Have you ever wondered what a bingo network is? Ran by software providers such as Playtech, Cozy Games, and Microgaming – bingo networks enable online bingo sites to connect it’s bingo sites and games with many other platforms to make one big happy bingo family.
Of course, this is great for the bingo sites in question, and its players; as the more attention the sites get, the higher the prize pools can reach.
We at BingoSites.com put together a helpful guide on bingo networks and will be going through the pros and cons as well as running through some of our favourite bingo networks and what they are all about!
What is a Bingo Network?
In a nutshell, a bingo network is several bingo sites and their games all interconnected with one another. This is done in order to pool together not only players but also their resources.
This has the desired result of creating a powerhouse of active bingo sites. So, you will have multiple bingo sites which are all part of the same group (so to speak) but on different web pages.
Usually, having a whole network of bingo sites means the sites will always be busy and create a good amount of traffic. This is especially great for newer bingo site operators, so essentially, they will have a decent customer base from the get-go.
Luckily for you, this also means the jackpots are really rather generous, due to the larger cash pool created by many players across all of the different platforms playing simultaneously.
This doesn’t mean that every single bingo room on the site will be linked together. Instead, a lot of the better bingo networks offer players both exclusive rooms (independent of the network), as well as networked rooms. It’s always good to have two options.
So although you might not have realised it, if you have ever played in a networked room, you were probably also playing players from a different (but connected) bingo site.
Advantages of Bingo Networks
When it comes to the best things about bingo networks, of course, we at BingoSites.com should start with the huge jackpot pools (in other words that much sought after prize pot) that bingo networks can offer players.
For the more sociable of us, bingo networks can be great too. It’s like consolidating all of your favourite online bingo sites into one, including the chat spaces and player diversity. The more people playing, the bigger the jackpot prize will be
We’ve established the advantage of large numbers of players (or bingo sites) is that the prizes on offer will be much bigger than in exclusive bingo rooms, but are there any negatives?
Disadvantages of Bingo Networks
Generally speaking the impressive jackpots on bingo networks are very desirable to new players.
However, some people find that having such a large number of players across a variety of sites can be a bit of a double-edged sword. This is because obviously, you’re playing against a higher volume of people, which dramatically lessens your odds of winning.
You might also find that bingo networks can sometimes lack variety, such as having the same bonuses etc on each bingo site associated with the network. Of course, this will probably lead you to look for unique or stand out extras on sites as an extra incentive to join up.
The Major Bingo Networks
Now that you hopefully have a better understanding of what a bingo network is and how they work, we’re going to run through some of the biggest and best bingo networks available to all of you bingo lovers out there.
Dragonfish Bingo Network
This one started life as a software developer and is part of the B2B division in 888 Holdings Group. In fact, the vast majority of 888 sites use this software provider.
After landing around 2007, Dragonfish has been very popular amongst up and coming bingo sites. The online bingo network currently powers nearly 200 separate bingo sites over several brands.
Despite the online bingo sites forming part of the Dragonfish network as a whole, a few of the bigger sites will likely have their own rooms separate to the network
Examples of popular bingo games played on the network include:
- Love Hearts Bingo
- Bingo All Stars
- Loadsa Bingo
- Glorious Bingo
- Dinky Bingo
- Zoe’s Bingo
- Bounce Bingo
- Sailor Bingo
- Two Fat Ladies
- And Many More
Gamesys Bingo Network
This network has a much loved (although small), selection of casino sites within its bingo network. Hugely popular brands such as Heart Bingo and Jackpot Joy are just a couple of the bingo sites that keep players coming back.
As with all of the networks on our list, Gamesys has a huge variety of jackpots, attractive promotions, and of course some great bingo games to try your luck at.
Gamesys bingo network provides a bit more than just bingo, as they are also the powerhouse behind many much-loved casino sites and slot sites. But when it comes to bingo, you will find all of the classics within its network, as well as variations of each format.
Some of the classics include 90-ball and 75-ball bingo.
A handful of the additional bingo sites on offer from the Gamesys bingo network:
- Virgin Games
- Starspins
- Smooth Bingo
- Pick Me Up Bingo
Virtue Fusion Bingo Network (Playtech)
The Virtue Fusion network is a firm favourite amongst players and is the powerhouse behind some of the biggest names in bingo. With many different languages and currencies to choose from, Virtue Fusion Bingo is popular worldwide.
Launched in the late 1990s, Virtue Fusion Bingo is powered by Playtech software. Whilst there are some huge prizes when playing via the network, there is also a large number of players. So, if the big jackpots are seeming more attractive to you, do bear in mind that your odds of winning are lower due to a greater amount of players
Some of the best bingo sites/brands on offer are:
- Sun Bingo
- Coral Bingo
- BGO Bingo
- Mecca Bingo
- Betfred Bingo
- Buzz Bingo
Real Bingo Network (Dragonfish)
The popularity of Real Bingo Network seems to be ramping up due to the sheer amount of entertainment offered to its payers. With great bingo games to choose from and a wide variety of free spins make this one a fantastic bingo network.
Real Bingo Network uses the same software as the superb Dragonfish network, although there are differences.
With the Real Bingo Network whatever you win, you get to keep, as there are no matching bonuses or wagering conditions. So instead of needing to wager a specific amount however many times, you can withdraw your winnings straight away!
Some of the best brands on this bingo network are
- Loadsa Bingo
- Bounce Bingo
- Yay Bingo
- Blighty Bingo
Live Bingo Network (Cozy Games)
Created in 2009, this network is powered by the popular Cozy Games software company. Live Bingo Network really is one of the largest networks around, and this is in part thanks to its connection to Cozy Game.
Some of the most popular sites within this network are
- Queen Bee
- MR Green
- Kozmo Bingo
- Betfred Bingo
- Umbingo
Like the majority of bingo networks available, Live Bingo Network is a very mobile-friendly platform. In fact, is compatible with almost all devices (within reason).
Live Bingo Network is known for offering an easily understandable platform, with great deposit bonuses. With nearly 60 sites launched through the network, there are plenty of great offers and lavish deposit bonuses for you to take advantage of.
Best Bingo Network (Cozy Games)
Another site designed and managed by Cozy Games, this one only has around 6 online bingo titles under its belt. Best Bingo Network has some of the online bingo industry’s lesser-known names such as Wow Bingo’, Biscuit Bingo and One Bingo.
While some sites can go a little bit over the top and showy with the all-singing all-dancing layout, we at BingoSites.com think that this is often a case of style over substance.
On the contrary, Cozy Games tend to design simple and easy to use games, and you will usually find the bingo site in question is smartly designed and the games very satisfying to play.
With far fewer players than other bingo networks, players describe the atmosphere as friendly and comforting. We think it’s like the difference between a big corporate supermarket, compared to a small local shop, in terms of cosiness
We think Best Bingo Network is really quite charming, it does what it says on the tin, and of course, there are negative and positive aspects to everything in life, so you just need to figure out what floats your bingo boat and go from there.
Lucky Duck Network (Cozy Games)
Another one by Cozy Games – the Lucky Duck Network launched in 2007, and it is licenced by the Gaming Commission and based in Malta.
Lucky Duck Network has a small assortment of online bingo sites, which are all powered by Cozy Games Software. As we previously noted, this particular software firm is actually one of the biggest game providers in the online bingo industry.
A lot of times Lucky Duck Network bingo sites will feature the same welcome promotion across all of its platforms. For example – at the time of writing, if your first deposit is at least £10, then Lucky Duck Network will offer you a reward of 400%.
Lucky Duck Network also hosts 30-ball and 75-ball games, in stand-alone bingo rooms. When it comes to classic bingo games, you can play 90-ball rooms and a decent selection of jackpot games (all shared between different networks).
Joy of Bingo (888 Network)
Another one which runs on Dragonfish software, Joy of Bingo is a small network of bingo sites with some big names like Wink bingo and 888 ladies – which are both popular due to a well-established reputation for promotions and attractive offers.
Dragonfish websites tend to be extremely customisable. Of course, this means that bingo site owners are able to make their sites unique and enhance the experience of the player.
Joy of Bingo sites all have 90, 75 and 30-ball bingo games for you to enjoy. A prime example of this is Speed Bingo, which is a game created by Dragonfish itself.
This network offers some fantastic promotions, including the bonus game promotion on a minimum deposit of £10.
To receive this bonus all you need to do is to put in the code given to you – then voila, you can play a wide variety of games. This includes Spin the Wheel, which means you have the opportunity to potentially win slot spins and bingo tickets as well as loyalty points.
Microgaming
Rumour has it Microgaming launched the first-ever online casino in 1994, although this is debatable, as it’s also thought that the first online wager was in 1996. Whenever it did happen – it changed the way we gambled forever.
Based on the Isle of Man, this software company has been one of the leading providers in the realm of online casinos and bingo for the last couple of decades.
Microgaming famously made one lucky winner a millionaire in 2012, with a networked jackpot of £5.88 million. Crucially, the player had only played with 30 pence!
The special effects and graphics are absolutely stunning, and one of the great things about Microgaming is that because the backdrop on their bingo site doesn’t interfere with its game, it makes it so much easier to play chat room games and thus – socialise and play across multiple devices.
Sadly, Microgaming recently announced that it is exiting the online bingo market, but still host many impressive online slots.
Whilst there are plenty more online bingo networks to choose from, we have listed above the ones we consider to be the biggest and best available.
Conclusion
It’s different strokes for different folks in the online bingo space. While some of us prefer the simple things in life, some of us want all of the bells and whistles! We at BingoSites.com highly recommend that you try playing at one of the suburb online casinos we’ve listed in this article.
Now, although being a smaller site does have it’s downfalls, such as fewer players and smaller jackpots – on the bright side you do have more chance of winning. So however you decide to play, always be mindful of your financial limits, and always read those terms and conditions.
FAQs
Editor-in-Chief Beth Taylor is Editor-in-Chief at BingoSites.com and has been writing about online bingo for the past 5 years. She is considered an industry expert and is a regular attendee at industry events and conferences. Having studied journalism at King's College London, she combines this with her passion for bingo to produce the independent content for this website.
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