Bingo halls up and down the country are seeing a fresh wave of interest, but new research suggests the excitement is not being felt evenly. When it comes to the UK’s most bingo obsessed towns, Wales is nowhere to be seen, and that raises an interesting question for players closer to home.
According to research from WhichBingo, home of the online slots UK players turn to most, the West Midlands town of Tipton has come out on top as the nation’s most bingo mad place. The study looked at search volume for bingo and five related phrases over the past year, then combined the scores to rank towns and cities by how much genuine interest they showed. Lincolnshire’s Burton upon Stather took second place, with Tyne and Wear’s South Shields close behind in third. Hartlepool and Blyth rounded out the top five.
What stands out most is the geography. The top 20 is dominated almost entirely by towns in the Midlands, the North of England and Scotland. It takes until Mistley, a small village in Essex sitting at number 25, before a location from the South of England even gets a mention. Wales does not feature at all, at least not within the towns and cities that made the cut.
That is not necessarily a sign that Welsh players care less about bingo or slots. It is worth remembering that this study only measured online search interest, not how many people are actually playing. The Gambling Commission’s most recent participation figures show bingo, played either online or in person, remains a regular pastime for a meaningful share of adults across Great Britain, regardless of whether their town happens to top a search based ranking.
There is also a numbers game at play. Larger cities and areas with bigger populations often see their search interest diluted once it is measured on a per capita basis, which is exactly how this study was calculated. Wales has a very different mix of towns and cities compared with somewhere like the West Midlands, and that kind of variation can shift a location several places up or down a ranking like this one.
None of that changes the fact that bingo, and the slot games that often sit alongside it, remain a firm favourite for plenty of people across Wales. Community spaces matter here too. A Senedd committee report on town centre regeneration found that converted venues, from old shops to former cinemas, are increasingly being used to bring people back into Welsh town centres, and bingo nights are exactly the kind of activity that thrives in spaces like these.
For those looking for something to do closer to home, there is still plenty going on. Anyone wanting inspiration for a night out, whether that is bingo, a quiz, or something else entirely, can find plenty of ideas on the What’s On guide, which tracks events happening across the country week to week.
So while the bragging rights for now sit with Tipton, Burton upon Stather and the rest of the top five, it would be a mistake to assume the game has lost its appeal in Wales. If anything, this looks more like an invitation for Welsh bingo fans to start putting their towns on the map next time the numbers are crunched.
Underage gambling is an offence. You must be over 18 years old to gamble.
Any form of gambling should always be fun, playing in a way that is right for you. It’s good to set limits, take time out or set up reminders.
Please gamble responsibly and in moderation.
For more information on the tools available to help to keep you safe or if you want advice or support you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (England, Scotland and Wales or visit Gamblingtherapy.org).
