Buzz Bingo has revealed that sustainable high street growth can only be achieved through generationally inclusive gaming, hospitality and entertainment experiences for the spectrum of British consumers regardless of age, gender or social background.
Backed by a new £25m funding commitment from Barclays, Buzz Bingo, the UK’s largest bingo operator (land-based and online) is on a mission to redefine the bingo experience. It comes at a time when value and affordability have become the most sensitive factors for consumers.
Speaking to iGaming Expert, David Evans, Chief Product Officer of Buzz Bingo insists that the transformation programme is not about superficial change but “a complete rethink of what bingo represents in modern Britain.”
“Bingo has always been about togetherness,” Evans states. “That sense of community hasn’t gone away — it just needs to be expressed in a way that resonates with how people socialise today. Whether you’re 25 or 75, you should be able to walk into a Buzz club and immediately feel that it’s a space made for you.”
Localisation and nuance
From Sheffield to Stockport, Buzz’s refurbished clubs are showing the early results of that vision. More than 10,000 new touchpads, upgraded tills, modern AV systems and redesigned lounge-style layouts will transform the in-club experience.
Each venue now features social seating, open bar areas and flexible spaces that blend bingo with music, food and entertainment. Events such as Dab and Gab nights — where “number calls meet pop singalongs” — have become the hallmark of the new Buzz style.
“We’ve moved away from the traditional, silent hall,” Evans said. “There’s still room for classic bingo, but we’ve built sessions where laughter, music and social energy are part of the game. Bingo should be spontaneous and fun — that’s what people want.”
Modernisation, Evans stresses, does not mean uniformity. Each club is designed around its local community, from the artwork on the walls to the weekly entertainment plan.
“No two Buzz clubs are the same,” he stated. “Some celebrate nostalgia, others lean into contemporary design. We trust our local teams to shape their venues because they know their customers best. We’re not just upgrading buildings — we’re giving communities a reason to gather again. That’s something no app can replace.”
No generational divide
With half of new Buzz customers now under 35, the company faces the challenge of balancing innovation with tradition. Evans sees the solution in a hybrid model that merges in-club play with online engagement.
“You can’t build the future of bingo by chasing one audience at the expense of another,” he explained. “Our goal is to make bingo inclusive — for loyal players who love the social ritual and for new audiences who discover us through digital channels or themed events. It’s about creating a bridge between generations, not a divide.”
That bridge is supported by Buzz’s omnichannel ecosystem, linking in-club and online play through live-streamed games such as Big Money Live.
“When someone can join a live game online on Tuesday and visit their local club on Friday, that’s when loyalty takes root,” Evans added. “Technology doesn’t replace the human element — it amplifies it.”
Signs of success
The results are beginning to show. For FY2024/25, Buzz reported revenues up 5% to £217.2m and EBITDA growth of 20% to £42m, driven by higher retail admissions and a 14% increase in online activity underscoring a second consecutive year of double-digit earnings growth.
The next phase will see 18 clubs fully refurbished by 2026, including the newly acquired Hull Astoria, as Buzz continues to reshape its national estate and reconnect communities through entertainment.
Buzz builds beyond Gambling Review
Buzz’s transformation coincides with the government’s Gambling Review and proposed updates to bingo licensing. Evans welcomes the discussion but says the company’s strategy “already goes beyond the regulatory horizon.”
“Compliance is a foundation, not a vision,” he noted. “We’re not waiting for the government to tell us what bingo should look like in 2026 — we’re already building it. Inclusive, digital, social and rooted in community — that’s the real renewal the industry needs.”
Evans concludes with a message that captures both ambition and belief in bingo’s future:
“People still want to belong to something. That’s what bingo has always offered, and what we’re bringing back — a space where everyone feels part of the same game, no matter who they are or where they come from.”
