Buzz Bingo have announced their plans to revolutionise bingo for a younger audience, promising a £25m investment into the younger market for UK clubs.
Promising new immersive experiences, state of the art technology and modern interiors to cater for Gen-Zs and millennials, the focus on a younger market ties in with the undeniable figures: more than half of its new customers are between the ages of 18-35.
Currently, the company has 79 clubs spread out around the country and they remain the UK’s leading omnichannel bingo brand, but the multi-year programme will begin with an initial transformation of just eight locations in 2025.
That will be the first step of the new investment programme, backed by Barclays, to modernise bingo and cater for the burgeoning youth market.
Buzz Bingo’s first transformation completed
Following the announcement, the first newly refreshed club has already been reopened, with Sheffield Parkway the first to receive a modernised ‘glow-up’.
Included in the new features are a transformed customer experience including a reimagined main hall, an all-new Players Lounge, an updated bar area and artwork from local artists. Tech and innovation have also taken centre stage as new ultra-high-definition digital screens and dynamic AV systems have been installed.
As part of the programme, the tech push continues. Buzz will also introduce 10,000 of the latest electronic bingo terminals, next generation self-serve bingo kiosks and new digital registration terminals in every club.
Furthermore, over 1,300 new slot machines and fully integrated Digital Membership Cards are also being rolled out to enhance every stage of the player journey, in a way that speaks to younger players.
Seven more clubs are awaiting to receive investment in 2025, including more Northern locations such as Leeds and Stockport. The sites will give younger players a fun and fresh environment to enjoy bingo as demand for competitive socialising continues.
Buzz’s five-year plan
The investment programme forms a key part of the strategic five-year plan that Buzz Bingo introduced in 2023. Focusing on leveraging the business’s unique and market-leading omnichannel strategy to deliver sustainable profitable growth, a younger market will be key to that.
Moreover, the business has a strong track record of delivering increased footfall at new or upgraded sites and it is anticipated that the new sites will capture more local market-share, with the Sheffield Parkway club delivering a nearly 200% increase in footfall on launch compared to the previous week and a 131% increase year-on-year.
Over the course of the five-year long plan, more clubs are expected to receive a refurbishment to introduce a bold new concept site that will re-imagine a traditional bingo hall by blending technology, immersive design, and hospitality.
The hope is that they can create the “Bingo Club of the Future” and Dominic Mansour, CEO of Buzz Bingo, echoed those hopes, as he stated they are looking to take the business to the next level. “Our new investment programme will see clubs across our estate being transformed.
“This is all about modernising bingo for the next generation of players and taking our clubs to the next level to offer a truly unmatched experience for our players, and we believe our Sheffield Parkway site is now one of the best bingo clubs in the country.
“By combining cutting-edge technology, more modern interiors and even better food and drink, we’re not just refurbishing our clubs — we’re going to be reimagining what bingo can be in the future.”
