Online bingo is not exactly what you would call a big craze right now, but it is really gaining some huge following over the last few months. This fact is actually very surprising, considering how everyone seems to be affected by the financial crunch. It would seem unlike that a gambling game is earning huge followings in United Kingdom, among other places. However, despite its popularity, people are still asking questions. After all, while very popular, not everyone is into online games and casinos. So what are the questions people ask about online bingo?

First off, many ask if online bingo is really gambling. Of course, this question is quite easy to answer. Obviously, online bingo is gambling. Any activity that requires you to trade your money for the chance to win something can be considered as gambling. However, this is considered as a soft form of gambling, much like lottery. In fact, bingo is often used as a fund raising activity by churches and other similar organizations, no less. People just think that bingo, in general, isn’t gambling, due to its reputation. But when you look at the operation itself, bingo is a form of gambling, although soft.

Now, as a follow up question, is online bingo illegal?

This question is much harder to answer, mainly because this will depend on the law of each and every location and territory. For instance, online bingo—or pretty much any form of online gambling—is legal in the United Kingdom. This is because the state merely regulates these institutions. This means that while online bingo is legally allowed in the United Kingdom, those without the proper papers and licenses are considered illegal. In America, online gambling is illegal only in 11 states—which means you can play online bingo in America, except for the aforementioned states.

Do players need to download and install a program before they can play bingo? This will depend, of course, on your online bingo service provider. Many online bingo service providers offer non-download bingo. This means you would only need your browser when you play bingo online. Obviously, choosing one over the other would mean giving up certain advantages for another set of advantages, but in the end both fills specific needs and will definitely satisfy those whop require different things from their online bingo services.

Lastly, many ask: is online bingo better than traditional bingo? This is a very difficult question to answer. Online bingo is better in many ways because it improves many of the features of traditional bingo. In fact, the more advanced bingo counterpart adds more to the mix, improving the service while adhering to the game play. However, this doesn’t really mean online bingo is better. Both types of bingo forms offer different things, and they appeal to different sets of people. What can be made certain is this: online bingo and traditional bingo are enjoyable and fulfilling activities, and online bingo pretty much tries to capture the spirit of the original, traditional game. That much is certain.

David Carruthers pleaded guilty to a racketeering conspiracy and made a plea deal where he will probably only serve 33 months or less in prison for a charge carrying a penalty of up to 20 years.  In return Carruthers agreed to cooperate in the prosecution of others involved with BetOnSports.  The criminal enterprise cost customers $16 million.  It seems that internet gambling will be safer if David cooperate.

Congressman Barney Frank is a determined man.  He has set out to lift the federal ban on gambling and at a press conference on Sunday he presented his agenda for financial reform.  He says “I’m going to be pushing it, the existing legislation (2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act) is an inappropriate interference on the personal freedom of Americans and this interference should be undone.”

It seems that the online gambling industry may be one of the few that will keep their heads above water in this economic crisis.  Clive Hawkswood, chief executive of the European Remote Gambling Association said “the online betting market is coping very well with the slowdown and is bucking the trend.”

The state of Utah in the USA is coming around to Representative Barney Frank’s way of thinking and his desire to regulate the internet gambling industry.  Utah Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, now thinks that it is the way forward, because people are going to gamble online anyway and they should be able to do so safely.