There is news today of a new online bank that caters for gaming businesses and enthusiasts offering fast and secure online payments and money transfers.

Ivobank has plans to have one million customers within the next five years, with the Managing Director, Timothy Sawyer, stating that while the bank is open to anyone, it had been specifically designed with online gamers in mind.

He went on to say “The online gaming industry has developed rapidly in recent years, but the financial services supporting it have not kept pace,……Many online businesses and customers have been ill-served to date, resulting in relatively high costs and relatively low levels of service. Ivobank aims to plug the gap by offering instant and highly secure online payment services, combined with competitive interest rates.”

And concluded with “Ivobank is perfect for anyone who wants to shop online, but doesn’t want to use a credit card,”.

Customers will have access to a “virtual” debit card which can be used online wherever MasterCard is accepted.

You can apply for an Ivobank account at www.ivobank.com today, It’s free to sign up and there is no minimum deposit.

Ivobank state that gaming merchants and businesses will benefit from, Competitive rates of interest on deposits held with Ivobank, funds transferred by customers are indemnified and settled immediately- 24/7, multi currency settlements with localised payment options, low transaction fees and trouble free enhanced customer experience for online gaming payments.

Only time will tell if this new style bank will live up to its promises- i hope it does- anything for an easier way to pay for my online bingo!!

BrightShare Ltd, the exclusive affiliate program of the Jackpot Factory group, announced that its affiliate partners can generate revenue by promoting online bingo via Jackpot Factory’s new All Bingo Club.

All Bingo Club, launched in April 2008 under the slogan of “We’ve Got Balls” and utilises Microgaming’s technology, offerring online bingo games 24/7. All Bingo Club has steadily grown and received a lot of interest for its bingo as well as its online casino.

As a special offer , BrightShare is doubling bingo revenue share between August 1st and October 31st, allowing affiliates to receive up to 80% on net profits of players they direct to All Bingo Club.

All Bingo Club’s Manager, Mikki G said, “We’re really excited to have a company like BrightShare promote our brand. They won a couple of affiliate awards last year and conduct business with a high standard of professionalism. Additionally, their overall strategy is very much in line with our approach to online bingo, so we should have excellent collaboration on this project.”

More information can be found at www.brightshare.com

Hi again, Just wanted to give you this little tit bit of info before i go home for the weekend.

It has come to light today that Sun Bingo- who announced at this years Bingo Summit that they would be parting ways with current platform Tombola- have decided to partner up with Jackpot Joy.

In a move that some are labeling as “a cynical attempt to get more money out of its gaming platform and Bingo members” it looks like the existing Sun Bingo players could be split with the temptation to follow Sun Bingo over to Jackpot Joy (where you would have to sign up all over again!), or stick with Tombola- who are retaining existing accounts where play will continue as normal.

So we will have to see how it all pans out with the decision left to the players. I will update you with news as and when i get it!!

I have been noticing more and more in recent months that on-line bingo sites are finding their charitable sides by doing what they can to give back.

This week Gala Bingo have set themselves a £1 million target to donate to Sue Ryder Care over the next 18 months.

But not all sites have the means to donate such a massive amount, but still do all they can to give back. One such site is Crown Bingo who have made the decision to donate to local and national charities. So far this year they have donated a fantastic £1597. Well done Crown!

There are also sites that are fully dedicated to giving back, such as Big Heart Bingo-describing itself as the first and only charity bingo site that gives a percentage of all wagers to charity, without loss of winnings for its players.

I think its great that these sites are taking an active role in giving back to the community and to those who really benefit from charitable giving. Well done!!

A few months back i wrote about Mobile Bingo becoming a reality, well now it seems that jacpotjoy.com are getting on board in a deal with Rapid Mobile Media.

ThinkPhone software will be used to deliver games in the same fast and secure way they are played online to mobile phones where players can sign up at Jackpotjoy and play bingo, along with accessing the site’s progressive jackpots.

If this venture is a success, im sure all the major bingo sites will also be signing up for mobile bingo, so that their players can enjoy bingo anytime, anywhere!!

Austin Business Journal, USA- Littlefield Corp. has won six new bingo hall licenses in South Carolina over the objections from the state’s Department of Revenue.

Littlefield Corp, the Austin-based owner and operator of charitable bingo halls sought six licenses that would give it the option to add to the ten bingo halls it operates in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Revenue denied Littlefield’s initial application. But the company appealed, and an administrative law judge approved the licenses, allowing expansion plans to move forward. 

Jeffrey Minch, Littlefield President and CEO  says”This order to issue the licenses, which were previously denied by the South Carolina Department of Revenue, will allow us to proceed with our planned acquisition of several bingo halls”.

Littlefield operates 32 bingo halls in four states used by more than 100 charities such as homeless shelters and volunteer fire departments.

777.com, one of the leading online gaming guides, has launched new online bingo and sports betting sections with reviews on top bingo rooms and sports betting sites, exclusive promotions and more.The new sections give new players all the information needed to become a part of the growing online bingo and sports betting community, as well as news and updates about events, matches, exclusive promotions and industry news.

777.com’s Marketing Director, Amy Gomez, said “the new additions to 777.com make the site an ideal starting point and home for every player and better. 777.com has become a one-stop shop for every player in the world, whether it’s casino, poker, bingo or sports betting,” Said Gomez. “We now offer an even wider range of services for our users who can now find only the very best the gambling world has to offer.”

Online bingo is enjoying a boom in the UK at the moment. In fact it is having the same kind of rise to fame that online poker enjoyed a few years ago when it became seriously mainstream, when websites started to offer the opportunity to play online, with TV shows and even greater prize money popping up everywhere.

Bingo is going through the same revival for a number of reasons; Not only has the smoking ban detracted the appeal of visiting bingo halls, but bingo games are taxed twice by the UK government. As well as gaming tax, bingo is also faced with VAT and is the only gaming market that suffers this double indignity.

Online bingo had already begun to make its mark before these factors were set in place. UK based bingo websites, which are increasing in stature and number, report huge profits and are still able to offer the kind of jackpots that would normally be associated with bingo’s rivals, poker and casino games.