Most internet bingo players are unaware that a majority of bingo sites in the UK are part of a network. Networks are an essential part of the internet online bingo industry. Networks enable several sites to pool their resources and player database and provide bigger jackpots and a wider range of games. Online bingo networks are very similar to land based bingo chains like Mecca and Gala. It is surprising that many bingo players do not realize that they are taking part in a bingo network. There are two types of bingo sites; standalone and networked and each has their own advantages.

Very simply explained, a bingo network is a group of sites sharing players and prize money provided by operations at a central location. For example imagine that site A has 10 players, site B has 5 players and site C has 20 players. If each individual site was a standalone operation the prize money is determined by the number of players in the game. At networked sites the prize money is determined by how many players are on the network at any given time. The network makes it possible for each site to offer a larger prize pool since the total number of players in the network is 35 players. This is one of the chief advantages of online bingo networks.

Players access networked games through their home bingo sites and often don’t realize they are playing with players from other bingo sites. The network provides branded versions of the games from a central game provider. Chat hosting and banking are provided from a central location. Networks enable new online bingo sites to set up using the network’s ‘white label’ solutions. UK bingo networks include Cashcade Network, The Better Bingo Network, GlobalCom Network, Playtech Bingoland Network, St Minver, The Gaming Network, Think Bingo Network, Sun/News of the World Network and Virtue Fusion. Simply explained a ‘white label’ solution is a ready to run turnkey operation that enables investors to enter the bingo business immediately. Most functions are provided by the network and some networks even provide marketing and advertising services to operators.

There is a downside to networks. Currently there are almost 400 bingo sites targeting the UK market and of these a vast majority are networked. Since each network share the same online bingo games and promotions the number of networked sites can lead to a lack of choice and variety for players. Some sites are cookie cutter in nature and are only designed to make a quick buck with no regard for originality or innovation. Fortunately industry competition has kept operators on their toes leading to a better overall online bingo experience for players.

The United Kingdom was one of the few growth markets for online bingo and casinos in 2010. Online bingo is the fastest growing sector of the online gambling industry in the UK. The UK was the first nation to establish regulatory bodies to address online gambling issues. Currently the UK is the world’s largest legal gaming market. Land based gambling growth was driven by slots, or ‘fruit machines’ as they are known in Great Britain. According to several experts the global gaming industry will grow by about 10% annually. Revenues from casinos and online gaming activities increased by 0.6% in 2010 according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers report predicted that casino and internet gambling markets will grow by about 9.2% yearly until 2015. Revenues will increase from $117.6 billion in 2010 to $182.8 billion in 2015. In the UK the casino market generated about $1.2 billion and gaming machines generated more than $3 billion. In many UK bingo halls fruit machines generate about 70% of all income. The recent move by the government to raise licensing fees for the machines generated a lot of controversy among gaming operators and players.

David Trunkfield, lead gaming partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers said that further growth in the UK gambling industry will be supported by 16 new casinos that will open next year. The PricewaterhouseCoopers report predicts that the new casinos “help to generate gains averaging 4.1 per cent compounded annually between 2012 and 2015.” Earlier in the year some experts predicted that economic pressures on consumers would cause casino revenues to shrink but that has not been the case. The online gambling industry has expanded despite the global recession.

In 2009 the casino markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa de5 in 2009 and 7.2% in 2010. Mr. Trunkfield was somewhat pessimistic and stated that the “weak economic conditions and the impact of adverse regulatory developments in some countries will curtail growth.” In the meantime the UK gaming market continues to grow thanks, in part, to mobile gambling. Online bingo is the fastest growing sector of the UK gaming industry and most operators have already launched mobile applications for iphones and Androids.

The UK could serve as an example of a well regulated gaming industry for other nations. Regulations are in place to protect consumers and make sure all games are fair and honest. Gambling operations are taxed and licensed providing much needed tax revenues for the government. In the meantime several countries are liberalizing their policies on gaming ensuring further industry growth.

Keeping up with the latest new technologies is a high priority of most online bingo operators. New technologies allow bingo providers to improve the online bingo experience for players around the world. Not all of the new technological additions are readily apparent to players and many new programs run in the background unnoticed. Most online bingo operators have a staff of IT professionals available to make new improvements. In the early days of online bingo games had limited graphic capabilities and it is thanks to new software and flash technology that players now have instant access to bingo games and no longer have to download software.  Most online bingo platforms are based on Java and Adobe Flash technologies. Adobe Flash technology has enabled computer users to watch high quality movies online.

One UK bingo operator has implemented the use of webcams during bingo games. Players no longer have to type in chat rooms and communicate directly using webcams. At one time webcams were very expensive but now they are affordable and one bingo operator has taken advantage of the technology and the drop in prices. Most of the major UK bingo brands have created software that enables people to play bingo games on their smartphones and other mobile devices. The list of mobile devices that can be used is long and includes Cellular phones, PDAs, Notebooks, Netbooks, internet tablets, Laptops and Smart phones. Older online bingo players probably remember the days when a desktop computer was required to access the internet.

In the past one of the most beloved advancements was the auto daub feature. Early online bingo games required players to mark their cards manually and the implementation of auto daub allowed players to purchase more cards and increase their chances of winning. The introduction of chat rooms allowed online players to communicate and quickly achieved popularity among online bingo players. The development of encryption technology has made it possible for players to conduct financial transactions with bingo sites without fear. Encryption programs are designed to thwart hackers and other cyber criminals and so far there have been no problems.

Most industry experts say that mobile technologies will drive growth in the online bingo sector. Online bingo has come a long way since the first bingo site was launched way back in 1996. Technology is rapidly advancing and players can expect many improvements in the near future that will make online bingo game more fun if that’s possible!

In the UK bingo players certainly have an odd way with words. Bingo players in the UK have honed ‘bingo lingo’ into a fine art. Many new players at bingo halls have trouble understanding some of the calls but most adapt and become fluent in ‘bingo lingo.’ The UK is the only country where this unusual and colorful phenomenon takes place. Generally the slang takes the form of creative nicknames and descriptive phrases to describe individual numbers. What makes bingo lingo truly amazing is that each number has its own descriptive phrase or word. What makes things confusing for new players is the fact that individual numbers may have many descriptive or rhyming phrases attached to them. Here are several examples of bingo lingo used in British bingo halls.

1=Kelly’s eye
2=one little duck or me and you
3=cup of tea or you and me
4=knock at the door
5=man alive
6=Tom Mix (A star of the silent screen, known for cowboy roles)
7=lucky for some (7 is a lucky number in several cultures)
8=Garden gate
9=doctor’s orders (Number 9 was a laxative pill given out by army doctors in WWII)
10=David’s den (reference to Prime Minister David Cameron)

As can be seen by these examples in most cases the phrases and words rhyme with the numbers of contain unmistakable British references to objects, political figures and other cultural references. The above examples are not complete by any means. There can be many phrases and words used in local bingo halls and the ‘bingo lingo’ used can vary by region and location. For example the number 1 can be referred to as;
“At the Beginning”
“B1″
“Baby of Bingo”
“Buttered Scone”
“First on the Board”
“Kelly’s Eye”
“Little Jimmy”
“Nelson’s Column”
“Number Ace”

There are no set standard nicknames for any particular number and new ones are constantly added.  The recent royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton inspired Mecca Bingo to sponsor a contest to create a new bingo call. To celebrate their 50th anniversary Mecca asked players to come up with a new bingo call based on the royal couple and other famous personalities. Players came up with the following phrases; William and Kate, 8, Harper Beckham, 7 and Angelina v Jen, number 10. Claire Osborne from Mecca stated “The suggestions we’ve had from our customers were really diverse, from the sublime to the ridiculous. But what we found interesting was how they reflected modern times.”

Bingo has attracted a whole new generation of players. In the UK online bingo is the most popular leisure activity among women from 18 to 25. The new outlandish version of the game, Rebel Bingo, is drawing huge crowds in England, New York, Philadelphia and other large American cities. At the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville bingo has suddenly become a popular pastime for students. Recently the Campus Activities Board hosted Late Night Bingo in the university’s Meridian Ballroom of the Morris University Center. As game time approached the hall was filled with young bingo enthusiasts. Communications major Jessica Fraser said that her participation in the Global Village broadcast class prompted her to attend the event to gather footage.

In an interview Fraser stated “I thought it would be an interesting event and to see what’s going on. A lot of times, when I think of bingo, I think of old ladies in a church basement, but this is a lot of young people and there is a lot of cool energy here.”  Business major Andrea Wilson attended the game with her friend art history major Jessica Nations out of curiosity. Wilson and Nations stated “[We attended] just to have fun.” According to Emily Cox, graduate assistant adviser for the Campus Activities Board’s special events committee the event drew a huge crowd destroying the stereotype of bingo as a game for seniors only. Cox told the campus newspaper “It seems like we have more seats filled than when we did at this event in the spring.”

Campus Activities Board chair Erin Sbarbati said that the popular event has been held for three years and bingo games take place during the fall and spring semesters. Sbarbati said the event usually attracts about 300 to 400 students and members of the general public. Sbarbati stated “People really seem to enjoy coming [to the event]. We give out a lot of small, medium and large prizes and it’s catered by SIUE.” The games offer various prizes such as trail mix and candy, household appliances, picture frames, DVDs and college themed shirts and jackets. The prize for the main event was an iPod. Many who attended the games had never played bingo and left the games as confirmed bingo fans. The popularity of bingo is increasing among the young. Many who first became acquainted with the game at similar events now play cash bingo online. The influx of young players ensures that the game will survive well into the future.

With so many UK Bingo sites today, you would think every single one of the 200+ bingo brands would be offering you attractive no deposit bingo offers to attract you to their site. But that’s not the case. Today only a few sites offer a trial bonus and we have a list of the top 5 current bonuses for you to test try.

If you’re a newbie to the world of online bingo, a no deposit bingo is simply a trial offer bonus that you’re given to test try the new bingo site for free before making a purchase. In simple terms, if you want to get a feel for the site before spending your own hard earned cash, there’s no greater incentive for you.

In this post, we’ll help you:

• Find the top  5 no deposit bingo offers being offered by today’s leading and new UK Bingo sites

• Tip how to use your no deposit bingo to really position yourself to win a big game from your new site

• Why there might be something even more important than a no deposit bingo offer that has more benefits for you

5 of the Best No Deposit Bingo Offers by Leading UK Bingo Sites

As promised, here’s our top 5 no deposit bingo offers available right now from leading bingo sites. Thanks to Bingo HQ, the UK Bingo review site who helped us curate some of these top no deposit bingo offers.

iBingo UK – £15 Free

According to Bingo HQ, iBingo has just launched their online and mobile bingo games in the UK with a £15 free no deposit bingo offer.

You get £10 free when you validate your bingo account and another £5 free when you update your player profile.

Why this is a great offer: everyone is after finding the next great new bingo site to try their luck on. Given iBingo just launched, they don’t yet have many players per game, so you get great odds along with a very generous welcome package – overall a fantastic value!

888ladies Bingo £5 free

There might be other sites with bigger no deposit bingo offers but a £5 free offer from 888ladies bingo speaks volume when you consider 888ladies bingo to be one of the only top site today to offer  any kind of free trial bonus.

Why this is a great offer: 888ladies is recognized as one of the top 5 bingo sites that offers huge cash prizes and amazing promotions. Add an extra £5 free no deposit bingo, it becomes a no brainer why every bingo lover would want to become a member.

Wonder Bingo £5 Free

Wonder Bingo launched in early June and has quickly made a name for itself as a brand new site that all sites will need to recon with it.

Why this is a great offer: You get £5 free to test try what many are calling the Facebook of online bingo. Maybe it has to do with the fact that Wonder Bingo initially launched as a Facebook bingo games app. We don’t know but we know for sure that is a beautiful online bingo community with an opportunity to meet players from all around the UK.

Xbingo £5 Free

Another brand new site that has recently made a name for itself in a short period is Xbingo. For a new site, XBingo provides players all the bells and whistles you expect from an exciting bingo community: a generous no deposit bingo offer, a 300% free welcome bonus and daily special bingo games.

Why this is a great offer: Already as a brand new community, XBingo has attracted many players. Very few sites at the size of XBingo today offer no deposit bingo offer. So when a site like this is giving away a freebie, you know it won’t last for ever. Better jump on it now!

BingoBoat £15 Free Bonus

At BingoBoat, new players are welcomed with a £15 free, along with a massive 750% deposit bonus spread across their first three deposits.

Why this is a great offer: BingoBoat is part of the Chelbis Company, a rising star in the UK online gambling industry. Their games have been certified by an independent testing firm to ensure fairness, and offer a premier VIP club.

How To Better Your Odds with a No Deposit Bingo Offer

Sure, playing with a no deposit bingo gives you the ability to test try a site without making a deposit. But if you want to better your odds, you’ll use the no deposit bingo to maximize your odds by making an initial deposit at the site you sign up.

When you make a deposit before playing, you’ll:

1) Have more credits to play with – your free welcome bonus + no deposit bingo

2) Any winnings derived from your deposit or your total balance after making a purchase can be cashed out while winnings on just the trial bonus can’t!

A Bonus that’s Even Better Than a No Deposit Bingo Offer

If you want to maximize your odds at a new site, it’s in your best interest to also find a bingo site that offers you a generous welcome free bonus offer on top of your no deposit bingo bonus.

A free welcome bonus is a huge bonus that you receive on your first real deposit. For example, if a site offers you 300% free bonus, you’ll get £30 free on a £10 initial deposit, thus giving you £40 to play with.

And if you add the £40 balance with the additional £5 to £15 no deposit bingo offer, you’ll have a minimum £45 to play with and out bet other players who might have a smaller balance to play with.

We hope you enjoyed this tip on how to better your odds playing online bingo today by maximizing your no deposit bingo strategy.

Online bingo statistics are hard to find and most of the statistics we have are the result of surveys taken by various British bingo sites and a few industry studies. It should come as no surprise that most of the figures come from the UK which, at present, is the world’s largest online bingo market. Most of the studies were done for marketing purposes and are not true demographic studies. Although bingo statistics vary from country to country it is clear that an overwhelming number of players are female. Figures show that about 70% to 85% of all bingo players (land based and online) are women. The figures for male bingo players range from 20% to 30%. 20% if probably the most accurate figure. Statistics also show that women are more likely to stay online playing 50% longer than most male players.

100 Million Online Bingo Players?

One study stated that globally there are about 100 million online bingo players. This figure is open to question and has not been confirmed by any reliable independent studies. In 2008 one study showed that there were about 50,000 regular online bingo players in the UK. Conflicting figures make it all but impossible to determine just how many online bingo players there actually are globally. Bingo reviews show that online bingo is the preferred leisure activity among women between 20 and 25. This figure destroys the old stereotype of little old ladies sitting in smoky bingo halls. Online bingo has attracted a whole new generation of players. Younger players are partially responsible for the surge in the number of land based players in the UK. The live bingo industry was hit hard by the national smoking ban and double taxation and is just beginning to recover.

Age Demographics

Nine out of ten bingo players are under 50 years old. Most of the over 65 crowd prefers live bingo at land based bingo halls. One very interesting statistic showed that 85% of all online bingo players multitask during games. This is possible because of the auto daub feature available at most online bingo sites. 69.2% of all online bingo players prefer traditional 75 ball games while 30.8% prefer 90 ball bingo. 20% of all online bingo players have been playing for less than 2 years, 20% less than five years and 40% have been playing for five years or more. All of these statistics are important to the online bingo industry and are used by bingo operators to improve the online bingo experience and generate more profits.

Bingo has had a long term relationship with churches and charitable organizations. The relationship dates all the way back to 1929 when Pastor Charles H. Hagus needed to raise money to rebuild a dilapidated old building the church wanted to use for church school services. Pastor Hagus was head of The Annunciation, a small Catholic church in Denver. After years of funding troubles Pastor Hagus approached Bingo game inventor Edwin S. Lowe and asked to use the game for fundraising purposes. The move was a big hit with parishioners and Hagus managed to raise the necessary funds and then some. The long term relationship between bingo and the Catholic Church was born.

Bingo and Catholicism: A History

In 1050 the bingo games were a regular event and religious organizations across the country started to hold regular bingo games. Veterans groups and other charities saw the effectiveness of bingo games and launched their own games. Today there are charitable bingo games in just about every town and city in the US and the UK. Charity bingo is just like any other game of bingo with one exception. Instead of all of the money generated by card purchases going towards the prize pool about 50% of the funds collected are earmarked for charity. Several celebrities participate in bingo for charity. British pop star Robbie Williams has been known to play at the famous Legendary Bingo games in Los Angeles. Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines has appeared at Legendary bingo games along with Paris Hilton, Tori Spelling, Daryl Hannah and Courteney Cox.

Charity Bingo

Charity bingo is not limited to brick and mortar bingo halls. Online bingo sites have raised millions for various charities. US President Obama’s stepmother Kezia Obama, who lives in the UK, held a series of online bingo games for the Sue Ryder charity two years ago. The games raised several thousand pounds for the charity. One major UK bingo sites hosts weekly charity bingo games named for Katie Price. The games are titled “Katie’s Charity Room” and take place weekly. There is one online bingo site totally devoted to charity bingo. Big Heart Bingo is a UK based website that donates the proceeds of online bingo games to several UK based charities. In the UK most major online bingo brands have hosted charity events and have raised significant amounts of money for various charities and good causes. It would appear the relationship between bingo and charities will continue well into the future.

Mecca is one of the most well known names in the UK bingo industry. Mecca operates a chain of local bingo halls throughout the UK and also operates an online bingo site.  One local Mecca bingo hall offers much more than bingo games; there have been several reported sightings of ghosts in the hall. Recently the Rosehill Mecca bingo club was the site of a séance to contact the spirit of the ‘Grey Man’ who haunts the popular club.

Ghost Hunters Invade Mecca Bingo

After being contacted by the Ghost Club the club’s management agreed to open their doors for an overnight stay by ghost aficionados who want to get to the bottom of the mysterious sightings. The group used a crystal ball to contact the ghost and asked some questions before hearing a noise that the group believes was made by the ghost. Laura Teakle, who works in the 1930’s era building, said she could identify many of the noises heard by the ghost hunters but when the group approached the Circle Area of the hall she heard noises she could not explain. Ms. Teakle stated “Last time I came out with the group a door slammed behind me, and this time I heard unexplained noises. I’m usually quite cynical about these things.”

Bingo Player Haunts Hall

There have been other attempts to communicate with the spirits haunting the bingo hall. In April the group claims it was contacted by the spirit of a former bingo player who was believed to have committed suicide in 1965. Laura stated “I saw a bright light move quickly in an arc shape as I sat in the top row looking downwards go across the wall on my right. Several of us saw this from different areas of the auditorium. Apparently on one of them if you zoom in you can make out a face.”

Phantom Organ Music

At their bingo hall séances the group has used a crystal ball and a planchet. A planchet is a board with a pen in the middle of it. The management and staff welcomed the group and allowed them to remain overnight. Three separate ghosts have been reported. Neighbors have complained about organ music coming from the hall late at night but there is no organ on the premises. At one time the bingo club was a cinema and the group believes the sounds may be a remnant of the days when the cinema was in operation.

The results have been inconclusive and the reports of the club’s haunting have not frightened away any players. For players afraid of ghosts Mecca operates an online bingo site guaranteed to be free of ghosts.

Mobile gaming has been a big hit in the UK and Europe. Online bingo sites and casinos have launched mobile applications that enable players to play anywhere, anyplace and anytime. Mobile bingo has been so successful that industry experts say that mobile bingo will drive industry growth well into 2012. As the UK mobile casino market expands at unprecedented rates many people are wondering what the most popular mobile games are. Although most online bingo sites and casinos are unwilling to disclose what the most popular games are, one unnamed site revealed the three online games that people play the most.

A lot of online casinos do not want to demonstrate favoritism of one game over another. This is understandable because online casinos pay a licensing fee for each game and it is in their best interest to keep player numbers a secret. One typical online casino was willing to discuss the three most popular mobile casino games. At most mobile casinos slots are the most popular games played. At land based and online casinos slots generate over half of all casino revenues. Online slots are incredibly popular for several reasons. They are fun to play, require no special skills and there are no complicated strategies to learn.

1. Pharaoh’s Fortunes

The mobile version of Pharaoh’s Fortunes is the hottest mobile slot in the UK. Pharaoh’s Fortunes is a five reel 25 payline slot game with a lot of bonus features. Pharaoh’s Fortunes is manufactured by gaming giant IGT. The original game was a big hit in land based casinos and an online version followed shortly. Today Pharaoh’s Fortunes is available as a mobile slot.

2. Mobile Bingo

Bingo is one of the three most popular mobile games. The UK has been the world’s largest online bingo market for years so it should come as no surprise that bingo is one of the three most popular games. Mobile bingo is available in the traditional 75 ball version and the 90 ball version popular in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Chat rooms are now available to mobile players and online bingo and mobile games take place 24/7.

2. Disco Dollars

Disco Dollars is another five reel 50 payline mobile slot that his one of the three most popular mobile games in the UK.  Disco Dollars takes players back to the disco days of the 70’s and players can boogie the night and day away playing this exciting mobile slot. Disco Dollars has plenty of features including wild symbols, scatter symbols, bonuses and many other features.

Currently these are the three most popular mobile games in the UK. Since online bingo sites and casinos are constantly adding new games the top three games are bound to change several times a year.