Blush Bingo & Grace Media Slot Brands To Close
Published On 13th October 2022
2022 has been an awful year for new bingo sites. There have been a few relaunches with the likes of Oink and Blast Off coming back from the dead, whilst casino and lotto brands like LottoGo and Peachy Games have added their own bingo channels. However in terms of actual new brands there's only been one - that we know of - newcomer to the online bingo ranks. Blush Bingo launched in February on the Grace Media platform (formerly Nektan) and offered players access to 75, 80 and 90 ball games via the Pragmatic Play product. Despite having little competition in the newcomers stakes, Blush didn't excite the bingo world and now news reaches us that it's closing it's doors later this month.
Grace Media Brands Closing
As well as Blush Bingo shutting up shop, Tau Gaming have informed us that other brands they own that are powered by Grace Media will also be closing. Spins Royale, Bonzo Spins and Flume Casino will cease to offer slots and games as of the 21st October. If you're registered with Blush Bingo or any of these other sites then you'll probably already be aware of the imminent closures as communications have been sent out notifying players of the situation. At time of writing no new players can register at the sites but players can login and either withdraw or spend funds (where applicable). The sites are currently functioning as expected, but after the closure any issues with respect to funds will need to be taken up with Grace Media directly. We hope that details will be published on the relevant sites after the closing date just so that all players have the chance to conclude their business accordingly.
Bingo And Grace Media
The closure of Blush Bingo is perhaps not a huge shock given that the site just never even got off the ground. It's affiliate program lasted barely a few weeks which is never a good sign. Affiliates can help boost a new brand's online presence, especially at launch, but Blush never even got that. However it's not the only Grace Media powered bingo site that's hit the rocks. Flip Flop Bingo - the first bingo brand on the platform - closed along with bingo channels on the likes of Pots Of Luck, who we understand are also closing soon. It's not all bad news because there are still bingo brands utilising the platform (e.g. BOGOF Bingo and Lucky Ladies Bingo) but you have to wonder just how much time they actually have left? When networks start to close lots of brands then that's usually a bad sign for the future of that network. As Grace Media is owned by Betfred we'd not be surprised to see them focus on their flagship brand going into 2023 and curtailing the Grace Media project.
New Bingo Coming Soon?
Tau Gaming who own Blush aren't letting the closure of the site and it's sister brands bother them too much. They've teased that they'll be more new brands coming soon on Dragonfish plus a "new brand on a network that provides Spin The Wheel Welcome Bonus offers". New Dragonfish brands are intriguing because it means that now the platform is under new ownership that the wheels are starting to turn again. It also means that things haven't happened as we anticipated. We felt that once Broadway Gaming took control of Dragonfish that they'd close down poor performing brands before redeveloping the platform and then maybe adding new sites. We guess it's therefore going to more of the same old same old! And the same goes with the Spin The Wheel network site. We're guessing it's going to be a new Jumpman brand and that fills us with no excitement whatsoever. Whilst we love seeing new bingo brands - and we really do need them - just filling the pool with more of the same seems a pointless exercise.
A Pragmatic Play Issue?
If the new site with the Spin The Wheel Network is Jumpman then what we will also have is another site using the Pragmatic Play bingo product. Whilst this has been regarded as a fabulous innovation for online bingo we're still unconvinced by it's quality. The over hyped Bingo Blast rarely seems to attract players - even if it's been rebranded with Pumpkins for Halloween. The problem with Pragmatic Play is that once it powered a big brand - e.g. PlayOJO and Heart - every smaller brand (e.g. every Jumpman and Grace Media site) had little to no chance of competing. Why would a player choose Blush - or indeed this new up and coming site - for their bingo games when they can play the same ones at Heart whilst enjoying regular promotions, prizes and offers? This is a fundamental issue for online bingo. The industry is in a slump and it's hard to see how it's going to revitalise itself with new brands and innovation if it carries on rinsing and repeating.
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