Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions her Department has had with the online gaming industry on its impact on the economy.

This Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.

DCMS estimates the UK video games sector generated £4.4bn in GVA in 2024, a 5.1% increase from 2023 when adjusted for inflation.

We are aware that these figures may not fully capture the impact of video games, and DCMS has worked closely with the Office for National Statistics on the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes, which have now been updated to better reflect the games sector.

In terms of the consumer market, UK consumers spent £8.76 billion on video games in 2025, a 7.4% increase on the previous year. Digital console spending rose 9.2% to £2.49 billion, spending on mobile games grew 7.9% to £2.07 billion, and digital PC software reached £1.15 billion.