Are Bingo Sites Legit?

Last Updated on . Written By Beth Taylor

If you are new to the world of online bingo, it can be difficult to know whether or not bingo sites are legit. For over two decades, online bingo has been hugely popular with players and still is today. Online bingo provides players with fun, excitement, thrill and the opportunity to win real cash prizes.

Carry on reading to find out more about why bingo sites are legit and what you should be looking for before you join.

Are Bingo Sites Legit

UK Gambling Commission License

In the UK, all legitimate bingo sites will have a license to operate here. In this country, this is awarded by the UK Gambling Commission and bingo sites must meet a set of criteria that protects players before they can operate legitimately. The UK Gambling Commission is known for its strict enforcement of its rules around the fairness of games and is one of the most well-respected commissions in the world.

Before signing up to play at an online bingo site, you will instantly be able to tell if the bingo site is legit by looking for its license. This badge is displayed on the homepage and you can always head on over to the official government site to check the license for yourself. If a site does not have a license, it should always be avoided and you should look to play somewhere else, no matter how tempting it may be! If you choose one of our recommendations, you can already be assured that the site is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.

When a bingo site receives a license from the commission, it ensures that they are not allowing minors on the site, that gamblers are protected with responsible gambling tools and that all gambling on the site is conducted honestly and fairly. If a bingo site does not follow these rules, they can have their license removed by the commission and not operate in the UK.

 

Random Number Generator Testing

Many players will be concerned that games online are not fair because they cannot see the bingo balls in the machine and randomly being called. However, this is not the case and bingo sites are legit as they use random number generators, also known as RNG. This is a digital system that is used to ensure games are random and the site has no control over the numbers being called. When you are playing a game of online bingo, the random number generator is used to decide the numbers that are called, so it will be random every time.

 

Independent Third-Party Testing

When you play at a legit bingo site, the games will have been checked by an independent third party authority. There are many reputable testing agencies in operation in the UK, such as eCogra, iTech Labs, GLI and Quinel. These organisations ensure players are enjoying gambling on fair games and they will also check the games directly from the software providers. As long as you are playing at a casino with a reputable library of software providers, you can enjoy the games knowing they are fair.

 

Play on a Bingo Network

Not only do bingo sites have their games tested by independent regulators, use a random number generator and have to obtain a UK license to operate, many will also be part of a bingo network and this provides an additional layer of legitimacy. Some of the most popular and well-respected bingo networks in the UK include:

  • Dragonfish
  • Virtue Fusion
  • Gamesys
  • Jumpman Gaming

If you have played at a few bingo sites, you may have noticed that many of the games are the same. This simply means that the bingo sites operate on the same bingo network and it is the network that provides the bingo games rather than the actual site. This means the bingo site has no access to the games and cannot change or manipulate outcomes to cheat.  To continue to operate and maintain trust in their games, ensuring that the games are 100% honest is the top priority, as this could ruin a brand’s reputation. Bingo networks must also hold a license from the UK Gambling Commission and cannot do so unless all games are legit and honest.

 

How Can I Tell If a Bingo Site is Legit?

After checking that the bingo site holds a UK license and use a random number generator, there are a few other checks you can make to ensure that the site is legitimate:

  1. Reputation – if a bingo site has a good brand name and reputation in the industry, this is a good sign that the site is trustworthy and legit. Bingo sites that have been operating in this industry for many years can only do so because the players trust and enjoy their range of bingo games
  2. Payment methods – another key indicator that a bingo site is legit is the range of payment methods on offer. At the very minimum, there should be the choice of using a debit card. However, at the best online bingo sites, you will be able to choose from other great payment methods such as Paysafecard and PayPal. A reputable payment method such as PayPal will only allow their service to be used on legitimate bingo sites and this provides players with an extra layer of protection
  3. Games – players should check that the casino offers various games from top-class software providers. The world’s most reputable software providers such as NetEnt, Microgaming, NextGen, Blueprint Gaming and Eyecon will only work with online bingo sites and provide their world-class slot games to those that are legit
  4. Customer support – if an online bingo site does not offer customer service, it should be avoided. When players run into any difficulties whilst playing at a bingo site, they want to know that there is legit customer support available such as telephone support, live chat and an email address

 

As long as you follow each of these points, you can play safely in the knowledge that the bingo site is legit and both your banking information and personal details are secure. All bingo sites recommended by our team here at BingoSites.com are 100% legitimate and we have done all the hard work for you. Take a look at our bingo site reviews to find the best online bingo site for you today.

 

Beth Taylor
Editor-in-Chief

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.