Gaming is now a mainstream activity in the UK. More than 37 million Britons played video games in 2024 – that’s nearly 60 per cent of the population.
The UK gaming market is estimated to have generated about £4.62 billion in revenues in those last 12 months.
Mobile, Cloud and subscription gaming are booming while console and PC game revenues decline. Esports and streaming are growing fast too.
UK Online Gaming
Among UK adults aged 16-24, a staggering 85% play video games. Many are daily players and the former gender gap has disappeared.
The latest figures show 36% of Brits playing on mobile, 25% on console and 19% on PC. Among 8-15 year-olds gaming is virtually universal – around 99% play.
More than half these UK gamers are women (52%) and it’s growing thanks to free mobile puzzles and trivia games.
Casino games in the UK are also on the rise too, with more players opting to play at an online casino rather than visiting a land based establishment, players prefer the convenience and easy accessibility playing online brings.
UK Offline Gaming
There’s also a boom in physical games and public gaming events.
The surge in board games, puzzles and card games means the global board game market is expected to be worth $21.6 billion this year.
Tabletop games events are huge in Britain. The UK Games Expo, the largest tabletop gaming expo in the UK, is the third largest globally and attracted around 65,000 daily attendees in 2024.
Board game cafes are growing too, like the Geek Retreat chain with more than 20 UK stores.
The size of the UK market
Britain’s online gambling is surging. The latest figures show it’s now worth £15.6 billion a year.
Online casinos made up 63.8% of that, swamping the contribution of remote betting (34.8%) and bingo (2.4%).
Mobile devices handle nearly 60% of this UK online gambling activity. Playing slots via mobile has become one of the nation’s most popular pastimes.
UK players placed a staggering 25.9 billion bets and spins in the last quarter of 2024 alone.
Online slots are still growing in popularity and the latest figures show they’re up again by another 15%. Sports betting surged 38% too.
With 97.8% internet penetration and widespread smartphone use, access to online gaming is nearly universal in the UK.
The operators are using state-of-the-art AI tools to personalize experiences and monitor risky behaviour. Safety is key: regulations are tightening with stake limits and bans on rapid play modes as a protection for players.
Gaming in London
Offline
London reflects many of the trends across the whole UK – but there are some more exciting developments in the city:
The capital now has a fast-growing gaming cafe scene for analogue gamers.
Draughts, the city’s first board-game cafe runs two venues in Dalston and Waterloo. They offer over 1,000 games, seating for up to 180 guests and a menu of food and drinks to fuel marathon gaming sessions.
Other popular game spots include Loading Bar with board games, arcade and console classics and The Library Pot, that blends casual play with a buzzing social atmosphere.
Across the city, competitive socialising venues are booming.
Places like Fairgame offer social games at their Canary Wharf site. It now has 330,000 visitors annually, generating £12 million revenue.
Casinos are evolving into popular mainstream nightlife experiences too. The Hippodrome welcomes 1.2 million guests yearly to its five floors, with 45 tables and 120 slots.
It also offers live shows, DJs, cocktails, rooftop bars and steak dining. London’s casinos now derive up to a third of their turnover from food and entertainment, not just gaming.
Online
Londoners seem to love online gaming. About 31% of UK adults gamble online – but experts estimate Londoners far exceed that figure because they are so tech-savvy.
The latest estimates are that roughly 65% of the city’s online players use smartphones to access live-dealer games.
Commuters may spend 3-4 hours weekly on casino gaming as they travel. This ranges from slots to live blackjack.
Slot games currently reign supreme in the capital. Film- and TV-themed slots, especially MegaWays, have big audiences that keep coming back for more.
Live dealer games like blackjack and roulette are growing fast too.
Convenience, alluring bonuses and loyalty tools have made online gaming a lasting preference among Londoners. Former casino and betting shop customers now game on phones anywhere, anytime.
The future of gaming in London
Londoners’ gaming habits in 2025 reflect a growing blend of online and offline play.
While digital gaming dominates, offline gaming still holds significance shown by the popularity of physical game stores like GAME.
Looking ahead, the gaming landscape in London is expected to evolve with advancements in cloud gaming, and in augmented and virtual reality. These technologies promise to enhance immersive experiences and social interactions, further blurring the lines between online and offline play.
Gaming may be huge across the city now – but industry experts expect it grow even more in the coming years!
