According to new data from consumer insights agency KLA using YouGov Profiles+ data, among South African internet users, 62% stream games and 61% download games. A further 49% actively play games online, placing gaming firmly alongside the most common internet activities. These are not fringe numbers, they reflect a mainstream shift in how South Africans spend their time.
Part Of The Digital Routine
Email leads internet activity at 88%, followed by online banking at 81% and social networking at 68%. But gaming has earned its place in that company. Streaming games at 62% and downloading games at 61% puts gaming on a level with reading news online (61%), suggesting it is no longer something people do instead of other activities, it is one of those activities.
The 49% of internet users who actively play games represent millions of South Africans for whom gaming defines a substantial portion of their free time. What the data makes clear is that gaming is not competing for space in the daily digital routine, it already has that space.
Mobile Gaming Becomes A Daily Habit
The mobile picture reinforces the same story. Close to half of South African mobile users (47%) play games on their phones as part of their daily routine. That places mobile gaming ahead of everyday activities like using navigation apps, paying bills and listening to the radio.
This matters because it speaks to the nature of gaming today. It is no longer something that requires a dedicated device, a dedicated evening or a dedicated mindset. South Africans pick up their phones while commuting, waiting in queues or winding down at home, and increasingly, the game is what they reach for.
Players, Downloaders And Spectators
One of the more telling dimensions of the data is the diversity of ways people engage with gaming. Downloading (61%) and streaming (62%) sit alongside active play (49%) as distinct but interconnected behaviours. Consumers are not simply playing, they are curating gaming libraries and watching others play.
That streaming figure is particularly significant. Watching gameplay has become a legitimate form of entertainment in its own right, mirroring a global trend in which platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming compete directly with traditional video content for viewers’ time and attention. South Africa is part of that shift, not behind it.
What This Means For Brands
For brands and marketers, ignoring gaming is no longer a neutral position. With near-majority or majority adoption across playing, downloading and streaming, gaming represents one of the most engaged segments of the digital consumer landscape. The 47% of mobile users playing games daily are a captive, attentive audience, one that traditional advertising channels often struggle to reach as effectively.
The data points to gaming touchpoints that exist throughout the consumer journey, from morning commutes on mobile to evening sessions at home. Sponsorships, in-game advertising, gaming content partnerships and community-building are all entry points for brands looking to connect with audiences where they are genuinely spending their time.
Gaming demands active participation and sustained focus in a way that passive media consumption does not. When close to half of all internet users are actively playing, and nearly as many are watching others play, that represents a level of consumer attention and engagement that brands cannot afford to overlook.
The data referenced in this release is sourced from YouGov Profiles+, South Africa, fielded on 7 December 2025. The nationally representative sample comprised 23,239 adults aged 18 and over.
