Daily Mirror Top News｜「独家」宾果游戏18年来首次实现入场人数与销售额双增长，宣告“强势回归”
宾果游戏或迎来复兴。此前，一家主要运营商宣布其入场人次和销售额出现近20年来的首次同步增长。
在全美拥有77家俱乐部的Buzz Bingo表示，去年其客流量增长了2.5%，下半年增幅达5%。这是自2007年以来，该品牌首次实现客流量与收入双增长。
老板多米尼克·曼苏尔宣称：“宾果游戏正在英国各地真正复兴。”
这款从美国引进的游戏于20世纪50年代首次出现在英国。但直到60年代它才真正流行起来，许多豪华影院被改造成了宾果游戏厅。
很快，宾果游戏厅和俱乐部便在全国各地涌现，其中许多位于海滨地区。然而到了20世纪80年代，参与人数开始下降，而1994年国家彩票的推出更是吸引了大量玩家，成为宾果游戏的有力竞争对手。
运营商尝试了多种方法以扭转颓势，包括引入新技术以及将宾果之夜转变为热闹的派对。近年来，诸多头条新闻宣称宾果游戏终于迎来了复兴。
有报告显示，年轻玩家数量激增。然而，宾果游戏厅的数量已从新冠疫情前的335家降至目前的247家左右。
据宾果协会透露，该国所有俱乐部年利润总额约为3500万英镑。该协会此前还表示，2024年秋季预算案中雇主国民保险和最低工资的上调，导致其利润缩水了四分之一。
Buzz Bingo的门店数量已从疫情前的137家大幅减少，客流量仍远低于以往水平。其经营场所包括原名为格拉纳达（Granada）、丽兹（Ritz）、卡尔顿（Carlton）和嘉拉（Gala）的宾果俱乐部。
该集团位于什鲁斯伯里的俱乐部因建筑被出售，已于1月底关闭。该场所最初于1934年作为电影院开业，1973年转型为宾果游戏俱乐部。公司宣称其拥有超百万会员，每周接待近10万名玩家。
曼苏尔先生表示，经营状况好转的原因包括大量新技术的应用和俱乐部的翻新。该公司称，经过全面改造的俱乐部入场人数增长了20%，新客户增加了50%。公司补充说，会员平均每周在俱乐部赢得200万英镑，线上平台每周赢取40万英镑。
曼苏尔先生继续说道："随着这些投资效益的充分释放，我们预计2026年及之后将实现更强劲的增长。"
考虑到去年预算案带来的不确定性，这一表现尤为强劲。尽管我们欢迎政府取消宾果税的决定，但重要的是，该行业尤其是全渠道企业需受益于稳定的监管环境，以保持这一积极势头。
研究还表明，宾果游戏厅对玩家具有潜在的心理益处。该机构早前一项调查发现，半数玩家在参与活动前感到孤独，而其中三分之二的人在离开时孤独感有所减轻。
Buzz Bingo says revamping its clubs and introducing electric touchpads have helped halt a long-time decline - with hope for the wider sectorBingo 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.
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 countrys clubs collectively make around 0535million 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.
Buzz Bingos number of sites has slumped from 137 before the pandemic, with admissions still well down. Its venues include bingo clubs previously known as Granada, Ritz, Carlton and Gala.
Its club in Shrewsbury closed at the end of January, after the building was sold. It originally opened as a cinema in 1934, before becoming a bingo club in 1973. The firm says it has over a million members, nearly 100,000 players a week through its door.
Mr Mansour says the reasons for the turnaround include a host of new technology and refurbishing clubs. Those given an overhaul have seen a 20% growth in admissions and a 50% increase in new customers, the firm said. Members win an average of 052 million per week in the clubs, the firm added, with 05400,000 a week won online.
"We expect to see even stronger growth in 2026 and beyond as we fully benefit from these investments, Mr Mansour went on.
This performance is especially strong given the uncertainty around the Budget last year and, while we welcome the Governments decision to abolish Bingo Duty, it will be important that the sector and omnichannel businesses in particular benefit from a stable regulatory environment so this positive momentum can continue.
Research also suggests bingo halls can have a hidden benefit for players. A previous poll for the firm found while half of players were lonely before coming along, two-thirds left feeling less so.
