TSB schools programme tackles the problem signs of gaming – helping young people stay in control of their money

• TSB schools programme aims to boost awareness of pitfalls in gaming spend for young people & parents
• Research from gaming expert highlights that in-game transactions can be double the cost of purchasing a game
• Over half of gamers (52%) who spend in game and have overspent have had to cut back on their daily budget
• Over a third (36%) of those planning to gift a game this Christmas unaware of in-game spending options
• On average, gamers spend £540 a year on in-game spend and game subscriptions 

TSB has launched an educational module in schools to highlight the importance of controlled spending within popular gaming platforms, as the bank finds spend has increased in one popular title by 85%¹ in five years.

The gaming sector is worth £7.82 billion² in the UK, and with 10.4million users,³ gaming delivers many benefits, but there are also ways to spend that gamers, particularly younger gamers, need to be aware of.

The real cost of gaming

TSB has teamed up with gaming expert, Andy Robertson⁴ author of the Taming Gaming book, to highlight some of the purchases that could lead to households racking up a hefty, unexpected bill – as Robertson advises parents to set up spending limits and controls before gifting consoles this Christmas.

Robertson informs parents that gamers can spend double the price of the game itself on additional content. For instance, he found ‘Sea of Thieves’, which costs £34.99 to purchase, has an option to spend £79.99 on additional adventures. He also highlights 'Asphalt Legends’ which is free to download, but gamers can spend £89.99 in one transaction.

TSB also recorded significant growth in popular platforms that sell games that include in-game spending options, such as Epic, where spend increased by 85 percent in five years⁵, followed by Fortnite (59%), Roblox (57%) and Steam games (19%).

Survey of gamers

An accompanying poll of 2,010 gamers⁶ reveals that gamers spend £540 a year on average through a combination of in-game purchases (£22* a month) and subscriptions (£23* a month) -while the average spend of an initial game purchase is £32*.

The survey found that half (52%) of respondents** who spend money in-game and have overspent have had to cut back on daily spending. And almost half (47%***) of gamers surveyed who spend money in-game feel out of control of their spending when playing video games.

TSB also surveyed non-gamers⁷ and found almost three in five (57%****) intended to gift a game this Christmas. Although, over a third (36%) were unaware that games can come with in-game spending options – meaning many parents are unaware of the additional fees they could accrue over the year.

TSB’s schools programme helps tackle the problem signs of gaming

To raise awareness of the impact in-game spend can have on personal finances, with the help of Robertson TSB has added further education to its popular schools programme.

Delivered by TSB colleagues to schools with high pupil premiums, TSB’s schools programme provides insight and support to young people on how to manage their money including what to be aware of when gaming.

Andy Robertson, author and gaming expert, said:

“I regularly advise parents on healthy family gaming, and an important part of this is understanding the potential for in-game spend. Especially how to avoid unexpected costs by ensuring the right controls are in place.

“Ahead of gifting a gaming console, it’s vital you download any updates, set-up user profiles for each child and implement spending limits. Then you're all set to enjoy the games safely – without unexpected dents in your finances.”

Nikkie Spencer, Director of IT, TSB, said:

"Gaming has many benefits to young people and for many it often leads to their first interaction with spending or managing their money.

“That’s why we’re in schools, raising awareness of in-game spending and helping young people stay in control and be more Money Confident.”

Notes to editors

Advice from Andy Robertson

• Ensure that spending limits are set up on consoles, that way you will never go above your set limit 
• Set up child accounts that require a PIN to spend money on in-game purchases.
• Use resources like the Family Gaming Database to source games that don’t have additional spending options. 
• Oversee your child’s gaming – and join in with them to understand the platforms they’re interacting with and whether purchases are good value
• Have open conversations about spending in-game, as this can also be a valuable way of understanding the value of real-world currency
• Before You Wrap – set up the above controls and be ready to monitor and engage with your children 

Notes to editors

1. TSB customer data TSB customer data on spend within the gaming sector Nov20 - Oct21 vs Nov23 - Oct24” 
2. The UK video games market continues on a strong path of growth, reaching a value of £7.82 billion in 2023. Ukie
3. U Switch report Online Gaming Statistics 2024 Report - Online Gaming Facts and Stats - Uswitch
4. TSB commissioned gaming expert Andy Robertson to identify practice within gaming platforms that offer spending options
5. TSB customer data on increase over five years
6. Censuswide conducted a survey of 2,000 gamers for TSB in November, 2024 7 
7. A sub-survey by Censuswide polled 1,424 non-gamers

Censuswide polling

*Mean £ per month (excluding ‘not sure’ and ‘N/A’)
** Who spend money on gaming entertainment and have ever spent more than they planned to
*** ‘Always’, ‘Sometimes’, and ‘Occasionally’ answers combined
**** ‘Yes, definitely’ and ‘Yes, possibly’ answers combined

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 1424 non-gamers . The data was collected between 08.11.2024 - 13.11.2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2001 gamers. The data was collected between 08.11.2024 - 13.11.2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.