From bingo halls to hashtags, how Gen Z saved the bingo industry
In the 1960s, more than six million people in the UK belonged to a bingo club. Today, that number has dwindled, but the game itself is experiencing an unlikely renaissance. During , it’s not pensioners filling the halls. Still, Gen Zs live-streaming their wins, dancing on benches at drag brunches, and sharing ironic memes about vintage bingo calls like ‘clickety click’ and ‘legs eleven’ on TikTok. The bingo industry is booming again, just not in the way we knew it. The average age of players is falling. Traditional bingo halls are diversifying. And nightlife venues, from pubs to neon-drenched club nights, are finding that bingo is not only back but also bankable. So what’s behind the comeback, and is the rest of Europe ready for the revival?
TikTok made them do it
Much of the regulatory insight in this article comes from Elizabeth Varley, solicitor at gambling law firm Poppleston Allen, who shared exclusive guidance with SiGMA News on exempt gaming laws, event risks, and legal thresholds. Varley attributes much of bingo’s Gen Z appeal to the exemption from gaming laws that allows pubs and clubs to host low-stakes bingo nights without a gambling licence. It’s these relaxed legal thresholds that opened the door for the boom-in-themed nights like Bongo’s Bingo, Dabbers, Bada Bingo, and HiJingo.
“Bingo paired with additional experiences, R&B themes, drag hosts, bottomless brunches, creates something novel,” says Varley. “The ability to share that online, visually and socially, fuels the appeal.”
At Bongo’s bingo events, traditional number calling is replaced by DJs spinning house music between rounds while players compete for prizes ranging from Henry Hoover vacuums to inflatable flamingos. Dabbers Social bingo combines karaoke with bingo cards, and HiJingo features live comedy acts between games. The atmosphere is more festival than community hall. Think fancy dress themes and crowds that cheer as loudly for a line as they do for a full house.
And share it they do. On TikTok, videos under the hashtag #bingo have amassed more than 700 million views, featuring viral clips that reveal glowstick-lit halls, remixed number calls, and audiences roaring with half-ironic intensity. In some cases, the spectacle has little to do with gambling and everything to do with vibe, chaos, and content creation.
What could possibly go wrong?
While bingo may be cool again, it’s also heavily regulated. And many operators, especially first-time event hosts, aren’t fully aware of the legal limits.
“The Gambling Commission has specific guidance on exempt gaming in alcohol-licensed premises,” says Varley. “Common mistakes include exceeding the £2,000 (€2,365) in stakes and prizes over a seven-day period or charging participation fees, which isn’t allowed unless the venue has a licence.”
The biggest red flag? When bingo becomes the main reason people visit a venue. Exempt gaming must remain at a “low level” and ancillary to the primary purpose, which is the sale of drinks, food, or entertainment. As Varley notes:
“If the bingo becomes the event, not just part of it, you may need an operating licence.”
Consequences can escalate quickly. Breach those rules once, and it’s a warning. Breach them twice, and you’re in high-turnover bingo territory requiring full Gambling Commission oversight. A 2023 enforcement notice in the Midlands saw a venue fined £5,000 (€5,915) for hosting ticketed bingo nights without a licence and exceeding stake limits over several weeks. In more serious cases, temporary closures and permanent licence revocation can follow.
Quick compliance guide for first-time bingo hosts
- 18+ only – enforce age checks.
- No participation fees unless licensed.
- Total stakes/prizes must not exceed £2,000 in any 7 days.
- Bingo must be secondary to the venue’s primary purpose.
- Game rules should be visible to players.
- No marketing aimed at under-18s or glamorising gambling.
Quickfire guide to bingo
Whether you’re hosting a sold-out session or filming for social, these tips give you the edge of a bingo industry veteran:
- 2 – One little duck: The number 2 resembles the shape of a duck, complete with a curve and a tail.
- 7 – Lucky seven: A universal symbol of fortune, tied to everything from 바카라 floors to lucky charms.
- 11 – Legs eleven: The two ones side by side resemble a pair of legs—cheeky and straightforward.
- 22 – Two little ducks: Like the number 2, the repetition doubles the duck imagery. Some callers even quack.
- 55 – Snakes alive: A rhyme with a punchy rhythm. No real snakes, just flair.
- 66 – Clickety click: Evokes the repetitive look of the number.
Top Tips for Beginners:
- Listen for the rhythm: Seasoned callers develop a cadence that helps players follow quickly.
- 바카라 multiple cards only when you’re confident: It’s harder than it looks, and easy to miss a number.
- Stay quiet when someone calls house: False calls won’t just earn eye-rolls; some venues may ban repeat offenders.
- Bring a dabber. Always! It’s tradition, it’s faster, and it stops you from wrecking your card with a biro.
Traditions to Know:
- Lucky charms and rituals: Some players swear by items such as troll dolls, rabbit’s feet, lucky coins, or always sitting in the same seat.
- Regional lingo and remixed rhymes: In some halls, callers personalise numbers with local phrases or celebrity references.
- Shouting “house” too early: Not only will you lose credibility, but in stricter halls, you could be disqualified or barred for repeated mistakes. Plus, the whole room will groan.
Why it matters:
Even with all the tech, social media, and rebrands, the bingo industry still thrives on rhythm, rules, and community. Knowing the lingo helps you belong, even if you’re just there for the memes and mimosas. For a closer look at how technology and innovation are shaping bingo’s future, this SiGMA News feature, Bright lights, big wins, and how bingo is dabbling in the future, takes you on a lively tour of the bingo industry’s exciting reinvention.
Why the UK leads Europe’s bingo revival
While the UK is seeing a surge in bingo clubs and nightlife events, much of Europe lags behind. In Malta, where iGaming dominates the market, bingo remains a traditional, land-based affair quietly played in local halls and community centres with an older crowd. Online bingo exists under MGA licensing, but it’s far from the top-performing vertical.
In Europe, beyond the UK, bingo wears many masks shaped by rules and customs alike:
- In Spain, bingo is subject to regional laws, which hinder the rollout of cohesive national campaigns.
- In Italy, online bingo is tightly controlled by AAMS, with high licensing costs.
- In Germany, gambling laws vary by state, and bingo remains a niche activity.
- In France, 90-ball bingo is permitted in non-profit or charitable settings, with stake limits often set at under €20.
- In the Netherlands, bingo is only legal when hosted by registered associations, with strict prize caps of €400 per game and a total of €1,550 for the entire session.
- In Portugal, bingo is regulated by SRIJ but remains culturally associated with older demographics and has seen limited innovation.
- In Belgium, bingo is treated as a charitable lottery, with rare licences granted for communal or non-commercial events.
- In Ireland, bingo is governed by National Lottery law, and most online offerings are regulated under strict MPU-based licensing, which restricts growth in Gen Z markets.
“Operators like Bongo’s bingo have yet to expand across Europe, and that’s partly due to these regulatory and cultural barriers,” adds Varley.
For a glimpse of bingo’s global reach, see how the game is making waves in Asia. The Philippines recently celebrated one of its biggest jackpots on BingoPlus, showing the game’s global appeal.
While most of Europe keeps bingo quiet, the UK’s gone loud. It’s not fading into history books. It’s crashing into brunch menus and fresher’s week. The game’s got new shoes, and they’re glittery.
So, what’s next for the bingo industry?
Expect entertainment and compliance to collide more often moving forward. Venues will need to sharpen their understanding of legal frameworks as Gen Z continues to shape the market. There’s also room for growth in online platforms designed to mirror the chaos and charisma of live bingo nights without crossing legal lines.
Whether this revival is a cultural reset or a post-pandemic novelty remains to be seen. But the fact that bingo has shifted from fading halls to viral feeds shows its remarkable ability to adapt, which is the key to its longevity. Bingo has survived everything from smoking bans to social media revolutions. Now it faces its most creative challenge yet: keeping Gen Z engaged while navigating compliance. As the bingo industry expands beyond its roots, tech partners and event brands have an opportunity to co-create Gen Z-friendly formats, combining live event energy with robust compliance, data capture, and monetisable engagement tools. From AI-enhanced randomisation to real-time social integration, the future of bingo isn’t just about balls.
It’s about building brand-safe buzz.
