The Youth Lab

SOCIALISING WITH A SCOREBOARD

Competitive socialising isn’t particularly new. Bowling alleys, pool halls and dartboards have been bringing people together for decades. What has changed is how they’re being packaged and the audience they’re attracting.

Games once relegated to suburban leisure centres and old-school pubs have been reinvented as curated, high-tech experiences sitting at the intersection of hospitality, nightlife and entertainment. Bowling… with boutique lanes. Darts… with digital scoreboards. Mini golf…with cocktails, DJs and elaborate settings.

And young people are leading the charge on this updated approach to competitive socialising.

A study from Mintel found that 93% of Gen Z had participated in competitive socialising, while 64% had played a social entertainment game in the previous month – slightly more than the 60% who had gone to a pub for a drink.

More recent research suggests the habit is sticking. KAM’s 2025 research found that almost one in three UK adults visited a competitive socialising venue in the previous year, with 41% of visitors now going at least monthly, up from 35% two years previously.

The supply side has followed. Savills research found that the number of UK competitive socialising venues reached around 800 in 2025, 58% higher than in 2018, with the market forecast to reach 1,100 sites by 2030.

The growth is particularly visible in Dublin, where a new generation of activity-led venues like Roxy Ball Room (coming soon), Flights Dart Club and Sandbox VR is moving competitive socialising from the fringes into the heart of the city.

This isn’t just a new type of night out. It reflects a bigger change in what young people expect from socialising.

WHY GEN Z WANTS TO PLAY

So, what’s behind it? Three shifts are making play particularly popular right now.

1. DOING BEATS WATCHING

Gen Z wants to participate.

Eventbrite’s 2026 Social Study found that 79% of 18-to-35-year-olds planned to attend more events in 2026, while 74% of Gen Z respondents said in-person experiences are more important than digital ones.

Competitive socialising fits neatly into this appetite because nobody is simply an audience member. You throw the dart, take the shot and become part of the story of the night.

2. AN ACTIVITY TAKES THE PRESSURE OFF

There’s also something surprisingly low-pressure about competition.

Eventbrite found that 58% of young adults prefer socialising when it isn’t the main focus. That might sound contradictory, but think about the potential awkwardness of meeting a new date or a work night out.

Put a bowling ball in your hands and the dynamic changes.

The game provides a shared focus, fills silences and generates conversation naturally. Winning almost becomes secondary. The real joy is getting to hang out without having to constantly “perform”.

3. ALCOHOL CAN ACCOMPANY THE EXPERIENCE

Alcohol is still a big part of socialising but it’s not as frequently the main event. According to HEINEKEN Ireland’s recent Always A Choice Report, 87% of respondents said some of their most enjoyable social moments happened while moderating, or not drinking at all.

Competitive socialising offers an alternative where alcohol can still play a role without always being the main event. This shift is happening alongside the rapid growth of low and no-alcohol options, giving people more choice in how they drink while still taking part in nightlife and social occasions.

“We’re seeing moderation become a much more established part of how people socialise, particularly among younger consumers. At the same time, people are looking for more from a night out – they want experiences that bring them together and give them something to do. Competitive socialising taps into both of those shifts. Pubs and venues that are embracing new occasions, from games and activities to a great choice of low and no alcohol options, are giving people more reasons to visit, stay and come back.”
Jason Cox, On Trade Director, HEINEKEN Ireland

Research from Zonal and CGA by NIQ found that 74% of consumers would visit a hospitality venue offering an elevated experience, with games among the most popular additions.

FROM THROWING DARTS TO THROWING AXES

The really interesting thing about competitive socialising is how rapidly the category is expanding beyond the activities that established it.

Bowling and darts might be the gateway, but globally we’re seeing axe throwing, shuffleboard, ping pong, batting cages, escape rooms, virtual reality and multi-game venues all competing for attention.

The winners are increasingly combining several activities under one roof. Savills found multi-activity competitive socialising venues grew from just 11 UK sites in 2018 to 84 in 2025.

There is a potential ceiling. Rapid expansion means operators are competing not only against pubs, restaurants and nightclubs but against one another. The strongest venues will understand what made competitive socialising appealing in the first place: play gives people a reason to connect.

In a world where social lives are increasingly mediated through screens, playing games creates something algorithms struggle to replicate: an unpredictable shared moment. The triumphs, the losses, the crazy trick shot no one was expecting.

And everyone has something to talk about afterwards.

BRAND TAKEOUTS

GIVE PEOPLE SOMETHING TO DO
Young audiences increasingly want to participate rather than simply consume. Brand experiences should consider how audiences can play, compete, create or contribute. Interaction turns an event into something people feel part of.

PLAY MAKES CONNECTION EASIER
Competitive socialising succeeds because the activity provides a social shortcut. Brands creating events for young audiences can use games and shared challenges to break down barriers between strangers and encourage more natural interaction.

MAKE IT WORTH LEAVING THE HOUSE
Young people have almost unlimited entertainment available through their phones. Physical experiences therefore need to offer something scrolling cannot: participation, spontaneity and genuine human connection. The question for brands isn’t simply “Will people attend?” but “What will they remember doing?”