New opportuniteies for blind bingo fans

I was extremely touched to hear some heartwarming news about a blind bingo fan in the USA who has been battling steadfastly to win the right to use audible bingo cards when she plays bingo.

51 year old Joanna Richardson hails from Rochester NY and is blind. A long-term bingo enthusiast, the only way she can comfortably play the bingo games at her local bingo hall is either with a companion, or by using audible bingo cards.

These special electronic bingo cards enable players to keep track of ball calls with the emission of beeps everytime a number can be daubed during a bingo game, and made playing bingo much easier for Joanna. However other bingo players complained about the noisy beeps and further use of the cards was disallowed by local bingo halls in her area, unless the cards were set to ’silent’ mode – an apparent contradiction in terms.

Joanna started campaigning against this decision and took the battle all the way to the NY Racing and Wagering Board, not letting up until victory was assured. She has now won the right to use her audible bingo cards wherever she plays bingo, and is happy to have won her battle.

“You have the control over the majority of what’s going on now” she said “You don’t feel like you’re throwing your money away. You know when you’re waiting and you know when you won. You can’t be cheated.” she was quoted saying.

Joanna can now set the card to make a beep when she has 1TG (one to go) or when she hits a bingo, which will allow her to play bingo again comfortable in the knowledge that she won’t miss out on a win (unless she falls asleep)!

What I found unsettling about this report was that apparently the entire issue appeared to have been caused by fellow bingo players, annoyed with the beeps emitted by the electronic bingo card. It just doesn’t seem to be in character of any bingo fan, whether you play bingo online or in a traditional bingo hall, to exclude someone from playing bingo games for such a selfish issue. My words might sound strong, but how would you play bingo if you were blind?

So from across the ocean, my hearty congratulations to Joanna for the courage to stick to her convictions and score a victory for blind bingo players, bless her cotton socks! And a noisy ‘Booooo sucks’ to all those individuals who complained. Shame on you.

Online bingo is the fastest growing gambling sector

By now we can say that online bingo is recession resistant. This business' players number increased fastest and made a nice 80% .
This online bingo news is a very good news for all bingo players.

Internet bingo chat rooms

There are many different areas to an online bingo site and one of them is the internet bingo chat rooms. You can get to know new people while taking a break from playing your favourite games. If you are unfamiliar with the online playing sites you will find several different games to play. The majority of the sites will also have slot games, casino games and instant games nestled among the many varieties of bingo games.

The internet bingo chat rooms are exceptionally fun. You get to visit with others that have the same interests that you do. This could extend to other areas in your life besides your fondness for online bingo games.

Certain sites have chat moderators that can help you with any questions you might have. These friendly moderators will enhance your enjoyment of the bingo games. Even if you have played bingo in the bingo halls you will find subtle differences when playing internet bingo. These internet bingo chat rooms can help you bridge the gap.

A great feature of some of these sites is that you can play games within the internet bingo chat rooms and win prizes. What could be more amusing than chatting and winning at the same time? When you are a club member you can also earn points while in the internet bingo chat rooms.

You may experience some problems when trying to connect to a chat room. This is most likely due to a firewall. We all have these to protect us against problems, but you can get help online. There are usually three main areas to an internet bingo chat room; the rooms and message display area. The control panel and text area and the area where the other chatter’s aliases are located are the third area.

You will be connected to the main lounge when you log on to the internet bingo chat rooms and from there you can travel to the other chat rooms. You will use the up and down arrows to navigate through the internet bingo chat rooms. You will be able to see how many people are chatting in each room and you can decide if you want to join that group or not.

You would locate the send button in most internet bingo chat rooms and type your message; when you are done typing you only need hit the send button or hit enter. It really is as easy as that. You must abide by the rules of the internet bingo chat rooms. There are rules about the language and conduct that must be followed or you can be removed from using the chat room. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy your experience when you play bingo online.

What to look for in online bingo reviews

Have you been looking for the perfect online bingo site? Perhaps you are new to internet gambling and don’t quite know what to look for? If you are new to the whole gambling experience we might have some help for you. There are a ton of internet bingo reviews on the web. Some of these internet bingo reviews are written by users of the site, some of them are paid advertisements, and still others are written by writers reviewing the site. You need to learn how to weed out the different online bingo reviews to gain the information you want to know about the site. In this guide we are looking at some of the things the internet bingo reviews you decide to trust should offer you.

Starting out the internet bingo reviews should have a nice introduction that tells you about the site. You need to know information like that in order to trust the company you give personal information to.

What’s offered on the site?

In this section on online bingo reviews you should see a list of games that are offered. For example you may have 75- ball bingo, 90- ball bingo, instant games, slot machines, and video poker. Some of their bingo rooms have live chat. The rooms also have unique names like High 5, the Strip, or the Hangout. Any online bingo reviews that you read should offer detailed information as well as general information. The more detailed the more you can trust the online bingo reviews for accurate information. The person has most likely been to the site and tried it out. This is one reason site users make the best online bingo reviews, but they can also be disgruntled for a variety of reasons.

You are better off to get all three types of online bingo reviews about a bingo site in order to gain the most information before you sign up to play bingo games.

The way information is offered on the site is another thing you want to consider. If the information is hard to find on how to register, FAQ’s, or even how to set up a bingo account chances are you will want a different site.

Lastly, you don’t want to make your overall decision based on the online bingo reviews. You should see some of the information for yourself. A lot of sites let you poke around, without accessing the bingo games. You can learn for yourself how easy the site is to use.

Good and bad online bingo players

It is fun to look at good online bingo players and talk about what they do right. What is even more fun is looking at bad online bingo players and watching what they do wrong. This is one of the quickest ways to get really good at the game. If you learn from the mistakes of those players who just don’t seem to get it, you can ultimately succeed at playing the game. So what are the mistakes of bad online bingo players? Here are a few of them.

Bad online bingo players typically miss on even the most basic rules. Maybe they don’t know how to fill out their cards or they don’t know what each game means. When you don’t have a basic handle on the most elementary rules, you really don’t have a chance to win. Bingo games are highly predicated on luck. Because of that, you just have to be fortunate to win sometimes. The one way to take yourself out of the game is to not know what you are doing, though. The worst online bingo players to play with are those people who just don’t get the rules. Make sure you aren’t one of them.

Bad online bingo players often don’t pay enough attention. They busy doing something else, like writing a paper or talking to their friends, or downloading music or looking at videos online. These bingo players aren’t putting forth nearly enough focus to be successful. They are struggling to get by and they just can’t seem to get it through their head that it takes a huge amount of focus to win at bingo. The awful thing about mistakes like these is that they can be easily prevented. These people could, if they wanted to, play bingo online and win. They just don’t make the necessary moves to get that done and it’s truly sad.

Don’t be like these bad bingo online players. It is a game that can be fun if you are winning. Even if you aren’t fortunate enough to be winning, the game is so much more fun for people who really know what they are doing. Those that don’t are just there for us to laugh at. They are sad cases who often don’t understand why they are throwing their money down the drain, while we all realise that they are making mistakes.

Written by Bingo Lady

Online bingo sites - Players have tough time choosing the right one

With so many online bingo sites out there today, players have a tough time choosing the right one. After all, they look the same and many of them use the same software. In many cases, online bingo sites are also offering the same promotions, as well. When this is the case, what is a player to do? How are they to tell one of the online bingo sites apart from all of the others? There are some very simple things that a player should look for in online bingo sites to find the right one.

All in all, online bingo sites need to be trusted. If you can’t trust your site, then there is no reason why you should be playing there. You are going to be trying to win some big prizes and some major bingo jackpots. When you get lucky enough to do this, don’t you want to know that you will be able to claim your prize from the online bingo sites? This should be the first thing you look for. Do the research on various online bingo sites and find out which ones are the most trusted by experienced players who are familiar with the online bingo scene. Be sure to check out the bingo forums too.

As a player, you should also be looking for a site that is willing to adapt to the changing technology out there. The online bingo world is constantly evolving. New bingo games, new software programs, and new incentive programs are popping up each and every week. This is why online bingo sites in this day and age have to keep up with the times. When you choose a site, you need to know that they are dedicated to providing you with only the best and latest in online bingo software. You need to know that they are keeping up with the competitors in this highly competitive field.

Online bingo sites must be able to give you quality service, as well. If you are going to be investing in them, then they need to be available to answer your questions and calm your concerns. This is something that you should demand in your online bingo sites and if the site cannot provide that, then you need to take your play elsewhere. There are way too many online bingo sites out there for you to be settling for anything other than the absolute best. As a player, you should demand that out of your online bingo sites.

Written by Bingo Lady

Bingo enjoying a Renaissance

Bingo has always been a popular game, ever since it was introduced in the mid 1920s. Since that time it’s always been played, but of late there seems to be a surge happening in its popularity, both at traditional walk-in bingo halls, and on the Internet.

So why Bingo? What is it about this game that keeps drawing crowds of fans week after week? Is it that it’s such an easy game to learn? Could it be because of the cash prizes you can win? Maybe it’s about the socialising?

And maybe it’s all of the above. But one thing is certain - bingo halls are more packed than they’ve ever been. Despite the economic downturn, traditional bingo games have continued to thrive.

In part, it could be to do with the whole experience of the live event. Playing the bingo game on a computer is one thing, but turning up at the local of an evening is a chance to meet new friends and to socialise.

Bingo games rarely cost more than a couple of pence, or a quid at the outside, so perhaps it’s that a visit to a live bingo event offers an entire evening of entertainment for less than it would cost to rent a DVD?

Interestingly, there’s a fast growing youth demographic who are taking part in bingo, despite perceptions that bingo nights are populated exclusively by the elderly.

But it’s not just the live bingo halls that are seeing growth this year. The online bingo experience is proving as attractive a draw as the live experience. We’re seeing new bingo sites springing up all the time, and tried and trusted ones are going from strength to strength.

So what is it that’s so appealing about playing bingo online? For one thing, there’s the convenience factor - not having to trudge down to the local hall when its raining is a plus.

Then there’s the playing assist - most sites now have features that will automatically daub your card for you if you’d like, which is great if your concentration isn’t up to scratch. It will even call Bingo for you when you win.

So whether you prefer to play online, or get your coat on and turn up at your local bingo club, perhaps you should be seeing what all the fuss is about? You might even have a good time while you’re about it.

Written by Bingo Lady

Bingo Blackjack strategy

At various online gambling sites including online bingo there is a potential to play blackjack. You can play bingo blackjack, which is actually the same game as regular 21. We want you to have an edge to the game so we have come up with a bingo blackjack strategy that may just work for you. The bingo blackjack strategy is not a hundred percent foolproof and that means we can’t guarantee a win every time. In fact our strategy is just to increase your odds of winning over losing. It is also about making the best decisions when you are playing the game.

The first thing you have to realise is that there are certain rules at a blackjack table for when you have to take another card. Most blackjack games say you must take a card if you have a hand lower than 15. This is not always the case and sometimes it only applies to the dealer. However, you don’t want to stand on 15 anyway. We will look at why in a little bit.

Our blackjack strategy is going to be about when to take a hit, stand, fold, double down, or split. First you can only do a split when your first two cards are the same number. In other words when you have two 10’s in your hand you could split. Of course you are taking a big gamble with two 10’s. Two ten’s makes a total of 20. Unless the dealer gets 21 you win the game. In this case or in the bingo blackjack strategy you wouldn’t want to split the 10’s. You have to place a second ante wager or beginning wager when you split, so why risk losing double the money if you can win instead?

You want to split when you have less than 17 as your total. In other words if you have two 8’s you can split them for better chances. You don’t want to hit on 16 because you have a higher potential to bust when you do.

Doubling down is when you decide you want to place a second wager and get one more card in the hopes that you win. You can’t take another hit after you double down. Again you want to be careful when you double down because you don’t want to bust your hand. You also don’t want to have such a low hand that you are stuck losing the extra wager, plus the first wager. For example if you have a 2 and a 3 you have five. If you double down and get a 5 then you only have ten. In this case the dealer really needs to bust for you to win. You want to take a hit in our bingo blackjack strategy when you have less than 15. You should stand on 15 or above. We hope you find these hints helpful on your next game of bingo blackjack!

Written byBingo Lady

Bingo Heaven this week at Paddy Power Bingo

Paddy Power Bingo are having a month-long party with their Octoberfest celebrations in honour of their Gold Bingo room turning 2 earlier this month. This Irish online bingo website is worth it’s weight in gold, and bingo fans are truly spoilt for choice this month with extra bingo promotions and a whole load of free bingo games to choose from!

Free Bingo Games are always a plus for any bingo buddy, as they brings an extra thrill of winning something for nothing. Those of us who are tuned into online bingo and love the game for it’s sheer unpredictability and the great social scene, never say no to a game of free bingo - that would be silly!

There is a special breed of bingo player that refuses to play free bingo games - and I’m definitely not one of those. Show me a free bingo game and I’m on it! I look upon free bingo games as a reward for the time and money I spend at these bingo sites, and I appreciate them. If you find an online bingo website that doesn’t do free bingo games, at least sometimes, their bingo roomies won’t be so happy.

Written by Bingo Lady

Addicted to online bingo

An article published earlier today in Bingostreet news section reports about the huge fight going on in the UK about online gambling. As online bingo enthusiasts this affects us all, but it is a controversial subject.

A new NHS clinic is being opened to care for problem gamblers who suffer from addiction to gambling. The main problem facing the clinic is funding, and who should do the funding. The clinic has funds to operate for a year, but the future after that is in jeopardy.

The 2005 Gambling Act made pretty sure that all online bingo operators, online casino operators etc., who wanted to operate in the UK had be regulated, and were also subject to increased revenue tax - all great news for the Treasury.

But where has all this money gone? Organisations like Gamcare, which is already funded by the online bingo industry among others, is fighting against the RIGT trying to find an answer to the funding problems for clinics such as these.

The Gambling Commission, also funded partially by the online bingo and casino industry, has little support from the apathetic government since the super-casino fiasco, and doesn’t really know what’s what.

So who should pay? The online bingo and casino industry, plus the land-based industry is already paying huge taxes, plus has donated £250,000 to the clinic already. As an NHS clinic shouldn’t the government be funding the rest?

Personally, I believe that the biggest problem is getting society (and the government) to recognise that addiction to gambling, as with any kind of addiction, is a serious condition that requires treatment. Once they get that into their thick heads then we can all get on with our daily fix of online bingo fun.

Written by Bingo Lady

EiG to bring out the legal big guns to discuss UIGEA

I will be looking forward to the 2008 European Interactive Gaming (EiG) conference in Barcelona, set to take place on between 23 and 25 September. Why? Because this year we will get to hear some pretty prominent online gaming industry experts debate the state of affairs regards the US legal situation.

Those readers of Bingo Street who have been following this blog will know about the devastating effect the US’ UIGEA legislation had on non-US online gaming companies when it was introduced in late 2006. Online bingo games operators and UK online bingo halls were all, with one fell swoop, banned from operating in the US market – it was a major dislocation to business which forced many to seek new markets in able to recover.

Clarion Gaming, the organizers of the EiG event are to be congratulated in assembling this array of experts willing to discuss the ramifications of US legislative policy. I for one am going to be very interested to hear what they may be predicting regarding the future of the US online gaming market.

Written by Bingo Lady

Canadian professor backs online gambling regulation

A leading Canadian academic has called for the liberalizing of Canada’s online gambling industry as a way of providing better regulation to reduce gambling’s harmful effects.

June Cotte, a marketing associate professor at the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, believes like any sane person that regulating online gambling is a far better way to control problem gambling than to criminalize gambling.

“One potential solution is to allow legitimate corporate sponsors, like the corporations that run the major casinos in Las Vegas or the government sponsors in Canada, to enter into a newly regulated market for online gambling,” said Cotte. “Just as legalised commercial gambling in casinos allows governments to regulate it, so, too, could the legalisation of online gambling allow for better regulation and attempts to reduce the growth of problem gamblers.”

Let’s hope more voices like this are heard in Canada which runs the serious risk of following the very flawed approach of the US. As we all know, online bingo and many online bingo hall operators were badly burned by the implementation of the notorious UIGEA legislation in the US. It actually forced Canadian online bingo games software developer Cryptologic to seek the friendlier shores of Europe rather than risk a Canadian version of UIGEA coming about – the lose was all Canada’s.

Written by Bingo Lady

Tv commercialism a sing online bingo is alright

There is no doubt that we are seeing increasing amounts of bingo adverts appearing on UK television screens. With the relaxing of advertising rules allowing gambling to be promoted on TV, it was inevitable that the fastest growing niche in online gaming, online bingo, would take to the airwaves to promote its message.

It actually goes all the way back to Think Bingo’s original online bingo ad in September of 2005 – ancient history now! Since then we’ve seen the likes of Jackpotjoy advertise its ‘The Price is Right’ game followed by efforts from the Sun newspaper to use TV to promote its bingo site.

For those of us who play online bingo via a trip down Bingo Street, the Foxy Bingo advert is probably the most memorable of the bingo online related TV commercials. Remember how the site’s mascot ‘Foxy’ leading a crowd of people down a street as a few famous bingo calls are made, complete with two fat ladies (88), a knock on the door (number four) and two little ducks (22).

Then there’s the celebrity factor appearing on TV with online bingo halls. Vic Reeves’ made an appearance in 888 Ladies bingo’s TV commercial. He is seen gettingup in drag complete with a pink wig and pint of beer to play bingo online.

What this all points to is that the online bingo industry is positively humming. The cost of placing a TV ad is not insignificant, and only an industry on the move can contemplate such promotions. Is online bingo taking over TV? Maybe it will be the next big thing after the reality TV trend has finally done its dash.

Written by Bingo Lady

Investing in online bingo proving a winning strategy for 888.com

The dramatic decrease in 888.com’s profit over 2007 is yet more evidence that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) has proved very damaging to the online bingo games industry. To its credit, 888.com went on to invest in online bingo halls in the UK as it withdrew from the US market to avoid possible prosecution by US authorities. Despite the company losing nearly 55% of its sales due to the loss of the US market, 888 believes it can look forward to a bright future. “2007 was a year of transformation,'’ Chief Executive Officer Gigi Levy said in a statement after the company released its 2007 results. “With many strategic initiatives now underway, we see a bright future.'’ I would say that a major contributing factor to 888’s optimism is its continued investment in bingo online and in the belief that the amount of people who play bingo online will grow. Online bingo is still one of the fastest growing niches in online gaming and with the growth in the Scandinavian markets assured it’s a pretty safe bet that companies that follow a bingo investment model will do well.

Written by Bingo Lady

UIGEA criticised as- oo ambiguous to work

The Congressional hearings into the viability of the existing Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) this last April 2 have received a huge amount of media coverage as delegates heard reasons why the law is, in fact, too ambiguous to effectively provide regulations for.

UIGEA has been in effect now since late 2006 and has wreaked havoc in the online bingo industry with many online bingo games operators and online bingo halls having to exit the US market to avoid possible prosecution. However, the actual regulations which are meant to govern UIGEA’s use by US authorities are not in place with a preliminary draft now undergoing public consultation.

During the April 2 hearings, Federal Reserve and Treasury officials gave evidence that they were struggling to craft the UIGEA rules because federal law is unclear about what type of gambling is illegal online.

UIGEA seeks to disrupt financial transactions between US-based online players and non-US online gaming companies. There have already been a number of high profile casualties due to UIGEA prosecutions including well known e-wallet Neteller that was forced into having to pay a substantial fine to avoid prosecution. Many online gaming companies, including those involved in bingo online, simply chose to exit the US market to avoid similar legal issues.

During the hearings Congressman Luis Gutierrez, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology, said: "One of the most common complaints is that the proposed rules fail to sufficiently define key terms, leaving financial institutions with significant compliance difficulties." He added: "For example, the regulation fails to adequately define what constitutes “unlawful Internet gambling” or a "restricted transaction," yet requires the financial institutions to make a determination on their own about what is lawful or unlawful.

"Consumers will be placed at risk of having lawful transactions blocked. It is easy to see how these regulations, if implemented in their current form, could wreak havoc on electronic commerce in the U.S."

Written by Bingo Lady