UK Online Gaming Statistics 2020

UK online gaming statistics 2020 make for impressive viewing. It’s estimated that there are around 20 million people in the UK who play video games on a regular basis, and the gaming industry is growing throughout the mobile, PC and console markets. Alternatively, we've gone deeper on Gambling Statistics UK 2021 here.

Online Gaming Industry Trends

The factors and trends affecting the online gaming industry and its growth include: virtual reality and the ability this brings to collaborate and play with others; augmented reality; and the rise in the number of small, indie gaming studios.

Esports is another rapidly growing area. This typically involves competitive multiplayer video games usually played by professional gamers for spectators. YouGov estimates about 7% of the UK population (4 million) watch electronic sports regularly.  However, Britain lags behind China, the US, and Germany who are among countries with the biggest shares of eSports viewers.  Nevertheless, British eSports fans are avid video game players The average fan spends around eight hours playing video games each week. 

Rise of UK Gaming Industry

According to the recent gambling industry statistics released by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) the remote betting and gaming sector saw combined growth of 20% between October 2018 and September 2019, 

The UK has the world’s fifth largest and Europe’s second largest interactive gaming industry and contributes over £1.8 billion towards GDP. The industry is twice as lucrative as it was a decade ago, so we have come a long way!

However, the rise of the UK game industry hasn't come out of the blue. Without time and money going back into the industry, it's current success and growth in the future wouldn't happen. 

For example, in 2016 alone, The UK games industry ploughed £1.25bn back into developing new releases and gaming industry companies.

With more than 20,000 full time jobs in gaming, there have been calls for more education to help find a new generation of potential developers.

The UK Games Map 2020

The UK Games Map  built in partnership by Ukie and Nesta is the first interactive, real-time map of the UK games industry. It is an invaluable interactive tool for the industry, investors, journalists, academics, and policy makers. Games developers, publishers and service providers own their data, updated in real-time using an automated big data approach.

Tech and Online Gaming in 2020

With over 4 billion people around the world now using the internet, there is a more diverse pool of people able to access online gaming platforms. Whilst the likes of slot games and online bingo used to be a favourite pastime for the older generations, these games are now popular with many younger generations who choose to play these games from the comfort of their own homes.

Popularity of Online Bingo

A massive £155 million of the £4.5 billion generated from online gaming in the UK comes from online bingo. It’s popularity is down to its incredibly innovative features in the online form, from mini games and prizes to movie themes and well known TV and film characters. 

Funding for UK gaming industry

The availability of funding and support has been one of the biggest drivers for growth in the UK gaming industry. Creative England’s GamesLab programmes help England's gaming SMEs to develop quickly, upskill and grow.   

UK Online Gaming Statistics at a Glance

• $5.05 billion: Sales generated by the U.K. game industry 
• 2,280: The number of game companies in the U.K.
• 75%: The revenue U.K. games companies generate from international sales
• 40%: The percentage of U.K. game developers with a budget dedicated to R&D

The State of Online Gaming 2020 Report  makes interesting reading and is worth checking out.

The future of the UK gaming industry

The future of online gaming is exciting.  The sector is flourishing, and it looks like it will be around and supporting our economy for many years to come. The UK's gaming industry  was recently estimated to be worth £3.86bn - more than video and music combined.

It's estimated 32.4 million people in the UK play games and Esports are predicted to earn the UK £8m in ticket sales by 2021. And events like Resonate Total Gaming and EGX and help to attract thousands of gaming fans to the UK.

The success of the UK gaming industry would not have been possible without the support of all stakeholders involved. With the industry continuing to grow, there are calls for schools to teach coding and prepare future talent for a career in game development. Tax relief has also been made available by the UK government for gaming companies.

Recently, the Premier League is also capitalizing on the popularity of football to launch eSports tournaments for FIFA players across the country. Indeed, the dominance of gaming in the UK is only about to grow more significantly in the coming years.

It’s clear the popularity of online gaming in the UK isn’t going away any time soon.

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