Ipsos & Video Games Europe: How children spend money in Games in 2024
Parents spend less on children's games activities compared to the previous year.
Ipsos conducted a survey of 2,772 parents or guardians on the topic of children’s spending on games, focusing on Europe.
As of 2023, 76% of parents reported that their children do not make in-game purchases. 18% know that their children make purchases, and 6% do not monitor this aspect.
The most popular purchases, at 38%, are items that directly impact gameplay, making this the top category of purchases. Following this are cosmetic items, which account for 30%. Loot boxes, under regulatory scrutiny in many countries, are less popular.
❗️There is a methodological question here: some parents may not realize that items affecting gameplay or cosmetic items are often sold through loot boxes. This is supported by the fact that 71% of respondents are unaware of loot boxes.
Parental spending on children’s in-game purchases has dropped to €31 per month, down from €39 the previous year. The study did not investigate the reasons behind this decrease.
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The percentage of parents with an agreement with their children regarding in-game spending has slightly decreased from 76% in 2023 to 73% in 2024.
95% of parents actively monitor how their child spends money on games.
