Gaming machines in licensed bingo premises across the UK generated £461.7m in gross gambling yield in the year to March 2026. Bingo itself brought in £242.1m. Machines accounted for nearly two-thirds of the sector's combined GGY of £703.8m, a split that has drawn scrutiny from the regulator and government as many so-called bingo halls now operate as gaming centres under cover of a bingo licence.
Machine revenue in bingo premises rose 57% between 2019–20 and 2025–26, from £293m to £462m. Category B machines — higher-stake devices — jumped from £197m to £361m and now deliver 78% of all machine income, up from 67% six years earlier. Over the same period the number of traditional bingo clubs fell from 335 in December 2018 to 248 by August 2024, while the total count of licensed bingo premises climbed to 714. Growth has come from small high-street sites where machines are the main offer.
The Gambling Commission attempted to map the formats. Street-corner bingo operators derive less than 1% of revenue from the game itself, with 99% from machines. Traditional clubs see bingo contribute 51% of GGY; seaside venues report 55%. Merkur Slots runs 340 sites, of which 227 hold bingo licences and only 106 are classed as adult gaming centres. Yet the bingo-licensed premises look and function like standard gaming halls with minimal bingo presence.
Current law sets no floor area or seating requirement for bingo. The government opened a consultation in October 2025 proposing that 30–50% of floor space and a minimum of 30–40 seats be allocated to bingo. The consultation closed in January 2026, but ministerial changes have delayed a response. The question is whether the regulator can draw a workable line without squeezing legitimate hybrid formats or finishing off what remains of live bingo.
