In the UK there are in excess of 180,000 charities registered with approximately 50% of people nationwide choosing to donate. It’s therefore not unexpected to discover that a number of online bingo sites have opted to combine two quintessentially British traditions: the game of bingo and charitable fundraising. However, the amount of money donated can vary significantly.
Charity-owned sites
This is one of the best options to look out for, as you’ll have the reassurance of knowing that the money raised really will go to charity, rather than being quietly siphoned off in profits. When we originally started reviewing this area, there was just one site, which met these criteria: Rehab Bingo. But following a change in ownership in January 2014 we’re no longer able to ascertain exactly how much will be donated to charity. However, we now have a new top recommendation for charity bingo sites, Tickety Boo Games. Owned by Marie Curie Charity Care, an organisation that provides emotional support and practical care for patients diagnosed with terminal cancer, and their families, all of the profits are donated to the cause.
Sites where a proportion of the deposits are donated
One of the advantages of donating to charity by playing bingo is that no matter whether you win or not, the charity still gets some money. Charity Bingo, part of 15 Network, a relative newcomer on the scene, states that £1 will be donated to their charity of the month out of every deposit made of £20 or more.
Sites where a percentage of the profits are donated
Although this sounds like a great plan, the drawback is that the only time a charity receives any money is if the site makes a profit from you. When you win, the site won’t donate a penny to charity. Pink Ribbon Bingo is partnered with Daily Mail Bingo and donates 15% of the profits to Breakthrough Breast Cancer while Postcode Bingo, which despite not being obviously linked to a charity gives the Dogs Trust 10% of their net profit. Part of the Super Bingo network, Big Heart Bingo provides the chance for smaller charities to benefit by allowing its players to pick who they want to support. The Health Lottery partners with Health Bingo, where a fifth of the bingo site’s profits get donated to good causes.
How to play bingo while supporting charity
Promotions can also be found on some of the large, national bingo chains such as Mecca Bingo and Gala Bingo where huge sums of money, sometimes as much as hundreds of thousands of pounds, are donated to charity. By signing up you could end up giving more to charity than you would have done by using a so-called “charity bingo” site. The Pink Ribbons Jackpots promotion from October 2013, run by Foxy Bingo is the perfect example of this type of periodic promotion where a fifth of card sales were donated. But it’s not just the big sites that play their part; small sites often contribute significantly too. Tidy Bingo run a twice-weekly game which benefits Help the Heroes. Last but not least, our charity bingo sites listing is well worth a look as you’ll be able to stay updated with any new members of the charity bingo community.