The global gaming sector is growing beyond traditional formats. In 2025, we saw a huge rise in data-driven digital economies and mobile platforms. Cloud infrastructure also became the go-to, and AI had a huge role to play in rapidly expanding markets. The US, which is currently one of the biggest gaming economies by revenue, generated $141.8 billion last year, but according to the latest projections, it’s set to reach $200 billion by 2030.
Could China Overtake the US in 2026?
The US’s dominance of the gaming market comes down to the fact that it can scale quickly. A lot of markets rely quite a lot on user growth, but the US has a higher revenue count per user. Payment systems and advertising revenue are much higher, and data analytics make it easier for US companies to make the most out of lifetime value, especially across different verticals. The US also has a strong technological infrastructure. Advanced cloud computing, in combination with AI-driven marketing are also helping the US to set the pace when it comes to global innovation as a whole.
Interestingly, China seems to be the only market that is capable of overthrowing the US in gaming revenue. With $137.8 billion in 2025, they have the potential to claim the number one spot, and at the same time, they also have an expanding overseas presence.
With AI again leading the charge here and with the country heavily investing in its technological infrastructure, moves like this just go to show how pivotal AI is in the race to the top of the global gaming market.
The UK Comes in Fourth on the Global Scale
The UK, which ranks fourth globally, also holds a very strategic position. A lot of this comes down to the established iGaming market, which increased to £714 million in 2025. A lot of this comes down to the sheer amount of choice that is available and how much diversity there is within the sector. After all, when visiting an online casino UK, it’s not uncommon to have hundreds of titles to choose from, with live variants also on the rise.
As games like this can be played from anywhere and on any device, the market has exploded, and although the UK isn’t currently a contender for the number one spot, it’s certainly risen through the ranks for a very secure place at number four. Cloud infrastructure has also had a big part to play in the UK’s overall growth, alongside an increase in mobile titles. Just ahead of the UK on the top ten list would be Japan.
The country has also risen through the ranks recently and come out as one of the leading mobile markets for gamers. Although there is a big gap between Japan and China, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that gap close in the next year or so. It would also not be surprising to see China overtake the US, but as of right now, and with AI being a driving force behind the rankings, it’s anyone’s game.