With coronavirus lockdown rules in place and millions of Americans advised to stay at home, online engagement in the United States has increased dramatically in March. One of the most common at-home media activities in the United States last month was gaming. According to data gathered by GoldenCasinoNews, between March 12th and March 19th, online gaming traffic in the US has increased by 75 % week-over-week.

US Online Gaming Industry to Hit $3.5bn Revenue This Year

The online games segment refers to multiplayer online games, as well as casual and social games that can be played directly in the net browser or via applications that need to be installed. This part of the gaming market covers subscription-based games like World of Warcraft, as well as free-to-play games with in-game buys for additional premium content or functionalities like Fortnite, Call of Duty or Counter-Strike:Global Offensive.

The United States represents the second-largest online gaming market in the world, revealed the Statista survey. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the US online gaming industry was forecast to generate $3.5bn profit this in 2020, or 15% less compared to leading China. However, due to the increased online gaming traffic and the growing player base, these numbers could change by the end of the year.

Statistics also showed the number of users in the US online gaming segment is set to reach 63.7 million this year, with a user penetration of 19.3%. By the end of 2024, this number is expected to jump over 66 million, with 19.6% user penetration. The average revenue per user currently amounts to $56.30.

20% of Americans Spend More on Gaming During Coronavirus Lockdown

Besides spending more time on gaming, statistics show Americans are equally willing to pay more on video games during the lockdown. A recent survey, conducted in the United States in April, showed that one in five respondents expect to spend more on gaming due to the coronavirus outbreak. The most significant percentage of online gamers who changed their spending habits are aged between 18 and 29. Almost 30% of respondents aged between 30 and 44 stated they expect to do the same.