For many online bingo players the game is much more than simple entertainment. For these players online bingo is a large community devoted to having fun and a lot of social interaction. Gaming experts have been astounded by the growth of online bingo and the huge influx of new players. Some bingo sites reported an 80% increase in the number of players during 2008-09. Even the worst recession since the great depression of the 1930’ failed to stop the meteoric rise of the online bingo industry. Old bingo stereotypes have been shattered forever and the game is played by a much younger audience especially in the UK where the average age of the typical online bingo player is 18 to 40. While other sectors of the gaming industry have been relatively complacent the competiveness of the online bingo industry has forced bingo operators to launch new games and provide players with larger jackpots and original promotions.

At the present time online bingo is a $1 billion dollar a year industry and that figure is expected to grow. While the land based bingo industry is in real trouble thanks to government policies the online sector is robust and expanding. The online bingo industry has learned how to use social media to its advantage. There are thousands of bingo blogs, portals, forums and social media websites where bingo players post their experiences both positive and negative and word of mouth can be more effective than the most sophisticated marketing campaign. Online bingo providers will go to great lengths to prevent negative publicity and are quick to resolve customer complaints and other issues. Most bingo sites realize that negative comments on blogs and forums could easily sent players to a competitor’s site.

Despite the massive growth of the online bingo industry recent figures indicate a leveling off in the number of players in established online bingo markets. Some industry experts believe that the addition of new bingo sites competing for these players will create cut throat market conditions in 2010. Bingo providers are scrambling to identify new bingo markets and come up with new innovations to survive in a cut throat market. Some experts predict that online bingo could generate revenues of up to $2.3 billion dollars by 2012. If the American bingo market opens up the figure could be much higher. Many bingo operators see 2010 as a ‘make or break’ year. What does all this mean to players? More games, bigger jackpots and prizes, more original promotions, entertaining marketing campaigns and innovations galore!

Online bingo is incredibly popular and in the UK is the most played online game and about three million people play online bingo every week and spend over $1 billion dollars a year. What makes online bingo so popular? There are many answers but the variety of bonuses and player incentives available to players has been cited by industry experts as one of the major factors contributing to the rapid growth of the online bingo industry. Online bingo has come a long way since the first games were launched in the mid 1990’s. Games were pretty basic and were not well received by the bingo playing public. Games were slow and monotonous and the virtual callers were annoying at best. The introduction of flash and macromedia technology changed online bingo forever. Now online bingo games are as exciting as any live game at a traditional bingo hall.

There are several kinds of bingo bonuses that players can take advantage of. The bingo sign up bonus is probably the most well known and many players say they pick sites to play at based on the size of the initial deposit or sign up bonus. Since bingo sites are competing for player’s bingo deposit bonuses of 500% and even 600% are common. In other words if a player deposits $100 dollars at a site offering a 500% sign up bonus the player will be able to play $500 dollars worth of bingo games. Although these sign up bonuses cannot be withdrawn they can be used to play many bingo games and the winnings from these games can be withdrawn or credited to a player’s account.  Be sure to read the terms and conditions regarding sign up bonuses to avoid unpleasant misunderstandings. Policies vary from site to site.

Many bingo sites also offer re deposit or ‘reload’ bonuses. Some sites offer reload bonuses of up to 250% which is a pretty good deal. Reload bonuses are designed to keep players coming back for more bingo fun. Many sites award loyal players ‘loyalty points’ that can be exchanges for game cards. Monthly, weekly and daily promotions can also allow a player to extend those bingo dollars and pounds.

Free bingo is a big attraction. There are now sites devoted to free bingo and players can play free bingo for real cash! Most pay bingo sites offer new players a free play option and this is a great way to check out the games on a bingo site. Online bingo players can play hundreds of games for free by taking advantage of all the bonuses and player perks offered by bingo sites. No wonder bingo is the most popular online game in the UK!

Bingo halls are everywhere and there is hardly a country in the western world without bingo halls. Every week millions of people venture out to their favorite bingo club. In the UK the bingo industry is well established and the English market is considered the largest in the world. In the United States Catholic churches and charitable organizations were the chief providers of bingo games. Large bingo halls are a relatively recent phenomenon in the US and in some states bingo halls have generated a lot of controversy. The state of Alabama is the epicenter of US bingo opposition and is a serious issue in the governor’s race this year.  In the US banks and other financial institutions are prohibited from processing gambling related transactions but thousands of US players have found alternative ways to fund their online bingo accounts and continue to play regularly.

In continental Europe and Scandinavia online bingo has become a popular pastime adding millions of regular players. Bingo is popular in Australia and New Zealand and is known as ‘housie.’ In some South American countries bingo has been popular for years and millions play at large bingo halls especially in Argentina. Anyone with internet access can log on and play bingo instantly at hundreds of websites devoted to bingo. Online bingo is available in several languages and there are now several variations on the traditional 75 ball game. Most bingo sites now offer 75 ball, 90 ball and 80 ball bingo.

Online bingo has created one huge global bingo hall. The global aspect of online bingo adds a whole new dimension to the game. Bingo now generates more revenue than any other online game. Most online bingo players are 18 to 45 years old which destroys the popular perception of bingo as a game for senior citizens. In fact only 18% of all online bingo players are over 55 years old. Since online bingo is global people from different nations and cultures can meet and bond and learn to understand and respect each other. The online bingo industry has created a huge global bingo hall for people from all countries to enjoy.

Online bingo is played by about three million players every week. Since bingo is a random game of chance and not skill based every player has an equal chance to win any particular bingo game. At some less than reputable bingo sites there are players who seem to have extraordinary luck. These players are known in the online bingo world as ‘ghost players’ and are the same as house players or shills in a casino or online poker room. Ghost players are usually not real –players but are robots powered by software that pretend to be live players. One report says that at some bingo sites as many as 20 ghost players may be active at the same time. The reason less than scrupulous bingo sites use ghost players is simple; to keep payouts to real players at a minimum.

This unfair and dishonest practice is the bane of the bingo industry. Most bingo websites are licensed in jurisdictions with strict rules and regulations that prohibit the use of ghost, or house, players. Fortunately there are some tell tale signs that will help players identify ghost players. One sign of a ghost player is that they seem to win way too often. While a lucky player may occasionally win several games during a playing session it is not normal for a player to win every second or third game consistently. If a player sees this happening frequently then it is time to find another bingo site to play at.

If your luck seems to be extraordinarily bad you may be playing at a site using ghost players. Every bingo player wins once in a while especially when playing the maximum number of cards. If you are spending a lot of money on cards and never win this is a sure sign of a dishonest bingo site. If you play for several sessions without a win then it is time to find another bingo site.

An unchanging pot can be another sign of ghost players. Usually winning bingo card prizes are determined by the number of players in the game. The more players there are in a game the more each winning card is worth. As an example if there are 30 players and the pot stays the same size as it was when there were 15 players then in all likelihood there are 15 house players in the game.

Fortunately for online bingo players most bingo sites are honest and aboveboard and are safe. If you want information and reviews of any bingo site simply Google the name of the site and you can read the reviews and player experiences. Like any other industry the online bingo industry has its bad apples but fortunately for players reliable information is only a mouse click away.

Many small towns and cities around the world are in dire financial straits doe to the ongoing global recession. Many towns are having trouble funding basic services such as fire and police protection and infrastructure.  In the ‘rust belt’ in the US the problem has been compounded by the closing of factories which provided the towns with a stable tax base. Most of these town and cities have had to cut back on basic government services making local problems even worse. Some of these towns have come up with an unusual solution to their financial woes-bingo!

Some towns have noticed a distinct improvement after the launch of local bingo halls. In one rural Kentucky town the local bingo hall allows a different civic organization to run the bingo games each week. The organization gets to keep most of the money raised during the bingo games. The various organizations must provide refreshments, workers, bingo callers and all staffing for the bingo events. The bingo games in this small Kentucky town have been so successful that the local fire department was able to purchase a new tanker truck making the community much safer.  Charitable organizations also run bingo games and the money raised helps the unemployed who have been affected by the recession. In Holland Michigan the Veterans of Foreign Wars post has been running bingo games for decades. While payouts may not be high the games have provided thousands of dollars for local charities and the games are a staple of local life.

Bingo games also relieve the boredom that can come from living in a small town. Despite the lack of entertainment opportunities most small town residents say they prefer the small town atmosphere to big city life. Bingo halls also attract people from outside the community who spend money which helps the local economy. Many small town residents say that the quality of life in their towns has been improved by the addition of bingo halls.  Bingo halls have helped a few struggling communities to get back on a sound financial footing.

For those who live in remote areas without access to a local bingo hall online bingo can provide the same excitement and entertainment as the live version of the game. Online players can socialize using chat rooms and even better can win some pretty big jackpots. Online bingo is also perfect for bingo fans that may work odd hours and cannot attend games at the local bingo hall. Bingo games have been used for many purposes but for players the big attraction is the fun provided by bingo.

The 5th annual online bingo summit has come and gone. Held in London annually for the last five years the summit brings together a who’s who of the online bingo industry. Participants include software platform providers, industry consultants, game developers, SEO (search engine optimization) experts, online bingo providers, payment services and other industry participants. The annual summit is sponsored by Bullet Business who provide the online bingo industry with reports targeted newsletters, and annual iGaming conferences addressing a wide variety of topics affecting the iGaming industry.

Top industry leaders addressed the conference providing participants with fresh new ideas. Marketing strategies are always a hot topic at the summit and past conferences have resulted in highly original marketing campaigns by online bingo companies. The summit is geared towards European operators buy anyone in the industry is welcome to attend. If recently introduced US legislation is successful the American online bingo market will open providing the industry with astounding opportunities and millions of new online bingo players.  Since the European online bingo industry is well established the addition of the American bingo market will probably go smoothly thanks to information provided at these annual conferences.

Every year the topic of player acquisition is a hot topic and this is the topic that most affects players. Innovations in the online bingo industry have made bingo the most popular online game in Europe. Promotions are an important part of player acquisition strategy and most players benefit from the various promotions and bonuses and other player incentives that are routinely discussed at the online bingo summits. These innovations and incentives have made bingo better than ever for players. Thanks to the ideas presented at the annual online bingo summit players can expect more games, bigger jackpots and original prizes and a vastly improved online bingo experience.

A recent article details the way a Danish couple spent their summer holiday at a campground with their children. The female half of the couple took advantage of the wireless internet provided by the campground and decided to play a few games of online bingo. Soon the Kroner accumulated and soon the couple had won enough money to finance a winter vacation far from the cold of Scandinavia. The woman said she played for about two hours each day during their two week vacation.  The woman said that at the end of the two week vacation she had won 12,000 kroner. ($2,040.06 USD) Other campers joined in the fun once they heard about the woman’s lucrative hobby. Many of the campground players still stay in contact via bingo chat rooms.  The woman says she intends to play more bingo during next year’s vacation.

The above story illustrates the fact that not only is bingo fun, it can also be lucrative. Bingo can be played anywhere there is a cell phone signal or wireless internet connection. Today most campgrounds in Europe provide wireless connections and in the US many campgrounds also offer wireless access. It is a common sight to see people playing online bingo in parks, on trains and busses and at internet cafes.  Online bingo can now be played using laptops, smart phones, RDF’s, netbooks and any other device that provides internet access. Many experts predict that in the very near future internet access will be available almost everywhere. Imagine playing online bingo in the cold continent of Antarctica. One website reports that internet shopping has already hit Antarctica and online bingo is sure to follow.

Recently the online bingo industry expanded into new markets including Spain and Scandinavia which is probably why the Danish campers were able to play and win their next vacation. In the very near future we will probably read about big online bingo wins from exotic and remote locations around the world.

During the ongoing global financial crisis most people struggle with financial uncertainty. Many working people are justifiably worries about losing their job as unemployment figures rise to the highest level since the great depression of the 1930’s. Bingo players are no different from most people and share many of the same concerns and are cutting back on unnecessary expenses along with everyone else. Many land based bingo players report that they have cut back on regular visits to their favorite bingo clubs.  A visit to a land based bingo hall has ancillary expenses such as transportation, fuel, parking, admission fees and the purchase of bingo cards. For mothers there are always babysitting expenses and good babysitters do not come cheap anymore. In the UK which is the world’s largest bingo market land based operators report dismal attendance figures and land based operators have ongoing expenses like rent, utilities, employees and tax liabilities.

Online bingo avoids most of these expenses associated with running a brick and mortar bingo operation. Running a website is not all that expensive and many bingo providers become part of a ‘bingo network’ where much of the actual site operation is done by the owners of proprietary bingo software. This gives online bingo providers a clear advantage. Coupled with the fact that most bingo sites are located offshore in jurisdictions where the tax liability is favorable it becomes clear that online bingo providers have a definite advantage over their land based counterparts. In the US where, legally, bingo is confined to land based operations figures have not been favorable.  In Ohio one Catholic parish was forced to increase tuition for their parochial school due to languishing bingo revenues.

For online bingo providers and players most of these challenges do not exist. Online players need only an internet connection and a credit card to play. No travel, fuel or other expenses and best of all most online bingo sites offer players generous deposit bonuses and free bingo for real cash. The competition for players has resulted in bigger bonuses, more promotions and huge jackpots and unique prizes making it hard for land based bingo halls to compete. While no one expects land based bingo to disappear the future of bingo is clearly in the hands of online bingo providers and players.

Many online bingo players have probably noticed that many bingo sites have the same ‘look.’ There is a logical reason for this. Many bingo sites are part of a network and the bingo provider uses the same or similar software for the sites within a particular bingo network. In the UK and the European Union bingo software companies must be licensed and meet certain standards. Software is routinely tested to make sure that online bingo players are protected from less than scrupulous operators. There are many bingo software companies and bingo is now a billion dollar a year business in the UK. Recently proposed legislation in the US may open the door for millions of new American players and the bingo industry is gearing up for the expected onslaught of new players. Bingo software providers are responsible for the look and feel of the various online bingo games.

One of the most well known and reputable bingo software providers is Playtech.  Playtech has received wide recognition for its innovative gaming software. Sites in the Playtech network share jackpots, chat functions, bingo games and backend site operation. The company was founded in 1999 and since then has grown into one of the largest providers of gaming software. When the US passed ill advised anti online gambling legislation the company’s stock fell 40% in one day but Playtech has since recovered from those losses and has expanded.

Virtue Fusion is another bingo software giant and provides software for many well known bingo sites and networks. Virtue Fusion was acquired by Playtech in 2010. Virtue Fusion won the coveted Best Online Bingo Innovation award at the fifth annual Online Bingo Summit in 2010. The company also was named Best Bingo Software for the second consecutive year. Virtue Fusion provides multi lingual and multi currency bingo across Europe and the UK and is licensed in Alderney where taxes are lower.  Many highly rated UK bingo sites use Virtue Fusion software.

Parlay Entertainment is a Canadian based bingo software provider. Parlay claims to have invented online bingo and holds a patent for one of the first bingo software platforms. Parlay Entertainment offers both 75 ball and 90 ball bingo. Parlay also offers multi lingual and multi currency services for their clients. Parlay was one of the first bingo software providers to target the lucrative Spanish bingo market.

Leapfrog Gamins is another bingo software provider offering a wide variety of bingo games, slots and casino games. Several well known UK bingo sites are powered by Leapfrog Gaming software. Leapfrog Gaming powered sites do not accept US players but that may change soon. Leapfrog gaming offers licensees the latest innovative software and uses the latest graphic technologies to provide players with a 3D playing experience.

Party Gaming is another bingo software giant that is well respected in the bingo industry. Party Gaming offers 75 and 90 ball bingo and a variety of other games to those using its software platform. In 2009 Party Gaming’s bingo related revenue was $13.2 million up from $2.0 million the previous year. Obviously they are doing something right!

It would take a book to list all of the online bingo software providers but the above mentioned companies are the top bingo software providers. The industry is set for further expansion and once American players are back in the game there will probably be another ‘bingo boom’ and the industry is ready.

Almost every sport and game has its own tournaments. Baseball fans have the World Series, Football fans have the Super Bowl, poker players have the World Series of Poker and hockey and basketball fans have their own special tournament games but what about bingo? Online poker players can play numerous online tournaments throughout the year and now online bingo players have the chance to participate in the excitement of a tournament. Online bingo tournaments have been introduced with great success. Many online bingo sites now offer regular tournaments to their players. The rules for bingo tournaments are a little different than those for a regular bingo game. In a tournament game all players have the same number of bingo cards while in a regular game players can purchase and play as many cards as they want. This levels the playing field for participants and all players have an equal chance of winning the games.

The level playing field makes tournament bingo games more entertaining and exciting for players. Bingo is a random game of chance and online bingo numbers are typically selected by a random number generator. Bingo is not a skill based game like poker and in a typical online bingo game the only strategy a player can use to increase their chances of winning is to play as many bingo cards as possible. Since the UK is the world’s largest bingo market most internet bingo tournaments are played at UK bingo sites although most bingo sites now offer tournaments of some sort.

Online bingo tournament jackpots and prizes are usually larger than those offered in regular bingo games. Some games have jackpots that increase in size as players are eliminated. A fast Google search will help players find many online bingo tournaments. Many online bingo sites also offer slot tournaments with special prizes. Since most bingo players are not as competitive as poker and blackjack players the games are usually good natured and provide great entertainment for players. Anyone who has ever played online bingo will have no problems playing a tournament game. Most online bingo tournaments consist of a series of bingo games and the player with the most points or games won will win the tournament. As an added benefit many bingo sites will allow players to use bingo bonus money for a tournament buy in. Bingo tournaments are open to all and winners can find themselves with a very nice chunk of change!