Begambleaware GamCare eCogra Verisign

What Are the Advantages of Online Bingo Networks?

- Updated by Mike Bennett on -

Array ( [0] => If you have been looking around at online bingo sites, you’re bound to have noticed that many are very similar to each other. [1] => Furthermore, if you have been reading reviews, then you will likely have heard of bingo networks. [2] => This is sure to have left you with questions such as what is a network, why do the sites look so similar, what is the difference between them, and how does it affect me? [3] => These are all key questions and ones that you need answering in order to have the best possible online bingo experience. [4] => It is important to take a few minutes to read this page. [5] => We provide clear answers to all these questions and more so that you can fully take advantage of bingo networks' offerings. )

If you have been looking around at online bingo sites, you’re bound to have noticed that many are very similar to each other. Furthermore, if you have been reading reviews, then you will likely have heard of bingo networks.

This is sure to have left you with questions such as what is a network, why do the sites look so similar, what is the difference between them, and how does it affect me? These are all key questions and ones that you need answering in order to have the best possible online bingo experience. It is important to take a few minutes to read this page. We provide clear answers to all these questions and more so that you can fully take advantage of bingo networks' offerings.

Top 10 Bingo Sites

Bingo Regulation Min Deposit Bonus Link
Bingo Loft Regulation: UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 Get £40 + 60 free spins Play Now
#AD, 1st-time depositors only. Min Deposit £10. £30 Bingo Bonus [BB] + 60 Free Spins [FS] on FLUFFY FAVOURITES. Must use promo code: SUPER. FS are valid for 3 days, FS winnings capped at £0.25 per spin. 20 FS will be credited over 3 days. FS wins granted in GB after all FS used. GB must be wagered 35x. Max GB winnings £100 + value of initial bonus. BB Wagering Requirements [WR] 4x. Country restrictions apply. Valid until further notice. 18+. General withdrawal restrictions & Full T&Cs apply.
Mecca Bingo Regulation: UKGC & GGC Min. Deposit: £5 Spend £10 Get £120 Play Now
#AD, NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. DEPOSIT AND STAKE £10 ON BINGO TO QUALIFY WITHIN 7 DAYS OF INITIAL DEPOSIT. SOME PRIZES HAVE WAGERING REQUIREMENTS AND EXPIRY DATES. SEE FULL T&CS FOR MORE DETAIL.
Gossip Bingo Regulation: GGC & UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 200% up to £30 bingo bonus + 30 free spins Play Now
#AD, New players only. Valid until 31.12.2024. Min dep £10. 200% Bingo Bonus [BB] max £30 + 30 Free Spins [FS] on selected game (valid for 3 days; wins cap: £4.5). FS wins granted in Games Bonus [GB] & valid on selected games only. WR: 4x BB & 35x GB. GB wins cap: £100 + initial bonus. UK: deposit balance can be withdrawn at any time. Country restrictions apply. 18+. Full T&C apply.
Two Fat Ladies Bingo Regulation: AGCC & UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 200% up to £88 bingo bonus + 20 free spins Play Now
#AD, New players only. Valid until 31.12.2024. Min dep £10. 200% Bingo Bonus [BB] max £88 + 20 Free Spins [FS] on Irish Luck (valid for 3 days, wins cap: £3). FS wins granted in Games Bonus [GB] & valid on selected games only. WR: 4x (BB); 35x (Bonus amount). GB wins cap: £100 + initial bonus. UK: deposit balance can be withdrawn at any time. Country restrictions apply. 18+. Full T&C apply.
MrQ Bingo Regulation: UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 30 Days Free Bingo & 50 free spins Play Now
#AD, First deposit only. Min deposit & spend £10. Max 50 spins on Finn & The Swirly Spin at 10p per spin. Spins credited upon spend of £10. Also gain access to 'On The House' bingo room for 30 days, Games run every 10 minutes 12pm - 12am. Claim 6 tickets per game. 18+
Swanky Bingo Regulation: GSC & UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 Win up to 500 free spins Play Now
bet365 Bingo Regulation: UKGC Min. Deposit: - 50 free spins + 100 bingo tickets Play Now
#AD, New Bingo customers only. Opt in required. Spend £10 cash on Bingo Tickets to receive 100 Free Tickets and 50 Free Spins on eligible slots. Time limits, exclusions and T&Cs apply.
Betfred Bingo Regulation: GSC & UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 £10 + 100 free spins Play Now
#AD, New customers only. Register with promo code BINGO100. Minimum deposit and stake £10 on Bingo Tickets within 14 days to qualify. £10 Bingo Bonus must be wagered through once. 14-day expiry. Bonus Balance is used prior to Cash Balance. 100 Free Spins on selected Slots credited within 48 hours of qualification. Free Spins expire after 7 days. E-Wallet & Prepaid Card restrictions apply. SMS validation may be required. Full T&Cs apply.
Buzz Bingo Regulation: UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 Up to £40 + 200 free spins Play Now
#AD, 18+ Deposit & stake £10 Bingo get £30 bonus (x4 WR) + £10 Club voucher, &/or stake £10 slots get 200 x 10p Fire Blaze™️ Blue Wizard Megaways™️ spins (x20 WR). Use or add to balance to get both. T&Cs apply.
Spectra Bingo Regulation: GGC & UKGC Min. Deposit: £10 200% up to £30 bingo bonus + 30 free spins Play Now
#AD, New players only. Valid until 31.12.2024. Min dep £10. 200% Bingo Bonus [BB] max £30 + 30 Free Spins [FS] on selected game (valid for 3 days; Max wins cap 0.25p). FS wins granted in Games Bonus [GB] & valid on selected games only. WR: 4x bingo bonus; 35x GB. GB wins cap: £100 + initial bonus. UK: deposit balance can be withdrawn at any time. Country restrictions apply. 18+. Full T&C apply.
*18+ T&C's apply! Click "Play Now" for details

How to Choose between the Bingo Networks

When you’re looking around for a bingo site to join, there are several points that you might want to note. The first thing is that the promotions and the bonuses are usually the same across a network. This tends to result in some special deals that are very lucrative. In addition to this, you may want to look at the freebies on offer, especially those for new members. Probably the most important of the considerations, however, is the size of the jackpots that are on offer.

When you sign up to a particular syndicate, the number of people participating affects the overall amount that is available to win. At a basic level, when there are more players taking part, the prize fund on offer will be higher. Naturally, the flip side of this is that there are more people trying to win it, and so the odds of you getting lucky are reduced. Nevertheless, for many, this is one of the most attractive features of the online networks.

Which Bingo Networks Are Dominating the Market?

A recent report revealed that there were 421 online bingo sites that were active in 2017, and only four of these use their own proprietary software. The majority of the others are linked to one of the top networks. Out of the providers, the front-runner in the field is Dragonfish, which is a part of Cassava Enterprises that is behind industry giants like Wink Bingo. This company has 192 websites using its software at last count, although it has to be noted that this has decreased slightly from the previous year. Dragonfish’s main rival is Cozy Games, whose share of the market expanded to 106 websites in the same year.

Some way behind in terms of numbers are Jumpman Gaming, and also Virtue Fusion, who are a subsidiary of Playtech. These two companies hold the middle ground, by catering for 42 and 31 sites respectively. The remaining names on the list are all in single figures. Somewhat surprisingly, Microgaming falls into this category, although it has to be said that bingo isn’t the main focus of its business. The future isn’t looking overly bright for the smaller providers, whose presence in the scene continues to diminish. At best, they can expect to hold their own, but the experts predict that they will continue to drop away.

The Distribution of Bingo Networks in 2017

Leading Bingo Networks

How the White Label Bingo Sites Are Structured

Many of the websites are described as ‘bingo skins’ or ‘white label’. This means that the site is run by an independent operator who uses a complete software package from one of the licensed providers. This package integrates the entire operation, and so everything to do with the process, from the registration to the customer support, is unified. The sites that use this kind of system are linked to the provider’s network, and their members will have access to all the facilities that are on offer there.

Although much of the content is shared, the operators can put their own themes onto the websites, and so each of them retains its individuality. Once again, the three main providers for this kind of service are Dragonfish, Cozy Games, and Jumpman Gaming. The fourth name in this leading group, Virtue Fusion, has taken a different approach to this aspect of its operation, and provides a more bespoke service for its clients, among which big names like bet365 Bingo.

The Variety of Games Found on the Bingo Networks

The standard bingo choices can be found on all of the online networks, and so you won’t have any difficulty finding the 90-ball option, which has its roots in the UK. Its American cousin, the 75-ball game, is the other mainstay. You are also likely to see the 80-ball version as this is listed on many of the provider’s sites. In addition to the three standard games, there are some other alternatives on offer, and these provide some quirky variations to the regular format.

The Variations of Bingo on the Networks

The Networked Games with the Large Jackpots

Probably the best thing about joining one of the online bingo networks is that you’ll be given access to some of the larger prize funds. These are generally divided into two types. There are those with fixed awards, and then others that have pooled winnings. In this case, the prize fund is relative to the number of participants. Some of the versions have sliding jackpots. In this situation, the amount that is paid out is dependent on the time that it takes to win. For instance, if you achieve bingo within 44 calls, you will receive a bigger sum than you would for being within 48. If you would like to take part in one of the big money sessions, the advice is to pre-buy your tickets. Many players don’t realise that there are limited places for some of the rounds, and it is all too easy to miss out on the opportunity to take part.

The Possibility of Integrated Bonuses and Promotions

A quick glance at some of the recent bingo sites that share the same provider will soon reveal that the welcome bonuses and many of the other promotions are all the same. This can be one of the most positive aspects of the networks for online players as it sometimes means that the sums on offer are far larger. The wagering requirements are also standardised in this situation. At Dragonfish, these are referred to as ‘shared games’ in the terms and conditions, and the members from several venues will all be playing for the same jackpot. It’s a similar case with Cozy Games and Jumpman Gaming, who both run collective games across their networks.

The Benefits of Joining the Networked Loyalty Clubs

Each of the bingo networks takes a different approach when it comes to the loyalty or VIP schemes. Some don’t link them at all, preferring to leave the websites to decide for themselves whether to run them and the structure that they should take. Others run linked schemes that can be customized. The Daub network, for instance, has 6 levels, in which players start as newbies and work up to emerald. At each of the stages, there are various rewards, and every site puts its own spin on these. It’s probably Dragonfish that runs the most coordinated loyalty programme out of them all. The Joy Gem Club has members from what they describe as ‘the whole family of sites’ including leading names like 888Ladies. This allows members of one website to access the VIP rooms in several others too.

If the site belongs to one of the online networks that has a loyalty scheme in place, there may be some exclusive games for VIP members. These can be very lucrative as the top prizes are generally bigger and the ticket prices are lower. In addition, these rooms often have additional giveaways, such as extra loyalty points or one-off treats. Some of the bingo rooms are for players at all levels of the schemes, but others are targeted at those on a specific tier. If this is the case, the rewards tend to be more generous for those who have reached the upper ranks of the programmes.

Some Final Considerations When Choosing a Network

There are some key considerations that should be taken into account when you’re choosing which of the online bingo networks to join. As always, the value attributed to each of these will very much depend on which of the factors are most important to you.

The Future Prospects for the Bingo Networks

There have been many recent changes in the bingo world, and more are expected in the coming year. Although these are unlikely to affect players directly, they are still interesting to note. Cozy Games was acquired by GVC Holdings late in 2017, and the sites that are on this platform now hold a licence under ElectraWorks Limited. This network is now expected to expand its provision. A new platform has been touted by the mysterious ‘Mr Q’. This has yet to materialise though, and there is very little information available about it. The other games provider who is joining the arena is Yggdrasil Gaming. This company has plans to launch its bingo software within the coming months.

FAQs