Study Highlights Australian Gaming Culture

Australians are avid gamers and that’s official!

Well, practically speaking, based on a major games industry survey that was conducted by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA), which is the leading organisation representing the games industry in Oceania.

The Australia Plays 2023 report was published by the IGEA in collaboration with Bond University, as their latest study exploring the demographics and behaviours of Australian gamers. The study itself was based upon detailed surveys involving 1,200 participating households, and the findings were intriguing to say the least:

• 81% of Australians played video games in 2023 (roughly 21 million people), which is a significant rise from 67% recorded in the 2021 survey. This is considered to be a result of two key factors. Firstly, the greater post-pandemic use of online devices, and secondly, corresponding numbers for growth in digital experimentation and literacy.
• 35 years is the average age of Australian gamers, and that number continues to rise between comparable studies, while 79% of tamers are over the age of 18. This would suggest that gaming is far from just a pastime for youngsters, but one in which the vast majority of participants are adults.
• While gaming was predominantly a male-dominated activity in the past, the 2023 report indicates there is now almost complete parity between genders. The gender proportion indicates that 52% are male, 48% are female, while 0.1% of surveyed respondents identified as non-binary.

Such intriguing data points are hardly surprising, particularly when considering “gaming” in the context of the “iGaming” niche, which is based around activities involving sports betting and online casino gambling.

Additional studies by various groups have also found that in 2023, the numbers of people (over 80%) who participate in online gambling are similar to those who play video games regularly.

Much like the wider games industry, iGaming is also very much in the mainstream these days, considering the incredibly high participation levels among the Australian populace. While there are similarities and contrasts between the two segments, both are clearly engaging and appealing as popular pastimes.

Likewise, the adoption level of digital entertainment, digital technologies, and digital payment methods at online casinos in Australia are much higher Down Under compared to most other countries around the world. For example, Australia currently boasts the highest adoption rate for cryptocurrencies and blockchain, which is also significant as gaming technology evolves towards Web3.

The definition of Web3 (or Web 3.0) is the new iteration of the internet, based around concepts including greater decentralisation, enhanced used of blockchain technologies, plus token-based economics. All three of those concepts are pivotal within an emerging Web3 gaming culture, which is already rising to prominence across Asia and Oceania.

Looking ahead, observing the progress of Web3 gaming will certainly be intriguing. While it could bring far greater democratisation and user ownership within gaming platforms, such as the ownership of in-game assets and NFTs, the technology could also bring “mainstream” gaming and the iGaming segments closer together.

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