Bingo 'making a comeback' after first rise in admissions and sales in 18 years

EXCLUSIVE: Bingo 'making a comeback' after first rise in admissions and sales in 18 yearsBuzz Bingo says revamping its clubs and introducing electric touchpads have helped halt a long-time decline - with hope for the wider sectorCommentsMoneyGraham Hiscott Business and Consumer Editor11:44, 07 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesBuzz Bingo says club refurbs have boosted new player numbers (Image: Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)Bingo could be making a comeback, after a leading operator announced the first rise in both admissions and sales in almost 20 years.‌Buzz Bingo, which runs 77 clubs across the country, says numbers grew 2.5% last year, and 5% in the second half. It is the first year both admissions and revenues have risen since 2007.‌Boss Dominic Mansour declared: “Bingo is enjoying a real resurgence across the UK.”‌The game - an import from the US - first appeared in Britain in 1950s. But it was the 1960s when it took off, with many grand cinemas converted into bingo halls.Before long, bingo halls and clubs appeared up and down the country, with many in seaside spots. But by the 1980s, attendance numbers were falling, and the arrival of the National Lottery in 1994 proved another big rival draw for players.View 4 ImagesBingo has been credited with helping tackle loneliness(Image: Tim Merry/Staff Photographer)‌Operators have tried various ways to turn back the tide, including new technology and turning bingo nights into lively parties. There have been various headlines in recent years proclaiming that bingo was finally enjoying a renaissance.Some reports suggested a boom in younger players. However, the number of bingo halls has dropped from 335 pre-Covid to around 247 now.According to The Bingo Association, all the country’s clubs collectively make around £35million profit a year. It also previously said that a quarter of its profits were wiped out by the 2024 Autumn Budget and the increase in employers’ national insurance and the minimum wage.‌View 4 ImagesA wave o...