Gala Bingo
If you’ve ever played bingo in the UK, or even considered playing bingo, then the odds are pretty good that you have come across the Gala brand at some point. There is no one bigger in terms of UK bingo than the Gala company; it is by far the biggest, operating 166 halls nationally with over a quarter of a million people passing through those doors every week for the chance to play their favourite game. The company pays out an incredibly huge 30 million pounds to winning players every week, so it’s fair to assume that as an online entity, Gala has the expertise to provide a great bingo experience to any player.
Until 2006, Gala delivered its online bingo program in partnership with the large St. Minver network, sharing its Parlay software with several other sites. During the is time, though, Gala was developing its own bespoke software, and announced its departure from the St. Minver network, quickly following up with a relaunch. What this means for those keen on the Gala site and on online bingo in general is that the new Gala site offers an experience that is very distinct from most of the online bingo halls that are in operation today. Let’s take a look and see if Gala can deliver a quality gaming experience away from the comfort of the St. Minver fold.
First of all, the reputation Gala enjoys as far as brick and mortar bingo halls are concerned is a great starting point, as even the most cautious internet player can rest easy in the reputable nature of the company.
When it comes to the new Gala site, we quickly round a bright and welcoming design with appropriate animation as well as navigational features which allow a player to easily find their way around the site and to the offers the company presents. So far, so good. But what about the big question, the bingo play beyond the St. Minver network?
Once you click on the front page banner telling you to Play Now, you’re taken straight to console that Gala uses to play all of its games. The great news is that there is no need to download anything or to install any custom software outside of the Flash software that is included on most PCs. It’s also great to see that Mac users can take part in the Gala game play, a fact which was lacking when the site was a part of the St. Minver network.
Once you sign up for Gala – which you must do in order to play, but don’t worry it’s a painless process – you gain instant access to the games themselves. If you want you can have a look at the different games that the site provides before you sign up, but the chat features are disabled so you won’t really gain an idea of what the atmosphere in the sites is really like. Herein lies the first problem we encountered with the new site; as part of the St. Minver network, new players received a one pound bonus when they registered. Lacking a test drive option, you could use this money to see how the site suited you. The new Gala site offers no such option, and we regard the need to invest in order to test as a step in the wrong direction.
While some players may struggle with the no test option, we do feel that anyone who takes the plunge and deposits to a Gala account will not be disappointed in their overall experience. The quality of the games is first rate, and they are available to play around the clock. The chat facilities that are integral to the bingo experience are also well integrated into the Gala site. Users can also use the extensive options to suit the games to their tastes and the abilities of their computers, and the site also allows for an adjustable console size. For those looking for a bit of non-bingo fun, Gala includes the standard issue suite of traditional casino games and instant wins. It’s surprising given the departure from St. Minver that Gala can post chat rooms that are constantly full to capacity, but nevertheless, they are. The Chat Masters keep thing lively and moderate with a professional touch.
The bonus aspect of the Gala site is currently being developed, but it looks as though the site is going to take an innovative and original approach by offering several non cash prizes such as Minis and beach holidays. We also have to believe the site is developing some kind of Welcome Bonus.
The Gala brand enjoys an excellent reputation as far as UK bingo, and even those who have not heard of it or who are not yet sold on the idea will find that online bingo site worth a look. If nothing else, it offers a stand out service in a sea of similar bingo sites.
