State of Play Hospitality

What State of Play Hospitality does

State of Play Hospitality is a London-headquartered, privately held operator of technology-enabled experiential leisure venues founded in 2012. The company runs three proprietary concepts: Bounce (a ping pong entertainment venue using proprietary projection-mapping gameplay called Ping Pong X, launched in London in 2012); Flight Club (a social darts concept operated under an exclusive North American licence from Red Engine, featuring proprietary Social Darts® automatic scoring technology and originating in London's Shoreditch in 2015); and Hijingo (a bingo-theatre hybrid launched in London in 2021 that fuses traditional bingo with high-spec production and theatre visuals). The company serves primarily social groups, celebrations, and corporate/private events seeking immersive, group-format entertainment experiences that combine competitive gameplay with full hospitality service.

The underlying technology platform combines sensor-based automatic scoring at Flight Club with projection mapping at Bounce and theatrical show production at Hijingo, all integrated with venue-level video capture and social sharing features. Venue designs draw on British pub culture and fairground aesthetics, with locally inspired elements per market, and capacity ranging from approximately 270 to 375 guests per venue. State of Play operates a direct-to-consumer model with no third-party resellers, taking bookings through its own websites and capturing on-site food and beverage spend (craft cocktails, elevated cuisine, brunch, happy hour). Public pricing is limited; only the Washington D.C. Flight Club ($15 per person for a 90-minute darts session) is disclosed, while most event and F&B pricing is quote-based. A registered trademark in Social Darts® provides brand-level IP protection for the flagship concept.

The business generates revenue through per-person gameplay booking fees, F&B sales, private and semi-private venue rentals ('oches') for groups of up to 375 guests, and licensing/royalty payments to Red Engine for North American Flight Club operations. The company's go-to-market is primarily social-media-driven (Instagram, Facebook, email) supported by earned media around venue openings. Operations are run from a London headquarters (7 Savoy Court) and a US regional office in Chicago (300 S. Wacker Dr.). In 2022 the company raised $35 million from Bregal Partners to fund an aggressive US expansion that has grown Flight Club from 6 to 10+ North American venues (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Washington D.C., Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, St. Louis), with additional leases signed in NYC (Union Square West flagship, late 2025), Dallas-Addison (early 2026), Minneapolis (late 2026), and Seattle. Headcount is in the 501–1,000 range and the company has committed to net-zero direct operations by 2030 and full supply chain by 2040 under its 'Play with Purpose' programme.

Name

State of Play Hospitality

Legal name

State of Play Hospitality

Website

https://stateofplay.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

State of Play Hospitality is a London-based operator of tech-enabled social entertainment venues, running Flight Club (social darts), Bounce (ping pong), and Hijingo (bingo-theatre) for groups and corporate events across the UK and 10+ US cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Experiential Hospitality & Entertainment Venues

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Gaming Café/Bar Hybrid Venues (Food & Beverage + Competitive Play) (MPAFALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social/Free-to-Play Bingo Lounges (In-Venue) (MPAEAGAC), Bars & Pubs (Non-Music) (MPAGAIAC)

Keywords

• Experiential entertainment venues
• Social darts gaming
• Hospitality concepts
• Group entertainment bookings
• Immersive leisure venues

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Venue F&B Sales (Food, Craft Cocktails, Brunch, Happy Hour): State of Play venues generate revenue through on-site food and beverage sales including craft cocktails, elevated cuisine, weekend brunch, and happy hour specials. The hospitality model combines entertainment with full bar and restaurant service.
2. Gameplay Booking Fees: Flight Club charges per-person booking fees for dart playing areas. Example: D.C. venue 90-minute bookings at $15 per person.
3. Private Event and Group Space Rentals: Venues offer private and semi-private playing areas ('oches') for group bookings, corporate events, and celebrations, generating rental revenue from group bookings of up to 270–375 guests.
4. Licensing Royalties (North American Flight Club Operations): State of Play is the exclusive operating partner for Flight Club in North America under license from Red Engine (brand owner). The company pays licensing royalties to operate the Flight Club brand and concept in North America.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

State of Play Hospitality operates a portfolio of technology-enabled experiential leisure venues under three concepts: Flight Club (social darts with proprietary automatic scoring), Bounce (tech-enabled ping pong with projection mapping), and Hijingo (bingo-theatre hybrid). The company generates revenue primarily through on-site food and beverage sales, per-person gameplay booking fees, and private/semi-private event rentals for groups of up to 270-375 guests.

Product overview

State of Play Hospitality operates a portfolio of technology-enabled experiential leisure concepts. The company serves as the exclusive operating partner for Flight Club social darts in North America and creator/operator of Bounce (ping pong entertainment, founded 2012) and Hijingo (bingo entertainment, launched 2021). All concepts combine immersive gameplay with proprietary technology, quality venue environments, and elevated food and beverage offerings to create memorable social entertainment experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bounce: Ping pong entertainment venue with proprietary tech-enabled game Ping Pong X using projection mapping technology. First concept launched in London in 2012.
• Hijingo
• Flight Club

Products and services

• Flight Club Social darts entertainment venue featuring proprietary Social Darts® automatic scoring technology, private and semi-private playing areas called 'oches', craft cocktails, and elevated cuisine. Operated by State of Play under exclusive license from Red Engine in North America, with 10+ locations across major US cities.
• Bounce Ping pong entertainment venue concept featuring hosted ping pong experiences with Games Gurus and the proprietary tech-enabled game Ping Pong X, which uses projection mapping technology for interactive competitive and collaborative games. First State of Play concept.
• Hijingo Bingo-theatre hybrid entertainment concept fusing traditional bingo with high-spec production and theatre visuals, blending Blade Runner and Tokyo Nights aesthetics with a premium food and beverage programme. Creates immersive entertainment environment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Venues accommodate 270–375 guests per location for private and semi-private bookings
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• PayhawkcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025State of Play Hospitality implemented Payhawk to centralize its accounts payable (AP) and expense management across US and UK venues after previously relying on credit cards and bill.com. Payhawk provides automated invoice processing, customizable workflows, ERP integration, real-time analytics, and fraud prevention capabilities.
• Red EnginecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerState of Play Hospitality is the exclusive operating partner for Flight Club in North America under license from Red Engine, the brand owner. State of Play successfully launched the first US Flight Club in Chicago in 2018 and has since expanded to 10+ North American locations. The licensing relationship grants State of Play rights to operate, adapt, and grow the Flight Club Social Darts brand across North America.
• Zero Carbon ForumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerState of Play joined Zero Carbon Forum, a UK-based non-profit established to support the hospitality industry's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. In line with the Forum's goals, State of Play committed to achieving net zero by reducing and eliminating unavoidable emissions from direct operations by 2030 and throughout supply chains by 2040.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Topgolf: Topgolf operates tech-enabled, large-format social entertainment venues combining gameplay (golf-based driving ranges) with F&B and group experiences; it is the closest analog to State of Play's Flight Club and Bounce concepts in terms of combining proprietary technology, group-focused hospitality, and an aggressive multi-city expansion model.
• Bowlero / Lucky Strike: Bowlero is the largest operator of tech-enhanced bowling entertainment centers in the US with full bars and restaurants, representing a scaled, multi-city competitor in the tech-enabled social entertainment-with-F&B category where State of Play operates.
• Dave & Buster's: Dave & Buster's is the largest US chain combining arcade gaming, sports viewing, and full F&B service at scale; a broader incumbent competing for the same group-leisure discretionary spending wallet that State of Play targets, though with a more mass-market positioning.

Direct peers

• Puttshack: Puttshack is a tech-enabled indoor mini-golf and bar concept with proprietary ball-tracking scoring, combining social gaming with elevated F&B; it competes head-to-head with State of Play for the same experiential, group-occasion customer and uses proprietary technology as the core differentiator.
• Swingers (Jones Bar Group / The Kindred Group): Swingers operates crazy-golf plus cocktails venues in major US and UK cities, combining competitive social gaming with elevated food and beverage and a tech/digital design focus; it is one of the most direct experiential leisure competitors to Flight Club and Bounce.
• Punch Bowl Social: Punch Bowl Social is a multi-city US experiential dining and entertainment chain combining games (bowling, darts, karaoke) with a full bar and restaurant program, directly comparable to State of Play's concept of group gaming plus elevated F&B in a design-forward venue.
• Pinstripes: Pinstripes operates multi-city US venues combining bowling, bocce, and bistro dining, targeting corporate events and group celebrations; directly comparable in its hybrid social-gaming-plus-hospitality business model and corporate-event revenue mix.

Others

• Flight Club (UK / Red Engine): Flight Club UK is the originating brand licensor that State of Play partners with under license; it operates the same Social Darts® concept in the UK market and is the parent IP owner that controls State of Play's North American operating rights.

Emerging players

• Activate: Activate is a tech-enabled, gamified indoor entertainment concept using RFID, projection, and light-based interactive games, targeting the same experiential, group-occasion, design-forward customer; an emerging competitor with overlapping technology-driven leisure positioning.
• Two Bit Circus: Two Bit Circus operates tech-forward micro-amusement parks with arcade, VR, and proprietary games paired with a bar and F&B program; a comparable emerging competitor in the technology-driven social entertainment venue category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FlightClubDartsUSA
• Instagraminstagram.com/flightclubdartsusa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about State of Play Hospitality