Although insistent that the top cash reward will not lead to a lifestyle change for players, organisers believe that with significant participation, the jackpot could be far greater than the island has ever seen ? at present, a "huge" win might amount to $15,000.

"Bingo in Bermuda is usually played in workmen's clubs," said Del Talbot, Sr. His son Del, Jr. runs Circle Entertainment, the company behind the venture, Superstar Bingo.

"We felt there was a great need to help the clubs, to help put people back into the clubs. We're hoping it will also provide some entertainment for the island's tourists, to give them something to do at night."

It is expected that the games will begin some time around February 1, with sessions held six days a week, three times a day.

So far, five venues have signed on as participants ? the East End Mini Yacht Club, the St. George's Dinghy Club, Place's Place, the Ex-Artillery Men's Club and the Mid-Atlantic Boat Club ? although others have expressed interest.

According to Mr. Talbot, the venture could prove an employment boom ? a minimum staff of two is expected to be hired at each venue.

The Canadian Bank Note Company (CNBC) Limited is providing the software essential to the project ? a service it now offers in parts of Canada and has been given the go-ahead to launch in Italy by the government there.

The technique will be introduced to Bermuda on January 14, at an invitation-only launch party planned for Grape Bay.

"We're in the process of bringing a linked, progressive bingo game to Bermuda," said Robert F. Miller, director of International Business Development for CNBC. "It's unique. There's nothing like it in the rest of the world.

"From my understanding, there's not much entertainment on the island. The nice thing about bingo is the social aspect. It's something you can do with family and friends. You're not betting against everyone else or relying on the luck of the draw."

The form of the game would not change, he said. Participants would still purchase packs of paper game cards and fill them in as numbers are called.

"The advantage is we're able to bring different venues together and link them with exactly the same game at the same time," said Mr. Miller. "The benefit is we're able to link pots together, so there's more jackpots. We have projected elements as well, so pots can grow over a period of time."

CNBC Limited employs 800 staff world-wide. Responsible for "anything that has a security element", it prints money, passports, drivers' licences, ID systems and cash. The company also runs several lotteries for jurisdictions around the world.

The business executive cited several pluses for the island should Superstar Bingo prove a success.

"It opens the opportunity for bingo tournaments, bringing in groups of players," he said. "Bermuda will be the only place in the world playing linked games all the time.

"As well, what was also important to CNBC was that a charitable element was involved in this. We would not be involved without that commitment and so, a significant part of the resources will regularly be donated to charity. It's a great way to raise funds for good causes.

"But all of this depends on participation. It's a para-mutual pot ? what's in it is what's played for."

Mr. Miller insisted the venture was in no way linked to gambling, that bingo was far different by its very nature.

"There's a distinct difference between gambling and bingo," he explained. "Bingo is a finite game. You're not playing against the house or a machine, which is normally what happens with gambling. It's more low-level gaming, not gambling."

More importantly, he said, bingo "is not something you close your house on because there are physical limitations on how much a person can play ? you can only buy up so many cards".

Asked if he thought it would be difficult to excite the younger population about a game most often associated with senior citizens, Mr. Miller said not at all.

"There's a revolution going on in bingo right now. We've tried to bring it into the 21st century.

"By physically linking clubs together and (thereby increasing) resources, we have a better offering from a prize standpoint which, individually, clubs are not able to afford."