Since the global recession hit employers are demanding more productivity from workers. In the United States workers are working longer hours for less money and leisure time has been cut to a minimum. It is imperative that corporations get the most value and effort from their employees. Because of long workdays and stress some employees will take unauthorized breaks whenever they can get away with it. Sitting in a cubicle for hours in front of a computer screen can be boring at times and some employees surf the internet or play games on their computers and smart phones as a way to relieve the boredom. In the UK it is common for some employees to play online bingo during work hours.

Some experts say that wasted employee time damages the economy as a whole. One popular online bingo site did a survey and the results were not pleasing to employers. The results are sure to raise the ire of bosses throughout the UK. The survey showed that 55% of those surveyed played online bingo on their iphones while at work. The iphone is one of the most popular mobile devices and give employees the ability to play bingo and other casino games at work without using the company’s computer system. Many employers have software in place to prevent unauthorized surfing in the workplace.

A majority of the survey’s respondents said that they spent about an hour every week playing games when they should have been working. For corporations with thousands of employees the wasted time quickly adds up and affects the company’s overall performance. It has been estimated that if every worker in the UK engaged in similar behavior that 57 million work hours are lost every year. For employers this would be a massive drain on resources and could cost corporations millions, if not billions, in wasted resources. Even worse, the wasted time could easily adversely affect the nation’s economy and greatly lower productivity.

Online bingo players are not solely to blame for this workplace phenomenon. Today there are hundreds of websites and mobile applications that enable workers to play online bingo and other casino games. A majority of workers do their job as expected but some succumb to temptation. Online bingo can provide players with hours of fun, excitement and socialization but it has no place in the workplace.

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!

Many in the online gaming world were excited by the recent announcement by social networking giant Facebook that it will provide real time gambling apps for online players. Since Facebook has over 800 million active users the potential can easily be seen. Currently Facebook offers a virtual currency known as Facebook Credits and reports say that Facebook is interested in supporting the exchange of real currencies. Facebook would like to open the Facebook Platform to online gambling. Some say that Facebook may make the move as early as the first quarter of 2012. Facebook wants to hand out eight licenses to online gaming operators in legal regulated markets such as the UK. Since the UK is the world’s largest online bingo market one of the licenses is sure to go to an online bingo operator.

Not everyone is pleased with the move by Facebook to facilitate online gambling. Facebook is now being accused of luring minors into gambling through the new gambling apps. Facebook plans to let UK punters try their luck at bingo, poker, roulette and fruit machines. (slots) Facebook already allows members to play online bingo and slot machines using virtual currencies. Critics fear that that the implementation of gambling will create a new generation that believes gambling is safe and fun. Dr Robert Lefever, founding director of the Promis Recovery Centre stated “Introducing gambling to Facebook is a cynical way for the gambling industry to find new markets, making gambling look acceptable. There will be young people who think these games have Facebook approval, that you can gamble and it’s fun. It’s not – gambling destroys families.”

Labour Member of Parliament Louise Ellman told reporters from the Daily Mail “I’m very concerned about this move by Facebook and the impact it might have on children and other vulnerable people. Children spend hours on Facebook and parents need to be confident that it is a safe environment. Religious groups weighed in on the issue. Lauri Moyle, of Christian Action Research Education (CARE) stated “Because there is a link between the age when people start gambling and the likelihood of developing a difficulty controlling their gambling, protecting children from the normalisation of gambling is vital.” Professor Mark Griffiths, of Nottingham Trent University worries that young people will learn the intricacies of gambling on Facebook. Griffiths stated “Even when no money changes hands, young children are learning the mechanics of gambling. These games can be a gateway to more serious gambling.”

Despite the objections Facebook plans to offer online bingo and other gambling applications in the UK. The truth is that most people can play online games without developing any problems. Most people gamble online as a pleasant diversion from everyday life.

Although criminality is not commonly associated with bingo there have been some isolated cases of bingo fanatics stealing large amounts of money to fund their bingo habits. In the UK one woman stole thousands to feed her online bingo habit and another woman stole from relatives to finance her bingo addiction. Both of these cases received widespread publicity in the British press and on many online bingo blogs and forums. In Arizona a 62 year old grandmother found a highly unique way to fund her bingo habit; selling marijuana.

Leticia Villareal-Garcia was arrested while transporting 200 pounds of cannabis from her Douglas Arizona home to a casino in Leticia Villareal-Garcia. Acting on a tip police stopped Ms. Villareal-Garcia’s and noticed a strong smell of fresh cut pot. Law enforcement officials said they found 214 pounds of marijuana in her trunk. Villareal-Garcia insisted that she had no knowledge of the pot in her trunk. Police did not believe her claim and arrested her.

At her trial at in Cochise County Superior Court Villareal-Garcia said that the day before her arrest her son’s long-lost godfather had visited her and borrowed her car. Her lawyer, Robert Zohlmann, said that Villareal-Garcia had been a ‘blind drug mule’ and had been tricked unwittingly into transporting the pot. During the trial prosecutor Doyle Johnstun built his case on circumstantial evidence such as the fact that Villareal-Garcia was driving with her car windows down in chilly winter weather.

A string of character witnesses for Villareal-Garcia testified that she played bingo almost every night. When Villareal-Garcia said her only income was from her bingo winnings and a $275 monthly welfare check she received for caring for her granddaughter prosecutor Johnstun thought he had a motive for the drug running. Johnstun told the jurors that most people who play bingo almost every night of the week end up losing in the long run. Johnstun told the court “The underlying issue is that she’s got a bingo problem, which explains why an otherwise nice person might get sucked into something like this.”

The jury deliberated for less than two hours and found Villareal-Garcia guilty. At sentencing Villareal-Garcia maintained her innocence and said “I never, never had any knowledge of that car being loaded when I went to Tucson.” The judge sentenced Villareal-Garcia to three years in prison and fined her $150,000. If she had played online bingo none of this would have happened!

There is overwhelming evidence that playing bingo has many benefits particularly for the elderly. Earlier in the year a study done by the National Health Service in the UK showed that playing bingo and engaging in other social activities can significantly shorten hospital stays.  Another study showed that playing bingo can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms. Most of the research has been done in the UK because of the deep attachment UK residents have for bingo. In fact the United Kingdom is now the world’s largest bingo market.

New research done in the United States indicated that playing bingo can prevent certain forms of disability among seniors. In addition to playing bingo other social activities are important. The research was done at the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and involved 1,000 subjects. Attending church, going out to a restaurant with friends, doing volunteer work and taking trips have also been shown to delay or prevent certain disabilities associated with old age. All of these activities help seniors to be mentally and physically fit well into old age. The study done in the Unites States focused on participants in their eighties. Basic activities studies included feeding, bathing and dressing and physical activities such as walking up a flight of stairs, walking a half mile and doing household chores. The study concluded that seniors that engaged in social activities such as bingo were twice as likely to remain independent and mobile. A statement from the study says “Results showed that a person who reported a high level of social activity was about twice as likely to remain free of a disability involving activities of daily living than a person with a low level of social activity.”

Today more seniors are learning basic computer skills. Many seniors have discovered the joys of online bingo. In the UK Mecca bingo halls hosted sessions to teach people basic computer skills. The sessions were part of a nationwide initiative to promote computer literacy in the UK. Of course it was in Mecca’s best interests to host the programs because Mecca operates one of the most well known online bingo sites in the UK.

Playing bingo has been shown to promote hand eye coordination. Players must mark cards quickly building hand eye coordination. Bingo requires a certain level of concentration and provides players with plenty of mental exercise. One important study done in the UK showed that the mental and intellectual stimulation provided by bingo games can keep the mind sharp well into old age. In the UK there are several centenarians who still play regular bingo games.

Most people play bingo for the social networking opportunities the game provides. For most players winning is a secondary consideration. Now players have another good reason to play bingo; for their health. A recent university study points out that bingo provides several benefits for players. Among these are enhanced hand eye coordination and sharper cognitive abilities. Not only that but other studies have shown that bingo can reduce stress levels, lowers the level of depression associated with a serious illness and can actually significantly shorten hospital stays. The venerable British Medical Association has given their seal of approval to bingo’s benefits.

112 people participated in the study from two age groups. Subjects were divided into two age groups; those from 18 to 40 and those from 60 to 82. Experimenters went to great lengths to ensure the study was totally random. Both groups contained bingo players and non bingo players. Tests were given to measure cognitive ability and mental agility. Not surprisingly the study showed that bingo players were faster and more accurate than their non playing counterparts. One very interesting part of the study found that those in the 60 to 82 age group actually performed more accurately than the younger age group on certain tests. Oddly the study found that bingo players were actually more aware of their surrounding and the passage of time. Bingo players had to stay sharp to mark the numbers on their cards. Some experts said that online bingo could provide the same benefits provided players marked their virtual bingo cards manually.

Some of the tests were designed to measure hand eye coordination. Because of the rapidity with which numbers are called during a game bingo players must develop excellent hand eye coordination to be successful. Players must also verify that the numbers marked on the bingo cards are accurate. This must be done in a split second because in most bingo games the numbers are called rapidly. This mental exercise helps to keep the mind sharp and accurate. One study done in the UK suggested that playing bingo could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms. Even better the same study found that playing bingo can significantly shorten hospital stays.

In addition to all of the game’s benefits bingo is fun to play cash bingo. It is also one of the easiest games to learn. Online bingo is widely available and can provide players with the same cognitive benefits as live bingo games.

Slot games are a popular feature on many bingo sites. Most bingo sites now offer a wide selection of casino games. It’s kind of like having a bingo hall and casino in your living room. Slots provide players with fast paced entertainment and since the games are random no special skills are required and there are no complicated strategies to learn. Most players feel that the addition of slots and other side games improves the whole online bingo experience.

Slots have been around for a long time. The first mechanical slot games were invented by Charles Fey way back in 1895. Fey created the first slot machine which he called the Liberty Bell because of the game’s symbols on the reels. The Liberty Bell had three spinning reels and for decades most classic slots were three reel games. Symbols on early slots included the Diamond, spade, and heart usually seen on playing cards. Early fruit machines had a cracked liberty bell. If a player got three liberty bells after a spin they won the jackpot which was usually 50 cents. Some of Fey’s liberty bell games can still be seen at the Liberty Belle Saloon & Restaurant in Reno Nevada.

Times changed and the invention of the random number generator enabled game developers to produce more sophisticated games. Five reel games were launched with great success. Software advances enabled game manufacturers to add awesome graphics and clever game animations. Many online slots have more interactive features than games found in brick and mortar casinos. Today slots provide online bingo players with a pleasant diversion between games.

In the past slot jackpots were relatively small at most online bingo sites. The invention of progressive slots such as Mega Moolah changed all that. Most progressive slots are part of a network and a percentage of every dollar wagered on the network goes towards the main jackpot. A few bingo sites have added progressive slots and there has already been several slot millionaires. Slots at online bingo sites have a vast array of patterns and combos. There are many slots with popular themes based on movies and television shows.  In addition to slots most sites offer a complete selection of casino and table games. Some sites offer scratch off and pull tab games. Slots can provide players with hours of fun and excitement and can help players while away the time between online bingo games.

Internet bingo companies have been quick to identify new trends and adopt new technologies. The increased use of computers has had a profound impact on society around the world. The internet is global in scope and enables people from different nations and cultures to communicate instantly for a very low cost. The increase in the use of social networking sites such as Facebook indicates that people are using these sites for a wide variety of activities. There are over 500,000,000 Facebook users and internet bingo companies have been quick to take advantage of the opportunities provided by social networking websites.

Bingo has always been a social game and bingo sites are doing everything possible to establish bingo ‘communities’ among online players. The ability to play bingo with friends has always been an important aspect of the game and many players value the social aspect more than winning. Many bingo companies originally started off as gaming portals offering players a few bingo games and little else. As broadband access increased and computers got fasters bingo sites were able to add more interactive features such as chat rooms. Chat rooms were an instant hit with online bingo players and many improvements have been made since the first bingo chat room was launched. Bingo sites went to great lengths to make sure that the social needs of players were met.

Bingo sites added additional tools such as auto daub which eliminated the need for players to mark their bingo cards manually. Bingo sites were faced with the problem of how to expand their player base and attract and retain new players. Traditional advertising can be extremely expensive so many bingo sites turned to internet marketing techniques. Bingo companies searched for a platform where they could display their games and technologies to a wider audience. Facebook allowed bingo sites to do just that. Although Facebook has a strict no gambling policy many bingo sites set up fan pages and some bingo sites have developed individual Facebook bingo applications that provide players with free bingo.

Facebook pages offer bingo sites two major benefits. Facebook bingo pages allow bingo sites to showcase their games and bonuses and promotions offered to players. Players can play free games and then decide whether they want to log on to the bingo site and make a deposit and play for real cash. The second benefit is massive publicity. As has been mentioned Facebook has about a half billion regular users and many of these are potential online bingo players. Facebook is an inexpensive and efficient marketing tool for bingo sites.

2011 started out with a bang for bingo providers and players. Internet bingo companies reported record fourth quarter profits and industry experts said that bingo sites will be offering even more to players this year. The series of severe arctic storms that battered the UK and Europe in November and December of 2010 have been cited as a factor in the bingo industry’s record fourth quarter profits. It would appear that millions of British bingo players stayed at home during the storms and played bingo in their nice warm homes. Bingo sites offered players some of the best seasonal and holiday promotions in December of 2010. The New Year saw even more promotions celebrating the New Year.

Bingo operators have taken note of a recent study that showed that while bingo sites go to great lengths to attract new players most do not have programs designed for player retention. The study showed that many players at bingo sites are looking for long term value instead of generous deposit bonuses. While online bingo deposit bonuses remain a valuable and time tested marketing strategy players are looking for long term benefits. In addition to deposit bonuses and promotions players are looking for cash back programs, daily, weekly and monthly bonuses and programs. Although most bingo sites have some sort of loyalty program most players say that bingo sites could do a lot better in providing player retention incentives.

In the past the main priority at most bingo sites has been attracting new customers. As has been mentioned most bingo sites like BingoHouse attract players with generous bonuses and player perks. Most industry experts say that the bonuses will remain and will probably get larger this year. Players can expect more free bingo and much larger jackpots. Social media will play a major role at bingo sites this year and players will be provided with more social media opportunities designed to facilitate communication between players. Bingo sites will also be adding more side games including new and highly original slot games. Many of these slot games offer players substantial jackpots for a very low wager.

Many bingo sites will be adding mobile applications to provide players with ‘bingo on the go.’  Mobile bingo has been very popular but at the present time only a limited number of bingo sites provide mobile bingo to players. Recession like conditions have continued and bingo sites are doing everything in their power to make internet bingo affordable for everyone.

Bingo is one of the most well known games in the world. Just about everyone has played bingo at some point in their lives. Many schools use bingo to teach a variety of subjects. There is actually a company in the United States that develops educational bingo games for every conceivable school subject. Most older people will remember the home version of bingo. In the UK live bingo became a fine art and just about every town and city has its own High Street bingo hall. There are huge brightly lit bingo halls in most major UK cities and when most people think of bingo they think of a large group of older ladies happily chatting away and playing bingo. In recent years bingo has become popular with a younger group of players adding new life to the game.

Bingo has taken the internet by storm and now the online bingo sector is the largest growing sector of the online gaming industry. Online bingo sites have enabled players to essentially bring home a live bingo hall. Thanks to faster internet speeds and advances in flash technology bingo sites are able to provide players with the same experience they would have in a live bingo hall. Chat rooms are one of the major drawing cards because of the highly social nature of bingo. Players can make new friends from around the world. At one time online bingo games were somewhat boring but not anymore! Most players at bingo sites say that playing online is as good as or better than playing at a live bingo hall.

Although women comprise a majority of players at bingo sites many men have discovered the entertainment value of online bingo. There are a few bingo sites with games designed to be interesting for men. Internet bingo sites offer players added value in the form of sizable deposit bonuses, jackpots that live bingo halls cannot match and a wide variety of player incentives. Low wagering requirements make online bingo affordable for almost anyone. Cards can be purchased for as little as a penny and some bingo sites and the average price of a bingo card is between twenty five and fifty cents. This year bingo sites like BingoBoat will be launching new interactive features including webcams and increased social media which will make online games even more realistic. Thanks to modern technology it is possible for players to have a live bingo hall in their own homes.