In an increasingly digital world, most people own multiple electronic devices with screens. But many parents worry about the effects of screen use on themselves and their children.
Gaming has become a defining addiction of the 21st century, however, it’s usually associated with children and teenagers.
Private rehab clinic Delamere has conducted research to reveal the most likely age group to become addicted to gaming, and the results are very surprising.
The largest estimated age group of addicted gamers is actually those aged 25–34 with 147,577 people said to have a compulsive gaming habit. The youngest age group of 16–24 has a number of 129,980 people said to be addicted. 35–44-year-olds had an estimated 129,134 addicted gamers, which is very similar to that of 16–24-year-olds.
Estimated number of addicted gamers by age group
- 25–34: 147,577 addicted gamers
- 16–24: 129,980
- 35–44: 129,134
- 45–54: 110,608
- 55–64: 71,953
Catherine Carney, psychiatrist at Delamere, said: ‘Interestingly, despite presumably having very different lifestyles, the three top-ranked demographics had very similar numbers of addicted gamers. This highlights the fact that, despite what society may assume, younger people are not more susceptible to becoming addicted to gaming than older people are.
’25–34-year-olds would have more financial freedom, making it easier for them to buy the latest games, consoles and upgrades, while 16–24-year-olds may have to rely on somebody else to make extravagant purchases for them.’
