Much like several other cities dotted across the UK, Cardiff was once teeming with bingo clubs. The wonderfully British game of numbered balls and cheeky calls was a staple of Friday and Saturday nights out, particularly from the 1960s onwards.
There were many elements behind the appeal of bingo, with the most prominent being that it’s easy to play, not costly to enjoy, and that big prizes were on the line. A change in the state of play from 1961 allowed big cash prizes to be offered, encouraging even successful dancehall chains to pivot into becoming bingo halls as well.
Since those golden years, bingo has endured quite the spell of ups and downs. It underwent a huge run of decline at physical venues, but in recent years, it’s evolved to mount a comeback. Looking at Cardiff today, you can see exactly how bingo has pivoted its approach to grow in appeal once again.
Explosion of Bingo in Cardiff
Bingo has been around for well over a century, but it surged to its peak through the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s across the UK. With gambling regulated and standardised in 1961, businessmen rushed to make the most of the bubbling popularity of bingo and its potential. Over those decades, bingo’s prevalence continued to grow.
In Cardiff, several bingo halls became go-to hubs for weekend entertainment, following a similar path as in the rest of the UK with the likes of cinemas and dancehalls switching it up to tap into bingo’s popularity. At the turn of the millennium, though, many changes led to a slew of closures, including the smoking ban and increased taxes.
From 2005 onwards, the number of halls rapidly declined. In Cardiff, old bingo halls have been features of many headlines, but predominantly for their demolitions. In 2018, the historic theatre and gaming hall Grand Cinema on City Road was demolished. In 2015, Riva was burned down and demolished, leading to new eco-friendly flats.
Modern Cardiff’s Bingo Scene
While many have been demolished, there are still plenty of the old bingo halls left standing across Cardiff. However, what it means to go and play bingo these days has changed. As a result, there are fewer dedicated bingo halls in the city, but still many different ways to play.
Of course, online gaming has become a major player in bingo, but some brands are blending the experience. In the bingo sign up bonus offers available online, players get £30 to play online, £10 to use in any bingo club under the brand’s purview, and 200 free spins on the online slot Fire Blaze: Blue Wizard Megaways.
Out and about, bingo has become more of an event or an occasion than a regular weekend staple. Bongo’s Bingo is the most well-known of these bingo event hosts, and they came to Cardiff to host a show at Tramshed on Clare Road. The games bar Boom Battle Bar also got in on the action, bringing Big Boom Boozy Bingo to its Cardiff venue.
Later this year, Tiger Yard in Cardiff will also host the Outdoor Summer Sessions of Bingo Lingo. Like Bongo’s Bingo, Bingo Lingo is a nightclub-style bingo event, emphasising the party side of the night with little bingo sessions in between.
Bingo’s been on a wild ride in Cardiff over the decades, but in its new, diverse form, it’s once again become a beloved pastime of the city and the UK more generally.
