The Future of Advertising is in the Game: Latest In-Game Advertising Statistics 2024

The gaming world has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, with the rise of online and mobile gaming creating new opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences. 

In-game advertising has emerged as a key trend, offering brands a unique way to connect with gamers in a highly immersive and engaging environment. 

As the gaming industry continues to grow and evolve, the potential for in-game advertising to reach new heights is vast. 

This article explores the latest in-game advertising statistics shaping the industry, including the market’s size, growth, average revenue per user, and the countries and regions leading the charge.

The article provides valuable insights and statistics on the in-game advertising market, making it a useful resource for understanding the trends and opportunities in this space.

Key In-Game Advertising Statistics

• By 2025, 93% of media buyers plan to run in-game ads.
• About 85% of all gaming revenue comes from free-to-play games.
• Most media buyers (81%) plan to increase or maintain their in-game ad spending next year, with a significant majority (83%) expecting to use this format by 2025. 
• The global in-game advertising market is expected to experience substantial revenue growth, reaching $109.6 billion by 2024 and continuing to rise at a CAGR of 9.91% from 2024 to 2027.
• Global in-game advertising revenue will reach over US $8.5 billion in 2024.
• The in-game advertising market’s ARPU will reach US$9.04 in 2024.
• US agency professionals ranked playable ads (28%) and interactive ads (23%) as the most effective in-app ad formats. 
• Approximately 227 million Americans play video games
• The in-game advertising market in the Americas is expected to generate US$45.87 billion by 2024. 
• The US video games market is expected to reach $78.01 billion by 2024.
• About 74% of American mobile gamers prefer to watch in-game ads if they receive perks. 
• Europe’s in-game advertising market is expected to reach $9.54 billion in 2024. 
• Asia’s in-game advertising sector is expected to generate $52.64 billion in revenue by 2024. 
• The in-game advertising market in Africa is forecasted to achieve a revenue of US$252.60 million by 2024.

General In-Game Advertising Statistics

1. As of 2023, the world has 3.22 billion gamers. (source)

2. A Q4 2023 survey showed that 84.7% of global Internet users play video games, with 70.4% using smartphones (the most popular gaming device), followed by PC/laptop/desktop gaming at 34.9%. (source) 

3. By 2025, 93% of media buyers plan to run in-game ads. (source)

4. In a survey, respondents were significantly more engaged with ads in mobile games (41%) compared to ads on the internet (17%), in magazines (15%), or on billboards (15%), showing a clear preference for in-game advertising. (source) 

5. The main types of in-game advertising are static ads, dynamic ads, and advergaming. (source) 

6. The increasing number of gamers is expected to drive the growth of the in-game advertising market in the coming years. (source) 

7. About 85% of all gaming revenue comes from free-to-play games. (source)

8. Gaming is a popular activity among both adults and children, with 66% of adults and 75% of kids under 18 playing video games weekly. The average age of a video game player is 31 years, and the gender split is roughly even, with females making up 45% and males making up 55% of players. (source) 

9. Twitch, the leading live-streaming platform for gamers, saw an 83% year-on-year increase in viewership during the pandemic, with over 5 billion hours of content viewed in the second quarter of 2020 alone. (source) 

10. 37% of mobile gamers bought a product due to an in-game ad. (source)

11. Most media buyers (81%) plan to increase or maintain their in-game ad spend in the next year, with a significant majority (83%) expecting to use this format by 2025. While US demand is relatively low (33%), UK clients show stronger interest (52%). (source)

12. The static ads sub-segment is expected to lead the global in-game Advertising Market, expanding from $3,072.7 million in 2021 to $8,033.2 million by 2030. (source) 

13. The number of mobile gamers worldwide reached 2.7 billion in 2022, resulting in 90 billion mobile game downloads that year. (source) 

14. RPGs led the mobile gaming genre globally, accounting for 31% of in-app purchase spending in 2022, driven by MMORPGs. (source) 

15. Hypercasual games led in downloads, contributing to 29% of all mobile game downloads. (source) 

16. In June 2023, the in-game ad company Anzu announced a USD 48 million Series B funding round. (source) 

17. According to a recent survey, 82% of gamers have acknowledged viewing gaming content on platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and others. (source) 

18. In March 2024, GTA V led with 182.11 million watch hours on streaming platforms, followed by League of Legends with 166 million hours. (source) 

In-Game Advertising Market Statistics

19. The global in-game advertising market is expected to experience substantial revenue growth, reaching $109.6 billion by 2024 and continuing to rise at a CAGR of 9.91% from 2024 to 2027, ultimately reaching $145.5 billion by 2027. (source) 

20. The global in-game advertising market is projected to reach $17.6 billion by 2030, driven by the increasing demand for innovative advertising technologies among marketers worldwide. (source) 

21. Global in-game advertising revenue is expected to reach over US $8.5 billion in 2024, a 13% increase from US $7.5 billion in the previous year. (source) 

22. The mobile games segment in the digital media market is projected to expand from 2024 to 2027, adding $20.2 billion in revenue and reaching an all-time high of $118.89 billion by 2027. (source) 

23. The Global in-game advertising revenue is expected to grow, reaching US $11.5 billion by 2027. (source) 

24. Global spending on mobile in-game ads was $2.82 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow at a 12% annual rate to reach $7.87 billion by 2030. (source) 

25. The in-game advertising market is expected to have an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 9.10%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$169.40 billion by 2029. The average revenue per user (ARPU) is expected to be US$42.44. (source) 

26. The gaming industry experienced significant growth during the pandemic, followed by a decline in activity in 2022, which decreased spending on virtual goods. However, in-app advertising has continued to thrive, with a 14.8% increase this year, generating an additional $20.52 billion in advertising revenue compared to 2022. (source) 

27. The largest market for in-game advertising revenue is in North America, primarily in the United States and Canada. This is due to the widespread use of digital devices and internet connectivity, which supports a large and diverse group of gamers across various platforms. (source) 

28. The in-game advertising market’s ARPU is projected to reach US$9.04 in 2024. (source) 

29. According to IMARC Group, the augmented reality market is projected to reach $102.7 billion by 2032, growing at a 27.2% CAGR from 2024 to 2032, while the virtual reality gaming market is expected to reach $313.5 billion by 2032, growing at a 25.8% CAGR during the same period, driving growth in the in-game advertising market. (source) 

30. The global gaming console industry was anticipated to reach $40.3 billion by 2023, according to IMARC Group. (source) 

31. The smartphone/tablet sub-segment is projected to be the fastest-growing segment in the global in-game advertising market, reaching $7,873.1 million by 2030, with a high CAGR of 11.9%. (source) 

The growth is driven by increasing demand for mobile gaming and social media, rising internet penetration, and ease of ad configuration. 

32. The global IGA market is set to grow due to the integration of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) with in-game advertising. (source) 

33. The worth of influencer marketing in the gaming industry is anticipated to increase by 29% to $4.6 billion in 2025. (source) 

In-Game Advertising Statistics by Region

North America

34. The majority (76%) of mobile gamers in the US prefer advertisements that offer rewards in exchange for watching, while a smaller proportion (24%) prefer ads that are mandatory to watch. (source) 

35. US agency professionals ranked playable ads (28%) and interactive ads (23%) as the most effective in-app ad formats. (source) 

36. Canada’s in-game advertising market is expected to reach $1.45 billion in 2024, growing at a 7.79% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, reaching $2.11 billion by 2029, with an average revenue per user of $87.53. (source)

37. According to the Entertainment Software Association, approximately 227 million Americans play video games. (source) 

38. The North American in-game advertising market was valued at $2,398.8 million in 2021 and is projected to reach $5,731.3 million by 2030.  (source) 

39. In 2023, US advertisers spent $7.5 billion on video game advertisements, a decrease from $8.6 billion the previous year. Still, the market is predicted to recover and increase to $8.5 billion in 2024, with further growth to $11.5 billion by 2027. (source) 

40. The in-game advertising market in the Americas is expected to generate US$45.87 billion by 2024. The revenue is estimated to expand at a 9.61% annual rate (CAGR 2024-2029), with a market volume of US$72.58 billion by 2029. (source)

41. The average revenue per user (ARPU) in America is expected to be US$98.43. (source) 

42. The US video games market is expected to reach $78.01 billion by 2024, growing at a 9.99% CAGR from 2024 to 2027 and reaching $103.80 billion by 2027. (source)

43. In-game Advertising is the largest segment in the US Video Games market, accounting for $42.57 billion in revenue in 2024, making it the biggest chunk of the overall market. (source) 

44. About 74% of American mobile gamers prefer to watch in-game ads if they receive perks. (source)

45. In 2023, US mobile gamers were expected to spend over $20 billion on in-app virtual goods and subscription services, a significant increase from the $19.61 billion spent in 2022. (source)

Europe

46. Germany’s in-game advertising market is expected to reach $1.54 billion in 2024, growing at a 9.10% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, reaching $2.38 billion by 2029, with an average revenue per user of $57.52. (source) 

47. The UK’s in-game advertising market is expected to reach $3.47 billion in 2024, growing at a 10.36% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, reaching $5.68 billion by 2029, with an average revenue per user of $92.18. (source)

48. In-game ad spend in the UK was £815m in 2021, expected to grow at an 18% CAGR from 2021 to 2026, reaching £1.84bn by 2026. (source) 

49. Europe’s in-game advertising market is expected to reach $9.54 billion in 2024, growing at a 9.73% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, reaching $15.18 billion by 2029, with an average revenue per user of $35.29. (source)

50. Germany led the European in-game advertising market in 2021 and is expected to maintain its dominance until 2028, reaching a market value of $795.8 million by 2028. (source)

The UK market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9% from 2022 to 2028, while the French market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.7% during the same period.

51. Italy’s in-game advertising market is projected to reach $0.52 billion in 2024, growing at a 10.59% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, reaching $0.86 billion by 2029, with an average revenue per user of $21.02. (source)

Asia

52. India’s in-game advertising market is projected to reach $0.67 billion in 2024, growing at an 11.02% CAGR from 2024 to 2029, reaching $1.13 billion by 2029, with an average revenue per user of $2.45. (source) 

53. Japan’s in-game advertising market is expected to reach $2.89 billion by 2024, growing at a 7.50% CAGR from 2024 to 2027 and reaching $3.59 billion by 2027. (source) 

54. Asia’s in-game advertising sector is expected to generate $52.64 billion in revenue by 2024. The revenue is expected to have an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 8.53%, leading to a projected market volume of US$79.28 billion by 2029. (source) 

55. China’s in-game advertising market had the biggest market share, while India’s in-game advertising industry was the fastest expanding in Asia-Pacific. (source) 

56. The Asia-Pacific in-game advertising market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.6%, generating $4,855.3 million from 2022–2030. (source) 

Africa

57. The in-game advertising market in Africa is forecasted to achieve a revenue of US$252.60 million by 2024. (source)

The market is expected to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 8.53%, leading to an estimated market volume of US$380.30 million by 2029. Africa’s average revenue per user (ARPU) is projected to be US$0.75.

58. In an African survey, 92% of respondents said they played mobile games. (source)

59. Sub-Saharan Africa’s gaming industry is expected to surpass $1 billion in revenue for the first time in 2024. (source)

In-game Advertising During COVID-19

60. In 2020, the global audience for gaming video content surpassed 1.2 billion, an increase from 944 million in 2019. (source)

61. A global survey conducted in June 2020 revealed that respondents from Latin America reported a 52% increase in their time spent playing video games during the pandemic. (source)

62. The number of daily active users of HD games worldwide increased by 50% due to COVID-19. (source)

63. Mobile gaming ad impressions rose by 57%, and ad revenues increased by 59% in the weeks following March 8, 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. (source)

Conclusion

As you’ve seen from the in-game advertising statistics presented in this article, the market is primed for explosive growth. It offers a unique opportunity for you to reach and engage with your target audience in a highly immersive and interactive environment. 

Whether you’re an advertiser, market researcher, or gaming industry professional, it’s clear that in-game advertising is a trend you can’t afford to ignore. 

With these insights, you can stay ahead of the curve, unlock new revenue streams, drive brand awareness, and tap into the gaming industry’s vast potential. So, take the next step and capitalize on the power of in-game advertising—your target audience is waiting.

Frequently Asked Questions