According to a global study conducted by Ernst & Young on the gaming sector the online gaming segment has an average growth of 13% per year. This market analysis clearly shows the rise of various skill games like Sudoku, board games and strategy games as well as that of online gambling. Chess, billiard and the traditional card games are hot favorites.

The first half of 2009 has seen 59% on web users indulge in some kind of online skill  contributing around 2.2 billion into the total online gaming market of around a staggering $ 5 billion; 150% higher than the previous year.
This growth is due to various reasons:
Most people have a tendency to indulge in some kind of game or the other. Given to the economic recession, more and more of this population took up internet gaming as a money-saving alternative to outdoor games. Also, with so many rendered jobless across the globe, people had more spare time and spent them on internet games.
The growing trend among the social networking sites to attract more traffic and keep them hooked by adding interactive widgets and applications and advert-games has also helped the online gaming industry grow manifold. These advert-games not only help the sites retain its members by getting them addicted to the games but also yield profit as they promote some service or product  as well.

Although, it is up to the financial consultants to give a verdict on whether to invest in the online gaming market, there is no denying the fact that be it online or offline, games are here to stay as long as we humans have our playful nature!

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