Tombola (bingo company) explained

Tombola
Type:Subsidiary
Hq Location City:Sunderland, England
Products:Online bingo
Industry:Gambling
Foundation:2006
Parent:Flutter Entertainment
Homepage:tombola.co.uk[1]

Tombola is a British gambling company founded in 2006. It operates the world’s largest online bingo website. Business operations are led from its headquarters in Sunderland, alongside a satellite office in Gibraltar. In January 2022, Tombola was acquired by Flutter Entertainment for £402m.[2]

Products

The company produces original bingo software and games, created by an in-house development team,[3] and is one of the largest employers of game and web developers in the North East of England.[4]

The Tombola.co.uk and .com domains are not available to customers outside of the UK.[5] Instead, players from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands must access the website through their own national domains. A bingo app is available for iOS, Android, and Amazon Fire.[6] [7]

History

As a registered company, Tombola was established in 1999 by Phil Cronin.[8] He had previously worked for his family's business Edward Thompson printers, until 1995. Under the Edward Thompson company name, the Cronin family have provided printed paper bingo tickets to bingo halls since the 1960s.[9]

Tombola 'soft launched' in December 2005 using the Sun Newspaper as a brand, but retaining control of the business. The official launch went ahead in January 2006 as SunBingo. The Sun newspaper provided marketing and branding while Tombola provided the website site, the games, staff, and technical infrastructure. This continued until August 2008 when Tombola became independent from the Sun, continuing on as Tombola, with all the staff being retained at that time. SunBingo continued with the Sun using JackpotJoy software as all Tombola games had been produced in-house by Tombola technicians and continue to do so. The Sun hired their own chat moderating staff as all chat moderation staff working until that time remained with Tombola.

In November 2011, Cronin was awarded Durham & Wearside Business Executive of the Year.[10]

Since 2019, Tombola House is on Low Street, on the River Wear, half a mile from the center of Sunderland.[11] [12] [13]

In January 2022, Flutter Entertainment completed the acquisition of Tombola and Cronin stepped down as CEO and sole owner.[14]

Gaming licences

Awards

Tombola has won twenty-seven awards[16] since re-launching in 2008:[17]

Sponsorship

In November 2009, Tombola began sponsoring, for three years, ITV soap opera Emmerdale[34] in a deal that ran until March 2012.[35] [36] [37] [38]

In April 2010, Tombola began sponsoring Sunderland AFC for the 2010/11 and 2011/12 English Premier League seasons.[39]

In September 2014, Tombola began sponsoring the ITV daytime television show, Loose Women.[40]

Since November 2017, Tombola sponsors I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.[41] [42] [43] [44]

Charity and community work

In 2012, Tombola became the main sponsors of Sunderland AFC Keroche, an African football club supported by Sunderland AFC fans in England. Tombola paid for fifteen boxes of football kits to be shipped to Africa for the team.[45]

In July 2014, Tombola launched the Tombola Academy.[46]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: www.tombola.com Redirects to www.tombola.co.uk . . 19 November 2022 . 19 November 2022.
  2. Web site: Sunderland online bingo firm Tombola are top of their game. 23 June 2014. 10 December 2014. The Journal. Trinity Mirror North East. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106090037/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/sunderland-online-bingo-firm-tombola-7302964. 6 January 2015. live.
  3. Web site: Oh My Bingo – Review and Bonus from OhMyBingo. 14 November 2014. 10 December 2014. Oh My Bingo. https://web.archive.org/web/20141224023950/http://www.ohmybingo.com/tombola-bingo. 24 December 2014. live.
  4. Web site: Numbers up? Sunderland bingo giant teams up with college to train apprentice game developers. 16 July 2014. 10 December 2014. Sunderland Echo. Johnston Publishing Ltd. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106085543/http://www.sunderlandecho.com/what-s-on/numbers-up-sunderland-bingo-giant-teams-up-with-college-to-train-apprentice-game-developers-1-6731456. 6 January 2015. live.
  5. Web site: access denied . tombolaarcade.co.uk . 19 November 2022.
  6. Web site: Download tombola's free bingo app . tombola.co.uk . 19 November 2022 . https://archive.today/20221119113601/https://www.tombola.co.uk/bingo-app . 19 November 2022.
  7. Web site: tombola bingo – UK Bingo Games - Apps . . 19 November 2022 . en . https://archive.today/20221119113435/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.tombola.bingo&hl=en&gl=GB . 19 November 2022.
  8. Web site: Sunderland Bingo tycoon scoops £ 400m jackpot: Tombola founder Phil Cronin sells UK's largest online bingo site to Paddy Power. 18 November 2021.
  9. Web site: About (Edward Thompson). 10 December 2014. Edward Thompson. Edward Thompson (Printers) Ltd.. https://web.archive.org/web/20150105133807/http://www.edwardthompson.com/about.html. 5 January 2015. live.
  10. Web site: Durham & Wearside Business Executive of the Year 2011. 23 November 2011. 10 December 2014. The Journal. Trinity Mirror North East. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106094236/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/durham--wearside-business-executive-4420392. 6 January 2015. live.
  11. Web site: Tombola House . Ryder Architecture . 19 November 2022.
  12. Web site: Tombola House . Archello . 19 November 2022 . en.
  13. News: Priest . Isabelle . Respect for Victorian grain defines new office by Ryder Architecture . 19 November 2022 . . 3 December 2019 . en.
  14. Web site: Flutter completes Tombola acquisition . InterGame. 11 January 2022 . en . 11 January 2022.
  15. Web site: Tombola Coining It In. 24 June 2014. 10 December 2014. Bingo Supermarket. Bingo Supermarket Ltd. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106085841/http://www.bingosupermarket.co.uk/bingo-news/tombola-coining-it-in/17242. 6 January 2015. live.
  16. Web site: Online Bingo Awards. 10 December 2014. tombola.co.uk. tombola Ltd.. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106122747/https://www.tombola.co.uk/new/tombola-bingo-awards. 6 January 2015. live.
  17. Web site: Tombola.co.uk crowned UK's top online bingo site. 25 November 2010. 10 December 2014. iGaming Business. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106085757/http://www.igamingbusiness.com/tombolacouk-crowned-uk%E2%80%99s-top-online-bingo-site. 6 January 2015. live.
  18. Web site: 2009 Player's Choice Awards. 10 December 2014. Bingo Port. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106094021/http://www.bingoport.co.uk/bingo/2009-awards. 6 January 2015. live.
  19. Web site: My Bingo Bonus. 14 June 2010. 10 December 2014. My Bingo Bonus. Triple Hat Media Ltd. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106084518/http://www.mybingobonus.com/tombola-win-online-bingo-operator-of-the-year-award/. 6 January 2015. live.
  20. Web site: 2010 Players' Choice Awards. 10 December 2014. Bingo Port. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106094133/http://www.bingoport.co.uk/bingo/2010-players-choice-awards. 6 January 2015. live.
  21. Web site: 2011 BingoPort.co.uk Players' Choice Awards. 10 December 2014. Bingo Port. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106093918/http://www.bingoport.co.uk/bingo/2011-bingoport-co-uk-players-choice-awards. 6 January 2015. live.
  22. Web site: 2012 Bingoport.co.uk Players' Choice Awards. 10 December 2014. Bingo Port. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106093607/http://www.bingoport.co.uk/bingo-awards/2012-bingoport-co-uk-players-choice-awards. 6 January 2015. live.
  23. Web site: tombola voted Bingo Operator of the Year by eGR. 28 November 2012. 10 December 2014. Which Bingo. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106085228/http://www.whichbingo.co.uk/lobby/tombola-voted-bingo-operator-of-year-by-egr/. 6 January 2015. live.
  24. 2012 Bingoport.co.uk Players' Choice Awards . Bingo Port . 2 March 2022.
  25. Web site: eGR Operator Awards 2013 Winners. 10 December 2014. EGR Magazine. EGR Awards 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20140707075547/http://www.egrmagazine.com/event/events/event_page/egr_operator_awards_2013_winners/event/egr_operator_awards_2013. 7 July 2014. live.
  26. 26 November 2014. EGR Awards 2014 – Winners Review . SBC News . 2 March 2022.
  27. 28 November 2015. eGR Operator Awards 2015 – Bingo Winners . BallsUp Bingo . 2 March 2022.
  28. 2 December 2016. 2016 EGR Operator Awards Winners List . Hityah . 2 March 2022.
  29. 1 November 2017. EGR Operator Awards Winners 2017 . IHRE Consulting . 2 March 2022.
  30. 7 November 2018. EGR Operator Awards 2018 . No Wagering . 2 March 2022.
  31. 9 November 2020. EGR Operator Awards 2019 . Online Bingo . 2 March 2022.
  32. tombola's online bingo awards . Tombola.co.uk . 2 March 2022.
  33. 26 November 2021. Winners of 2021 EGR Operator Awards . Online Bingo . 2 March 2022.
  34. Web site: Bingo website Tombola to sponsor Emmerdale. 7 October 2009. 10 December 2014. MediaWeek. Haymarket Media Group Ltd.. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075339/http://www.mediaweek.co.uk/article/943827/bingo-website-tombola-sponsor-emmerdale. 4 March 2016. live.
  35. News: Tombola to sponsor I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! . 19 November 2022 . 5 Star iGaming Media Marketing . 6 October 2017.
  36. News: Green . Kris . Tombola signs 'Emmerdale' sponsorship deal . 19 November 2022 . . 6 October 2009.
  37. News: Green . Kris . Littlewoods named as new 'Emmerdale' sponsor . 19 November 2022 . Digital Spy . 14 July 2009.
  38. News: Week . Marketing . Tombola to sponsor Emmerdale . 19 November 2022 . Marketing Week . 7 October 2009 . en.
  39. Web site: SAFC sign up tombola. 13 April 2010. 10 December 2014. Sunderland Echo. Johnston Publishing Ltd.. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106085101/http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/local/all-news/safc-sign-up-tombola-1-1109541. 6 January 2015. live.
  40. Web site: Tombola revealed as new sponsor of Loose Women. 4 September 2014. 10 December 2014. The Drum. Carnyx Group Limited. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106125450/http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/09/04/tombola-revealed-new-sponsor-loose-women. 6 January 2015. live.
  41. News: Watson . Imogen . I'm a Celebrity sponsor Tombola hit with gambling ad ban . 19 November 2022 . The Drum . 6 February 2019.
  42. Web site: Luke . Emma . Something's bugging our Marketing Team . Tombola Careers Blog . tombola.co.uk . 19 November 2022 . https://archive.today/20221119114251/https://careers.tombola.com/blog/article/somethings-bugging-our-marketing-team . 19 November 2022 . 21 October 2022.
  43. News: Ford . Coreena . Sunderland firm tombola to sponsor I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! . 19 November 2022 . . 4 October 2017 . . en.
  44. Web site: I'm A Celebrity – Official Promotions . tombola arcade . 19 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120090727/https://www.tombolaarcade.co.uk/pages/im-a-celeb-promotions . 20 January 2022.
  45. Web site: EPL side officially sets foot in Naivasha. 15 February 2012. 10 December 2014. Futaa.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106085414/http://www.futaa.com/football/article/epl-side-officially-sets-foot-in-naivasha. 6 January 2015. live.
  46. Web site: Online bingo firm Tombola sets up talent academy in Sunderland. 17 September 2014. 10 December 2014. Sunderland Echo. Johnston Publishing Ltd.. https://web.archive.org/web/20150106084836/http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/business/online-bingo-firm-tombola-sets-up-talent-academy-in-sunderland-1-6845257. 6 January 2015. live.