Source: Buzz Bingo (Salford) via Facebook.

Buzz Bingo have consolidated their rebrand earlier in the year by announcing a collaboration with Playtech, with the supplier of online gaming software giving Buzz Bingo the platform to expand and diversify their content. The purpose of Buzz Bingo's rebrand was to revitalise the company's image while helping to reach out to a younger demographic of bingo players. The partnership of Playtech should aid in the provision a more intuitive platform to play bingo and casino games, thereby catering for a generation accustomed to technological ease. 

Playtech's experience in gambling software is not only facilitating an increase in the number and range of bingo and casino games available, but they are also bringing an IMS player management platform to the table. Buzz Bingo will also adopt a CRM solution from Playtech, with the intention of creating a more supportive online and retail environment.

This partnership with Playtech will enable Buzz Bingo to better serve a new generation of bingo players. The trend of younger players filling the bingo halls and the bingo websites has long been identified within the industry, with BBC News reporting back in 2016 how efforts to appeal to a more youthful clientele were becoming intensified. This changing demographic of bingo players was the key contributing factor to Buzz Bingo's rebrand, with The Telegraph citing the company's intentions to appeal to a younger audience as an influence behind the revamp of 124 bingo venues across the country. 

However, the aspiration of revitalising bingo halls is not the end of the project from Buzz Bingo and Playtech. The future will see the two companies collaborate in order to develop a more natural synchronisation of Buzz Bingo's physical and online options, notably through a full retail player account base migration to the IMS. Appealing to a generation more accustomed to technology is achieved through presenting a choice between traditional bingo games and more unconventional fare.

This choice is presented in both the bingo hall and the website. Currently, Buzz Bingo players have the option to play themed interpretations of the classic game, with one bingo game taking inspiration from classic gameshow Deal or No Deal. Providing games with dedicated themes is vital to attract and retain a new audience. The Independent reported in 2017 that the average Brit's attention span is just 14 minutes, partly a result of the growing distraction of smartphones. Buzz Bingo and Playtech are aware of these changing expectations of bingo and have adjusted their strategy accordingly. Themed games with rich visual detail are more effective at creating an immersive experience in comparison with traditional bingo and casino games.

This is not to say that there is no place for classic bingo and casino games. Many will prefer the nostalgia of a straightforward bingo game, while others will appreciate bingo with a twist. Access to the Playtech Open Platform has allowed Buzz Bingo to provide a substantial selection of bingo and casino games, with more collaborations with content providers set to emerge over the coming months.

The link between Buzz Bingo and Playtech is the natural step following the former's rebrand and arrives at an apposite time to cater for a changing demographic of bingo players. There was a time when bingo halls may have seemed old-fashioned in the eyes of younger generations, but now it is that perception instead that appears archaic. 

Now we’re past the mid-way point of the year, we can confidently say that slot developers such as Yggdrasil, Playtech, Microgaming, and NetEnt have remained true to their word and offered some of the best online slots of 2018.

During the London Affiliate Conference (LAC), some of the above names promised that they would release mind-blowing slots and they certainly delivered.

From these developers and more, let’s look at some of the best slots so far in 2018.

Jumanji

Not content with being among the year’s best online slots, Jumanji is also a unique game that includes elements of traditional board games. The NetEnt-developed game boasts numerous additional features that don’t appear in any other online slot. If you love the movie, you won’t want to miss playing the slot game. It’s a game that has disrupted the industry and has already been tipped to become a classic like Starburst.

Bai Shi

The Chinese slot from Playtech features 40 paylines and five reels. The two Chinese symbols that are the mark of this game represent hands held down as bai (a sight of respect) and shi (a master). Stunning graphics and a relaxing soundtrack make this slot a unique one that represents an enjoyable gaming experience.

Cool Wolf

Cool Wolf is simply one of the most loved slots in 2018. With a wolf for company, you go on an adventure featuring attractive cheerleaders, Hollywood cinemas, and classic cars. The feature-packed five-reel slot from Microgaming offers 243 ways to win. This slot, like each on the list, is tons of fun. There are countless fun and real money slots available online at the likes of CoolCat Casino. This particular casino features 140 slots with jackpots, bonus rounds and more. You can never have enough cool.

Book of Dead

If you enjoyed Book of Ra, you’ll love Book of Dead. The Play’n’ GO video slot transports you back to Ancient Egypt. If you’re brave enough to spin the ten-payline five-reel video slot, you’ll come up against Anubis and Osiris and be expected to uncover the magic afterlife spells. The book symbol works as both a scatter and a wild. When a Scatter, you need three on the reels for it to trigger 10 free spins. When a wild, it’s used to replace missing symbols from what would otherwise be a lucky combination. Play’n’ GO is one of the leading developers of mobile games. So you can rest assured that both the animation and graphics are top notch on either a tablet or smartphone. If you haven’t tried 2016’s Book of Dead yet, either, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Archangels: Salvation

NetEnt has done it again. Archangels: Salvation, Hotline, and Asgardian Stones are all worthy contenders for the best new slot in 2018. We have a slight preference for this one, however. The 12-row, six-reel slot boasts wild substitutions, free spins, and two wild features. It even includes 100 bet lines: a first even for NetEnt. And free spins can be activated by more than two scatter symbols. The slot, which was launched in April, quickly became a hit with online casino operators.

Leprechaun Hills

St. Patrick’s Day may only come around once a year but this video slot is available to play whenever you’re feeling lucky. Or maybe you’re just in the mood for something Irish. The 40-payline, five-reel slot from Quickspin is just the ticket. There’s Irish stout, Irish music, pots with gold, four-leaf clovers, and green reels. The game is perfect for leprechaun fans and is playable on any mobile device. If that isn’t enough for you, you can trigger lucky respins or rainbow free spins and feel luckier than a leprechaun. You can certainly own more gold than them, at least.

Vikings Go to Hell

The game’s developer, Yggdrasil, was named Innovator Supplier of the Year by the International Gaming Awards for two consecutive years. So it would seem odd not to feature at least one of its slots here. Launched in May, Vikings Go To Hell is already quite the hit. It’s hardly surprising, either, when you consider that there isn’t anything not to like about this 25-payline, five-reel slot. The symbols represent Weapons and Vikings and your role in the game is to collect Rage points. Once you’ve collected enough of them, you’re rewarded with free spins. There are also three categories of free spin modes. And it’s set in hell. It doesn’t get any scarier than that.

Last year may have been a great one for slots, but 2018 has seen even more impressive games launched at online casinos. The sheer amount of titles now available that provide new ways of playing and winning money is incredible.

Traditional slots have been around for years and players have grown tired of cherry machines. In response, the world’s finest slot developers have launched these exciting new games.

"Online-Pokern" (CC BY 2.0) by wuestenigel

The United Kingdom is one of the easiest places in the world to place a bet. In contrast to many other countries, most popular forms of wagering including casinos, sports betting, lotteries and slot machines are fully legal and accepted as part of society.

However, gambling is still heavily regulated to protect consumers from scams and fraudulent activities, prevent underage gambling and promote responsible gambling. And that is where the Gambling Commission comes in.

The Gambling Commission was set up in 2005 as part of the Gambling Act. Since then, it has worked to regulate the industry and to ensure that UK operators are fully licensed and conducting their activities according to the requirements of the issued licence.

New regulations

A recent business plan outlined the Commission’s desire to enforce stricter rules advertising rules, tighten up on unfair terms and conditions, and improve complaints and disputes processes.

The rules regarding advertising were proposed by the Advertising Standards Authority with the full support of the Commission. These included the removal of terms such as “Bet Now,” and “Risk-free,” and moving the emphasis from gambling for money to gambling for fun. In certain scenarios where a website may offer casino free spins, new regulations indicate alternative phrases such as “extra spins” may need to be used instead. This is to avoid confusion between spins that are given to a player that can be withdrawn freely and those that require a deposit or wagering requirements to claim.

Other initiatives include clamping down on advertising that may appeal to under 18s, heavier fines for breach of regulations and more transparency in regards to customer account information and the wording of terms and conditions. The overall aim is help operators make gambling fairer and safer for their users.

Image source: Pixabay

Taking action

Any operators found in breach of the regulations can expect to be fined a significant amount. And some have already fallen foul of the new rules and been fined and ordered to change the wording of their advertising. In many cases, operators are issued with warnings before a financial penalty is imposed. Recent cases have seen fines running into millions of pounds for some well-known UK operators.

The future

Other measures that might be introduced in the future included stricter financial limits on accounts, tougher age verification procedures and even tighter rules on marketing and advertising. Websites may also be banned from offering free demo games until the age of the player has been verified.

One of the biggest areas that will continue to be targeted is advertising. This will affect online casino and betting operators and third-party companies offering services to UK customer. In order to avoid huge fines, companies will need to be more diligent than ever and keep on top of any new regulations that come into force. Teams of staff may be required to keep on top of compliance across multiple platforms. This may work out expensive for operators but the main objective is to create a safer and more responsible environment for those who choose to gamble.

Baccarat is one of the top three table games based on luck which are regularly played at both brick and mortar and Internet casinos. In particular, the game is very popular among casino gamblers in Asia at Macau casinos. One of the reasons for its popularity is because it is very fast, simple and easy to play. You place a bet on the banker winning, the player winning or on a tie and wait to see the outcome.

Because of the international character of the game, baccarat uses many phrases and terms that come from Spanish, Italian or French origin. The game also shares common terms with other casino games. Some of the terms, however, have slightly different meanings. Therefore, before you decide to play baccarat with real cash and rick your own money, take your time to familiarize with the basic baccarat glossary terms.

Banco – the banker in baccarat.

Bankroll – the money a player sets for gambling.

Carte – French term for requesting a new card to be dealt.

Coup - French term for a round of play.

Croupier - a dealer in French.

Cut- to cut a deck of playing cards means to divide the deck in half after the cards have been shuffled.

Down Card – the card that is turn face down.

Face Cards - the Jack, Queen and King regardless of their suit.

High Roller – a player that bets big and plays with large bankroll.

House Edge – the advantage of the casino it gains by playing less than the odds.

Ladderman – In a land based casino, it is the employee who oversees the table action of the baccarat game.

Le Grande – it means natural 9 in French.

Mini-baccarat – a smaller, reduced variation of table baccarat.

Monkey – term used to describe a face card or a ten.

Natural – getting an 8 or a 9 right from the first two dealt cards.

Palette – the tool used in baccarat to move cards on the table. It is in fact a long, flat, wooden baton.

Punto – a baccarat player.

Shoe – a wooden box where cards are kept and dealt from.

Shuffle Up – earlier shuffling of playing cards by the croupier.

Standoff - a tie in baccarat.

VIP – The most important person in the casino. It is a customer that bets big and plays with large amount of money.

Up Card – a playing card turned with its face up.

As you are now familiar with the basic lingo, you can go to the Novibet Casino site and play live Baccarat and try out these terms for real. Also, if you’re not a live-chatting type of guy, you can simply play the standard online version of the game.

Nevertheless, you’ll enjoy the game for sure. As soon as you start playing, you’ll understand why so many people are enthusiastic about the game and why it is so popular in online casinos, as well as in a standard, brick and mortar casinos.

It might sound like a bold statement to suggest that video games can help you develop skills that can be transferred to real life, but it is not as far-fetched as you might think. Modern gaming has developed to a level where the skills need to complete them are not dissimilar to those needed to thrive in the professional world. Still not convinced? Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Image source: Pxhere

Toiling for reward

Video games require a mixture of patience and determination to complete. And this is not always an enjoyable experience. In fact, in many cases, it is the act of completing the task that provides the reward, not the task itself. It is no coincidence that gamers describe this activity as ‘grinding’ as it represents the ‘daily grind’ of a real-life job, where the ultimate payoff is the wage received at the end of a month.

To get the payoff in a video game, a lot of repetition can be required. Players must complete the same task over and over, improving each time until they finally reach the end. So, if you want to get accustomed to the routine and repetition of a 9-5 job where sometimes unenjoyable tasks are ultimately rewarded, what better place to learn than on a video gaming platform.

Problem-solving

It is no secret that some of the most successful video games require the players to solve puzzles or plan a strategy. A few years ago, the world went Sudoku crazy and more recently, you could not avoid the Angry Birds phenomenon. Role-playing games such as the Zelda titles, online casino games such as blackjack, classic platform games such as Super Mario and defence games such as Plants vs. Zombies, all require elements of problem-solving or strategy.

Planning, strategy and problem-solving are important parts of everyday life. Being able to work out solutions can help us in our work and personal lives. Having the ability to ‘think outside the box’ or ‘plan ahead’ are valuable assets in many professional environments.

"Photo And Cast For Angry Birds Movie" (CC BY 2.0) by BagoGames

Improving brain function

Many games are designed to get our brains working harder. And these have proved popular with gamers of all ages. By playing this types of games, players can improve the functionality of their brains and boost their mental prowess. Some title use mathematics, reading, hand-eye coordination and visual dexterity to get players brains to perform tasks they might otherwise avoid. Tetris is perhaps the most famous example of a game that requires the brain to react quickly in order to be successful.

Emotional response

The narrative of many modern games are deeply emotional. Players are drawn in by complex storylines and encouraged to be empathetic towards the characters. In that respect, games are becoming more like movies or books than the video games of old which were often accused of lacking any substance. Games such as ‘The Last of Us’ provide players with a rich, emotionally-charged experience which lingers well after the game is finished. These games can teach us to feel empathy towards others and behave in a more humane way.

One of the best things about online casinos is that there’s always an online casino which you haven’t heard about. Not only there are new games on a weekly basis, but new online casinos pop up like mushrooms after a pouring rain. New online casinos have their own advantages over well-established casinos. Here are 7 very good reasons why you should always check for new casinos online before you settle for a well-established one. We’re not saying they’re no good, but new casinos simply outshine the colossal household brands that will all know about.

New Casinos Join the Scene on a Daily Basis!

And it seems like they will never stop popping up! It’s become extremely rare to see a new “vanilla” operator to show up. Most of the new online casinos that show up are in fact part of the big casino group. There are a dozen examples that come to mind without breaking a sweat. Finding a new online casino is not as difficult as it sounds. Sure, big-time brands dominate the search engines with their powerful marketing strategies. But there are ways which get you closer to brand new online casinos. And here’s why you should put in the extra effort, and always be on the lookout for new options.

Cutting-edge User Interface

Once in a while, or, better said, once every 4 to 5 years, behemoth online casinos take a risk and revamp their interface. It’s highly likely that a casino player will leave such a casino after 3 months tops. Why? Because nothing ever changes. The same games dominate the game library. The same games qualify for bonuses and promotions. It’s just another day, and the same old games. It’s safe to say, they have a traditional approach to online gaming.

On the other hand, new online casinos showcase cutting-edge interface, designed, created to be eye-pleasing, yet highly user-friendly, and most important mobile compatible and optimized to deliver one of a kind gaming experience. Advanced filters that can surprise even an avid casino player with years of gaming experience, allow players to find a new game to play within seconds!

The Latest and the Best Casino Games on Display

The operator prepares for the initial launch of the casino for months. They have inside information of which games are going to be released soon before or after the launch of the casino. And we all know what this means. All of these hits will be available at that new online casino. Not only that, but the greatest hits are available as well. Moreover, roulette, blackjack, poker and baccarat players can enter the live dealer casinos and take the online gaming experience to the very next level!

Now, we’ve witnessed casinos that are run by operators with tons of resources, yet they do not even think about adding new games. They just don’t care about what players have to say. Sounds boring? It is! We totally understand players who like to enjoy their favorite slot game, but even they like to explore new content and experiment a little with a brand new video slot. Heck, even jackpot hunters can’t turn a blind eye! Sure, poker players won’t find this important, but at least they get to enjoy a new setting. On the other hand, bingo players will surely be happy to try out a new bingo game spiced up with a just as attractive bingo promotion.

Alluring Welcome Bonus Package - Bonus Money + Spins

Bonuses are a staple amongst casino aficionados, regardless of the game at hand, they’ve become almost a starting point for a pleasant gaming experience. The only flaw all welcome bonuses have is that you can claim them only ONCE. Some come with poor bonus terms, others might be underwhelming, but you can claim all welcome bonuses only once!

Here come new online casinos! There’s always a new online casino just around the corner, and that means, another welcome bonus! New online casinos pioneered with welcome bonus packages, which come both with bonus money and extra free spins. Now, some have gone the distance to provide multiple bonuses on the player’s first two, three or even four deposits! It’s common for these welcome bonus packages to total as much as $/€3,000! It all depends on how eager the operator is to attract new players. Considering how ferocious the competition in the gaming industry has become, generous welcome bonus packages at new online casinos shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Better Retention Promotions

But the bonus action doesn’t end here! A rather important part of any casino’s operation is the retention programs. In simple words, “how to keep the player busy, playing longer, and not changing his/her casino of choice”.

So what’s the big deal? Well, how would you like to receive more bonuses even once you lose your “new player” tag in the casino’s system? Reload bonuses, free spins, cash back bonuses, promotions of all kinds, at your disposal! To be honest, playing at a big online casino with hundreds of thousands of customers turns you into a number. On the other end, there are new online casinos, with only a few hundred players. Chances are, some of the staff will remember your name, treat you with a better bonus, he/she will vouch for you! Jokes aside, you get this feeling of belongingness at a new online casino, just because there aren’t that many players.

Highly Motivated Customer Support

The entire team of the casino is highly motivated to succeed. They’re new to the market, and the only way to overcome the already established fierce competition is to go the extra mile. This is only possible if they work as a team, and they treat each customer with respect and attention that other casinos simply can’t provide.

You’ve probably had a chat with a customer support at some point in time, and it’s easy to distinguish good from poor customer support. In our experience, the customer service at new online casinos is simply better! Sure, they still don’t have the skills of a customer support agent that’s been doing the job for half a decade, but they’re willing to help, and sometimes that’s what matters the most. Another thing, customer support teams at new online casinos usually have to deal with less queries, which is why they can invest more of their time to meet your demands and comfort you in any way.

New Casinos are the Center of Attention, for a While

And who doesn’t want to be in the center of attention? However, that’s not our point. The good thing about playing at a new online casino and them being at the center of attention, is that they’re under pressure. They must satisfy every single player, or their “flawless” reputation will go down the drain before the next monthly reload bonus.

In a way, you’re making the safe call by joining a new online casino. Sure, you should first check for casino reviews, maybe even some early first-hand experiences. If the casino is part of a bigger casino group, then you’re in the absolute safe zone.

New Casinos Conduct their Operations by the Latest Gaming Standards

Although not obvious, and it’s highly unlikely that an inexperienced eye will notice this, but new online casinos start with a clean slate, and their operations are in line with the latest gaming standards. In the past, we’ve witnessed how well-established online casinos have refused to implement the latest changes. They do not make the necessary changes even at the price of hefty penalties that reach millions of dollars.

And if there’s one thing that we can recommend to you as a casino player is that it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

So, when’s the last time you joined a recently established online casino? When was the last time you felt the benefits of playing at a new online casino?

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