Some relief may be on the way for the UK’s beleaguered land bingo clubs with an announcement on slot machines in bingo clubs about to be made by the government.
The announcement is expected to help bingo halls, which have been hit by the twin impacts of a smoking ban and double tax, by relaxing the limits any one bingo hall can have on the number of its slot machines.
According to a Reuters report, a bingo industry insider has claimed the UK government will “announce plans to raise from four the maximum number of 500-pound jackpot slot machines allowed in bingo clubs and was expected to choose from one of three options put to it by operators.”

Bingo Street online bingo writer and critic John Witherspoon is predicting higher fuel costs will see a jump in online bingo memberships as more people stay home and turn to the internet for their entertainment.

Citing a relatively old study from 2005 that predicted a drop in US customers wanting to make the drive to Las Vegas should the price of gasoline go beyond $3 per gallon, Witherspoon pointed out that the study forecast a 90% drop in gambling tourists to Las Vegas should the cost of fuel reach $5 per gallon.

Gasoline in the US currently costs a national average of approximately $4 per gallon.

The study was first published by Jim Medick of Precision Opinion and it proposed a correlation between rising fuel costs and a reduction in traveling. How the study applies to the UK is yet to be seen, but there is evidence a growing number of people are traveling less as fuel costs rise here too.

“Online bingo games in the UK are perfectly positioned to take advantage of a drop in people making journeys to gambling centres,” said Witherspoon. “People will still seek gaming as a means of entertainment, and if they can stay at home but still get the same level of excitement and winnings, then they will turn to the online offerings. It’s up to bingo online as an industry to make sure we give such people what they want.”

While not quite yet a captive market, online gamers are a growing part of the online lifestyle experience and bingo has been a huge part of many UK people’s lives. With a noticeable drop in UK punters turning out to traditional local bingo halls and clubs, what Witherspoon has to say may actually now be taking place.

Will the giddy rise in petrol prices be yet another punch in the guts for the land-based bingo industry?

Already reeling from the effects of a smoking ban and a double taxation policy, the land bingo scene will find it difficult to rebound in the face of higher costs in actually traveling to clubs and bingo halls.

Some land bingo operators have sought to solve this problem by putting on bus services, but they still have to cover the cost of the petrol. Add to this the competitive pressure represented by online bingo games and online bingo halls which do not require members to travel anywhere except to their computer, and you have yet another dangerous trend facing the land bingo industry.

This trend is, of course dependant on the continued rise of oil on world markets. Unfortunately for the land bingo sector, there seems to be no chance that oil prices are coming down anytime soon.

Written for Eyes Down Bingo by Anthea - Your Bingo UK blog

Jackpotjoy online bingo player Sandra L is celebrating a full house bingo Jackpot win of £41,585. The lucky player said about her win: “I thought I was going to collapse. I never even dreamed of winning the Jackpot!
“At first I thought I had won the game Jackpot. When I checked properly, I couldn’t believe it! My heartbeat was racing and I was shaking.”

Continuing her story, she added: “I ran up the stairs to tell my 18-year-old son and I was crying. I couldn’t believe how much I’d won. My husband and I have booked a holiday to Tenerife!”
Jackpotjoy Bingo is a favourite with Eyes Down Bingo users and one of the UK’s most popular online bingo halls.

Written for Eyes Down Bingo by Elvan - Your Bingo UK blog

Online gambling software developer Playtech, a popular choice with many online bingo games operators and online bingo halls, has posted another record quarterly performance.
The company’s first quarter revenues for 2008 showed US$39 million - an jump of 97% over the same period last year. It also registers a 19% increase on the US$32.7 million earned in the fourth quarter of 2007.
Online casino revenues saw a 79% increase to US$27.2 million, also up 19% on 2007’s 4th quarter.

“This has been an outstanding quarter for the group, registering impressive month on month revenue growth,” said Mor Weizer, Playtech CEO.

“The addition of new licensees during the period and the anticipated full roll out of the new Asian P2P games and Flash Poker mean the group is well positioned to grow in Q2 and beyond. The group continues to pursue significant business opportunities across all the regulated markets and the Board is highly confident regarding the group’s trading performance for 2008 and beyond.”

The Playtech software platform is considered one of the major platforms driving today’s online bingo industry. In addition its Casino and Poker software which features the likes of Windows Casino and King Solomons Casino is favoured by players across the world.

Written for Eyes Down Bingo by Anthea - Your Bingo UK blog

A New York Times article by Clifford Krauss entitled  “Economic Troubles Affect the Vegas Strip is highlighting the downturn currently affecting Las Vegas.  From its lead paragraph we read a good summary of the problem facing Vegas:

“For decades, this gambling center seemed nearly immune to the economic swings of the rest of the country. But these days, the city built on excess is seeing a troubling sign: moderation. Gambling revenue and hotel occupancy are down. Resorts are slashing room rates and offering coupons or free nights. Casino operators are firing hundreds of workers, and their stock prices have plummeted since October. Credit is drying up for hotel and condominium projects planned before the slowdown arrived.”

However, online bingo industry observers may have an insight into the causes of this situation, most likely due to witnessing a similar decline taking place amongst our cousins in the land-based bingo industry.

There’s no doubt that many gamblers are taking their game online and that the growth we have seen in online gaming, particularly in the market for people who play bingo online, may be contributing to a slowdown in land-based gaming.

Naturally, there will be a huge resistance by land-based gabling operators to admit that their current downturn is in any way linked to the upsurge in online gambling.  We’ve seen this in the reactions by land-based bingo here in the UK where online bingo and online bingo halls are hardly ever acknowledged as a reason for that sectors downturn.

Though the New York Times article cited above catalogues the problems and counter-actions being taken in addressing Vegas’ downturn, it makes no reference to the growth of online gambling.  There are no real numbers out there yet correlating a decline in traditional gambling with the move to its online variation, but any study in this direction may uncover some interesting facts about today’s gaming customers, i.e. it makes more sense these days to save the cost of a trip to a casino by simply logging on to favourite gambling site instead.

Written for Eyes Down Bingo by Anthea - Your Bingo Uk blog

Online news site ZDNet is reporting that latest US statistics for February and March 2008 show an increasing interest in online gaming with the industry garnering the third largest percentage monthly increase.

Online gambling followed radio entertainment with a 27% growth and gay and lesbian themed sties at 26%.  Online gambling came in at 14%.

Thought the ZDNet report does not say so, online bingo games and online bingo halls are a growing niche in the online gaming/gambling industry with the number of people who play bingo online increasing, according to industry statistics.

Written for Eyes Down Bingo by Anthea - Your Bingo UK blog

PartyGaming, the international gaming giant, has posted a stellar 21% growth in revenues with the bulk of the performance coming from its online division which includes its online bingo games offering PartyBingo.

The company’s overall revenue lifted to $128.9 million in the first three months of 2008. This was an increase on the $106.2 million Party made in 2007. Party saw an impressive 45% year-on-year growth in revenue showing $43.5 million from contributions from its casino and online bingo operations.

“As we enter the seasonally quiet period of the year, the business is performing well and there are a number of exciting developments in prospect,” said PartyGaming CEO Mitch Garber. “Over the next few months we will open our licensed Italian business, introduce a number of new branded online slot machines, and launch a completely new product vertical.

“We remain confident about the group’s prospects for the full year,” he added.

PartyGaming is a major player in the online bingo market in the UK where it operates its own UK online bingo hall. The earnings report did not specify contributions from its online bingo services distinct from its overall casino operations.

For the online bingo industry in general, the positive results for PartyGaming is good news. It means bingo online will continue to grow and that means bingo online players can expect to see ongoing increases in prizes and jackpots throughout the UK online bingo industry.

It means we’re all in the right game and that online bingo is here to stay.

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