Video games have become one of the most popular hobbies and forms of entertainment around the world. However, as video games continue to evolve and become more immersive, there are growing concerns about the potential for video game addiction.
Highlights
● Men are more likely to develop video game addiction than women at a ratio of 2.5:1
● Video games can raise dopamine levels in the brain similar to eating pizza or ice cream
● Only 10% of gamers display dangerous or long-term addictive gaming behaviors
● More severe ADHD symptoms correlate with higher video game addiction risks
● The global prevalence of gaming disorder grew to 3.05% by 2019
● Gamers in China spend the most time playing at 12.39 hours per week on average
● 0.3-1% of the general population meets the criteria for internet gaming disorder (IGD)
● COVID-19 lockdowns led to 30% of UK gamers skipping meals or showers to play
● Boys display more signs of video game addiction compared to girls
● 600,000 South Korean children suffered from gaming addiction in 2019
General Video Game Addiction Statistics
1. Men are more likely to develop video game addiction – Research shows that men tend to enjoy video games more than women, likely due to differences in brain responses to gaming. As a result, young men have a higher risk of developing a video game addiction.
2. Video games raise dopamine similar to food rewards – Brain scans reveal that playing video games can double normal dopamine levels in the brain’s reward pathways. This is comparable to eating foods like pizza or ice cream that people often crave.
3. Only 10% of gamers display addictive behaviors
– A six-year study on video game addiction found that while some gamers can develop an obsession, 90% do not engage in dangerous or long-term addictive gaming patterns.
4. More ADHD symptoms linked to higher addiction risk – A study on 2,801 adult gamers discovered that people with worse ADHD symptoms may face increased risks of video game addiction, regardless of game type.
Global Video Game Addiction Rates
1. Global gaming disorder reached 3.05% by 2019 – An analysis of over 50 studies from 2009-2019 determined that 3.05% of people worldwide meet the criteria for gaming disorder. This reduces to 1.96% when applying more stringent study sampling criteria.
2. US gamers play 7.71 hours per week on average
– Americans spend an average of 7.71 hours per week playing video games as of January 2021. Chinese gamers play the most at 12.39 hours followed by 10.16 hours for Vietnamese gamers.
3. Over 22% of US gamers play 60-80% multiplayer games – Statistics from 2017 reveal that 22.4% of American gamers spend 60-80% of their total gaming time playing online multiplayer PC games, which are highly addictive.
4. 0.3-1% meet internet gaming disorder criteria
– A 2016 study of 18,932 adult gamers in the US, Canada, UK, and Germany found that 0.3-1% qualify for a diagnosis of internet gaming disorder (IGD) based on addiction criteria.
5. 13.9% of Hong Kong students game over 21 hours per week – A Hong Kong survey in 2017 reported 13.9% of male students spent over 21 hours gaming per week, equating to 3+ hours every day. Mainland China gaming restrictions may extend to Hong Kong.
6. A South Korean man played games for 72 straight hours – Addiction specialist Roh Sungwon shared a case study of one patient hospitalized after a 72-hour nonstop gaming binge until an internet café owner called police.
Gaming Disorder Statistics in COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic led to global lockdowns for months on end. With so many people stuck at home, gaming disorders became more prevalent worldwide.
● 39% increase in global gaming time – Worldwide gaming time saw a 39% boost compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a new hobby for people of all ages.
● 30% of UK gamers skipped meals or showers – 30% of British gamers admitted to missing meals or skipping showers during 2020 lockdowns to continue playing video games. Over 66% lost sleep due to excessive gaming.
● Only teens showed addiction signs – One study found that while both kids and teens played more video games during COVID-19, only teenagers demonstrated a statistically significant rise in gaming addiction symptoms compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Gaming Addiction in Children and Teens
Recent advances in video games paired with easy access to technology have made gaming the top recreational pastime for kids. But children’s developing brains make them especially vulnerable to behavioral addictions like gaming.
● Boys show more serious addiction signs – A study of 827 teenagers aged 14-19 years old found that boys exhibit substantially higher rates of gaming addiction symptoms compared to girls, including worse impairments in real-life functioning.
● 600,000 Korean children suffer gaming addiction – South Korea declared video game addiction a national medical emergency after statistics showed 600,000 Korean kids suffer from problematic gaming. The WHO also voted to classify “gaming disorder” as a disease.
● 10% of Singaporean kids addicted – Official figures suggest 10% of children in Singapore now meet the criteria for internet and gaming addiction. As a result, Singapore introduced a video game rating system and banned certain especially addictive titles.
● Chinese kids restricted to 1.5 hours on weekdays – In response to rising youth gaming disorders, China imposed strict regulations limiting anyone under 18 to just 1.5 hours of gaming per weekday and 3 hours max on weekends or holidays.
Conclusion
Video game addiction is on the rise globally as gaming technology and accessibility continues to evolve. However, statistics suggest only a small percentage of gamers develop truly problematic behaviors. Setting reasonable screen time limits and monitoring children’s gaming can help prevent gaming from turning into an unhealthy obsession. Treatment options are available for those struggling with gaming addiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of gamers are addicted?
● Roughly 1-16% of gamers meet the criteria for video game addiction. With 3.1 billion gamers worldwide, this still equates to a significant population struggling with obsessive gaming disorders.
What causes video game addiction?
● Video games trigger rewarding dopamine responses in the brain, similar to other addictive substances. The achievement-reward system can lead gamers to crave more gaming to repeatedly activate these feel-good dopamine hits in the brain’s reward pathway.
What makes video games addictive?
● Video games incorporate various psychological “hooks” intentionally designed to pull players into the game, including challenging high scores, social engagement with online team play, discovery of hidden rewards, or storyline reveals that leave you wanting more.
What are signs of video game addiction?
● Symptoms of gaming addiction include an inability to stop playing, lying about gaming, using games to cope with difficult emotions, declining real-world relationships and obligations, and suffering physical problems like lack of sleep due to excessive playtime.