Bricks and Mortar Bingo for a Younger Generation

There’s no doubting the growth of pure online bingo sites like Sailor Bingo, Tombola and many more continues to evolve despite the introduction of stricter gambling regulations. But until fairly recently, its bricks-and-mortar counterpart struggled with something of an image problem.

To many, traditional bingo halls were a place for older generations to congregate and set the world to rights as they marked off their numbers with the aid of a rum and coke.

But things started to change in the early 90s with the launch of new purpose-built complexes by the likes of Gala and Mecca. Gradually replacing the old concert halls and converted theatres of yesteryear, these new entertainment venues enjoyed considerable success during the late 90s and early 2000s – some still do to this day.

This is largely because companies such as Mecca spend far more time trying to court younger players as well assenior citizens. Mecca’s Exeter branch provides a typical example of how traditional bingo can be made accessible to all age groups. In addition to the normal Saturday and Sunday sittings, the venue also hosts student evenings that regularly draw in large numbers.

However, despite the wide appeal of bricks-and-mortar bingo, some operators have started to exclusively target younger generations. We begin with Bongo’s Bingo.

Bongo’s Bingo

Bongo’s Bingo is the brainchild of event organisers, Joshua Burke and Jonny Bingo. Looking to attract Liverpool’s student crowd in 2016, the pair hit upon the idea of fusing bingo with elements of rave, copious amounts of alcohol, night-clubbing and cheerful debauchery. Unsurprisingly, it proved a massive hit with the youngsters. Today, numerous spin-off events are held around the UK. The basic premise remains the same though. Several rounds of bingo take place over the course of a couple of hours. In between, players participate in drinking games, rave sessions, dance-offs and Irish dancing.

Presiding over the ordered chaos is Jonny Bongo who serves as the bingo caller and emcee. Accompanied by a pair of drag queens who cavort around the stage, Mr Bongo doles out an assortment of prizes including Cocoa Pops, soft toys and various implements designed primarily for stimulatory enhancement. Believe it or not, the actual bingo is taken quite seriously. Make a false call and you’ll be subjected to the cutting wit (bants) of Jonny himself. Sexual allurements also abound of course much to the glee of Bongo’s youthful audience.

Rebel Bingo

Naturally, there have been plenty of imitators who’ve sprung up since. The best of the batch is probably Rebel Bingo which is very keen to stress that ‘oldies R not allowed’. Indeed, its profanity-laden website even goes as far as to label the traditional ‘bingo community’ as ‘oppressors’. Doris and Bill going down the club on a Saturday night aren’t the kind of people one might associate with a tyrannical oligarchy, truth-be-told. Still, the young ‘victims’ tasked with navigating this brave new bingo world can enjoy events at Los Angeles, New York, Ibiza and Las Vegas.

Dabbers Social Bingo

A few of these new bingo specialists opt to target the young and affluent instead of traditional working-class kids. Dabbers Social Bingo is one such example. Setting up shop near Shoreditch in London, Dabbers is aimed squarely at the skinny-jeans brigade. In order to ‘get down with the kids’ and to indulge their delicate sensibilities, its bingo callers are required to use millennial-friendly terminology. Some of these gems include 14: ‘Insta-Hipster scene', ‘56: Scrolling Through the Ex's Pics’ and the Orwellian replacement for the famed ‘Two Fat Ladies’ call: ‘Two Body Positive Ladies’. Happily, Dabbers lays on a veritable feast for hungry bingo players. But should you decide to visit, don’t expect a bag of chips or a burger. Super healthy, dainty dishes are the order of the day. Highlights include salted edamame, spinach falafels and prawn skewers. Yum!