20 Years on from the Bingo Hall Closures – What’s New in Scottish Gaming?

20 October 2026

Twenty years is a long time in gaming. Back then, a night out at the bingo hall was a regular fixture for plenty of people in Scotland. Edinburgh was a veritable hub of bingo action, with halls dotted around the city and bingo ranking among the most popular forms of entertainment. Fast-forward to today and plenty of those old buildings have found new uses, while the games themselves have moved on.

The big change, of course, is the internet. Bingo hasn’t disappeared, it’s just found another home. With regards to bingo sites and even a mainstream online casino site in general, players can now access games from home, without having to catch a bus across town or wait for the doors to open. There’s a much wider choice, too, with online slots, live casino games and bingo rooms all available on a phone or computer.

A Different Kind of Gaming Landscape

The industry hasn’t stood still, and neither have the tax rules. From April 2026, the 10% bingo duty was abolished, removing a specific tax on bingo played in licensed premises. But there’s a bigger picture here. Remote Gaming Duty rose from 21% to 40% in April 2026, while a new 25% tax on remote betting profits is due to follow in April 2027.

So, while bingo halls have been dealing with changing habits and the cost of keeping their doors open, online operators are facing their own financial pressures. What that means for players remains to be seen, although changes to promotions and operating costs are possibilities across the wider gambling sector.

Old Bingo Halls Get a New Lease of Life

Take the former halls on Leith and Nicolson Street. Both have stories that tell us something about how Edinburgh has changed. The old industrial mill in Leith once served an industrial purpose before becoming a cinema, drawing people in for blockbuster films. Later, it joined the ranks of the city’s bingo halls.

Now that planning consent has been granted for student accommodation, with space for around 200 students, the building’s future looks rather different.. It’s a familiar story in cities where old entertainment venues are being converted to meet new demands for housing.

The former cinema and bingo hall known as The Grainworks has taken another route. Plans for the property involve turning it into a place for affordable accommodation, mall community events and daytime dining.

Bingo Is Still Going Strong

And here’s the thing. Just because some of the old halls have closed doesn’t mean people have fallen out of love with bingo.

In Craigmillar and Niddrie, for example, a spring evening of prize bingo proved a big hit for the White House Community Café. That’s the sort of event that shows bingo still has a place in local life. It’s affordable entertainment, a chance to meet people and, with a bit of luck, an opportunity to take home a prize.

Moray Park also has a venue open every day of the week, staying open until 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. That sort of schedule shows there’s still demand for places where people can get together, play games and enjoy a night out.

What’s Next for Scottish Gaming?

The past twenty years have brought big changes, from the disappearance of familiar bingo halls to the rise of online gaming. Yet the basic appeal hasn’t really changed. People still enjoy a game, a bit of competition and the chance to share the experience with others.

Some of Edinburgh’s old halls are becoming homes or community spaces, while bingo continues both online and in local venues. The surroundings may be different, but bingo itself is still very much part of the picture.

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