American players who want to view these ads can find quite a few of them on the popular video sharing website YouTube.

Most bingo sites have invested heavily in new technology to facilitate social interaction. Live games and lively chat rooms have contributed to the growth of the internet bingo sector. Studies have clearly shown that social interaction is just as important to players as jackpots and prizes. Bingo providers have done everything they possibly can with today’s technology to make social interaction as easy, pleasant and realistic as possible.

When a player visits a bingo site like BingoHouse for the first time the first thing they notice is the bonuses and various promotions. These are usually featured prominently on the home page. Online bingo sites are providing players with an astounding variety of bingo bonuses, free bingo offers and player incentives. Bonuses at bingo sites are some of the largest available in the online gaming industry and have contributed to the growth of the bingo sector.

Those of us who have watched and followed developments in the online bingo industry have observed what can only be described as astound growth in the last two or three years. Even during the worst of the global recession online bingo continued to grow despite economic conditions. Online bingo was simply in the right place at the right time. The recession sent bingo players online and the industry provided inexpensive entertaining home based entertainment for millions of UK, US and European online bingo players. In the UK last winter’s storms were a veritable bonanza for online bingo providers and so far this year’s winter weather has been similar and bingo operators are anticipating record 4th quarter earnings.

Bingo operators and networks have used a wide variety of marketing strategies but none has been as popular and successful as free bingo. Most bingo sites provide some sort of free bingo incentive so new players can check out all the bingo and side games offered by a bingo site. For those unfamiliar with online bingo is would appear that bingo operators were virtually throwing cash at players. There are two schools of thought regarding the future of online bingo; one school of thought says that the bingo boom will continue and the other predicts a slowdown for the bingo industry in 2011.

Those who are optimistic cite the increasing number of players, the highly competitive atmosphere which is benefiting players and the expansion of bingo sites to other new markets in Europe. The naysayers predict an industry slowdown and an end to the generous no deposit and free bingo bonuses. The pessimists point out that several bingo sites have withdrawn no deposit free bingo offers. They also point out that many of the sites that have withdrawn bonuses and free bingo are spending more money on very expensive television advertising.  According to some bingo review sites the online bingo industry is expected to spend tens of millions of pounds on television advertising in the coming year necessitating cutbacks in other areas.

Some experts say that free bingo cash offers will become almost extinct as bingo operators budget more money for television ads in an attempt to remain competitive. Fortunately there are still many bingo sites offering free play and generous deposit bonuses.  Thankfully online bingo sites serving the US market have no incentive to advertise on television and are likely to keep providing bingo bonuses to attract American players.

Americans who play bingo online are having a more difficult time finding funding and withdrawal options for their bingo accounts. Current US law prohibits banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions from processing any transactions related to ‘gambling.’ During the last five years several online payment processors have exited the US market and the US government even went so far as to arrest two Neteller executives for something that is perfectly legal in their country. The arrests sent a chill through the online payment processor industry and other payment options for US players were lost. PayPal currently allows European bingo players to use their services but bans US players. The recent loss of EwalletXpress has many bingo players scrambling to find another payment processor. Many bingo players who used EwalletXpress found their accounts frozen and it may take months to get their money back.

Visa and Mastercard refuse to process online bingo game transactions but many US players have found unique funding options. Some players have even set up offshore bank accounts to process their deposits and withdrawals. Establishing an offshore bank account requires a lot of time and effort and for players who play bingo online occasionally this option may not be worth the effort required to establish a foreign bank account. Third party transaction processors were the first choice of most US bingo players but gradually most processors dropped US account holders because of fears of US prosecution. Currently a rumor is going around online gaming circles that EwalletXpress has been seized by the US Department of Justice.  So far no official statement has been made by the DOJ leaving players and account holders in a state of limbo.

Some online bingo sites and gaming sites have already implemented alternative banking options for US players. IPoint and Cashgrade are popular options. IPoint allow credit card transactions which are processed through a player’s cell phone and funds are usually available within ten minutes. Cashgrade provides players with e-check and wire transfer options. There are many new startup ewallet services but at present most of these have not established a reputation and may not be safe. One new company, Money Line Wallet allows bingo players to transfer funds from bank accounts and promise to provide players with fast and safe deposits. Money transfers are still available but take more time to process and can delay deposits. Despite the loss of EwalletXpress American players still have funding options available.

In 2007, the UK implemented a national smoking ban and since then about 130 bingo clubs have closed across the country which amounts to about 20% of all bingo clubs. Earlier in the year it was announced that the government would conduct a review of the smoking ban and its effect on the pub and bingo industries. Many claim that the ban is ‘crippling’ the £6 billion a-year ($9,354,000,091.55 USD) pub and bingo industry. In addition to the bingo industry the Beer Pub Association says that about 39 pubs close weekly and in 2009 2,365 pubs closed and that over 24,000 jobs were permanently lost in the pub industry. At the time the ban was proposed the government said a review would take place three years after the ban went into effect. At the time the ban was implemented Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, told MPs, “We will monitor the impact from day one, and we will have a full review at the end of three years.”

Some are contesting the recent figures saying that many of the bingo hall and pub closures are the result of the global recession and that the smoking ban has not had the drastic effect that representative from both industries claim. Many experts cite the demand for inexpensive home based entertainment for the decline of bingo halls and pubs. Changing tastes were also cited. Many younger people prefer trendy bars over traditional pubs and many land based bingo players went online to play their favorite game at home.

Some experts point out that land based bingo has been declining since the late 1990’s and that the greed of some bingo hall owners made bingo unaffordable to many pensioners on fixed incomes. Although the smoking ban remains controversial the government decided that no review of the ban would take place this year. A Department of Health spokeswoman told the BBC: “We currently have no plans for a review.”  Exemptions for pubs not serving food and private members’ clubs had been proposed but Members of Parliament decided not to provide any exemptions at all. Bingo halls are particularly hard hit in cold weather when smokers are forced to go outside for a smoke.

For the internet bingo game industry, the ban has been a boon. Thousands of players have switched to playing at bingo sites like BingoHouse and the industry was one of the few to expand during the recession. For the time being, bingo players who smoke can still play their favorite game online.