Category: bingo

A player known as Matthew G. got his name into the record books this week by winning the Deal Or No Deal progressive jackpot – but better yet, he also took home nearly £2 million!

Bristol resident Matthew G. won the exact figure of £1,963,088 (over $3.03 million) at Jackpot Joy online bingo hall. This marks the third time the Deal Or No Deal progressive slot has paid out over £1.3 million in the past 18 months. The former record for a progressive jackpot slots win by a U.K. resident was sent about a year ago, when Paul M. of Kent won £1.438 million on the machine; in May 2009, Keith R. won £1.365 on the slot game.

Jackpot Joy is today reporting a humorous story about Matthew G., namely that he’d semi-jokingly promised to pay a friend £250,000 ($386,000) if he won the big jackpot … and he followed through on the promise!

Not only is Matthew G.’s win the largest-ever progressive jackpot won by a British citizen, the prize is also the biggest ever won at an online bingo site. However, a much huger winner is somewhere out there, as Jackpot Joy’s Clover Rollover progressive slot jackpot is currently at over £3,200,000 ($4.95 million).

Another massive progressive jackpot slot game paid out big this week. This time it was at one of the internet’s top bingo sites: Mecca Bingo.

Mecca Bingo is a unique site, because it is actually the online version of a chain physical bingo halls in the UK. The lucky winner, who uses the online alias Dudderbear, was at a Mecca Bingo hall in Leeds when a lucrative welcome bonus led her to sign up online. Since then the mother of two has been regular at Mecca Bingo’s online website.

Dudderbear won the €65,625 prize on a progressive jackpot game called Jungle Madness. This wild video slot is filled with jungle critters like monkeys, snakes, and tigers. Its progressive jackpot prize is paid when five tigers appear in the middle payline.

“I just couldn’t believe it when the slot machine demonstrated that I had won,” explained Dudderbear. “Immediately I rushed to my mother who also was speechless. My mother has an injury so she wasn’t able to go wild with me but her calmness had a positive effect on me. I informed my children while my husband is away for his work. I still need to bring him the good news.”

“I plan to spend the money on a new car and on a nice vacation. I already know which car I would love to buy! Surely my colleagues will have more options for spending the windfall.”

Last Sunday, a woman from Wolverhampton (who wishes to remain anonymous) went to the Gala Bingo club at Ashmore Park with some friends to enjoy an evening of fun and games. The night started off with a bang when some of her friends won the house prize of £3,000. Things soon got even more exciting when the lucky lady hit the club’s High 5 jackpot, which paid out an amazing £250,000.

Because the High 5 jackpot is designed to benefit more than just one player, the winner only took home half the prize money. The rest got distributed between all the other players in the bingo club. There were 61 at the time, so each one went home with £2,049.18.

“I am absolutely ecstatic with the win,” said the 76 year old grandmother. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet – when I got home from bingo I just sat staring into space while it hit me! I’m going to spend the money on my kids, my grandchildren and some home improvements.”

Gala Bingo runs 145 clubs across the UK. Since the High 5 jackpot was launched in 2007, it has paid out a total £17,096,890.09.

Gala is also one of the many groups that offer online bingo games in the UK. Dozens of other top online gambling groups provide internet bingo services for UK players. All accept deposits in British Pounds. While jackpots as big as the one won at Gala Bingo over the weekend are not so common online, some of the internet’s top online bingo rooms offer progressive jackpot bingo games and progressive side games that can pay out enormous prizes.

Ann Marie Stubbs got the bingo bonus of a lifetime last week. This Scarborough resident was at home playing online games at Virgin Bingo when she won a big jackpot. Stubbs was so surprised and excited when she realized she had won, that she suddenly found herself ready to give birth!

Stubbs was pregnant while enjoying a game in the . When she went into labour, she announced though the game’s live chat feature, telling the other players that she had to abandon her game and rush off to the hospital.

“Everyone has been fantastic in the Marrakesh room,” she said. “I could not believe my waters broke while I was playing bingo, to say I was shocked was an understatement!”

Within hours, Stubbs had delivered a healthy baby boy: Harley Jay Stubbs, weighing in at 7lbs 1oz. Virgin Bingo was so excited to her about her “double win” that they caught up with her to offer their congratulations by presenting the woman and her new child with a bouquet of flowers.

Internet bingo in the UK is becoming more and more popular, not only with mums-to-be but also with a younger crowd as well. Sites like Virgin Bingo offer non-stop games in a variety of styles, and they use live chat technology to maintain the social aspect of traditional bingo halls. The site offers free bingo games several times a day in their Marrakesh room so new players can try things on for size.

JackpotJoy is an online bingo site, and like most internet bingo sites, they offer a range of side games and mini games for players to enjoy. These side games let players to win some extra money on the side, and can be enjoyed while bingo games are taking place. Since most modern bingo sites automatically fill out player’s cards as numbers are called, side games are a great way to pass the time.

At JackpotJoy, dozens of side games are available. They include slots, casino games like poker and blackjack, video poker machines, and instant games like scratchcards and keno. The most exciting category of bingo side games at JackpotJoy are their Jackpots games.

These side games offer enormous prizes through their progressive jackpot payouts. Progressive jackpot games feature special jackpots that grow and grow as members play them, because a little piece of every bet gets added to the prize. These jackpots don’t pay out very often, but when they do, the payouts are enormous.

Progressive side games at JackpotJoy Bingo include:
• Diamond Bonanza
• Bullion Bonanza
• Deal or No Deal Slot
• Tycoon’s Progressive
• Jacks or Better Progressive
• Caribbean Stud Poker

At the time of writing this, the Deal or No Dealer Slot jackpot is sitting pretty at £1.4 million, and it is growing bigger every second. The game costs as little as 20p to play, which is a very small price to pay for a chance at such a huge jackpot prize.

To get a chance to earn one of these progressive prizes, sign up with JackpotJoy Bingo today. New members get their first deposit doubled up to £100, and existing members get access to dozens of exciting promotions running every month, all year long.

Mecca Bingo, already a name-brand leader in the U.K. and beyond, is sure to become much more popular beginning in July. Mecca Bingo representatives have just announced the imminent launch of a brand new Club Bingo room at Mecca, to be opened on July 1.

The new Club Bingo room will include brand new games like Penny Bingo and Superbooks alongside more traditional games offered by Mecca Casino. “Penny Bingo” lives up to the name, with live games everyday for 1¢ per ticket from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Ticket prices go up by 1¢ hourly until 5 p.m. closing time, so hurry in before 4 p.m. and you won’t have to pay a huge 4¢!

The Superbooks game will be open daily from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. Players can either play for free or can win 5x to 10x the prizes by paying cash entry.

Present promotions going on at Mecca Bingo include the daily 75-ball game for £1,000 plus their linx Bingo games and the World Cup Chat Challenge: a trivia contest with £550 to be won when CMs periodically ask questions during bingo games – and Mecca promises that absolutely no questions about the World Cup or football will be asked!

Both new and existing players can take advantage of Mecca Bingo’s £5 no deposit offer to play bingo in their extremely popular Britain’s Got Talent-themed game. And new players *must* check out the 100% initial deposit match bonus for up to £50 – one of the bigger UK Bingo bonuses out there!

Recently named one of the top ten online casino and bingo brands in the U.K., Foxy Bingo shows no signs of letting up in terms of either success or popularity. In June, the five-year-old website was able to add to its accolades at the industry’s recent Online Bingo Summit: Foxy Bingo was nominated in the category of “Best Online Bingo Operator for 2010” and won in the “Best Marketing Campaign” award.

Some of Foxy Bingo’s best marketing comes from its promotions of course and this month Foxy seems to be just cranking out the big winners. Last week saw user Itsbetty take £2,500 in the “Tombola Draw” held every Tuesday and Thursday; starting at £500, this payout was the highest yet recorded in the promotion at Foxy Bingo.

And in just one week of the “Pre-Purchase Game,” Foxy Bingo doled out £17,000 in cash prizes plus DVD players and TVs to 31 players, including wins of £30,00 recorded by players Fleapot and Jambojebus92. One other player took home a nice £2,000 prize in the competition and three others won £1,500.

While Foxy Bingo is just five years old, this online bingo site UK has rapidly become known as one of the biggest and best around. Foxy boasts 40 rooms offering nearly every available form of bingo, from 75 ball pattern games to 90 ball coverall tournaments.

Some promotions currently available at Foxy Bingo include the free £20 welcome bonus, a contest for a free wedding cake and £1,000 in cash for the big day, and Monday Super Prize nights with games for as little as 1¢. For an all-around outstanding bingo experience, experts and players appear to agree: Foxy Bingo is your place for fun and winnings!

When playing online bingo, nothing is more frustrating than getting worked up over a nearly-complete bingo card in a blackout game, then watching as another player grabs the prize money right out from under your nose. Now, at Think Bingo, this never has to be a problem again.

A new range of bingo games has just been introduced at Think Bingo called 1TG and 2TG games. The TG stands for “to go”, and it refers to the number of spots left before a player completes their card. If a card has all but one number marked, that’s 1TG, and if there are just two numbers left, that’s 2TG.

The games work like this: When one or more players start getting close to having a full card, an alert goes out, letting everyone know the climax of the game is coming up soon. When somebody finally wins and grabs the game’s guaranteed prize money, any players with “one to go” or even “two to go” will also get paid! This definitely relieves some of the stress that comes with almost winning (or is it barely losing?). It also lets more players walk away from each game with a smile on their face.

Qualifying games will be marked with special 1TG or 2TG symbols outside the bingo room, letting players know when these runner-up prizes will be paid.

Think Bingo is as much about socializing as it is about playing bingo and winning cash. The site’s pink and purple color scheme makes it clear who the target audience is! Have fun meeting new people and enjoying wild chat games while playing non-stop bingo games in any of the site’s game rooms. Sign up today and you’ll receive a 400% bonus on any deposit of £5 or £10!

Jackpotjoy, one of the world leaders in online bingo, is running a World Cup promotion that combines the international flavor of the biggest football event of the year with the excitement and fun of online bingo. The promotion is called Play Collect Win, and it lets bingo fans collect flags from countries around the world in order to win real cash prizes.

The rules of this great promotion are easy to follow. Jackpotjoy members just need to enjoy their favorite games at this top bingo site in order to collect flags. Most games count, including all their great online bingo games – only a few casino titles are exempt.

For every £20 a player wagers in a day, they receive one flag. If a player wagers £30 or more in a single day, they get two flags! There are 32 flags to collect, representing the 32 countries that are taking part in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

As players collect flags, they match them up with a special chart found on the Jackpotjoy website. The chart is set up sort of like a bingo card, and when players complete rows of flags, they earn cash prizes! The prizes aren’t huge – they range from £1 up to £15 – but if players manage to collect all 32 flags, they will win £50 guaranteed!

It doesn’t stop there – when the players sign up for this promo, they have to choose one country. If they collect all 32 flags, and the country they chose makes it to the final four, they win a share of £20,000! Remember, the cash goes to all the players who chose that country, so picking less obvious choices could lead to more cash in pocket.

Anyone who is not yet a member of Jackpotjoy should definitely consider joining. They run non-stop online bingo games of every variety, and have enough casino games and side games to keep anyone busy for months! Sign up today and grab a 100% welcome bonus up to £100 on your first deposit.

Now that proponents of fair taxation for bingo in Scotland have been elected/reelected into the country’s parliament, the Scottish National Party constituency now awaits a repeal to a proposed tax hike on bingo gaming.

One of the more outspoken proponents of bingo in Scotland was Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie. Hosie, who also serves as the SNP’s spokesperson for the treasury and economy, actually invested the time for his last photo opportunity of the election season to meet with Mecca Bingo players and managers in Nethergate in May.

SNP spent much of the election campaign warning bingo players that Scottish bingo clubs were at risk because of the Labour Party’s proposed budget. Planned for in the budget, SNP candidates said, was an increase from 15% to 22%. Calling the prospective tax hike “unfair,” Hosie at that time said that “Bingo is a highly popular social activity yet is paying 22%, while duty on other forms of gambling including sports betting, online casino and online poker and football pools will remain at 15%.”

And in fact SNP strategy also had party head/First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond playing the part of bingo caller in a Glasgow bingo parlor in October. Ironically, the winning number in the game Salmond drew was 74, the number of years Labour had held the parliament seat of the district in which Salmond was calling. “You can’t fight fate,” he joked. (SNP’s candidate David Kerr ended up losing anyway.)

In 2009, a House of Commons study showed that three million people in Great Britain played bingo regularly. In that fiscal year, 1.42 billion was played on bingo games in real-life bingo halls alone and 69.8 million was raised in taxes for the British government. The Scottish market accounts for about 20% of the overall British numbers.

In honor of the season-ending episode of the reality TV performance show “Britain’s Got Talent” (and in honor of the “football widow” left abandoned for the telly at the pub by her husband), Mecca Bingo this week launched their “Mecca’s Got Talent Club Finals” promotion, an interesting contest with a cash prize of £3,000 and a booked performance date at Wembley Stadium in May.

Through Friday, any British citizen can upload his or her “Britain’s Got Talent”-style video to the Mecca Bingo Facebook fan page. After reviewing all submissions, two entrants will join Mecca’s eight club finalists to perform in the finals on September 4th. The show will be hosted by Scottish TV personality Lorraine Kelly and the winner receives the £3,000 grand prize and the performance at Wembley in May 2011.

Hundreds of submissions have already been entered into the contest and Mecca gaming director Angus Nisbet has stated that “many Mecca players have already shown amazing degrees of talent.”

Incidentally, Mecca Bingo reminds that a second promotion is running specifically for football widows: The “Chat Challenge” trivia contest with £550 to be won when CMs periodically ask questions during bingo games. The perk for this audience: “Those of you who are fed up with hearing about the World Cup will be pleased to know that none of this bingo site’s questions are football-related but are questions about countries all over the world,” says PR material for the event.

Finally, on Saturday, June 19th, a Chester-based bingo hall has announced the Mecca Bingo-sponsored “Blooming Great Tea Party” to raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Cure; naturally, bingo games will be on offer.

All proceeds from the event will go toward assistance for homecare for the terminally ill in Britain. Mecca Bingo has set itself a goal of £200,000 to be raised for Marie Curie Cancer Cure and other charitable organizations.

Virgin Bingo recently announced a huge winner, but the even better news for players there is that nearly £500,000 is still available on the progressive slot she took for lots of money.

A player known as “Milllane” was playing Progressive Snow Queen’s Magic, a slot game installed at Virgin Bingo. On 10p stakes, Milllane managed to line up five Snow Queen symbols for a massive £55,000 on a single spin.

Ironically, Milllane had been a regular player at Virgin Bingo, but recently had been away from the online bingo room for two years. On a whim, she decided to visit her old favorite again last Sunday to come away with the five-figure prize money.

Though Milllane took a goodly amount of money out of the online progressive slot, she was only playing for 10p per payline and the total sum is only paid out to a player at the £1 bet level. As of this writing, over £496,000 is in the jackpot coffers right now.

When asked what she would be doing with her winnings, Milllane stated that “I think some of my winnings will be [for] going on holiday and getting a new kitchen fitted!”

Since its establishment in 2004, Virgin Games has now served over 1,000,000 players. The custom-built Virgin Games platform, including Virgin Bingo and Virgin Casino powered by WagerWorks and Cryptologic software among others, was established in 2008.

Join Virgin Bingo while the World Cup is going on to play free bingo games while a match is being played in the World Cup Free Bingo promotion!

In contrast to many other types of online gambling, Internet bingo is inherently a social game in which the chitchatting is an integral part of the gaming experience. If you play bingo online, you’ll also be meeting new people and making friends. Therefore it’s important to consider a few unwritten rules expected of fellow bingo players. Six simple suggestions for dos and don’ts for Bingo chitchat might be the following.

• Do your research. Many a webpage or forum topic is devoted solely to bingo chat rooms. Why? Because even a bingo website with the best possible promotions and tournaments running 24/7 means nothing without a friendly and lively chatroom. Also important to look for in doing research are free chatroom games – an essential to keep players interested and enthused.

• Don’t bother with the free bingo sites. While free bingo sounds fun, these sites are overwhelmingly poorly run, have inferior customer/technical support and attract few people who actually stay regulars, an essential feature of a fun bingo website. And the chatrooms at such websites reflect this.

• Do be polite. Please. Virtual society is still society, after all, so please apply the golden rule. Of course, some unintentional stepping on people’s toes will happen in a suitably international and multicultural bingo room. In general, the same rules of polite conversation apply and therefore it’s best to stay away from controversial subject matter. One thing that can be emphatically stated is the following.

• Don’t brag about your wins. This is really a turnoff in terms of bingo chit chat and can inspire serious bad feelings, even accusations. These in turn tie in with…

• Don’t complain about players winning. It sounds bad and it’s silly if you think about it. There are nowhere “house players” and it is seemingly impossible for anyone to cheat at online bingo. Please remember that it’s all about luck and there are no bingo conspiracies.

• Do learn some lingo. If you want to chitchat, chitchat in cool fashion by learning some online bingo lingo. Most of these are actually Internet-like acronym terms, but in addition to LOL are some specific “words” like “1tg,” which means “one number to go until I hit bingo.” Then there’s BLNT for “better luck next time” and POOF for “I have left the chat.” And fellow bingo players are referred to as “Roomies.”

The next time you chat while playing online bingo, remember your bingo etiquette and you’ll have even more fun. So have a great time, GL2U and TTFN!

In anticipating of a potential opening of the US online gambling market, Unibet PLC has paid $2.25 million for a 25.9% share in bingo.com. The private placement comes shortly after bingo.com switched to Unibet’s online bingo and casino network. Unibet has also announced its intention to apply for a license to operate in France.

Wall Street Journal Market Watch: Bingo.com Closes $2,250,000 Private Placement from Unibet

Bingo.com, Ltd., owner of the online gaming site www.bingo.com, announced yesterday that it closed a private placement from Unibet Group plc, selling 15 million common shares at $0.15 apiece, raising net proceeds of $2,250,000. The placement represents 25.9% Bingo.com.

“Bingo.com is pleased to have secured a private placement from Unibet,” said Bingo.com’s CEO Tarrnie Williams. “With one of the World’s leading gaming operators as both an investor and operational partner, Bingo.com will now have the resources to support its brand in a number of emerging online bingo markets. We very much look forward to taking on a leading role in the expansion of online bingo worldwide.”

Unibet CEO Petter Nylander was equally positive. “Investing in Bingo.com, one of the strongest bingo brand names in the industry, is exciting for us. We believe in the power of the Bingo.com URL and believe that Bingo.com will be a leader in online bingo for years to come. We look forward to growing our businesses together in existing and new markets.”

Unibet recently developed turn-key online gaming platform, offering partners to be part of their online casino and bingo network.

Business Wire: Unibet Group plc – Interim report January – March 2010

During the first quarter of 2010 Unibet Group plc saw continued growth in terms of gross winnings revenue as well as active customers. Their live betting offerings together with live event streaming and the Unibet Mobile platform have all been important driving factors in recent months.

April also shows very good figures, with average daily gross revenue up over the average daily gross revenue for the previous three months.

Unibet recently decided to apply for a licence to operate in France after the recent opening of their online gambling market. The exact terms of licences in the country have yet to be revealed, but 2010 earnings are not expected to be significant. This change in the regulatory situation renders the group’s financial goals for 2010 obsolete. Given the uncertainty regarding France, Unibet CEO Petter Nylande says it will be challenging to outperform 2009.

Lastly, in preparation for the possible opening of the US online gambling market, Unibet has acquired 25.9% of the NASDAQ listed company Bingo.com through a private placement of $2.25 million.

eGaming Review: Unibet wagers on legal US egaming with Bingo.com stake

UNIBET just acquired a quarter of NASDAQ-listed Bingo.com in hopes that the US online gambling market will soon open up once again.

The Swedish operator now owns a 25.9% stake in the business, acquired through a private placement for $2.25m. The move follows just two months after Bingo.com joined Unibet’s online bingo and casino network in March.

Petter Nylander, chief executive of Unibet, said: “We believe in the power of the Bingo.com URL and believe that Bingo.com will be a leader in online bingo for years to come.”

Unibet also just announced its intention to apply for a licence to operate in the recently-opened French egaming market.

After months of both debate and action with accents of public discontent, a bill regarding the current bingo situation has finally made a bit of headway in the Alabama legislative system. The bill was passed, by the skin of its teeth in the state Senate on Tuesday.

Andalusia State-News: Bingo narrowly passes Senate

Late yesterday, the Alabama Senate passed a bingo bill with a vote of 21-13. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville, and would allow Alabama residents to decide if they want to tax and regulate electronic bingo in November.

This bill would create a gaming commission and tax gambling in the state by at least 25%. Bedford said that this rate is already 3 times higher than in New Jersey and Nevada, but could be increased.

The 5 members of the gaming commission couldn’t work for gambling interests for 5 years before or after serving on the commission; and gambling interests couldn’t contribute to the campaigns of the elected officials who appoint commission members. The commission would have subpoena power and would be subject to the Alabama Ethics Commission.

If the Legislature and voters approve the bill, lawmakers will have a special session next year and determine more of the details. The measure must also pass the Alabama House of Representatives.

CBS News: Senate Approves Bingo Bill

A once thought dead bingo bill has new life in what the bill’s author calls a shorter, simpler form. In a surprise move on Tuesday, Senate Bill 330 was re-introduced by Senator Roger Bedford. Senate Republicans tried to defeat the measure but failed and it passed with 21 votes to 13.

The bill now needs to be passed in the state House. There are still 3 weeks left in the session, and bingo supporters say they’ll have plenty of time to get it passed so Alabama residents will get the chance to vote on it in November.

The Associated Press: Alabama Senate Passes Electronic Bingo Bill

Alabama voters may get to vote in referendum on whether they want electronic gaming in the state after the senate passed a proposed constitutional amendment on Tuesday night.

The senate mustered 21 votes, just enough to pass the bill, which protects games from raids, at the same time as taxing and regulating them. Before this bill is subjected to referendum, it must be passed in the state’s House of Representatives.

In the meantime, the Alabama Supreme Court has left a judge’s order in place which blocks the Governor’s Anti-Gambling Task Force from raiding VictoryLand in Macon County.

Alabama state governor Bob Riley has become famous for his Task Force on Illegal Gambling, which he sends around to raid what he calls “illegal” electronic bingo halls. In a surprising move, Attorney General Troy King has just taken control of the task force, insisting that the raids stop until the legal status of the bingo machines is determined by the courts. The state of Alabama has already paid half a million dollars in legal fees supporting the Task Force in the 18 lawsuits that have been filed against it. Task Force Commander John Tyson, says King does not have the authority to take over or stop raids.

Bloomberg Business Week: Alabama AG to take over antigambling task force

Two casinos in the US state of Alabama intend to reopen next week after Attorney General Troy King announced that he is taking over the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling, King intends to put an end to the ongoing raids of electronic bingo casinos until a final court ruling regarding the legality of machines.

The two casinos, Country Crossing at Dothan and White Hall Entertainment Center in Lowndes County, both closed down a month ago to avoid being raided by the governor’s task force.

The legal battle over electronic bingo in Alabama’s boils down to a simple disagreement. Alabama Governor Bob Riley and Task Force Commander Tyson argue that electronic bingo machines are illegal slot machines, while King insists that the final determination must be made by the court.

King intends to use his authority as Alabama’s top law officer to take control, remove Tyson from power, and secure all evidence collected by the Task Force. King will also put an end to the pre-dawn raids of casinos that the Task Force has been conducting – without search warrants.

Task Force Commander Tyson, who is also a district attorney in Mobile, says King does not have the authority to take over or stop raids.

“If the attorney general gets his way, then the only thing that will be assured is that the illegal slot machines casinos will get to stay open for months and months as the gambling bosses drag out the litigation that the attorney general says he is going to bring,” Tyson said.

Fox News Alabama: Tyson Fires Back at Troy King over Gambling

John Tyson said yesterday that he has no intentions of stepping down from his position as the Commander of Alabama Governor Riley’s anti-gambling task force.

Tyson he argues that the issue is greater than just a battle against illegal gambling, noting that casinos have a tendency to breed corruption.

“I fought corruption because it’s the right thing to do and yeah, I’ve taken some heat for it,” Tyson said. “Governor Riley and I talked about the price of fighting corruption. We both agree, it’s worth the heat.”

Tyson also said he would comply with King’s demands turn over the evidence the Task Force has collected.

When asked if he intends to execute raids on any casinos that dare to re-open in light of King’s announcement, Tyson replied: “The Governor of the state of Alabama as recently as this morning again says ‘John, you’re the commander of the task force on illegal gambling, go get ‘em, ‘. I will see to it to see that the laws of the state are enforced. I will not disclose how we might choose to do that.”

Mongomery Advisor: Several lawsuits have been filed against the task force

The state of Alabama has paid $536,115 in legal expenses since December 2008 to support Governor Bob Riley’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling.

The state has also has seized about $1.3 million during raids on electronic bingo parlors. After each of the raids or in to stop anticipated raids, organizations have filed lawsuits against the Task Force, its Commander John Tyson., Governor Riley, and other officials.

According to the Governor’s office, the Task Force is currently involved in 18 lawsuits related to gambling. The court battles involve operators trying to get back gambling machines and monies seized during the raids. Some lawsuits even involve attempts by bingo establishments to file restraining orders against the Task Force to prevent future raids.

Governor Bob Riley of Alabama continues to go on an escapade claiming that Bingo machines in a new local entertainment center are actually illegal slot machines. Rallies are being held over the issue and in a recent rally against the facility, Riley was drowned out by cries of “Let us Vote.”

Bloomberg Business Week: Bingo proponents drown out Ala. governor at rally

Gov. Bob Riley attempted to address casino opponents gathered in front of Alabama’s Statehouse, Monday, but was drowned out by the shouts of casino supporters. Shouts of “Let us vote” made hearing Riley say electronic bingo machines are illegal slot machines difficult.

Inside the Statehouse, proponents of pro-electronic bingo casino legislation decided not to seek a vote in the Senate. They didn’t have the required 21 out of the 35 senators’ votes. If passed by the Senate, legislation won’t take effect unless approved by the House and then by Alabama voters in a statewide referendum.

The legislation would tax, regulate and protect 3 facilities that were shut down under the threat of raids by the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling. It would also allow 2 dog tracks, additional casinos and 4 new casinos.

More than 1,000 people overflowed the Statehouse lawn and spilled over onto the Capitol lawn during the Governors speech. Riley and his wife were surrounded by a dozen uniformed and plainclothes officers as they tried to speak over the shouting of casino proponents.

CBS News: Bingo Rallies

It was a spirited and tense day in front of the Alabama State House as 2 rallies ran – 1 for and 1 against bingo. The pro bingo crowd’s cries delayed an appearance by Gov. Riley. After the crowd calmed the governor addressed his loyal supporters.

Many Alabama residents believe that if gambling is allowed, crime, poverty, unemployment will increase. Others believe allowing gambling in any form will destroy Alabama families. Others turn to the Bible for their beliefs on gambling.

The pro bingo rally message is simple, they just want a chance to vote on the matter. One of the main reasons supporters want to see electronic bingo facilities stay open is because for many, it’s their livelihood. The gambling facilities provide communities with hundreds of jobs, if nothing else. A lack of support in the Senate kept the Bill from reaching the floor.

AL.com: Bingo forces clash in competing rallies on the State House steps

More than 1,000 protesters for and against bingo are amassed on the steps of the Alabama State House trying to out-shout each other. Bingo supporters chant “Let the people vote,” while opponents chant, “Enforce the law.”

Gov. Bob Riley was supposed to speak at 12:30, but it’s unclear whether he will appear as hundreds of protestors swamp the steps and both sides try to shout each out other in a chaotic clash.

Employees of the state’s major bingo casinos went to the State House to show support for bingo legislation being considered this session. They began arriving at 10 a.m. and have a rally set for 2 p.m. Anti-bingo protestors arrived for their rally simultaneously.

Many people are proponents to the many gambling facilities because they depend on it. The different gambling centers throughout Alabama provide hundreds of jobs to local residents and are a financial staple to society.

The online gaming software giant Playtech has purchased the internet bingo company Virtue Fusion in a deal worth up to £36 million. Virtue Fusion currently supplies more than 20 groups with online bingo services. The deal is expected to push Playtech to the forefront of the international online bingo industry.

Reuters UK: Playtech buys online bingo firm Virtue Fashion

The internet gambling software giant Playtech just acquired the online bingo company Virtue Fashion in a deal worth up to £36 million. Playtech aims strengthen its presence in the international bingo market.

Playtech will make an initial payment of £29 million pounds in cash, with an additional performance-based payment of up to £7 million in early 2011.

The company says that bingo is one of the fastest growing facets of the online gambling world, and that the the deal will provide them with cross-selling opportunities.

Virtue Fashion currently has more than 20 licensees, including well known brands like as William Hill, Ladbrokes and Paddy Power. They saw a turnover of £12.3 million in 2009.

Playtech’s shares have lifted 21% in the last three months. Shares were up 2.1% to 477 pence after the merger was announced, valuing the company at about £1.15 billion.

London Evening Standard: Bingo king Al Haig sells Virtue to Playtech for £29m

Land-based bingo halls in the UK might be struggling, but millions of pounds are pouring through online versions of the game, where bingo is one of the online gaming industry’s fastest growing markets.

Internet bingo entrepreneur Al Haig recently became £25 million richer after selling his Virtue Fusion bingo business to Playtech for an upfront cost of £29 million, with more cash to follow if the business does well.

Virtue Fusion creates online bingo platforms for household names such as Ladbrokes and Sky. Playtech also works in the online gaming business, putting together software for internet casinos, mobile phones and TVs. Virtue Fusion had turnover of £12 million and saw a profit of £3.8 million last year.

Bob McCulloch, Virtual Fusion’s chief executive, is also expecting a pay-out from the deal, and intends to stay with the business for at least two years.

Playtech’s chief executive, Mor Weizer, said the acquisition will make his company a leading player in the international bingo market.

Proactive Investors UK: Playtech snaps up online bingo developer Virtue Fusion for £29 million

Online gaming software company Playtech is acquiring Virtue Fusion, a developer and licensor of internet bingo products, for an initial price of £29 million in cash, up to a potential £36 million depending on the performance of Virtue Fusion in 2010.

Playtech said the acquisition will transform it into a global leader in online bingo market, complementing its current position in the internet poker and casino industries. The deal is also expected to be earnings accretive in 2010, and will generate “additional cross-selling opportunities”.

In 2009, Virtue Fusion generated £12.3 million in revenues and adjusted EBITDA of £3.8 million, marking a significant increase compared to 2008 revenues of £8.1 million and adjusted EBITDA of £2.3 million in 2008. Playtech is paying a premium price to gain a firm position in the bingo sector, which according to the company is one of the fastest growing online gaming segments.

Virtue Fusion typically sees more than 6,000 concurrent players on their platform. They licence their online bingo products to more than 20 groups, including Paddy Power, Vigrin and William Hill.

“For Playtech, the acquisition significantly enhances its own bingo offering, brings new licensees and enhances its relationships with a number of existing licensees. It also positions Playtech as the leading supplier in all of the key product segments in the online gaming industry, with very substantial liquidity in each of its player networks,” Playtech stated this morning.

“As with poker, network player liquidity is an important element for bingo operators. By linking the operator’s bingo rooms across the network, Virtue Fusion can facilitate more frequent games being offered and higher prize values and jackpots for the same individual stake. Both Playtech and Virtue Fusion’s existing licensees will therefore enjoy the benefits of increased liquidity when their networks are combined.”

The controversial issue of casino gambling in Alabama came to a peak when the state’s governor, Bob Riley, ordered a raid on a new $87.5 million casino in the middle of the night and the action was halted in its tracks by a judges blocking order.

LA Times: Judge halts state raid of $87M bingo casino in latest round of Alabama’s fight over gambling

Near 40 Alabama state troopers gathered before sunrise, Wednesday, for a Gov. Bob Riley approved raid. The target: bingo machines at a new, allegedly illegal, $87 million casino near Dothan.

Local officials moved quickly to defend the targeted site, going to a judge’s home after midnight to get an order blocking the raid. The order was given to police before they could seize the 1,700 electronic bingo machines at Country Crossing.

County Commissioner Mark Culver denounced the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling’s attempt to shut down the bingo and entertainment complex, which created 1,300 jobs in the struggling community.

Bill Eadington, a University of Nevada at Reno gambling expert, said Alabama casino investors relied on questionable laws to build, but casinos are hard to close when restaurants and hotels, that produce lots of jobs, are added.

ABC News: Judge Halts State Raid of Big Alabama Bingo Center

A rural Alabama county hungry for economic development staved off a state raid on a new bingo and entertainment center despite Bob Riley’s wishes to close it. The county won a middle-of-the-night court order barring the raid as agents from the governor’s anti-gambling task force massed near Country Crossing, an $87 million complex near Dothan.

Houston County Commissioner Mark Culver got the order from a judge’s home at 1:30 a.m. delivered it to the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling assembling for a pre-dawn raid. He was trying to save 1,300 jobs in a county with 8.7 percent unemployment.

The Houston County Commission approved the construction of Country Crossing in 2008 and created a method for it to issue up to $70 million in bonds for construction. Country Crossing sought to stop the raid, claiming it would harm the bond issue that’s supposed to be paid off with bingo revenue.

Alabama gambling centers have been expanding with restaurants and other attractions and portraying themselves as economic development projects providing needed jobs in a recession.

AP News: Midnight order halts Ala. raid of $87M casino

A Gov. Riley approved raid on bingo machines at a new, $87 million casino by himself was stopped before dawn on Wednesday by judge’s order blocking it. Houston County Commissioner Mark Culver secured the judge’s approval and signature.

It was a blow for the governor in Alabama’s odd, ongoing struggle for control over the state’s mushrooming gambling industry. Culver said, “We are going to do everything we can to protect the jobs of the people of Houston County,” in reference to the incident. The governor claims the machines are illegal and simply an attempt to compete with Mississippi’s coastal casinos.

Circuit Judge P.B. McLauchlin agreed that seizing the machines “would do irreparable harm” to the bond transaction and blocked any raid pending a court hearing Jan. 20.

Online gaming company 888 just agreed to buy Wink Bingo for a price that could reach as high as $96 million. Following a large down payment, the remainder of the price will depend on the site’s performance in coming months. 888 made the purchase to increase their presents in the rapidly-growing online bingo market.

New York Times: 888 Buys Wink Bingo For Up to £60 Mln

Online gaming company 888 just agreed to acquire Wink Bingo from its current owner Daub Ltd for as much as 59.7 million pounds, and said that current trading remains strong and in line with projections.

888 develops new gaming products like bingo to help offset the effect of online gambling becoming illegal in the United States two years ago, which lead to the loss of half of the group’s sales income. Today, bingo is the fastest growing area of its online business.

“We are delighted to announce the Wink Bingo acquisition as an expansion of our B2C online Bingo footprint in the lucrative UK market. The transaction is financially attractive and will be earnings enhancing,” said Gigi Levy, 888’s CEO.

Details suggest 888 will first pay 11 million pounds to Daub on completion, followed by subsequent payments based on performance. Payments are set between five and six times the businesses earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the year to March 31, 2011.

Wink Bingo saw revenue of 15 million pounds with pretax profit of 1.3 million pounds in the 11 months prior to November 30th.

Shares in 888 were up 1.1 percent, trading at 112.8 pence.

domain-b: 888 acquires online game Wink Bingo for $96 million

Gibraltar-based 888 Holdings Plc. Recently agreed to buy Wink Bingo for as much as £60 million ($96 million) in an effort to enhance the company’s presence in the online bingo market, which is the fastest-growing area of the internet gaming industry.

An initial payment of £11 million will be given to Wink’s current owners Daub Ltd., followed by as much as £48.7 million in late 2011 depending on performance. This second payment is capped at £59.7 million.

Wink Bingo arrived with a bang in early 2008, and soon became very well known. Sponsoring popular UK television show’s like Harry Hill’s TV Burp and running amusing adverts like the Dancing Dog helped Wink Bingo increase their player base by more than 60,000 players each month.

With this acquisition, 888 hopes to catch up with bingo competitors Gala Coral, PartyGaming and Gamesys. In July, 888 lost a bidding war with PartyPoker when trying to acquire Cashcade, owner of Foxy Bingo, which also sold for £96 million.

888 reported that trading in this fourth quarter remains strong, showing growth of about 8 per cent over the third quarter of 2009.

London Evening Standard: 888 gets the nod for online bingo business Wink

Online gambling company 888 today dished out £60 million for an internet bingo business that started less than two years ago.

888 will pay Daub Limited, owners of Wink Bingo, as much as £59.7 million for the bingo business, which also includes the brands Posh Bingo and Bingo Fabulous.

The fast-growing industry of internet is very attractive to online gaming firms like 888 and PartyGaming, which are both constantly looking for partnerships.

Wink Bingo was just launched in 2008 but already supports more than 60,000 active members, making it one of the more popular bingo sites on the net.

It saw revenues of £15 million and profits of £1.3 million during the first 11 months of 2009.

888 will pay £11 million up front, with the remainder of the price possibly reaching as high as £59.7 million – this depends on the site’s performance in the next year.

888 chief executive Gigi Levy said: “We are delighted to announce the Wink Bingo acquisition as an expansion of our online bingo footprint in the lucrative UK market.

“The Wink team has a proven track record of excellence and will be a great addition to our growing bingo business.”

Levy also remarked that trading at 888 “remains strong and is in line with management’s expectations”.