National Bingo Game

The National Bingo Game is a bingo game that originally took place across the United Kingdom thanks to a network of 500 bingo clubs however in 2008 Gala Bingo made the decision to withdraw all of their clubs from the National Bingo Game reducing the number of clubs taking part to approximately 300. The biggest name in land based bingo halls still part of the National Bingo Game is Mecca Bingo but a multitude of independant bingo halls also join in the twice adily sessions that take place 364 days a year. The game is controlled by computer, so although players buy tickets from and play in their local club, the game they enjoy is the same one being played in all of the other participating clubs, with the same numbers being called at exactly the same moment, regardless of location.

Launched in 1986, the National Bingo Game is the most popular traditional bingo game in the UK, and for one simple reason: the prizes on offer are truly colossal. When the National Bingo Game first launched in June 1986 legislation had to go through parliment and the new Bingo Act was set. All players in the National Bingo Game must be of a legal age to participate in any form of gambling as per the Gambling Act 2005, this ages is 18.

The top prizes available in the National Bingo Game from Monday to Thursday is £20,000, and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this doubles to £25,000. In the daytime, players can participate in Afternoon Delight, a game that offers a top prize of £5,000 from Sunday to Friday and £10,000 on Saturdays. Despite the huge prizes, tickets cost from just £1 for 6.

The National Bingo Game Association (NGBA) are constantly striving to bring new and innovative ideas to the world of land based bingo and additional games have always been available to players choosing to visit their local bingo hall. Recent additions have included The Double Break and Diamond Break from the NGBA. These games both launched on 20th April 2009 and are just the start of a whole new set of games set to be launched by the National Bingo Game Association. Previously the National Bingo Game Association also offered something called “The Big’N”. This was an additional game that could only be played in conjunction with a regular National Bingo Game ticket, and gave players a chance of winning a gold jackpot fund worth five, six or even seven figures – the amounts grew from game to game until they were won. To win, players needed to match 6, 7 or 8 Big’N numbers on a ticket that won the National Bingo Game. It cost an additional £1 to participate in The Big’N, and players needed to make sure that their entry was validated by having their ticket stamped at the point of purchase.

Thanks to the National Bingo Game, bingo players have – for the first time ever – the chance of winning lottery-sized prizes. With a growing number of players being attracted by such prizes, bingo in the UK cannot fail to go from strength to strength. The departure of Gala Bingo from the National Bingo Game saw the prizes reduces quite dramatically but whilst the prizes may have reduced, the chances of winning the National Bingo game increased with less players now taking part in the game.

There have been many rumours recently suggesting that the National Bingo Game is set to launch into the world of online bingo and this would suggest that the floundering land based bingo industry is soon to diversify even more into the world of internet bingo. Many of the names involved in the National Bingo Game, like Mecca Bingo, already have a presence on the internet and it is rumoured that we are soon to see the big jackpots offered in the National Bingo Games come to online bingo.

The land based bingo industry has suffered at the hands of the government with the double taxation levied against it and the reduction in the number of big jackpot machines allowed at each bingo club.

It would be an interesting addition to online bingo if the National Bingo Game where to come to online bingo and one that would surely attract much attention from online bingo players.