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3 in 10 Brits Have Skipped a Shower or a Meal to Play Video Games in Lockdown
More Brits than ever played video games last year to beat the boredom of staying home, and our third lockdown in 2021 has seen the trend gain even more traction. With games being released on more platforms, and more genres than ever now is an excellent time to be a gamer!
Fresh Student Living took a deep dive into the gaming industry in the UK to see just what an impact Covid has had on gaming.
More than four in ten UK gamers say they’ve been gaming more during the COVID-19 outbreak (43%). Plus, UK gamers now make up over two thirds of the population (67%); six in ten of this group say they play mobile games (52%); a quarter PC games (25%); and three in ten console games (28%).
When the pandemic first put a stop to everyday life, the gaming world expanded with regular players putting in even more time, and new people joining the trend to connect with friends, kill time and indulge in much-needed escapism. As more people picked up controllers, the UK gaming population exploded by a whopping 63%! People reported feeling happier and calmer, with a higher sense of freedom, thanks to how immersive the best video games are.
The Average Gamer Spent the Equivalent of 39 Days Playing Last Year
Games like FIFA 21, Call of Duty, Animal Crossing and Last of Us were some of the most played games of 2020, with 3 in 10 people skipping showers and meals to play uninterrupted. Almost 6 in 10 Brits also admit to losing sleep due to gaming sessions.
Pre lockdown, the average gamer spent around 13 hours a week playing their favourites. This increased by 5 hours during lockdown with Brits spending 18 hours or more exploring new worlds online – that’s equivalent to 39 whole days spent gaming!
The average gamer usually sets aside a conservative 1-3 hours to play, but in the UK, at least 3% of the population confesses to playing for 15 hours or more in one sitting.
What Video Games is Everyone Playing?
Most Played Video Games of 2020 According to Units Sold
FIFA 21 dominated in 2020 as one of the most anticipated games in the UK, with around 14 games selling per second in the UK last year.
- FIFA 21 (2.18 million)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (1.4 million)
- Grand Theft Auto 5 (1.1 million)
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons (800,000)
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (660,000)
- The Last of Us Part II (530,000)
- NBA 2K20 (480,000)
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (430,000)
More Brits Are Hooked on Video Games
Lockdown has given us all more time to kill, and today the split between male and female video gamers is strictly 50-50. In the UK, 54% of men and women play a game most days, lowering stress and connecting with others being two of the primary motivators.
Multiplayer Games Keep us Connected
With time to kill and social distancing in effect for most of last year, multiplayer games’ popularity soared as more people jumped online to chat and connect. Even ex-gamers again picked up their controllers to join online communities playing games like Call of Duty, Animal Crossing or Fortnite.
Unsurprisingly, lockdown saw most Brits opt for action-packed and interactive genres, with most gamers choosing fighting, action and huge multiplayer Battle Royale games with lots of other players!
Most played genres in 2020
- Fighting – 81%
- Action – 79%
- Massively multiplayer online games – 78%
- Multiplayer online battle arena games – 75%
The Rise of Covideogamers in 2021
Lockdown has massively changed the gaming community across the world. In the UK, younger gamers spend loads of time playing while self-isolating and spend around two hours a month watching other people play online – a pastime that has increased since lockdown began.
The pandemic has also created a whole new subgenre of gamers known as Covideogamers, who exclusively started gaming during lockdown. Compared to 36% of existing gamers between the ages of 18 – 34, Covideogamers now make up 46% of the population in the same age group – 35% of these new gamers have also admitted it’s so relaxing and stress-relieving, they’re going to start playing more, long after lockdown ends!
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Aristocrat Gaming
Aristocrat Gaming and Metropolitan Gaming Partner to Open Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino
Metropolitan Gaming, in partnership with Aristocrat Gaming, introduced Aristocrat on the Square, a premium new gaming experience for guests at Empire Casino in London and the first dedicated Aristocrat Gaming space in the UK.
Aristocrat on the Square showcases an impressive lineup of popular Aristocrat Gaming titles tailored specifically for the UK, including popular releases like NFL Triple Score, Lightning Link, Mo Mummy and Bao Zhu Zhao Fu Link. The space is designed to elevate the player experience, highlighted by an engaging LED ceiling and upscale décor that create an inviting lounge atmosphere.
“The debut of Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino marks a significant milestone for Aristocrat Gaming, reinforcing our commitment to customers across EMEA and expanding our presence in the UK as we continue delivering world‑class gaming experiences to players around the globe. Our partnership with Metropolitan Gaming reflects a multi-year investment in bringing cutting‑edge games, hardware, marketing, and entertainment experiences to players across Europe,” said Craig Toner, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming.
“The launch of Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino represents an exciting new chapter for Metropolitan Gaming. As the first dedicated Aristocrat Gaming space in the UK, it reflects our focus on creating distinctive, premium environments that elevate the player experience. Working closely with Aristocrat, we’ve brought together world-class gaming content and a carefully designed setting to deliver something truly special for our guests at Empire Casino,” said Alex Oswald, Managing Director of Metropolitan Gaming.
To celebrate the launch, Empire Casino hosts a month-long Home of the Hot Seats promotion throughout February, offering players the opportunity to win vouchers, free play and more.
The post Aristocrat Gaming and Metropolitan Gaming Partner to Open Aristocrat on the Square at Empire Casino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Betfred
Betfred Expands its Partnership with Sportradar
Betfred has extended and expanded its longstanding partnership with Sportradar. As part of the agreement, Sportradar will upgrade the retail platform technology underpinning the operations of Betfred’s 1300 retail outlets nationwide, ensuring a sustainable and engaging betting offering is available on the UK high street.
The additional multi-year scope of work further strengthens a partnership built over the past decade. Sportradar’s future ready retail platform enables faster operations and effective risk control. The technology allows Betfred to handle intense data loads around big sporting moments and scale in real-time as bets are placed, ensuring bettors can engage with their sports and place a wager regardless of an event’s popularity.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sportradar will oversee continuous improvements to the Betfred retail platform to ensure ongoing operational excellence and adherence to local regulation and compliance. Furthermore, the technical framework allows Betfred to integrate a multitude of Sportradar’s next generation products and services to deliver a contemporary in-shop experience.
Duncan McDonald, Head of Corporate and Retail Support, Betfred said: “This agreement re-affirms our joint commitment to one another, to develop new products and features that enhance our customer offerings. It future proofs our retail business and secures our partnership with Betfred’s in house technology team and Sportradar for years to come.”
Paolo Personeni, EVP, Managed Betting Services, Sportradar said: “In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace Sportradar is well positioned to help Betfred achieve its long-term growth objectives. With high street operations closely watched, the technological capabilities powering the Sportradar Retail Platform will allow Betfred to deliver a sustainable and long-term retail offering that engages today’s demanding sports bettors.”
The post Betfred Expands its Partnership with Sportradar appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Compliance Updates
Dutch Regulator Urges Online Gambling Providers to Stop Using “Share Your Bet” Feature
The Dutch Gambling Regulator (KSA) has urged the online gambling providers to discontinue the “Share your bet” feature. This feature allows players to share their placed bets via social media or messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook and email. The KSA investigated the functionality of this feature after receiving several signals and questions from the market.
“Share your bet” function
The “Share your bet” feature allows players to easily share their bets with others. It works like this: a player places a bet and sends it via a link to, for example, friends or family. The recipient can then immediately see the bet and, if they have an account, participate as well. This makes gambling easily shared, often via social networks.
Protection of vulnerable groups
The KSA points out that the “Share your bet” feature is a form of advertising and recruitment. It’s a way for providers to promote gambling, but indirectly through players themselves. According to the Decree on Recruitment, Advertising and Addiction Prevention in Gambling, providers must ensure that advertising does not reach vulnerable groups, such as minors, young adults and people with gambling problems.
Because players with the “Share your bet” feature decide who to send their bet to, providers have no control over who receives the shared messages. This means that gambling providers cannot guarantee that vulnerable groups will not unintentionally encounter gambling advertising. Therefore, offering features like “Share your bet” is not permitted.
In addition, the ease of sharing bets helps normalize gambling. This lowers the barrier to entry, especially among younger demographics.
Discontinue “Share your bet” functionality
The KSA is therefore calling on all online gambling providers using the “Share your bet” feature to immediately stop doing so. The KSA will continue to monitor any new developments in this area and will take enforcement action where necessary to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups.
The post Dutch Regulator Urges Online Gambling Providers to Stop Using “Share Your Bet” Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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