Teaching mahjong is the hot new gig
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Give a friend a mahjong lesson, and you might score a free dinner. Teach mahjong, and you've got a career.
Why it matters: As the centuries-old Chinese game finds new fans, instructors are in high demand, with some turning lessons into thriving businesses.
What we're hearing: Mahjong fits into a broader embrace of hands-on hobbies that have been popular with grandparents, like pickleball and needlepoint, says Alyssa Gross, founder of a group that's taught over 2,500 people in Chicago.
- It's also become a way for younger Asian Americans to connect with their heritage, Nicole Wong, who hosts pop-ups across San Francisco, previously told Axios.
State of play: Enthusiasm has soared over the past couple of years, "coming from people who are just starting to hear about it more, [whether] that's from friends down South, influencers or bloggers they follow, or someone seeking an opportunity to be offline," Gross tells Axios.
- Her team of 10 instructors teaches private lessons and throws ticketed events each week.
In Huntsville, Alabama, Anna Ford teaches so much mahjong, including at-home lessons and family classes, that it's become her full-time job, she told WHNT-TV.
- In Houston, two friends run a company offering lessons for $60–$75 and $50 open plays, tournaments and kids camps, Axios previously reported.
The big picture: The game of tiles where players draw, discard and strategize toward a winning hand has long been a cherished pastime — first among Asian families and later embraced by Jewish communities.
- More than 40 variations are played worldwide, and "the game has been changing ever since it started," according to historian Gregg Swain.
- Still, some luxury American sets have sparked criticism: Tile company The Mahjong Line apologized in 2021 after redesigning traditional Chinese pieces with images critics said erased the game's history.
The latest: Mahjong events on Eventbrite jumped 179% between 2023 and 2024, fueled by Gen Z's appetite for "analog" connection, per the platform's data.
- The game is now reaching college campuses. Tile brand Oh My Mahjong brought sets to a Texas Christian University tailgate last month and plans to expand to other schools.
- Some sororities are also taking lessons.
Zoom out: American mahjong started on the East Coast, but in recent years it's surged in the South and Southeast and is spreading to California and the Midwest, instructors say.
- Many earn their living teaching in partnership with brands like The Mahjong Line, which counts 175 instructors across 33 states, founders Kate LaGere and Annie O'Grady tell Axios.
What we're watching: Teachers are using social media to recruit more players, sharing strategy tips and bougie tablescapes.
- TikTok posts with the hashtag #Mahjong surged nearly 25% over the past six months, data shared with Axios shows.
The bottom line: Mahjong has moved far beyond grandma's table.
