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One of the largest and fastest-growing entertainment sectors is the gaming industry. AAA game production value is so high nowadays that companies worldwide collaborate to release a single title. So, in a lot of countries, including Australia, video games have an economic impact. However, it is so much more than that. Games can affect how we think and how we feel, and they affect our social life. Sometimes these impacts are positive, and sometimes negative. Here we will go over some statistics and findings on how games influence society in Australia.

Australia and Online Casinos

Gaming is a broad term, and it does include casino entertainment. When it comes to gambling in general, around one in every 3 Australians gambles once a month. This doesn’t automatically mean that they play casino games or online pokies.

People tend to be secretive about this hobby, so it’s hard to gauge the actual numbers. But around 11% of Australians have admitted to gambling online. There are many online casinos available here, and you can find out about them on AustraliaCasinoReviews website. It’s a good way to see what you can expect when you gamble online and which operators are more reliable. This is very important because consumer protection laws won’t apply to these sites. They are not regulated by the Australian gaming commission.

Although gambling is generally entertaining, it can also lead to financial problems. Regulators are there to ensure that businesses steer clear of predatory tactics, and to allow players to self-exclude themselves from this content. Clearly, the prevalence of this content has also led to higher awareness of and importance of responsible gambling. Luckily, it’s easy to discipline your spending if you play with a $10 deposit and use available freebies. So long as you keep track of your spending and keep it to a minimum, there is no reason to worry about potential financial issues. Just play responsibly, and make sure you can afford your losses.

Power of Games

According to The Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA), video games are extremely popular in the land down under. Almost two-thirds of Aussies regularly play games, and over 90% of households have consoles or similar gaming devices. Moreover, this isn’t viewed as a hobby for kids anymore. According to this research, the average age of a player is 34 years. Additionally, almost half of the players are female, which means the industry has become very inclusive.

The majority of people play for fun, but that explanation is simply too broad. Many love games because they help them manage stress. Moreover, they really help the development of certain skills. Games encourage problem-solving and creative thinking, and they are great for socializing. In fact, one of the reasons why online game consumption all over the world surged during the pandemic is socialising. Those who play together are constantly talking, and it’s not necessarily related to what happening in the game.

Impact on Everyday Lives

Let’s go over a few points of how games have drastically changed the everyday lives of Aussies.

  • Spending quality time with family members – Since this is a popular hobby across generations, regular family time is frequently a time when everyone plays video games. Nowadays, it’s easy to connect multiple devices online, so everyone can participate. According to some findings, almost 60% of the families play games with their kids in the same room.
  • Greater awareness of online dangers – Both parents and minors are more aware of the potential dangers of using online services. Many parents are now aware of what kind of settings there are on consoles, like “parental control.” This limits how someone can spend money on the digital marketplace and prevents kids from recklessly buying loot boxes.
  • Positive aging – Many elderly citizens also enjoy this hobby, as it provides engaging mental stimuli. This is extremely helpful in fending off conditions like dementia.
  • Education – Games can be an incredible tool for education. When we learn something, our brain is more productive when it doesn’t feel like it’s learning. Games often show you something and then expect you to apply that knowledge in order to solve problems. This is why they are an effective tool for learning because they create situations where knowledge has particle use. There are lots of Aussies who are trying to translate regular school lessons into a game.

It’s also worth pointing out that spending too much time playing can also have negative effects. It can be bad for health and prevent people from spending time on other important things. Australians are very aware of this, and the average gaming time has been reduced to 81 minutes per day.

Conclusion

As a highly lucrative industry, gaming entertainment is definitely going to shape our future. Right now developers are working on advanced VR experiences, which can be extremely useful for creating simulations that can be implemented in education. VR experiences can be even more engaging, which means it’s possible to create more authentic and memorable history and geography lessons. The truth is we get a lot of useful skills and we grow through gaming, and that’s also true for many animal species. Play is an important part of life.