Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Video gaming in Latin America - statistics & facts
Fueled by continued growth and a free-to-play and mobile-first culture, Latin America’s video gaming market is home to one of the world’s most engaged, and diverse gamer communities. In 2025, the region generated over 20.31 billion U.S. dollars of gaming revenues, with an audience similar in size to that of Europe. Meanwhile, the region’s increase in online game purchases, the rise of its e-sports scene and the boost of local development studios point to a future of even higher engagement and localized experiences for its gamers.
Latin America displays a balanced gender distribution in gaming, with strong participation across different age groups, despite the usual predominance of younger players. However, in markets like Argentina, Chile, and especially Brazil, most gamers identify as white, reflecting broader social and economic disparities that persist in the region and are mirrored within its gaming community. Additional divides emerge from the fact that at least one-third of gamers in market like Brazil and Mexico spend no money on video games, showing that free-to-play modalities are more of a necessity than a preference.
Furthermore, gaming hardware remains the primary source of the industry’s revenue across the region, while cloud gaming has emerged as its fastest-growing segment. And as physical game sales decrease, Latin America’s audiences confirm their focus on more online-based and connected gaming experiences.
With Brazil and Mexico holding their positions as regional leaders, the rapid rise of mobile gaming, online platforms, and eSports are driving new gaming trends and shifting player habits across other Latin American markets. Enhanced accessibility, a thriving creative scene, and a strong connectivity prove the region’s character as a vibrant and promising frontier in the global gaming industry.
Leading markets and audiences
Brazil and Mexico are by far Latin America’s biggest markets in terms of gaming audiences and revenue. Both countries are propelled by their domestic gaming industries, with a multitude of local development studios, and Brazil being home to some of the world’s biggest gaming events, such as Brazil Games Show (BGS), CCXP, and Gamescom LatAm. Despite comparatively lower revenues, countries like Argentina and Chile are also emerging markets due to their increased connectivity and digital engagement.Latin America displays a balanced gender distribution in gaming, with strong participation across different age groups, despite the usual predominance of younger players. However, in markets like Argentina, Chile, and especially Brazil, most gamers identify as white, reflecting broader social and economic disparities that persist in the region and are mirrored within its gaming community. Additional divides emerge from the fact that at least one-third of gamers in market like Brazil and Mexico spend no money on video games, showing that free-to-play modalities are more of a necessity than a preference.
More connected and mobile experiences
Overcoming economic impediments and taking over smaller screens, mobile gaming has become Latin America’s most popular segment in terms of audience, with 201 million users across the region. Driven by growing smartphone adoption and increasingly affordable internet in both urban and rural areas, countries like Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina now rank among the world’s top gaming app markets worldwide. In 2025, the region’s segment alone generated up to 2.1 billion U.S. dollars of revenue. And even though consoles are not the preferred platform, Latin American gamers still display some of the highest global engagement rates on these devices, reflecting the region’s exceptional overall gaming activity.Furthermore, gaming hardware remains the primary source of the industry’s revenue across the region, while cloud gaming has emerged as its fastest-growing segment. And as physical game sales decrease, Latin America’s audiences confirm their focus on more online-based and connected gaming experiences.
eSports in Latin America
Rooted in the region’s passion of football and other sports, Latin America’s eSports industry is carving out a powerful presence within the interactive entertainment landscape. Although it has yet to break into the world’s top ten eSports markets, Brazil and Mexico are experiencing impressive growth in global participation, generating 104 million and 76.1 million U.S. dollars in annual revenue respectively. At the same time, the growing popularity of online betting in Brazil is increasingly influencing the region’s evolving eSports ecosystem.With Brazil and Mexico holding their positions as regional leaders, the rapid rise of mobile gaming, online platforms, and eSports are driving new gaming trends and shifting player habits across other Latin American markets. Enhanced accessibility, a thriving creative scene, and a strong connectivity prove the region’s character as a vibrant and promising frontier in the global gaming industry.
