Swear at ‘Fred’ the Bingo Gala mascot for UK bingo jackpot joy!

Online bingo players often keep a lucky mascot nearby their computer when playing the games. Others however, prefer to trust to the luck of the game’s own mascot.

One British player, a lady known as mmarymm, from Bournemouth, UK admits to swearing at Fred, Bingo Gala’s very own mascot. It seems this may not be such a bad thing, so long as the children are out of ear-shot. Mmarymm recently hit her second progressive bingo jackpot at Bingo Gala, winning $2,150.82!

Mmarymm said “I was playing on the ‘Crazy Borders’ pattern. I saw I needed 66, and saw 65 come out, with one number to go. I said to myself ’65’ then ‘66’ yeah as if, and there it was, 66!!”.

Mmarymm has been playing on Bingo Gala since 2003, and this is her second jackpot win. “I love Bingo Gala because of the CM’s and the roomies, though I miss our US friends so much. If I’m really poor, I set my alarm for scrambles and play through the morning, cos I can usually get a few BBs to play with”.

For the uninitiated, Scrambles, or Word Scramble is a regular chat game played on Bingo Gala daily, where the CM (Chat Master) will give you a scrambled word and a clue. If you are the first player to guess what it is, you win BBs (Bonus Bucks). There’s a whole lot more to Bingo Gala than just bingo!

The big question is; ‘What will mmarymm do with her winnings?’ “My daughter is starring in a show in Majorca for the summer and I had planned to book a ‘bed and breakfast’ to go stay and see the show for a week, but now I’m gonna book a good hotel! I’m also going to get a new laptop because the kb on this one is shot, and provides far too much entertainment in chat with typos!”

But do Bingo Gala winners come back and continue to play after winning two jackpots?
“Of course I intend to stay here!” says mmarymm, “And my message to others who dream of a JP is just keep playing. It isn’t lots of cards that win a JP. I was only playing 23”.

Bingo Gala will be adding a 90-ball bingo hall in its next software upgrade due to be released later this month. This is sure to attract more UK players just like mmarymm.
If you want to try your luck, join in the fun of the chat games, or even just have a swear at Fred, then go to www.bingogala.com

French court fines Partouche 40,000 Euros

A court in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France has handed Patrick Partouche, the chairman of French Groupe Partouche, a 12-month suspended prison sentence and a 40,000 Euro on 15th March, for his involvement with Cyprus-registered online poker site, Poker770.com.

By working with the non-French online poker site, Partouche violated French gaming laws prohibiting access to French online gaming customers which France reserves only for its state-owned online gaming monopolies.

The court also fined the company Partouche International, a subsidiary of Groupe Partouche which is based in Belgium, 150,000 Euro for its online gaming activities targeting French players.

Two other people associated with Poker770.com were additionally fined 40,000 Euro, with similar suspended sentences by the court.

All three have appealed the judgment. Partouche’s lawyers declined to comment on the court decision.

Contrary to European Union (EU) law which gives EU-based companies access to do business anywhere in the EU, France has been aggressively prosecuting companies who are based outside of France for taking French customers away from their online monopolies and reducing monopoly revenues.

Two plead guilty in US e-gambling case

On 16th April, a Miami executive and his wife pleaded guilty in court to participating in a massive $1.4 billion-a-year Internet sports gambling operation in New York. The Queens District Attorney’s office said that Daniel Clarin, 32, and Melissa Clarin, 31, pleaded guilty to enterprise corruption and conspiracy charges for taking part in the operation that ran over a 28-month period.

Sentencing was set for 26th April. A Queen’s judge said Daniel Clarin will likely serve two to seven years in prison, and will also have to forfeit $254,000. Melissa Clarin, pleading guilty to a conspiracy charge, may escape jail time, if she forfeits $72,000 in illegal earnings.

The operation processed bets through offshore computer servers and a web site. Bets were taken on sports, including horseracing, football, baseball, basketball, hockey, Nascar races, PGA golf, and professional tennis.

The Clarins are the latest of 27 people who were arrested, to admit to being part of an operation that processed bets through offshore computer servers and a Web site. The accused ringleader, James Giordano, is Melissa Clarin’s father. He has already pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is awaiting trial. Giordano was also a professional poker player.

The case represents the first time Internet gambling charges were brought in the US since President George W Bush signed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act into law in October 2006. The law effectively banned online gambling by outlawing gaming financial transactions.

You can find the best online bingo games at Bingo Gala.

NETeller case extended to April

On 16th March, The Department of Justice team handling the NETeller case, against the company’s co-founders John Lefebvre and Stephen Lawrence, were given an extension until 16th April by the US court.

Department of Justice spokesperson Rebecca Carmichael informed reporters that the extension had not been opposed by the two Canadian men, who have had to put up hefty bail following their arrests by the FBI in January, and are still confined to the New York City limits until the case has been finalised. But the reason for doing so has not been made clear.

Lefebvre and Lawrence are facing a variety of charges including conspiracy to transfer funds with the intent to promote illegal gambling.

Meanwhile, US players whose funds remain tied up in the wake of the NETeller debacle, will have to continue to wait it out and deal with the fact that the current freeze on their funds is likely to continue. The frustrated account holders have organised a group called The NETeller Customer Coalition in order to attempt to access their money.

The members of the group have over $750,000 frozen in NETeller accounts, and have been collectively searching for ways to pressure the company to give up the funds.

Play your favorite online bingo games at Bingo Gala.

UK Gambling advertising laws to be scrapped

A ban on TV and radio adverts for casinos, betting shops and online gambling sites is to be scrapped. The new revised rules will come into operation in September 2007, as part of the Gambling Act 2005.

The new law will incorporate clauses in the area of marketing communications for “play for money” gambling products and “play for free” gambling products that offer the chance to win a prize, or that explicitly or implicitly directs the consumer to a “play for money” gambling product, whether on-shore or off-shore.

Minister for Sport Richard Caborn said “The government would monitor the changes and step in if problems arose. The restrictions are needed to protect children and other vulnerable groups”. But he added: “If they are insufficient to ensure proper public protection, the government will consider using its additional powers to impose further restrictions.”

Some forms of gambling are already exempt from the ban, including the National Lottery, but spread betting can be promoted as an “investment activity” under Financial Services Authority rules, and bingo halls, football pools and amusement arcades can advertise as long as they adhere to guidelines.

From September, advertisers must stick to a set of rules designed to ensure they are socially responsible. They must not, for example, depict gambling as a solution to debt problems. Adverts must not show gamblers behaving in a way which is irresponsible or could lead to financial, social, or emotional harm. Adverts will be banned during shows aimed at under 18’s, and anyone who is, or seems to be, under 25 years old may not be featured gambling or playing a significant role. No-one may behave in an adolescent, juvenile or loutish way. And as with alcohol, anyone promoting gambling must not link it to sexual success or enhanced self-image.

The new rules were drawn up by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP).

Under the new laws, advertising will be policed by the Advertising Standards Authority, and any breach could be referred to the Gambling Commission or the regulator Ofcom who could impose sanctions.

Nicola Crewe-Reade, from addiction counseling service GamCare, which is funded by the gambling industry, also backed the changes. She said “We hope the outcome of these new standards will be to encourage people to see gambling as fun and entertaining rather than as a way of making your fortune.”

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