Tech-focused competitive socialising company opens second site after Hamburg launch

DORTMUND, 16 September 2026: Tech-focused competitive socialising company The Social Gaming Group has continued its expansion in Germany with the opening of a new venue in Dortmund, in partnership with hospitality stalwarts GA Bars.

The Dortmund venue, which opened on 3 September, is the second German venue to open under Chipper Social, GA Bars’ operating name in the region, following Hamburg on 15 August, and represents the latest step in the brand’s wider rollout.

The venue opens with 13 Flyby Darts and 6 SHUFL Tech units: tech-powered darts and shuffleboard experiences developed by The Social Gaming Group that take classic bar games to new heights. 

They blend precision camera tracking and immersive game modes, supported by integrated tutorials, to deliver engaging, next-level experiences for players of all skill levels – combined in a cosy atmosphere in central Dortmund with three bars, 18-hole mini-golf and karaoke.

Both locations have been created to welcome customer groups including friends, social groups, corporate teams, tourists, after-work groups and celebration bookings. It is designed to appeal to customers looking for an activity-led night out that is easy to understand, fun to play and inclusive.

The Social Gaming Group is joining forces to create Chipper Social with GA Bars, an existing partner and established Nordic hospitality and leisure operator. 

This is GA Bars’ first expansion into Germany, working once again with The Social Gaming Group because of the latter’s high-quality gaming products, robust technology, and experience in helping operators build commercially successful competitive socialising venues. 

Ben Minter, B2B Sales Director at The Social Gaming Group, said: “The launch of Chipper Social in Germany is an important step for both businesses. It takes an existing Nordic partnership into a major new European market and demonstrates the continued demand for high-quality competitive socialising experiences. Games turn spaces into experiences and social engines that drive engagement and loyalty.

“Germany is a strategically important market for competitive socialising because of the scale of its hospitality sector: large city-centre hospitality markets, demand for corporate entertainment, and customers increasingly looking for interactive, shared experiences rather than passive nights out.

“Dortmund and Hamburg are at the forefront of this trend. Operators in Germany and across Europe are looking for leisure concepts that increase dwell time, support group bookings and give customers a clear reason to choose one venue over another. This is an incredibly exciting time to meet that demand.”

Jørn Akerhaugen, Country Manager at GA Bars, Germany & Denmark,added: “Competitive socialising is moving from niche entertainment into a more established part of the hospitality and leisure mix across mainland Europe. Operators are increasingly looking for concepts that are social, bookable, repeatable and capable of attracting both consumer and corporate audiences.

“The future is likely to be shaped by venues that combine strong hospitality with high-quality games and technology. The most successful concepts will be those where the games are not an add-on, but a core part of the customer experience and commercial model.

“Launching Chipper Social in Dortmund and Hamburg marks the start of a new market expansion for us beyond the Nordics, but we couldn’t have done any of this without The Social Gaming Group. It has proven products, high-quality technical support, and unmatched experience from launching into multiple markets globally.”

The new venue is opening at: Chipper Social, Dortmund Kampstraße 1, Dortmund

Germany, 44137.

This expansion marks further momentum in the growth of competitive socialising. Mintel research has shown that Germany’s Gen Z are on the lookout for new ways to socialise, with 80% saying that playing a social entertainment game at a leisure provider outperformed visiting a bar or nightclub.

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