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How remakes and remasters are driving the UK gaming economy
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With 37.3 million gamers, the UK gaming industry is the biggest in Europe
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New report finds remastered games to be a driving force behind industry growth
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Gaming is more accessible than ever thanks to the rise of mobile gaming
Nineties teens are 69%1 more likely than the national average to spend between 21 and 28 hours gaming every week. And with this age group 47% more likely to have access to a Nintendo Switch, PS4 (42%) and Xbox One (44%), a new report reveals how developers are tapping into this market to drive the UK gaming economy.
From the impact of remakes and remasters, to how digital downloads are changing the industry, online smartphone retailer, Mobiles.co.uk, has taken an in-depth look at how the UK’s gaming industry is evolving.
The study reveals that the UK gaming industry has experienced huge growth in the past 10 years, with retail sales revenue between 2009 and 2019 increasing by a huge 72.6%2. Further insight also reveals that in 2019, the entire UK video game industry generated a huge £5.35 billion1 in revenue, with £3.77 billion3 of that total generated from video game software sales. But with an impressive 37.3 million4 gamers in the UK alone, what exactly is contributing to this growth?
According to Mobiles.co.uk’s report, the trend for remastered games including Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy, Resident Evil 2 and The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening, all play significant roles in the growth of the gaming industry here in the UK.
The new UKIE UK Top Selling Games List for 2019 revealed the below remakes/remastered games were amongst the top 100 best selling boxed games sold in 2019, while the more recent Final Fantasy VII remake quickly became one of the PS4’s best selling game to date:
|
Rank |
Title |
Monthly Search Volume |
|
16 |
Crash Bandicoot N.SaneTrilogy |
6,6005 |
|
21 |
Resident Evil 2 |
27,1005 |
|
32 |
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening |
8,1005 |
Still remaining in the top 20 for the UK’s best-selling games of 2019 two years after its release, Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy receives around 6,600 unique searches every month4, its continuing popularity indicates that British gamers are becoming increasingly nostalgic when it comes to their gaming choices.
Crash Bandicoot also features at number 21 in the 2019 list. The remaster spiked the interest of gamers in the UK with a huge 49% increase in search volume over the past 12 months alone5. With an average of 27,100 monthly searches5, the franchise’s decision to reboot this classic was certainly welcomed by the industry, indicating there is a huge appetite for nostalgic gameplay here in the UK.
The final remaster included in the list of the top-selling games is The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening. Originally launched on the Game Boy in 1993, the remake was designed for the Nintendo Switch. As of March 2020, the new Link’s Awakening had sold more than four million copies globally6, and it’s one of the best-selling games of all time for the Nintendo Switch.
Lee Chambers, Psychologist and gaming expert, commented on the research: “Gaming and nostalgia are heavily interconnected, to the point where it fuels trends and shapes the industry direction. Video games are incredible triggers for nostalgia, anchoring us back to an often carefree time, when we had fewer responsibilities and gaming became a social construct as groups of children all sat around in a bedroom socialising while playing.
“The reality of the industry is that nostalgic gamers are now the ones with purchasing power to relive past glories fighting dragons of their youth, while being decision-makers for buying games as presents for their children. And that is gradually shaping the industry, risk aversion for the new, settling for the old. Your average early millennial is approaching 40. They don’t have the time they did as a child to form an emotional bond to a game’s story with life’s distractions, but a remake removes that barrier, making it all the more attractive.”
The new study also reveals the impact digital downloads are having on the industry, with over two thirds (70%)6 of the UK’s total video game sales revenue, generating a total of £2.63 billion6, coming from digital downloads. Even more remarkably, 42%6 of this revenue came directly from mobile games, indicating a shift in the industry towards smartphone gaming.
The report indicates that UK gamers are not only changing the way they purchase games but thanks to recent advancements in smartphone technology – including cinematic displays, advanced GPUs and even the introduction of high-speed 5G – they’re also expanding the devices they play on.
With a projected 2%7 compound annual growth rate, the huge surge in the mobile gaming sector is predicted to maintain its momentum in 2020 and beyond. An estimated 21 million people in the UK played a mobile game in 20197, with 19% of users aged 18 to 24, 37% falling in the 25-34 age bracket and 23% aged 35-447.
Andrew Cartledge, mobile expert at Mobiles.co.uk, says “In the UK, and all across the world, there’s no doubt that the gaming industry is growing at a rapid speed. The excitement for the next remake or remaster makes sure there’s still a place for the old, while the huge shift towards digital assures the industry and its consumers can keep up with the new.
“Mobile gaming is already huge in 2020 and will only get bigger in the years to come. If you’re interested in trying out some of the very best mobile games like PUBG and Fortnite for yourself, make sure you have a powerful handset to play on.”
For the full report on the UK gaming industry, mobile gaming, remasters and more, please visit: https://www.mobiles.co.uk/blog/understanding-the-uk-gaming-industry-mobiles-remasters-and-more/#fn1
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Sportradar Report | World Cup 2026: Opportunities for the Latin American Sports Betting Market
With the World Cup set to be the largest edition of the tournament to date, Sportradar has published a new report exploring the opportunities and challenges facing sports betting operators across Latin America.
The report examines how sportsbooks can capitalize on the surge in betting activity expected during the tournament and convert it into long-term customer growth.
Key topics include:
- The impact of 104 matches across 39 days on betting activity
- The rise of a new bettor profile seeking personalized and interactive experiences
- The three pillars of sportsbook success: enhancing the betting experience, fueling fan engagement, and safeguarding market integrity
- The role of AI in delivering personalized experiences and real-time engagement
Among the report’s findings:
- An estimated US$50 billion in betting handle globally
- 60% of consumers plan to bet online or via mobile apps
- 19% are expected to place their first-ever sports bet during the tournament
We hope you find these insights valuable for soccer’s biggest event.
The report is available here:
- Portuguese : LATAM_Sportradar_Industry Report_Copa_De_Mundo
- English: LATAM_Sportradar_Industry-Report_World-Cup
For your reference, here’s the link to our LinkedIn post: linkedin.com/posts/sportradar_sportradarsoccer
The post Sportradar Report | World Cup 2026: Opportunities for the Latin American Sports Betting Market appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Gmonitor.ai
Gmonitor llega a Latinoamérica: la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para operadores debuta en seis mercados regulados
Gmonitor amplía su cobertura a Brasil, México, Colombia, Panamá, Perú y Argentina tras su participación en SBC Summit Americas
Gmonitor.ai, la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para el sector del juego online, anuncia su lanzamiento oficial en los mercados regulados de Latinoamérica. La compañía pone a disposición de los operadores su plataforma en Brasil, México, Colombia, Panamá, Perú y Argentina, llevando a la región la misma inteligencia diaria de mercado, juegos, promociones y competencia que ya utilizan operadores de primer nivel en Europa.
El anuncio se produce tras la participación de Gmonitor en SBC Summit Americas, celebrada en Fort Lauderdale entre el 9 y el 11 de junio, donde la compañía presentó su plataforma a operadores, proveedores y reguladores de toda la región y confirmó el fuerte interés del mercado por herramientas de inteligencia competitiva accionables.
Gmonitor monitoriza a diario los lobbies de los operadores con licencia, sigue la posición y el rendimiento de cada juego, mapea el panorama promocional y consolida datos de mercado en un único panel. El resultado permite a los equipos de marketing, marca, producto, trading y contenido sustituir miles de horas de seguimiento manual por información lista para la toma de decisiones: qué juegos crecen, cómo se mueven los competidores y dónde están las oportunidades de captación y retención.
Latinoamérica es una de las regiones de mayor crecimiento del juego regulado del mundo, pero los operadores siguen tomando decisiones con una visibilidad limitada de lo que ocurre a su alrededor. Llevamos a la región una plataforma ya probada con operadores líderes en Europa.” Hákon Magnússon, COO de Gmonitor
Con cobertura inicial en seis mercados, Gmonitor da servicio tanto a operadores que buscan defender y ganar cuota como a proveedores de juegos que necesitan entender su distribución y posicionamiento frente a la competencia. La compañía tiene previsto seguir ampliando su cobertura a Estados Unidos en las próximas semanas.
The post Gmonitor llega a Latinoamérica: la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para operadores debuta en seis mercados regulados appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
André Boesing General Manager for South LatAm at OKTO PAYMENTS
OKTO says Argentina’s provincial rules complicate iGaming payments and operations
The payments provider points to fragmented licensing and local requirements as operators expand across Argentine jurisdictions in 2026.
OKTO PAYMENTS said the rapid expansion of iGaming across Argentina’s provinces is increasing operational complexity for operators, as each jurisdiction brings distinct regulatory requirements, licensing processes and local commercial dynamics. The company shared its view in a June 2026 statement focused on the country’s multi-jurisdiction framework.
Unlike other Latin American markets with a single national model, Argentina’s provincial approach forces operators to adapt to multiple regulatory environments within one country, OKTO said. The company argued that as the market matures, expectations around transparency, traceability and operational control are also rising.
“For years, growth was the industry’s primary objective. Today, the challenge lies in how to scale efficiently in a market where each jurisdiction may present different requirements, expectations, and operational dynamics,” said André Boesing, General Manager for South LatAm at OKTO PAYMENTS.
Boesing added that consumer expectations for consistent user experience can mask the complexity behind the scenes. “Users expect a simple and seamless experience regardless of where they play. But behind that experience lies increasing operational complexity that operators must manage efficiently as they expand into different jurisdictions,” he added.
OKTO said capabilities such as orchestrating deposits and withdrawals, treasury and liquidity management, and efficient settlement processes are becoming more important as operators work with multiple providers and payment methods across provinces. “In many cases, infrastructure goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. However, in highly fragmented markets like Argentina, the ability to manage multiple providers, maintain operational consistency, and adapt quickly to local requirements can become a competitive advantage in itself. At OKTO PAYMENTS, we call this ‘playing a different game’: competing not only through products and services, but also through operational resilience and adaptability,” he explained.
The company concluded that long-term success in Argentina will depend on balancing growth with operational control and adaptability. “The operators best positioned for long-term success will be those capable of combining growth, operational control, and adaptability. Financial infrastructure is no longer simply a technological support layer; it is becoming a strategic advantage in increasingly sophisticated markets,” Boesing concluded.
The post OKTO says Argentina’s provincial rules complicate iGaming payments and operations appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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