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Gaming Gift Card Market Expected to Hit USD 62.56 Billion by 2032, Growing at a 16.4% CAGR from 2025 | Persistence Market Research

11-24-2025 11:06 AM CET | IT, New Media & Software

Press release from: Persistence Market Research

Gaming Gift Card Market

Gaming Gift Card Market

The global gaming gift card market is entering a transformative period as digital gaming ecosystems expand at an unprecedented pace. Valued at US$ 21,789.3 million in 2025, the market is projected to reach US$ 62,556.8 million by 2032, reflecting a powerful CAGR of 16.4%. This meteoric rise is fueled by the mainstream adoption of online gaming, rapid digital payments integration, and the popularity of prepaid gaming currency among Gen Z and Millennials. With the global gaming population surpassing 3.3 billion players in 2024, gift cards have evolved into a critical component of the gaming economy.

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Introduction: Why Gaming Gift Cards Are More Relevant Than Ever

Gaming gift cards-offered by brands like PlayStation, Xbox, Steam, Google Play, Nintendo, and various publishers-act as prepaid digital wallets. They enable players to purchase games, downloadable content (DLC), skins, battle passes, in-game currencies, and subscription services. In an era where digital gaming revenue has overtaken traditional physical game sales, these cards provide frictionless access to content without requiring a credit or debit card.

For young gamers, especially in emerging markets, gift cards represent affordability, flexibility, and security. As microtransactions become the dominant revenue model for gaming companies, global demand for gaming gift cards is rising steadily. Furthermore, the expansion of mobile gaming in Asia, subscription gaming models, and cloud gaming services have created a robust environment for prepaid digital gifting solutions.

Market Growth Drivers
More than 3.3 billion active gamers worldwide have created an enormous consumer base for digital spending. The increasing penetration of smartphones, high-speed internet, and cross-platform gaming is pushing more players into game ecosystems that rely heavily on virtual currencies and premium content. Gift cards act as a gateway for these purchases, making them indispensable for both casual and professional gamers.

2. Rising Adoption of Microtransactions

In-game purchases-cosmetic upgrades, new levels, power-ups, subscription passes, and character enhancements-account for a significant share of gaming revenue. With titles like Fortnite, Roblox, Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, and Call of Duty Mobile continuously offering new seasonal content, players prefer prepaid solutions for frequent transactions. Gift cards eliminate the need for bank information, offering simplicity and security.

3. Strong Adoption Among Gen Z and Millennials

These two generations dominate global gaming participation and are highly inclined towards digital gifting. For birthdays, holidays, or casual gifting, gaming gift cards are far more popular than physical gifts. Their flexibility allows recipients to choose exactly what they want-whether that's downloadable content, skins, or virtual upgrades.

4. Expansion of Subscription-Based Gaming

Subscription models like Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus, EA Play, and Nintendo Switch Online have dramatically changed how players access gaming content. Many of these platforms accept gift cards, driving further demand. As cloud gaming services such as NVIDIA GeForce NOW and Amazon Luna expand, prepaid access will continue to grow.

5. Growth in E-commerce and Digital Payments

The boom in online retail and the widespread availability of gift cards on platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Paytm, Walmart, and Best Buy have made digital gift cards one of the fastest-growing ecommerce categories. Secure payment gateways, instant delivery, and wallet integration have enhanced convenience for both buyers and gamers.

Market Trends Shaping the Gaming Gift Card Industry
1. Rise of Mobile Gaming Gift Cards

Mobile gaming accounts for over 50% of global gaming revenue. As a result, gift cards for Google Play, Apple App Store, PUBG Mobile UC, Free Fire Diamonds, and similar mobile-centric currencies are experiencing explosive growth-especially in Asia-Pacific, where mobile gaming dominates.

2. Increasing Popularity of Region-Specific Gift Cards

Localized cards, such as India-specific Google Play denominations, Middle-East Xbox gift cards, or Latin America prepaid cards, are expanding accessibility. Regional pricing and currency differences make localized cards essential for supporting diverse economies.

3. Gift Cards as Digital Assets for Resale

A secondary market for trading or reselling gift cards has emerged. Gamers often purchase cards at discounted rates to maximize their in-game spending. Several platforms and fintech apps now facilitate safe reselling, adding new layers to market demand.

4. Integration With Gaming Ecosystems

Platforms such as Steam and PlayStation have made gift card redemption seamless. Advanced APIs and secure gateways allow instant fund transfers into gaming wallets, enhancing user experience. This frictionless integration has significantly boosted sales.

5. Use of Gift Cards as Parental Control Tools

Parents use prepaid gaming cards for children instead of linking credit cards to gaming accounts. This provides a safety barrier, helping manage spending and avoid unauthorized purchases-a major reason behind strong adoption in North America and Europe.

Regional Market Analysis
North America: A Mature and High-Spending Market

North America remains one of the largest markets, dominated by players who purchase game credits frequently across console and PC ecosystems. High adoption of platforms like Xbox, PS5, and Nintendo Switch, along with subscription preferences, drives robust gift card demand. Digital gifting culture is also well-established in the region.

Europe: Growing Through Digitalization and Privacy-Focused Users

Europe exhibits strong demand due to advanced ecommerce infrastructure and high privacy concerns among consumers. Many European gamers prefer prepaid cards over direct bank payments for security reasons. Countries such as Germany, the UK, France, and the Nordics are key contributors.

Asia-Pacific: The Fastest-Growing Region

Asia-Pacific leads the world in mobile gamers, with markets like China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam showing phenomenal growth. Affordable pricing models and the popularity of mobile battle royale and RPG games are pushing demand for prepaid game currency cards.

Latin America: Driven by Youth Gamers and Affordable Gifting

Gift cards are increasingly popular due to fluctuating currency values and limited access to international payment cards. Platforms such as Garena and PlayStation have strong traction, making Latin America a high-potential market.

Middle East & Africa: Expanding Through Online Gaming Communities

The region is witnessing growing esports participation and mobile gaming adoption. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, and South Africa show rising demand for PSN, Xbox, Steam, and mobile game gift cards.

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Key Segments of the Gaming Gift Card Market
By Card Type

Closed-Loop Gift Cards (e.g., PlayStation, Steam, Xbox)

Open-Loop Gift Cards (Visa, Mastercard, etc., usable for games)
Closed-loop cards continue to dominate due to platform-specific benefits and loyalty incentives.

By Platform

PC/Online Gaming

Console Gaming

Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming is expected to register the fastest growth owing to microtransaction-heavy models.

By Application

Games Purchase

In-Game Currency

DLC & Upgrades

Subscriptions
In-game currency remains the largest segment, driven by the surge in live-service games.

Ecosystem and Competitive Landscape

The gaming gift card market features a mix of platform owners, retailers, fintech companies, and third-party issuers. Leading players include:

Sony PlayStation Network

Microsoft Xbox Live

Nintendo eShop

Steam/Valve Corporation

Google Play

Apple App Store

Tencent

Razer Gold

NetEase

Garena

Retail giants like Amazon, Walmart, GameStop, Target, and Best Buy dominate physical and digital distribution.

Meanwhile, fintech gaming platforms such as Codashop, G2A, Recharge.com, and Eneba offer region-specific deals, enhancing availability across emerging markets.

Technological Advancements Influencing Market Dynamics
1. Blockchain and Digital Wallet Integration

Blockchain-based gaming environments and play-to-earn (P2E) platforms are creating demand for tokenized gift cards. These cards offer transparent transactions and reduced fraud.

2. AI-Powered Fraud Detection

Digital gift cards are a frequent target for fraud. AI-powered monitoring systems can detect suspicious activities, ensuring safer online trading and redemption.

3. Instant Digital Delivery Systems

Advances in automated delivery systems allow gamers to receive codes instantly after purchase-drastically improving convenience and boosting repeat purchases.

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Challenges Facing the Gaming Gift Card Market
1. High Risk of Fraud

Gift card such as phishing, fake card generators, and unauthorized reselling-remain a challenge for vendors.

2. Restricted Regional Availability

Certain gift cards have region locks, making them unusable across borders and limiting flexibility for global gamers.

3. Price Fluctuations in Secondary Markets

Resale platforms may distort pricing, impacting consumer perception and vendor revenues.

Future Opportunities and Outlook
1. Integration With Metaverse and Virtual Worlds

As metaverse platforms expand, gift cards could become essential tools for purchasing digital land, avatar upgrades, virtual accessories, and premium memberships.

2. Expansion of Cloud Gaming Services

Cloud gaming eliminates the need for high-end hardware, encouraging more players to subscribe via prepaid digital cards. As services scale globally, demand will rise.

3. Increasing Penetration in Emerging Markets

Massive youth populations in India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Africa will create multi-billion-dollar opportunities for card issuers and ecommerce retailers.

4. Corporate Gifting and Loyalty Programs

Gaming gift cards are increasingly being used as incentives in employee engagement programs and loyalty schemes-an untapped revenue stream.

Conclusion

The global gaming gift card market is poised for exceptional growth between 2025 and 2032, supported by a massive gamer population, rising digital transformation, and the growing acceptance of prepaid gaming solutions. As gaming ecosystems evolve with cloud gaming, AR/VR environments, esports, and live-service content, gift cards will remain central to digital payments within the gaming world.

With a projected leap from US$ 21.7 billion in 2025 to US$ 62.5 billion by 2032, the industry offers immense opportunities for retailers, platform owners, payment solution providers, and investors. The next decade will witness innovations such as blockchain-secured cards, AI-driven fraud control, dynamic pricing, and deeper integration with global gaming platforms.

Ultimately, gaming gift cards are not just a convenient payment tool-they represent the future of digital gaming commerce.

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Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
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About Persistence Market Research:

At Persistence Market Research, we specialize in creating research studies that serve as strategic tools for driving business growth. Established as a proprietary firm in 2012, we have evolved into a registered company in England and Wales in 2023 under the name Persistence Research & Consultancy Services Ltd. With a solid foundation, we have completed over 3600 custom and syndicate market research projects, and delivered more than 2700 projects for other leading market research companies' clients.

Our approach combines traditional market research methods with modern tools to offer comprehensive research solutions. With a decade of experience, we pride ourselves on deriving actionable insights from data to help businesses stay ahead of the competition. Our client base spans multinational corporations, leading consulting firms, investment funds, and government departments. A significant portion of our sales comes from repeat clients, a testament to the value and trust we've built over the years.

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