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Revealed: The emotional, social, and developmental benefits of gaming

Published

5 years ago

December 2, 2020

George Miller

Reading Time: 4 minutes

28% of internet users play games to meet new people
A third of gamers say they play because they like to challenge themselves.
There are 20,000 gaming jobs in the UK, providing plenty of opportunity for a career in the industry
We spoke to three experts in the field who gave their insights into the gaming industry

There are lots of negative misconceptions about gaming, many of which are far from the truth. A new study turns stereotypes on their heads and reveals the emotional, social, and developmental benefits of gaming. Dr Rachel Kowert, Research Director of Take This – a mental health non-profit; Dr Matthew Barr, a lecturer of Game Studies at the University of Glasgow; and Noel McDermott, a psychotherapist and presenter of The Well-Being Show podcast, provide their thoughts and insights. Here are some of the highlights:

Gaming can boost mental wellbeing and help with feelings of loneliness

Thanks to well-crafted storylines and lifelike graphics, games are the perfect form of escapism
34% of gamers identify the feeling of being immersed in a game as a key motivation to play
The global gaming population is likely to have increased by 4% since the outbreak of Covid-19

Especially in challenging times, activities that provide a positive distraction and allow an individual to put their worries to the back of their mind can have a beneficial impact on mental wellbeing. Gaming is an excellent example of this, offering an immersive experience that can mentally transport you to another world.

Barr says, “Video games are good at getting players into the state of optimal experience that psychologists call ‘flow’, by offering an appropriate balance of challenge versus achievement. It’s that feeling of being ‘in the zone’, where you’re totally absorbed in the task at hand, and you’re operating at the top of your game. In turn, this has a positive impact on how players feel.”

This is because the sense of reward releases feel-good hormones called dopamine that boost the player’s mood. What’s more, gaming can offer meditative benefits by fully occupying your mind with the objectives of the game.

Kowert adds that, “Gameplay can also teach skills that have long been associated with increased happiness and prolonged life satisfaction, including openness to experience, self-care, a growth mindset, solution-focused thinking, mindfulness, persistence, self-discovery, and resilience.”

Gaming can maintain and build new relationships

Half of gamers play with their real-life friends
28% of internet users play games to meet new people
1 in 3 internet users in the UK say the main reason they game is to have fun with people they know

Contrary to popular belief, gaming can be a sociable activity. Many games offer multiplayer modes or are designed to be played in teams, providing the opportunity for individuals to join forces with their existing friends or virtually meet new people – located anywhere in the world.

McDermott says, “Gaming, especially online, can provide immeasurable benefits to those who are lonely and isolated. It provides safe social contact and a place where skills can be developed. These skills can provide a much-needed boost to self-esteem.”

Research found that 60% of gamers report playing more games with social elements since the beginning of the pandemic, suggesting gaming can play a positive and pivotal role in connecting people at a time when face-to-face contact isn’t always possible.

Kowert explains, “Shared experiences, like playing games together, have been linked to increased self-esteem and a sense of belonging, as well as decreased feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation.”

Gaming can teach life skills and cognitive abilities

There are 20,000 gaming jobs in the UK, providing plenty of opportunity for a career in gaming
Minecraft: Education Edition, for example, has applications in geography, history, engineering, and physics
A third of gamers say they play because they like to challenge themselves.

While gaming can provide a fun form of entertainment, it can also contribute to the player’s cognitive development. For example, many titles involve problem solving, strategy and multi-tasking, among other skills.

Kowert explains, “Games are fantastic learning tools, particularly for children, because they are so engaging. Video games are also great vehicles for sharpening cognitive skills because they provide a range of different challenges within a single space. Gameplay has been associated with the improvement of a range of cognitive skills, including:

improved creative thinking
problem solving
time management
leadership skills
goal setting
initiative taking
decision making
persistence in the face of difficult challenges.”

It’s estimated that children aged 12-15 years old spend an average of 11.6 hours a week gaming. So, with gaming being such a widely enjoyed hobby, it’s encouraging to note that it could be effectively harnessed as an educational tool to teach numerous skills and knowledge. What’s more, with the gaming industry growing year-on-year (and estimated to be worth £3.86 billion in 2020), it could also open doors for careers in the industry.

Barr explains, “We all learn new skills through practice, whether that’s learning how to play an instrument or training to play sports more proficiently. Learning from a video game is no different – you’re exercising skills all the time, whether it’s figuring out puzzles or using your communication and language skills to talk to and strategize with your fellow players.”

Gaming myths debunked

52% of Brits play video games, demonstrating its popularity and prevalence in daily life
Gaming is the nation’s second favourite pastime, after watching TV
Brits spend an average of 7 hours a week gaming, which is just a third of the time spent watching TV (22.5 hrs)

Over the years, gaming has been associated with negative stereotypes and behaviours, such as laziness, violence, and isolation. There is little evidence to prove any of these correct. Instead, in many cases, gaming can be more beneficial for the player’s health, development, and social abilities than it is detrimental. In fact, with over half of Brits playing games, it’s apparent that gaming is just a part of modern life for many.

Kowert explains, “There is no evidence to suggest that playing games online has a negative impact on our ability to socialise. However, research has found that playing games with our friends online can strengthen our offline friendships and relationships.”

Another concern that often arises is the amount of time people spend gaming and whether gaming has addictive qualities. Talking on the topic, Barr explains that, “People talk about players becoming ‘addicted’ to games, without really considering what that word means, in a clinical sense. We don’t bat an eyelid when someone becomes so engrossed in a book that they sit there reading for hours on end, but somehow this sort of behaviour is perceived as problematic when it comes to games.”

B2B Marketing

Beyond Season’s Greetings: GR8 Tech Unveils Strategic ‘Holiday Calendar’ for Operators

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2025

Wladimir P.

beyond-season’s-greetings:-gr8-tech-unveils-strategic-‘holiday-calendar’-for-operators

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: Most B2B holiday campaigns are fluff—digital greeting cards that get deleted instantly. GR8 Tech is taking a smarter approach by wrapping high-value strategic advice into a seasonal format. By focusing on 2026 goal-setting (tech upgrades, market wins), they are positioning themselves not just as a platform provider, but as a strategic partner for operators currently in their planning cycles.

The Full Story

GR8 Tech, the award-winning sportsbook and iGaming platform provider, has launched a new initiative designed to turn the holiday season into a period of strategic preparation for operators.

Dubbed the Holiday Calendar, the campaign is an exclusive newsletter experience that moves beyond standard festive greetings to deliver actionable, data-driven insights aimed at helping iGaming champions define and achieve their goals for 2026.

Unwrapping Strategic Insights The initiative runs as a 4-week series, consisting of eight curated email editions. Each edition focuses on a specific “iGaming wish”—ranging from stronger growth and smarter tech to smoother operations.

Instead of leaving these as abstract concepts, GR8 Tech pairs each goal with practical insights from its own data and technology stack, offering a roadmap for how operators can realistically achieve them in the coming year.

Management Commentary Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech, explained that the campaign mirrors the ambitious mindset of their clients:

“Every operator has a vision for the year ahead: targets they want to hit, markets they want to win, experiences they want to deliver. The GR8 Tech Holiday Calendar is our way of celebrating ambitions and showing how the right insights and technology can turn them into reality.”

How It Works Operators can subscribe via the GR8 Tech website to receive the series. Each message “opens a new tile” on the digital calendar, revealing a specific insight designed to be applied to future business strategies.

The campaign effectively showcases GR8 Tech’s broader value proposition—including its Hyper Turnkey solution and ULTIM8 Sportsbook—by demonstrating how these tools solve specific operator challenges. It comes on the heels of a successful year for the provider, which recently secured the title of Platform Provider of the Year at the SBC Awards 2025.

The post Beyond Season’s Greetings: GR8 Tech Unveils Strategic ‘Holiday Calendar’ for Operators appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

AML Compliance

ComeOn Group Fortifies C-Suite: Michela Tabone Valetta Named New CPO

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2025

Wladimir P.

comeon-group-fortifies-c-suite:-michela-tabone-valetta-named-new-cpo

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: In the current iGaming climate, “sustainable growth” isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a survival strategy. By bringing in a seasoned CPO like Michela Tabone Valetta (ex-Bally’s, Gamesys), ComeOn is signaling a focus on organizational maturity. Furthermore, the specific addition of a Country Manager for Ontario (Mark Cheeswright) suggests a deeper entrenchment in North America’s most competitive regulated market, moving beyond general expansion to targeted regional dominance.

The Full Story

ComeOn Group, the leading international iGaming operator, has announced a significant strengthening of its leadership structure, headlined by the appointment of Michela Tabone Valetta to its Executive Team as Chief People Officer (CPO).

The move is part of a broader recruitment drive that has seen the company fill critical senior roles across Compliance, IT Security, Commercial, and Market Management, positioning itself for a new phase of regulated market expansion.

New Chief People Officer Michela Tabone Valetta brings two decades of HR leadership experience, with nearly half of that time spent in the iGaming sector. Her resume includes senior tenures at major industry players such as Vera & John, Gamesys, and Bally’s Corporation. Most recently, she served at BoyleSports, where she supported a workforce of nearly 3,000 employees.

At ComeOn, Valetta will lead the People & Culture function, tasked with refining talent strategy and organizational development as the operator scales its global footprint.

Strategic Senior Appointments alongside the C-level addition, ComeOn Group confirmed four other key strategic hires made earlier this year to bolster its operational foundations:

Mark Cheeswright (Country Manager, Ontario): A veteran with over 20 years in iGaming (LeoVegas, William Hill, BetVictor), Cheeswright is tasked with steering the company’s growth in the highly competitive Canadian province.
Thomas Mifsud Tommasi (Head of AML): Joining from LeoVegas and BetClic Everest Group, Tommasi brings over a decade of financial crime compliance expertise to the group.
Radek Ostojski (Head of Information Security): With a background in cloud architecture and DevOps at Swintt and KingMakers, Ostojski will lead the operator’s cybersecurity initiatives.
Rebekka Rogers (Head of Commercial, Casino): Formerly of Evolution, Rogers will drive commercial performance and strategic growth within the company’s core Casino vertical.

CEO Commentary Juergen Reutter, Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group, emphasized that these appointments are about building depth for the long term:

“We are delighted to welcome Michela to our Executive Team. Her extensive expertise in people and culture, organizational development, and leadership strategy will be instrumental as we continue to grow and strengthen our operations globally.

“Earlier this year, we also welcomed Radek, Thomas, Mark, and Rebekka into key leadership roles… Their contributions are already reinforcing our strategic foundations, and together with Michela’s arrival, they significantly enhance the depth and capability of our leadership team.”

The post ComeOn Group Fortifies C-Suite: Michela Tabone Valetta Named New CPO appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.

243 Crystal Fruits

Tom Horn Gaming Unlocks New Markets with Major Alea Aggregation Deal

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2025

Wladimir P.

tom-horn-gaming-unlocks-new-markets-with-major-alea-aggregation-deal

Editor’s Take

Why this matters: In the race for distribution, direct integrations are becoming less common for mid-sized studios. Partnering with a “super-aggregator” like Alea—known for its focus on API performance and data security—gives Tom Horn Gaming instant access to hundreds of operator brands without the technical bottleneck of individual integrations. This move signals a push to maximize the yield from their back catalog of 100+ games in both mature and emerging markets simultaneously.

The Full Story

Tom Horn Gaming, the omnichannel software supplier, has significantly widened its distribution capabilities by signing a new partnership with Alea, the award-winning iGaming aggregator.

The agreement sees Tom Horn’s entire portfolio of over 100 titles integrated into Alea’s aggregation ecosystem. This includes the supplier’s best-performing classic slots such as 243 Crystal Fruits and The Secret of Ba, as well as recent releases like Tao Tree Coins.

Technical & Strategic Fit For Tom Horn Gaming, the deal is a strategic lever to penetrate new jurisdictions more efficiently. By plugging into Alea’s centralized API, the studio gains immediate access to Alea’s extensive roster of operator partners. The collaboration focuses heavily on delivering “localized” content—games specifically tailored to regional preferences and regulatory requirements—without the friction of individual technical setups.

Management Commentary Both companies emphasized the role of compliance and technical reliability in the deal.

Ondrej Lapides, CEO of Tom Horn Gaming, commented on the strategic alignment:

“Partnering with Alea allows us to bring our games to even more operators and players in markets where we’ve long been committed to delivering tailored, reliable, and engaging content. Alea’s focus on compliance and seamless delivery perfectly complements our own ambitions for growth in both mature and emerging regions.”

Eduard Verdaguer, Partnerships Manager at Alea, highlighted the supplier’s reputation:

“Tom Horn Gaming has built a strong reputation for creating accessible, market-tailored content that players know and trust.”

This partnership marks the latest in a series of commercial expansions for Tom Horn Gaming in late 2025, reinforcing its status as a staple content provider for regulated markets.

The post Tom Horn Gaming Unlocks New Markets with Major Alea Aggregation Deal appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.