Bullet Business

2008 has proved to be quite an eventful year for the online bingo industry in the UK.

Be it for category expansion or new players, product development or technology, B2B or B2C…this form of gambling remained in news for a series of developments throughout the year.

A new independent bingo site (bingoadvisor.co.uk) dedicated to providing UK bingo players with a trusted and safe online bingo experience has been launched.

BingoAdvisor.co.uk provides tips and detailed reviews of the UK's best online bingo providers.

888 Holdings plc has shared plans for expansion of its bingo activities in terms of potential revenues and geographic presence.

In yet another indication of online bingo thriving in the current environment, 888 has shared that its bingo revenues in the first nine months of this year reached $27m – almost double the $14.5m achieved in 2007.

888's chief executive Gigi Levy said bingo was "the fastest growing segment in the online gaming industry", boosted by increasing demand from female players.

888.com has recently received the GamCare certificate for its 888ladies bingo site.

The certificate reflects "good practice and commitment to the protection of players" as manifested in GamCare's Code of Practice for Remote Gambling. Only companies that implement these guidelines receive the certification.

An analysis of the online bingo industry in the UK has revealed that players in the market have increased 80 percent within the space of six months despite the looming recession.

Post the launch of Spanish Bingo.com website (http://es.bingo.com), Bingo.com, Ltd. has commenced translation of additional languages for launch in coming quarters.

Consumers are being wooed in a number of ways by the existing as well as the relatively new online bingo sites, with offerings varying from free online bingo game to a fully functional real-time chat room where bingo players can socialise and get acquainted.

Bingo software supplier Parlay Entertainment's gaming suite has been added to Casino and Gaming Television (CGTV) Canada's website.

The deal will enable Canadians to play bingo and casino games on their televisions.

In yet another move exemplifying online bingo companies increasing reliance on television, online gaming site William Hill Bingo has decided to take a plunge into television programme advertising for the first time.

The company has decided to sponsor ITV's new daily game show Spin Star, being hosted by popular former Coronation Street star Bradley Walsh.