Following reports that the Ann Summers bingo site had shut down recently, it seems like another online bingo network has bitten the dust. The whole of the “You Got Bingo” network has apparently closed, with rumours circulating that the network has been bought out by an unspecified buyer. An email notification was sent to customers of the You Got Bingo network, which stated
“Dear my loyal Roomie,
Exciting changes are happening with your favorite online bingo network. Over the last few months industry leaders have been contacting Skippy asking to buy the bingo network and all of his great games. Many times, Skippy has turned down these offers.
Skippy has always wanted to make sure that his roomies come first. Recently an exciting offer has been accepted which will benefit all Roomies.
Unfortunately, this means that as of today Skippy will not be able to provide his services until the new owners start up and take over. The Bingo halls and games are now closed until the new sites are operational, which we expect to be early in the New Year.
We would love to thank all members for making the network such a great success. For All Account Issues, please do not hesitate to contact Skippy at Skippy@yougotbingo. All enquiries will be answered in the fastest time possible.”
The email states ‘In the meantime you may want to check out the following sites that we recommend as offering fair and honest games with great prizes’ which is then followed by a Jackpot Joy banner and link to the online bingo site, providing enough fuel for some to speculate the site may have been taken over by Jackpot Joy. No official confirmation of these rumours have been provided by either party as of yet, similarly to no formal reason being issued.
Some blogs had speculated the sites were affected by payment processing issues. A response from a member of the Interactive Playnet team, who run alongside the You Got Bingo Network confirmed they would be closing, saying “We have a 3rd party who wishes to buy the company and their intentions are not to focus on the bingo side but on the casino side.” Whether this implies the You Got Bingo network sites, which include Rainbow Bingo, Happy Days Bingo, Churchill Bingo and Bulldog Bingo are to be reinstated is not known. Messages on the site say that the sites are undergoing maintenance work.
Although this, coupled with the Ann Summers bingo site shutting down has led some to believe the bubble may have burst for the online bingo boom, it is unlikely that the market will stop growing. Rather, as the online bingo world matures, it is likely there will be periods of buyouts and mergers, particularly in the face of the recent global financial crisis, as bingo networks try to grow in order to ensure survival in the increasingly competitive sector. Perhaps most have been prompted by the recent buyout of bingo stalwart Cashcade to PartyGaming, which has seen one of the largest gaming networks created, with PartyGaming adding Cashcade brands like Foxy Bingo, Cheeky Bingo, Think Bingo, Little Big Bingo and Foxy Zero to their portfolio. With the competition getting serious, it seems like there might be more than a few changes ahead in the wonderful world of online bingo. And you can be sure we’ll be keeping you posted about all of these!
