Gala Bingo
One thing about Bingo players in the UK is that they are resourceful. They know not only how to find their favourite game, but how and where they can the most out of it. Time and time again their search will lead them to the doors of Gala Bingo. Why? Well for several reasons really. First, Gala is very comfortable in their position of being the largest Bingo company up and running in the UK today. When you translate that statement into sheer numbers it works out to 166 brick and mortar halls serving over 200,000 people and paying out well over 30 million in cash each and every week. As mind boggling as that is to comprehend, it means that Gala has every right to boast of their own accomplishments. Now they have stepped out of their comfort zone and are trying to tempt us with an online Bingo hall created in their own image. Let’s go see what they’ve come up with. Shall we?
Now Gala did not walk blindly into this strange new world, but instead has taken baby steps that they hope will lead them to the top. There was an earlier version of Gala Bingo that was up and running for quite some time before the early months of 2006. The main difference between the new hall and this earlier version is that in the past Gala Bingo was operated in partnership with St. Minver. We know that the old site was a hit, but with Gala going it alone, now its time to see if their luck will continue to hold.
While security should always be the absolute top priority for any player, that is one worry you will not have at Gala. This is a well respected company that has built their reputation one player at a time. They know how to take care of their customers so that they will keep coming back for Gala’s brand of fun again and again.
Another thing that they obviously have down pat at Gala is how to make a strong first impression. The entire hall is very well thought out with every detail from decorating to navigation falling perfectly into place. The visual aspects are well balanced with the functionality of the page to make it easy to find whatever you might need. At Gala even the first time player should have no trouble making themselves right at home.
They will definitely have no trouble finding their way to the games as all you have to do is give one quick click to the “Play Now,” button and you are on your way to the fun. Since all the games are offered in only an Instant Play format there is nothing to load and no more barriers to your fun. The only time you may have to install anything is if for some reason your computer does not already have the Macromedia Flash program on board. This program is really common so most of you won’t even have to give it a second glance. Also Flash is so widely available that it can support almost any system. This means that for once all of our friends over at Mac won’t be left out in the cold!
You do have to register if you want to play, but it’s painless. The nice part at Gala is that you have the ability to look at what they have to offer before you commit to anything. We really do mean look as there is no playing and no chat while you are a visitor. Unfortunately there is no new player bonus in place which we like to see for new players. At their previous location Gala offered new players a small bonus that entitled them to up to 10 free games. A small touch we realize, but one that went a very long way.
While promotions could really be improved, the site as a whole is still very strong. They do a very nice job of wrapping their bingo in a pretty yet high functioning package that delivers great results. The site is always open and you’re sure to find a game ready and waiting whenever you go looking. And with the amazing amounts of people that we watched walk through the doors, you’ll never be alone in your fun. In fact the chat rooms stayed busy no matter what time we stopped by. The game console offers some nice customization touches that do their part to put you in control of your environment. We took great pride in muting the skull pounding elevation music being pumped into our fun. And last but not least, minigames are up and running any time you just want something a little different.
We mentioned the lack of a new player bonus a bit earlier, and we have to say that promotions as a whole really need some serious work. The main reason being is that there aren’t any. There are promises for the future that look intriguing, but until there is a date attached or a solid offer, those promises are nothing more that pretty pictures.
If Gala lives up to their word in the promotions department then this site will be at the top of the pile in no time at all. Splitting from St. Minver was a risky move and they have come out on the other side better for it. It is always nice to play a unique game that no one else has. Gala knows their strengths and they deliver in the virtual world just as strongly as the do in the real one. At Gala Bingo you are sure to find that if nothing else they know how to run one really great game.
