Bingo is a popular game on both sides of the Atlantic and attracts millions of players each year. For many new players a first visit to a bingo hall of an online bingo site can be intimidating. Many new players ask themselves; what are the rules? How should I act? What are the standards of bingo etiquette? That first visit does not have to be unnerving if you follow a few simple rules. Leaning bingo rules and etiquette is probably the most steps any player can take on their way to being a well liked and respected bingo player. Although no two bingo halls operate the same way there are some standard rules applicable to all bingo halls. Some players get annoyed by new players and their actions; how they react to winning, sitting in the ‘wrong’ chairs and any disruptive behavior. ‘False bingos’ are probably the most annoying mistakes made by new players but fortunately this usually happens only once.

New players at land based bingo halls should be aware that some players consider certain seats ‘lucky.’ If you are sitting in another player’s regular spot it is best to move to another chair. Fortunately most bingo players are very friendly and welcoming but there are certain riles that should not be broken. Some of these rules also apply to online bingo.

1.    Before playing familiarize yourself with the rules of the bingo hall or online bingo site. Knowing the rules and etiquette can make your bingo experience more enjoyable for you and everyone else.

2.    Do not say or do anything that could get you banned from the hall or bingo site. Obnoxious comments and intentionally distracting other players is unacceptable. Never disrupt the conversation at online bingo chat rooms. Never try to alter a bingo card at a live bingo hall. Your reputation as a player is up to you to establish.

3.    As has been mentioned watch out for ‘lucky’ seats in live bingo halls. Many players are very particular about where they sit during games. If you are asked to move do so gracefully.

4.    Bingo is a social game and most players will be happy to help new players learn the ropes and bingo lingo. In live bingo halls it is considered bad form to talk during games.

5.    Never parrot the numbers called in live bingo halls. It is annoying to everyone around you and you will be asked to quiet down.

6.    Don’t play when you are in a bad mood. If you are tired and angry you will make mistakes and be bad company for the other players.

7.    Be a good loser. Chances are you will win at another time. 96% of all bingo players say they have won at least one game. Do not take out your frustrations on the game’s caller.

8.    Try not to call any false bingos. It disrupts the game and the other players will be annoyed.

Because of the way modern slots work they are a perfect fit for the internet gambling industry. Unlike the old classic ‘one armed bandits’ of yesteryear online slots do not need levers or gears. A random number generator determines winning combinations every millisecond. Even better online slots now have larger jackpots than ever. Online slots have several advantages over their counterparts at land based casinos. Online bingo sites and casinos do not have to maintain a team of specialists to fix broken slot machines and do not have to spend millions purchasing rows of slots. Online casinos only need a single employee to program the games. The money saved is passed along to the player in the form of bigger jackpots, bonuses and other player perks.

At some land based casinos slots generate about 70% of all revenues and are the most popular games on most casino floors. At some online bingo sites slots account for over half of all revenues. For those in rural areas with no local access to a casino online slots are a perfect solution and provide the same excitement as land based slots. In the past slot jackpots were small but this is no longer the case. Today online slots can be networked producing some amazing jackpots. Most networked slots feature progressive jackpots that grow with each spin.

Today slots can offer some substantial jackpots. Recently a player at a popular UK online bingo sites scored a £21,336.78 ($33,570.22 USD at current exchange rates) win playing slots. For many online bingo players slots, scratch cards, roulette and other casino games provide a pleasant diversion from online bingo games. Over the years there have been some amazing slot wins. At one online casino a $6 bet produced an astounding $8,500,000 jackpot. The jackpot was won by a player known as Giorgios M playing Mega Moolah.  Another lucky Mega Moolah player from Finland scored a $5,000,000jackpot. Even more amazing is the $300,000 jackpot won by a Canadian player just six minutes after signing up at an online casino!

Online bingo sites offer classic three reel slots and modern five reel multi payline slots with various themes. There are several online bingo sites that offer Mega Moolah and other mega jackpot progressive slot games. Most online bingo players will take a break every so often and will play slots and other side games for a change of pace. Players have won astounding sums of money and because of the random nature of slot games the next big winner could be you!

The holiday season has come and gone and during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays most online bingo sites roll out their best promotions of the year. There are special holiday themes bingo games, generous bonus offers, bingo tournaments, new holiday slot games and special prizes and jackpots. At most online bingo sites the New Year’s promotions last through the month of January. The next big holiday is Valentine’s Day and bingo operators are getting ready for this yearly day of romance.

For most people Valentine’s Day is about Love, Flowers, Romance, Chocolates, jewelry, special gifts and pampering your significant other. Every year online bingo sites join in the spirit of this romantic holiday. Although many people see no connection between online bingo and romance nothing could be further from the truth. There have been marriage proposals in chat rooms and several there have been several cases of an online bingo flirtation leading to a full blown romance resulting in a wedding.

In 2010 Suzanne Latta, 28, and her groom Matt Brown, 37, won £5000 towards the cost of their wedding after entering a competition sponsored by an online bingo site. The bingo site had offered the cash prize to any couple willing to feature the site’s logo on the bride’s wedding dress. The online bingo operator also wanted the groom to put a small logo on his suit and on the bottom of his shoes so it would be visible as he knelt at the church’s altar. Unfortunately they ran into a vicar who was a bit of a fuddy duddy.

Rev Tony Watts banned the logo from the wedding saying it encouraged gambling. When the contest was announced the Church of England said that couples should think twice about sponsored weddings. A spokesman for the church said “It seems like the latest in a long line of themed weddings. Presumably at the end someone shouts ‘House! But it might not be the best way to start out in what should be a permanent relationship.” The move by the vicar generated a lot of controversy and a majority said they thought the wedding should be allowed to take place.

Other online bingo romances have had happier results. At one popular UK online bingo site players Tracey and Chris met in a chat room. The couple started chatting and eventually exchanged phone numbers. After several conversations the couple decided to meet in person. Both described their meeting as love at first site. They courted for two years and finally Chris proposed and Tracy said yes. The couple has been happily married since 2011.

Last week the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned four individuals and four businesses in Guatemala accusing them of drug trafficking and money laundering. Amazingly, The Treasury thinks that a Guatemalan woman with an online bingo site is one of Central America’s prolific drug traffickers. The drug trade has gotten increasingly violent in recent years and law enforcement officials in the US are going after some of the top figures behind the violent drug cartels. Marllory Dadiana Chacon Rossell has had her US assets frozen.

Chacon conducted business on two fronts; facilitating the shipment of thousands of kilos of cocaine through Panama, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico and into the US; laundering tens of millions through her ‘family oriented’ bingo website, Bingo Millonario. It may be interesting to see how the Guatemalan government handles the sanctions. Recently elected Guatemalan president Otto Perez Molina handles this situation since he recently suggested decriminalizing drugs in the country. US law enforcement officials say that Chacon’s drug trafficking and money laundering organization is based in Guatemala and has operations in Panama and Honduras.

The move by Treasury officials bars US citizens from doing business with any of the front businesses operated by the group. Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, told reporters “Marllory Chacon’s drug trafficking activities and her ties to the Mexican drug cartels make her a critical figure in the narcotics trade. By designating Chacon, OFAC is disrupting those activities and closing off from the U.S. financial system the network of companies aiding Chacon’s illicit activities.” Treasury officials say that Chacon is responsible for the transshipment of thousands of kilos through Central American each month. Treasury officials said “Chacon Rossell is also believed to launder tens of millions of U.S. dollars in narcotics proceeds each month, making her the most active money launderer in Guatemala.”

Officials say that Chacon’s husband provides logistical support for the drug shipments. Chacon has laundered millions through her bingo site. According to the bingo site’s Facebook page Bingo Millonario is a “family lottery” that uses its revenues to benefit maternal-infant health and education for poverty stricken Guatemalans. This is the only case in history where online bingo has been used to facilitate criminal activity. In most countries online bingo operations are subject to strict regulation and close scrutiny. Most players at Bingo Millonario would probably be shocked to learn that the site was used for nefarious purposes.

It would appear that the US Department of Justice has reversed course when it comes to online gambling. A memo released in December said that only sports betting on the internet is prohibited by the 1961 Wire Act. Earlier in the year the DOJ seized the domains and assets of several major poker sites and one popular online bingo site. Last August players that logged onto Funtime Bingo were greeted with a DOJ logo and text that informed that the domain had been seized. The seizure was responsible for the voluntary closure of the World Bingo Network. Many other online bingo sites announced that they would no longer accept players from the United States.

The recent interpretation of the wire act opens the door to legal online bingo in the US. For years American online bingo players have been plagued by limited deposit and withdrawal options. Currently banks and credit card companies are prohibited from processing transactions related to gambling but the recent change in policy could change all that. Cooler heads at the Justice Department have prevailed and most experts say it is only a matter of time before American players will have access to major online bingo sites and casinos.

Bingo is considered to be a ‘soft’ form of gambling that carries little social stigma. The technology is already in place to address the concerns of regulators thanks to the huge online bingo community in the United Kingdom. UK policies and regulations could easily serve as a template for US regulators and the UK has had a highly successful online gaming market for years with very little trouble. Britain enjoys a thriving online bingo market and there is no reason that the success cannot be duplicated in the United States. There are several UK bingo sites that are poised to enter the US market as soon as policies regarding online bingo and gambling are clarified.

Some experts remain concerned because the DOJ is subject to changing politics as administrations change. The Attorney General of the United States is appointed by the sitting president and any administration change could bring different policies and interpretations of the online gambling laws and regulations. This could lead to another cycle of site seizures and criminal prosecutions. In the meantime American players can take comfort in the fact that there are many online bingo sites perfectly willing to provide American players with their favorite online bingo game.

The ongoing saga of an Irish bingo hall that has been repeatedly harassed by authorities may finally be over. In November police raided the Rock Creek bingo hall in Cork Ireland just minutes before the hall was scheduled to open for the first time. Players watched in dismay as police seized documents and bingo tickets making the bingo games impossible. Many thought the timing of the raid was deliberate and calculated to do as much damage as possible. The hall was raided a second time and the owners of the hall took their case to the high court.

On New Year’s Day the police raided the hall for a second time. Players watched in dismay and anger as police seized documents. About 500 players had turned out for the hall’s grand opening. Local police superintendant Charles Barry seems to have a vendetta against the hall and Rock Creek’s owners say he is guilty of misfeasance of public office. The excuse used by Barry to conduct the raids was concerns over the validity of the hall’s license. An unnamed police source told reporters that there were concerns that the hall’s charitable beneficiary was not based in Cork. According to official records Rock Creek’s charitable partner is the Mercy University Hospital Foundation.

After a lengthy legal battle a judge ruled that Rock Creek is a legal bingo operation. Rock Creek Bingo operators Omega Leisure Ltd brought the case against superintendant Barry and sought a declaration that Barry was guilty of malfeasance in office. Unfortunately Justice Clarke rejected the owner’s application. Judge Clarke confirmed that that Rock Creek had a right to continue operations and that the licensing process was not illegal. In the licensing process charities can allow their lottery license to be used by operators for a percent of the proceeds generated by games. In his judgment Justice Clarke wrote that he “would expect Superintendent Barry to be as good as his word and [...] allow Omega to operate in the ordinary way in accordance with the law.”

Rock Creek manager Dave Barber welcomed the court’s decision and told reporters “We have always operated lawfully and once again I am pleased that this has come through clearly in the court today.” Barber added “We now need to knuckle down, recover from the disastrous period we have endured to date and get back to running a bingo establishment that the people of Cork can enjoy for many years to come.” The police declined to comment on the court’s ruling. Bingo players who want to contribute to charity but do not live near a bingo hall have another option. Many online bingo sites host games for various charitable organizations. UK online bingo sites have already raised millions for various good causes.

Bingo is one of the most affordable and entertaining games online. Bingo is no longer the low states game it used to be and online bingo bears little resemblance to grandma’s bingo. Players can win tons of cash playing online bingo and even better most bingo sites offer special games, free bingo, generous deposit bonuses, tournaments and extensive selections of side games. Deposit bonuses enable players to double, triple and even quadruple their money. Loyalty schemes can put real cash into player’s accounts and in recent years most bingo operators have revamped their loyalty programs.

Loyalty programs usually award players a specific amount of loyalty points every time they play a bingo game. Every bingo game is worth a specified amount of loyalty points. Special games and tournaments may award more loyalty points than regular bingo games.  Once the loyalty points are earned they are deposited in the player’s account and may be used to purchase bingo cards and can usually be converted into cash. Some sites will award loyalty points as soon as a player signs up and creates an account. Some online bingo sites will award as many as 1,000 loyalty points to new players. Loyalty points are a way for online bingo operators to show appreciation to loyal players and thanks to intense industry competition bingo operators are awarding more loyalty points than ever. At many bingo sites players can earn large amounts of loyalty points by referring a friend. At some sites refer a friend programs are separate from loyalty points programs while at other the programs are combined.

As has been mentioned loyalty points may be converted into cash at most online bingo sites. Once enough loyalty points have been earned players can access their accounts and convert the points into cash. At some sites it takes 1,000 loyalty points to earn $1. While this may seem like a lot loyalty points are quickly earned once the player starts playing regular bingo games and participates in online bingo tournaments.

The most common use of loyalty points is to purchase free bingo cards. Players using loyalty points to purchase cards have more free chances to win money playing bingo. At most bingo sites players can enter tournaments using loyalty points. Many tournaments have huge progressive jackpots and players can win life changing amounts of cash. At some online bingo sites loyalty points can be exchanged for other prizes like electronics, jewelry and many other unique prizes. Loyalty programs are just one of many ways operators make online bingo one of the most affordable games on the net.

In January of this year one popular bingo blog made predictions for online bingo in 2011. 75 and 90 ball bingo games continue to dominate at most online bingo sites. 75 ball games are popular in the US and 90 ball games are popular in the UK and Europe. Several trends were noted such as customized daubers, customized bingo callers and customized bingo cards. While all of these may not be available at all bingo sites several major bingo operators are now providing these new services that add to the fun of the game.

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Here are the top five predictions made in January 2-011. It will be interesting to see just how many of these predictions came true. The first prediction was that buzzword bingo would become more popular this year. Players take cards with catch phrases and words to business meetings and mark their cards everytime they hear one of the words or phrases. Unfortunately no one has done any real research into the popularity of the game so it is impossible to know whether this prediction came true.

The writer predicted that charity bingo games would increase in number. This prediction came true and many online bingo sites host games where the proceeds go to a chosen charity. Charity bingo games have been popular at land based bingo halls for years and the online bingo industry has jumped on the charity bingo bandwagon.

The writer predicted that the US market would open in 2-011. Unfortunately this did not happen and the US government has actually seized one major online bingo sites. Many analysts predict that no federal legislation will be forthcoming until 2013 and say that because of the presidential elections next year bingo will or any other internet gambling will be a taboo topic for politicians.

The author predicted that social networking sites like Facebook would play a greater part in the online bingo industry. Facebook recently announced plans to launch gaming applications for bingo, poker and casino games. A pilot program will be launched during the first quarter of 2012.

The author predicted that mobile bingo would be a big hit in 2011. This time he was right on the money. In fact experts say that mobile bingo will be the main driving force for growth in the bingo sector. Most major bingo operators have already launched mobile applications for iphones and Androids.

No one likes paying taxes but most people recognize that paying taxes are a necessary part of life. Governments would not be able to function and provide necessary services with the revenue generated by taxes. Americans are fond of saying that the only things certain in life are death and taxes. In the UK there are several taxes paid by citizens and industries. Many businesses take evasive actions to lower their taxes and take advantage of loopholes not available to private citizens. In the UK Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs agency is responsible for collecting taxes and implementing tax policies.

Recently gaming giant Rank Group is calling for a flat tax to be applied to bingo in the UK. Currently live bingo halls must pay a 20% tax and internet bingo operators are required to pay a 15% tax. In addition live casino operators must pay VAT taxes and a special tax on each gaming machine. Since Rank operates Mecca Bingo halls across the UK the call for a flat tax is not surprising. Rank also operates the Mecca online bingo site. Bingo is taxed at a much higher rate than other forms of gambling such as sports betting and horseracing. Most live bingo operators consider the higher tax rate unfair and discriminatory.

Basically Rank would like to see the same rate paid by live bingo operators reduced to the rate paid by online bingo operators. If the rate is reduced live bingo halls would realize greater profits creating more jobs. Rank is pushing for tax parity between the online and live bingo industries. If the tax rates were the same Rank could gain an advantage over their competitors. Although the argument for parity is sound if tax rates increase the player will ultimately pay the difference. Major corporations always find a way to pass along increased costs to consumers. If costs are lowered the money usually stays within the company or corporation and consumers do not benefit.

Next year online bingo sites accepting wagers from UK residents may be in for a rude awakening. Several MP’s have proposed that any gaming forms and bingo operators accepting wagers from the UK be required to acquire a UK gaming license and pay current gaming taxes. Obviously the idea is not popular with offshore bingo sites which have long enjoyed a competitive advantage from lower offshore tax rates. Many industry observers say that gaming tax issues will be dealt with when the new budget is submitted in March 2012.

In Ireland a lottery winner and a diehard bingo fan says she has precise plans for her newfound wealth. Kathleen McLaughlin of Donegal is a 77 year old pensioner who recently won a €2.6million lotto jackpot. Despite the fact that McLaughlin won more money than most people will see in a lifetime she has no plans to purchase luxury cars, mansions and does not plan to take any extended holidays. McLaughlin told the Irish Independent that she plans to purchase a new sofa for her home. She plans to split the jackpot of €2,642,046 ($3,538,936.60 USD) between her seven adult children.

McLaughlin told reporters “I won’t get anything special, I tell you. I don’t really need anything, when you get to my age, there’s not much you need.” McLaughlin is a retired home care worker. She said she had gathered most of her extended family for a modest celebration of her good fortune. McLaughlin made a four hour road trip to collect her winnings but was in a hurry to get back home to play bingo at her parish hall. McLaughlin is a regular at the bingo games and even played on the Sunday she discovered hew big lotto win. McLaughlin scored the big win after purchasing a €4 Quick-Pick ticket.

Before boarding a bus home McLaughlin said “I don’t do parties. If I can get back in time I’ll go to bingo again tonight.” In addition to her regular bingo games McLaughlin and her husband Robbie play the lottery every week as part of a lottery syndicate that includes her four daughters and three sons. Currently the McLaughlin family consists of seven adult children, 30 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. McLaughlin’s youngest son Sean stated “The good thing is that it’s not a vast amount of money when it’s divided among everybody so it will help us but not destroy us.” Sean said his mother values their family much more than money. Sean said “She’s of an age now where she thinks it’s no good to her. It’s a close family anyways.” He also said his mother’s lifestyle is not likely to be affected by her big win. “It means nothing to her, so it won’t change her at all. Said Sean  “She is who she is, whether she has a fiver in her pocket or €100 in her pocket. She’s from the country and what you see is what she is — she’s very good, there’s no badness in her.”

For those that have not won huge lottery jackpots life changing amounts of cash can be won at online bingo sites. Even better players do not have to leave the comforts of home to play exciting online bingo games. There have already been a couple of online bingo millionaires and the next one could easily be you!