Brian Gilmour, owner of Cambridge Bingo & Gaming Centre, jokes that his business is the region’s “best kept secret.” But he’s doing something right. The business celebrates its 40th anniversary on June 3, 2025. Brian opened it at the young age of 23.
Throughout those 40 years, the business has changed and adapted to the times. For one, it’s not just a bingo hall anymore, it’s also a gaming centre.
“We’re a hybrid between bingo and casino. We offer the best of both worlds,” says Brian.
They offer bingo sessions with traditional play, which is done on paper, as well as electronic play. For fans of traditional casino games, the gaming centre boasts over 100 casino-like cabinet games. These cabinet games are found in their “Vegas rooms,” which operate from 11AM-11PM seven days a week. As for bingo, there are two sessions per day every day, at 1PM and 7PM.
Brian says that since making the transition from a bingo hall to a gaming centre, they’ve attracted more of a younger demographic. He acknowledges that for years, bingo was stereotyped as something for older adults.
“We’ve come a long way since then. Now we have the electronic component and we play for much bigger jackpots— $10,000, $8,000, $7,000. It’s a far cry from the way it was years ago.”
With these bigger jackpots comes more money raised for charity.
Cambridge Bingo & Gaming Centre currently supports 86 charities. The business is classified as a regional gaming centre, so of those 86 charities there are several in Kitchener, one or two in Guelph, and a couple more in Brantford. The rest of the 86 are local to Cambridge.
How does the charitable giving work? The charities are assigned two-hour time slots, during which time they must have two representatives physically at the gaming centre. Each month, depending on how many periods they’re present, the charity receives a pro-rated share of the net win from the operations.
Brian sees the value in non-profits receiving these less restricted funds.
“It’s an amazing way for charitable organizations to raise money, instead of going through the grant process where they have to have a specific reason for it. They can take this money and put it to use in our community the way that they see fit.”
After decades in business, Brian estimates that his business must have generated over $35 million for charities in the region.
Another way that Brian and his staff stay connected to the community is getting to know their regulars. They know customers’ names, and make a particular effort to engage with them during the summer months and on weekends, when the gaming centre floods with tourists.
When first-time visitors walk through the front door and see the variety of games available, Brian says they’re “floored.” He’s noticed more couples coming in over the past several years, incorporating it into their date nights. He enjoys seeing them having fun, grabbing something to eat at the concession stand, and meeting other people. Brian says it beats sitting at home in front of the TV.
“You get to interact with other people. It’s a social event.”
For more information, visit www.cambridgebingo.com.