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3 in 10 Brits Have Skipped a Shower or a Meal to Play Video Games in Lockdown

Published

5 years ago

January 26, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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!

Alex Malchenko Head of Sales at Evoplay

Evoplay deepens Czech reach after partnering with Bonver Win

Published

31 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

evoplay-deepens-czech-reach-after-partnering-with-bonver-win

The rollout starts with 30 titles on bonvercasino.cz as Evoplay continues its regulated Czech push after entering in 2024.

Evoplay has partnered with Czech operator Bonver Win to distribute its online casino content in the market, expanding its local footprint after entering the regulated Czech Republic market in 2024.

Under the initial agreement, 30 Evoplay titles will be integrated on Bonver Win’s licensed online casino platform, bonvercasino.cz. Games named in the announcement include The Greatest Catch, Hot Triple Sevens, and Fruit Super Nova 40.

Alex Malchenko, Head of Sales at Evoplay, said: “Building our presence in the Czech Republic has been an important objective since entering the market two years ago, and partnering with a well-established brand like Bonver Win is a significant milestone in that journey.

“The operator has a deep understanding of its player base and a long-standing reputation for delivering quality entertainment. We know our games resonate strongly with Czech players, and we’re excited to begin this collaboration to reach new audiences.”

Martin Varta, Casino Manager for Bonver Win, added: “At Bonver Win, we are always looking to enhance our offering with content that delivers both quality and entertainment value.

“Evoplay has built an impressive portfolio with games that combine engaging mechanics and outstanding presentation. We are delighted to welcome its portfolio to bonvercasino.cz and look forward to introducing their renowned titles to our players.”

The post Evoplay deepens Czech reach after partnering with Bonver Win appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

compliance

Finland notifies EU of gambling tech rules for data vault and OCSS signing

Published

31 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

finland-notifies-eu-of-gambling-tech-rules-for-data-vault-and-ocss-signing

Finland has submitted technical gambling regulations covering a regulatory data vault and the Official Control Signing Service (OCSS) to the EU’s Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) on 10 July.

According to the notified documents, operators must submit signed gaming and player-account data to the authority through a secure SFTP data vault in a prescribed format. The rules also require operators to retain the data for five years and ensure “its integrity, availability and retrievability.”

The documentation also sets out requirements for using the authority’s OCSS to sign gaming data. It specifies signing generally every five minutes for gaming transactions and at least once daily for player-account data, alongside obligations to manage API keys and handle technical disruptions.

The technical documents are currently available only in Finnish. The press release says unofficial English translations have been prepared, titled “eCertification of Gaming Transactions and Gaming Account Transactions EN” and “Submission of Gaming Transactions and Gaming Account Transactions EN.”

The press release also lists the broader status of technical documentation supporting Finland’s new gambling regulation. It says randomness checks and reliability and information security requirements have been adopted into national legislation; the OCSS signing and data-vault transfer specifications have been notified via TRIS; player-account and game-event data specifications are being prepared following an earlier public consultation; a Ministry of the Interior decree is under public consultation; and drafts are still awaited covering player identification APIs, jurisdiction-wide self-exclusion checks, and certification requirements for games and platforms.

The post Finland notifies EU of gambling tech rules for data vault and OCSS signing appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

casino content

ElCasino adds Auto Roulette X and CandyBall X to its live casino lineup

Published

31 minutes ago

July 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

elcasino-adds-auto-roulette-x-and-candyball-x-to-its-live-casino-lineup

ElCasino, BETCORE’s premium live casino brand, has launched two new live casino titles, Auto Roulette X and CandyBall X. The company said both games are already live and available for integration.

Auto Roulette X is positioned as a faster-paced version of classic roulette, using an automatic ball launch and “lucky-number” multipliers. ElCasino said the game has an RTP of 97.30%, a €0.03 minimum bet, and bonus levels of x500, x777, x1000, and x3000.

CandyBall X uses a live draw format based on the selection of one numbered ball out of 37, paired with roulette-style betting options including single numbers, colors, ranges, and even/odd outcomes. ElCasino said the game includes bonus levels of x777, x1001, x3000, and x5000, with multipliers up to x5000.

ElCasino said the two launches are designed to give operators additional live content with familiar mechanics and bonus-driven features, while differentiating visually in the lobby. Partnership and integration inquiries can be directed to [email protected].

The post ElCasino adds Auto Roulette X and CandyBall X to its live casino lineup appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.