From what we can observe over recent years, it’s safe to admit gaming has moved past entertainment. It’s now one of the biggest forces in the global economy. In 2024 alone, the gaming industry raked nearly $182 billion worldwide in revenue and it’s on track to hit $188.9 billion in 2025, according to a Newzoo research.
Even more, gaming is now creating jobs, pushing tech innovation, growing tourism, and even shaping the way countries build their futures. Countries such as the Philippines are investing billions to turn the gaming sector into a key part of their economy. And companies all over the world are hiring thousands to keep up with demand.
In this article, we’ll look at how gaming became such a major part of the economy, where the money is coming from, and who is benefiting from it.
Market Size and Economic Scale
The available figures point to the direction that the global gaming industry is enormous. But how does that break down? Let’s explore!
Mobile Gaming
Contributing to close to half of the total revenue, gaming on mobile devices represents the large part of the market. This massive growth is driven by how easy it is to access mobile games across the world, especially in countries where people may not own a gaming console or a high-end computer, but nearly everyone has a phone.
Console and PC Gaming
On the other side, console and PC gaming continue to play a huge role, especially in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. According to a Newzoo study, console games brought in around $51 billion in 2024, although there was a slight drop compared to the previous year.
PC games brought in almost $43 billion, and this part of the market is increasing faster than predicted because of better hardware and the popularity of online multiplayer games.
Drivers of Growth in the Gaming Industry
So, what’s fueling gaming’s explosion? Let’s break it down simply:
Tech Breakthroughs
Cloud gaming is a big one. In 2024, it reached only about $2.27 billion in revenue, but the number is expected to skyrocket to around $3 billion in 2025 and potentially above $21 billion by 2032, according to Grandview Research. That’s because faster internet like 5G and better data centers make it possible to stream high-end games on phones, tablets, and TVs, even if you don’t own an expensive console or PC.
On top of that, tech giants are adding AI to make games smarter and prettier. AI helps create game assets faster, matches players better, and adapts gameplay quickly.
Mobile Everywhere
The number of gamers across the globe may hover around the 3 billion figure, and most of those players use mobile devices. As smartphones have become cheaper and the internet more accessible, mobile gaming has exploded. In the U.S. alone, mobile gamers spent over $28 billion in 2024.
Southeast Asia is another of the fastest-growing regions for mobile gaming and countries like the Philippines are seeing a massive boom. Alongside casual games and esports, digital betting platforms are gaining more attention amongst the Filipinos. Due to the popularity of American leagues like the NBA and European football teams like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid in the country, many people are engaging in online betting in the country.
While this is great for the country and world economy, as a punter, remember the platform you use is important. As iGaming expert Evelyn Balyton said, before you sign up with any betting site, make sure they are safe and secure. Also, check the payment methods, betting markets, and the modern features they have.
Those interested in making an informed choice will find guides about the top 10 betting sites Philippines from review platforms very handy. This kind of guide will help punters in the Philippines choose platforms that are licensed and reliable.
In-Game Stuff and Subscriptions
Most money comes from in-game purchases, things like skins, coins, and upgrades. Today, that’s nearly 70% of total gaming revenue . Then there are subscriptions, like Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, which made over $11 billion in 2024 and are rapidly growing .
Global Investment and Big Bets
Nation‑state investments have also been game changers. Saudi Arabia’s developer, Scopely, has poured billions into gaming, buying Pokémon Go and building studios. Tim O’Brien, chief revenue officer at Scopely, spoke about the reason behind the purchase of the game.
He said, “Few games in the world have delivered the scale and longevity of Pokémon Go, which reached over 100mn players just last year.”
China’s giants like Tencent are expanding too. In Q1 2025, Tencent saw 13% revenue growth in gaming and ramped up AI investing.
Major Economic Contributions of the Gaming Industry
Now let’s explore how gaming is truly reshaping economies, building communities, and boosting global development.
Employment and Regional Development
Anywhere you look, gaming is creating jobs. Think of game studios in Poland exporting €12 billion worth of games, online betting sites hiring software engineers, and teams managing huge esports tournaments. That’s millions of people working in game development, production, marketing, event logistics — you name it.
Take Morocco, for example. The country is pouring $26 million into “Rabat Gaming City,” a massive hub with studios, coworking spaces, and training programs. They expect to create around 5,000 jobs: 3,300 directly and more indirectly by 2030.
Mehdi Ben, the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, highlighted the Moroccan government’s efforts to both encourage local developers to create original content and bring in multinational gaming companies. Quoting the man verbatim, he had this to say,
“Our objective is not just to increase revenue but to empower our youth. We need to provide meaningful alternatives by opening new career opportunities in this fast-growing field.”
Tourism and Infrastructure
Gaming comes with real-world infrastructure and tourism. In July 2025, Riyadh will host the Esports World Cup, the biggest esports event yet. It has a jaw-dropping prize pool of $70 million and runs for nearly two months, across 26 games and 25 events. That brings in players, teams, crews, fans, journalists, and streaming experts filling up hotels, restaurants, airports, and public transport.
Also, events like Dota 2’s “The International” have shown they can pile in tens of thousands of fans and generate millions in tourism revenue. Cities see large jumps in hotel bookings, casino visits, and even local nightlife when gaming events hit town. These tournaments attract global visitors hungry for action and hospitality businesses love it.
Hardware and Supply Chain Impact
The gaming industry also powers a massive hardware economy. In 2025, global gaming hardware like consoles, PCs, high-end GPUs, and controllers is expected to bring in around $178 billion. That includes consoles from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo; PC parts, and all those fancy gaming accessories.
This demand is driving major business: chip makers like Nvidia and AMD are upgrading production and peripheral companies are inventing new gear. Even chip and PCB makers are scaling up fast to keep pace. Basically, when gamers upgrade their rigs, it creates tons of jobs, from engineers to factory workers to shipping staff across the globe.
These hardware supply chains also spark tech innovation. Faster GPUs mean better graphics, which spill over into fields like film special effects, scientific modeling, and AI research. So when gaming gear gets better, other tech gets better too.
Final Thoughts
Gaming has become a major part of how the world works today. From massive global tournaments to small mobile games on your phone, the industry is shaping economies in real ways. It is creating jobs, moving money, building tech, and even changing how cities grow.
As the industry keeps growing, its impact on jobs, education, tech, and the global economy will only get stronger. So, gaming is now a business, and more than anything, it’s one of the biggest economic forces of our time.