Gen-Z Sparks Bingo Renaissance in UK Leisure Scene
In a surprising twist for the hospitality industry, Generation Z is breathing new life into traditional bingo halls across the United Kingdom. This retro revival follows similar analog trends that have captivated young consumers, including vinyl records, polaroid cameras, and classic Nokia phones. Now, the 1950s-era pastime of bingo is experiencing an unexpected resurgence among digital natives seeking authentic social experiences.
Digital Natives Embrace Analog Entertainment
Buzz Bingo, operating 79 venues nationwide including five London locations, reports that youthful interest has been crucial to its post-pandemic survival strategy. During the twelve months leading to September 2025, the company welcomed 175,000 new players, with an astonishing 50 percent falling under age 25. Financial data reveals that younger participants show particular enthusiasm for themed evenings and ticketed events, with young members demonstrating a 30 percent higher attendance rate for these specialized occasions.
Chief Executive Dominic Mansour disclosed to City AM that after enduring a challenging pandemic period, Buzz Bingo observed its customer demographic growing progressively younger. Initially, these new visitors tended to be one-time attendees, but strategic technological investments have successfully bridged the gap between traditional bingo and digital entertainment preferences. "The usage of iPads has reached record levels," Mansour revealed. "Approximately 70 to 72 percent of bingo gameplay now occurs on tablets, rather than using traditional dabbers and paper cards."
Safety and Socialization Drive Youth Appeal
Beyond technological adaptation, bingo halls offer Generation Z a secure alternative to conventional nightlife venues. Mansour emphasized that these establishments provide "a secure, safe place" that particularly attracts diverse communities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, who appreciate environments where they can comfortably express their authentic selves. This safety factor, combined with the activity's inherent social nature, positions bingo as an appealing option for young adults seeking meaningful connections.
Research from the Gambling Commission supports this social motivation, indicating that 18-24 year-olds represent the demographic most likely to gamble "because it's fun" (87 percent) and "to be sociable" (55 percent), rather than pursuing substantial financial gains. This aligns with bingo's reputation as a "soft" form of gambling, as Mansour describes it, where participants face limited ticket purchases and mandatory breaks between sessions that allow emotional cooling-off periods.
Experiential Leisure Meets Content Creation
Isabelle Shepherd, partner at city accountancy firm HaysMac, suggests that bingo's popularity among young Brits stems from multiple factors. Beyond reducing alcohol-related pressure, the shared activity alleviates social anxiety—a particularly relevant consideration for a generation that experienced extended isolation during COVID-19 lockdowns. Shepherd further notes the coincidental timing between experiential leisure's popularity surge and influencer culture's expansion, as environments like bingo halls naturally generate content opportunities for social media sharing.
"If you're in an environment like bingo, you're much more likely to generate opportunities to create content you can post to your friends or build a following with," Shepherd explained to City AM. This content-creation potential enhances bingo's appeal in an era where social experiences frequently intersect with digital documentation.
Market Growth and Future Uncertainties
The Rank Group, operator of Mecca Bingo, corroborates this positive trend, reporting an 11 percent increase in net gaming revenue during last year's third quarter, fueled by growing interest in both physical venues and online offerings. Traditional pubs are responding to the experiential leisure boom by investing in small-scale entertainment options like quizzes and shuffleboard, attempting to capture some of this emerging market.
However, Shepherd cautions that the broader experience-based leisure sector, which predates bingo's recent resurgence, may be approaching a growth plateau. She points to private equity firm Tenpin's acquisition of fairground entertainment brand Fairgame as a potential indicator of market consolidation rather than continued rapid expansion. "Funding is tight, costs are tight for all hospitality businesses, and numerous companies have experienced rapid growth trajectories," Shepherd warned, suggesting the sector might face challenges maintaining its current momentum.
Despite these uncertainties, bingo's unexpected revival demonstrates Generation Z's powerful influence on leisure trends, transforming nostalgic pastimes into contemporary social phenomena that blend analog charm with digital convenience.
