Surge in Online Gaming Investments in Non-Metropolitan Areas

Recent findings from a Visa white paper on payments reveal a staggering 16-fold increase in online gaming expenditures within smaller towns from 2019 to 2024. This trend underscores the expanding digital consumption footprint across India's non-metropolitan regions.

Consumers in these areas are increasingly allocating their budgets towards digital services, encompassing gaming, online education, and entertainment. Notably, digital content spending has risen ninefold, with gaming expenditures soaring 16 times since 2019.

Broadening Affluence Beyond Metro Areas

The data highlights a significant shift, with the number of customers spending over Rs 2 lakh annually via a single card nearly quadrupling in smaller cities. This contrasts with a modest 1.4 times increase in category A cities, signaling a widening of affluence beyond metropolitan confines. Consequently, overall card spending in category C+ cities has surged by 175% since 2019.

Projected Growth of the Indian Video Gaming Market

According to the India Market Model Report by Niko Partners, the Indian video gaming sector is on a robust growth trajectory, expected to exceed $1 billion by 2025 and reach a valuation of $1.4 billion by 2028, growing at an annual rate of 11.1%.

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