There is a huge British expat population in Spain, with a report from 2016 revealing that there were 296,600 citizens from the UK living in the European country. A lot of these people flock to the coastal towns to enjoy sunshine that they wouldn’t be able to find in their home villages. But those who make the southerly migration do tend to miss a lot of their favourite things from back home. Bingo is one of the most popular pastimes of the older generation and expats in Spain need to know how they can get their fix.

Why is bingo popular with expats?

Of the British citizens who choose to get away from the cold and settle down in Spain, a large proportion of them are over 65 and retired. This age group makes up a huge chunk of the bingo-playing demographic in the UK despite the fact that online bingo is making the pastime more accessible to youngsters. In 2017, it was found that 21 percent of the bingo playing population was over 55 years of age. When living in a foreign country, people like to try and keep up with hobbies that they enjoyed in their home countries. Taking part in games like bingo and bridge can also be a good way to develop new social connections abroad.

Get your bingo fix online…

One of the best ways to get bingo action while away from the bingo halls of Britain nowadays is online. The bingo industry is buzzing and is worth over £1 billion in the UK. This is being helped by the rising number of bingo sites over the last five years. These digital bingo offerings look to recapture the bingo of old with social aspects like chat rooms, but also attract younger players with the inclusion of varied games like slots. The competition among bingo sites is becoming so fierce that there are big bonuses on offer to new players. Sites such as Lucky Pants Bingo try to keep hold of players by providing things like a bingo loyalty program, which rewards players who continue playing with the same site. This usually comes in the form of cashback bonuses and free spins on instant win games.

… or bingo the night away

Getting out and enjoying the atmosphere of a bingo hall would be more appealing to a lot of expats in Spain, though. There are plenty of small games organised by tourist bars and clubs for players who know where to look. Many expats also flock to places like Bingo Plaza in Benidorm. The huge bingo hotspot can host up to 600 players and is open until 3am every day in the summer. This is the best-known place for playing bingo on Costa Blanca and is a prime spot for meeting other likeminded expats.

There is no need for British expats in Spain to miss home comforts like bingo, with there being plenty of ways to play the game abroad. Online bingo sites are a solid option, but going to spots like Bingo Plaza can be better for meeting people with similar interests.